No performance barrier was safe from the assault of over 100 ferocious doorslammers during qualifying at the 6th annual Al Anabi Shakedown at E’town presented by Speedtech Nitrous in Englishtown, N.J.

On two occasions the performance barriers for doorslammers, regardless of classification, and of the nitrous-injected variety created drag racing history.

No performance barrier was safe from the assault of over 100 ferocious doorslammers during qualifying at the 6th annual Al Anabi Shakedown at E’town presented by Speedtech Nitrous in Englishtown, N.J.

On two occasions the performance barriers for doorslammers, regardless of classification, and of the nitrous-injected variety created drag racing history.

Defending IHRA Pro Modified world champion Scott Cannon Jr. drove Thomas Patterson’s classic Dodge Daytona to the quickest and fastest doorslammer lap in drag racing history with a 5.738 elapsed time at 252.71. Earlier in the day Cannon ran 250.55 to establish himself as the only full-bodied racer to exceed 250-miles per hour. No Pro Modified driver, legal or outlaw, has ever recorded a 5.7-second run.

If Cannon’s run stands through Sunday’s final eliminations, he will pocket a $5,000 bounty for eclipsing the previous 5.893 record for doorslammers.

Cannon was light years ahead of No. 2 qualifier Von Smith (5.896) and Barney Squires (5.925). Kevin McCurdy anchored the sixteen-car field with a 6.373 elapsed time.

The race to the five second zone for nitrous Pro Modified vehicles end after two qualifying sessions with nitrous frontrunner Jim Halsey, of Street, Md., earning a place in drag racing history when he pushed his Yellow Bullet-sponsored 1968 Camaro to a 5.998-second run at 240.68 miles per hour to record the magic mark. This run also represented the first time a nitrous car had exceeded 240-miles per hour.

Halsey pocketed $2,500 from Speedtech for the first five-second run by a nitrous racer.

Halsey will head into Sunday’s final eliminations as the top qualifier trailed by Fredy Scriba (6.058) and Rickie Smith (6.089). Billy Glidden anchored the 16-car field with a 6.508.

Such performance milestones became commonplace from the start at the Al Anabi Shakedown presented by Speedtech Nitrous.

Outlaw 10.5 racer Tim Lynch might have come out on the losing end of a best two-out-of-three match race with Billy Glidden, but that didn’t stop him from vaulting to the top of his classification in his only winning race. Lynch pushed his 2002 Mustang to a 6.543 elapsed time at an impressive 218.34 miles per hour.

Other qualifying leaders after three sessions included David Wolfe (Drag Radial – 7.216, 201.64), Steve Lazzaro (Heavy Street – 6.723, 215.68), and Harry Gerb (8.50 Index – 8.505).

Blown Pro Mod racer Scott Filkins emerged uninjured after a second session qualifying accident.

Filkins crashed his 2006 Pontiac GTO into the right guard wall just past the finish line. He crawled out of the car and walked away under his own power.