NEFF BACKS DOWN TO TOP SPOT
Sat, 2009-06-27 08:01
For once in 2009, not being the fastest car in the John Force Racing stable had its advantages.
A tricky track, some of the hottest temperatures the nitro racers have faced in 2009 and a team that has struggled to find last season’s groove worked perfectly for Mike Neff during the first day of qualifications for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio.
Neff and his teammate Robert Hight finished one and two in Friday’s provisional qualifying.
Credit a track temperature that exceeded 130 degrees and a racing surface from the last 400 feet that featured fresh, but unproven asphalt.
A tricky track, some of the hottest temperatures the nitro racers have faced in 2009 and a team that has struggled to find last season’s groove worked perfectly for Mike Neff during the first day of qualifications for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio.
Neff and his teammate Robert Hight finished one and two in Friday’s provisional qualifying.
Credit a track temperature that exceeded 130 degrees and a racing surface from the last 400 feet that featured fresh, but unproven asphalt.
“The track was tricky today, especially after that first session,” Neff said. “For Robert (Hight) to be number two, that's important too, because he and I are trying to fight our way back into this countdown. It would be great to qualifying number one here this weekend, because we haven't done it all year.”
Neff has had an up and down 2009 season in qualifying by placing as high as second in Englishtown and as low as twelfth at the season-opener in Pomona. He’s certainly not the weakest Mustang in the Force herd but he’s not the strongest either. Along with crew chief John Medlen they found a happy medium during the first day of qualifying.
Knowing how to work the track made all the difference.
“It was really hot today,” Neff said. “The first part of the track tonight is pretty good, but with brand new asphalt down there, it's going to smoke the tires and that's all there is to it. And, that is going to happen all weekend. You won't be able to build enough rubber there to see cars running over 300 like you usually see Funny Cars run on the night runs.”
Having an abundance of horsepower could be a detriment on the freshly repaved second half of the drag strip.
“Naturally less power will do you a favor when tracks conditions aren't that good,” Neff concluded.
Roger Richards
A tricky track, some of the hottest temperatures the nitro racers have faced in 2009 and a team that has struggled to find last season’s groove worked perfectly for Mike Neff during the first day of qualifications for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio.
Neff and his teammate Robert Hight finished one and two in Friday’s provisional qualifying.
Credit a track temperature that exceeded 130 degrees and a racing surface from the last 400 feet that featured fresh, but unproven asphalt.
For once in 2009, not being the fastest car in the John Force Racing stable had its advantages.
Roger Richards
A tricky track, some of the hottest temperatures the nitro racers have faced in 2009 and a team that has struggled to find last season’s groove worked perfectly for Mike Neff during the first day of qualifications for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio.
Neff and his teammate Robert Hight finished one and two in Friday’s provisional qualifying.
Credit a track temperature that exceeded 130 degrees and a racing surface from the last 400 feet that featured fresh, but unproven asphalt.
“The track was tricky today, especially after that first session,” Neff said. “For Robert (Hight) to be number two, that's important too, because he and I are trying to fight our way back into this countdown. It would be great to qualifying number one here this weekend, because we haven't done it all year.”
Neff has had an up and down 2009 season in qualifying by placing as high as second in Englishtown and as low as twelfth at the season-opener in Pomona. He’s certainly not the weakest Mustang in the Force herd but he’s not the strongest either. Along with crew chief John Medlen they found a happy medium during the first day of qualifying.
Knowing how to work the track made all the difference.
“It was really hot today,” Neff said. “The first part of the track tonight is pretty good, but with brand new asphalt down there, it's going to smoke the tires and that's all there is to it. And, that is going to happen all weekend. You won't be able to build enough rubber there to see cars running over 300 like you usually see Funny Cars run on the night runs.”
Having an abundance of horsepower could be a detriment on the freshly repaved second half of the drag strip.
“Naturally less power will do you a favor when tracks conditions aren't that good,” Neff concluded.
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