FRIDAY SONOMA QUALIFYING
TODD, HAGAN, KRISHER AND KRAWIEC LEAD FRIDAY QUALIFYING AT FRAM AUTOLITE NATIONALS
J.R. Todd raced to the qualifying lead in Top Fuel Friday at the FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway.
Matt Hagan, Ron Krisher and Eddie Krawiec also were qualifying leaders at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event.
Todd, who won here in 2006 and is competing in a limited schedule this
season for Bay Area team owner David Baca, powered his Mach 1 dragster
to a 3.811 second run at 312.06 mph to lead the 16-car order.
“That was a great run and I’m a little shocked,” Todd said. “It’s great
to be able to come out here and make a run like that for David (Baca,
team owner from Brentwood, Calif.), since this is his hometown track.
He’ll have some friends and family out here tomorrow so hopefully we
can keep it going.”
Antron Brown, who is attempting to become the seventh pro driver in
NHRA history to sweep the Western Swing, qualified fourth in his Matco
Tools dragster with a 3.844 at 311.05.
"We
made two good runs today," Brown said. "Any time you can be in the top
four, you're doing something right. Our goal is to stay consistent and
go down the race track and put ourselves in a position to do well.
(Crew chiefs) Mark (Oswald) and Brian (Corradi) have a great handle on
our Matco Tools dragster and we're excited about working on the race
day setup on Saturday afternoon."
Hagan is in position to claim his first No. 1 qualifying position in
Funny Car, as the rookie driver led his division with a 4.068 at 307.51
in his Shelor.com Dodge Charger.
“That was great run on a great track," said Hagan, who is one of the
leading contenders for the Automobile Club of Southern California Road
to the Future award. “The fans here got a great show. Don [Schumacher,
team owner] puts all the right stuff underneath us and that allows us
to make runs like that. Being a rookie, it’s nice to know I can come
out here and do that. We really needed something to come together for
us. Our morale has been down a bit lately but this really helps turn it
around. We’ve had a lot of missed opportunities lately but this is a
big positive and we just need to keep it going.”
Hagan’s
teammate, series leader Ron Capps, became the first Funny Car driver to
clinch his position in the Countdown to 1 by making a qualifying
attempt today. His NAPA Dodge Charger was 13th with a 4.215 at 288.95.
"Obviously, it feels great to have clinched a spot in the Countdown,”
Capps said. “We have a lot of unfinished business. We want to stay No.
1 going into the Countdown. But to know that you're already going to be
involved in the Countdown takes a little bit of pressure off, for sure.
And now we can sit back and watch everybody else battle."
In Pro Stock, Krisher took advantage of cooler conditions in the second
session and posted a track record time of 6.573 at 208.84 in a
Valvoline Chevy Cobalt.
“The [NHRA Safety Safari] helped us out by working on the track and
sweeping off the dust,” Krisher said. “I didn’t get to look at computer
but I think we had the right amount of clutch or close to it. We made
some big changes on the car race day in Seattle and they appear to be
working out. Mike [Edwards] helped us out with a bar change and it
really picked the car up in 60-feet. We have more
left but we probably won’t see it tomorrow because there will be water
in the air and these Pro Stock cars don’t like that at all. I might
stay No. 1, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Greg [Anderson] Jason [Line] and
Edwards are awfully fast but if I stay No. 1 it might help make up for
that red-light in Denver. I can’t put that behind me yet.”
Krawiec, who has been to the final round at the last six bike races,
was quickest in Pro Stock Motorcycle, covering the distance in 6.973 at
190.48 on his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson.
“With that headwind, there was definitely some E.T. left on table but I
think I made one of the best runs of the session,” Krawiec said. “I
didn’t have to correct much. This whole class is about making really
perfect runs and that’s what we’ve been doing lately. It’s great to
come here in Sonoma and be No. 1 for now. Sonoma has always been a
great place for me; I came here the first time and went to the final
and then got to the semis last year. I just need to give it my best
shot and hopefully round wins will follow on Sunday. It doesn’t really
matter where you qualify.”
Qualifying continues Saturday with sessions at 11:30 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. Sunday’s eliminations start at 11 a.m.
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