Dave Connolly's mission when he arrived at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona was to finish second in the final NHRA POWERade Series Pro Stock standings -- right behind his Cagnazzi Racing teammate Jeg Coughlin.
 
Connolly and the Lucas Oil/Charter Communications Chevy Cobalt team got off to a great start by grabbing the provisional No. 1 qualifying berth in Thursday's first of four runs to set the field for Sunday's Auto Club Finals.  He toured the 1320 feet in 6.660 seconds at 207.75 mph. Dave Connolly's mission when he arrived at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona was to finish second in the final NHRA POWERade Series Pro Stock standings -- right behind his Cagnazzi Racing teammate Jeg Coughlin.
 
Connolly and the Lucas Oil/Charter Communications Chevy Cobalt team got off to a great start by grabbing the provisional No. 1 qualifying berth in Thursday's first of four runs to set the field for Sunday's Auto Club Finals.  He toured the 1320 feet in 6.660 seconds at 207.75 mph.
 
"We hadn't even made a run at this track this year until that run, so it was a good way to hit California and take the No. 1 spot," Connolly said.  "But we're talking prematurely (about staying in the top spot) because we have the good session coming up Saturday morning at 11 a.m.  But we have a good baseline and we are going to be doing our best and staying on top."
 
Connolly is in fourth place in a three-way squabble for the runner-up position, trailing second place by 20 points and third place by five points.