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SATURDAY - RAIN PUSHES ACTION TO SUNDAY

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SATURDAY NOTEBOOK - MOTHER NATURE CALLS IT A DAY

IT STARTED OUT AS A DRY RAIN - A West Coast “Dry” rain suspended Pro Stock Showdown and Supreme Sportsman Series activities at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway today. Track workers had just finished prepping the track when showers moved in, forcing officials to move all activities to Sunday. We'll have an official statement shortly.

SO HUMBLE HE’S THE KING - Mike Edwards is a humble man, a humble champion and a dedicated racer.

The 2009 NHRA Pro Stock Champion refused to count his chickens before they hatched last year, but now, with the 2010 season just around the corner, Edwards'  face beams with joy when someone says, 'hey champ'.

“That sounds good doesn't it?” he says in response to the accolade.

Good enough to sustain him over the winter as the team faced the daily possibility of not being able to defend their title.

“It feels good,” admitted Edwards, when asked how it felt to be in Las Vegas at the Pro Stock Showdown. “These things, it take a lot of money to get them out here and make them run the way we try to run. We were real fortunate over the winter to have some great companies step up to help us.”

Over the winter, Penhall and Interstate Batteries both stepped up, giving the team a big boost. Contemporary Corvette stepped up their involvement with the team after joining the team late in the year last year. Additionally, A. R. T., a company that has a long history with Edwards, continues to provide support.

Winning the championship is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for Edwards. Defending it, means the dream continues.

“It's awesome,” said Edwards. “To win in this class, with this competition we have today, makes me have to take a double take when I look at that car and it has the number 1 on it. It still feels awful good. It is just real humbling and I am thankful to get a chance to do it again.”

Edwards is sincere when he speaks of being humbled. This is a guy who doesn't even put his name on the car. His is a team, with no I in it. The team won a championship, not just the driver.

“It was a tremendous effort by all these guys. They just worked as hard as me. Harder sometimes. They just put the effort out to make it happen. We were fortunate. We had some breaks. We ran so good. I mean, 16 number one qualifiers, that's pretty good.”

Can the team repeat in 2010?

“We'll go to Pomona and see where we stack up,” said Edwards. “Whatever happens there, we'll try to get better after that. It's a long season. We'd like to get off to a good start and see what happens.”

What ever happens this year, Mike Edwards will still be the same humble individual, surrounded by a strong team, putting out their best effort.

NOT AS EASY AS IT LOOKS? - To say that Shane Gray was caught unaware when he slid behind the wheel of his 2010 Pontiac GXP would be unfair. To say he might have underestimated the challenge, might be more accurate.

“I ran Comp (Eliminator) for 2 years in a B/Altered and thought it would be somewhat of an easy step but it is not,” admitted Gray after two days of testing, licensing and qualifying for the Pro Stock Showdown at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. “It’s very tough, but I have a lot of support. My mother and my father have supplied me with the best that we can get our hands on and we’re working on it. My wife has supported me 100% and we’re just going to make the best of it and try to improve as the season goes on and just go from there and see how we do.”

Gray struggled on Thursday, as he went through the licensing procedure.

“When I got here yesterday I was very nervous and it showed,” said Gray. “Today was a much better day. I knew what to expect when I got into the car today and kind of how things were going to be and how things were going to feel. Today was a much better day.”

Gray qualified 11^th, ahead of Justin Humphreys and his own father, Johnny Gray with a 6.774 second pass at 204.39 miles per hour. By comparison, Mike Edwards took the pole with a 6.681, or less than a tenth of a second faster. Unfortunately, in the Pro Stock world one tenth of a second is an eternity. One tenth of second slower could be enough to send a driver home from an event a day early.

To his credit, Shane understands how close the field can be and how that might affect his year as a rookie driver.

“My first year, I am prepared for a lot of disappointments,” Gray said. “Qualifying will be goal and something I will be proud of.  I have to crawl and then walk and then hopefully in a season or so I’ll be up and running. ”

Pragmatic in his approach, Shane allows himself to dream from time to time. And in those dreams is a place in the Countdown.

“I would be thrilled,” he responded when asked what if would mean if he did make the Countdown. “If I could just go out and compete with the guys in the Pro Stock field, because to me they are some of the best drivers in the world that do this, would be a great season. It is just an honor for me to get to mingle with them and line up beside them and try to do what I can do with them.”

The path to a Pro Stock career for Shane was carefully planned out and executed.

“That’s what we did,” Shane explained, also admitting he was the one who broached the subject of Pro Stock racing. “We laid out a plan. I had a 1967 Chevy II Nova from Don Ness and we ran outlaw 10.5 with and that is where I started getting prepared for this deal. From there I went to a B/Altered Comp car and ran it for a season and a half actually. And, here we are today.”

If being a rookie isn't enough, both he and his father are driving brand new cars in 2010.

“My father’s team over there is a seasoned bunch of guys you know and they’ll adapt a lot better.  But this team over here we are all pretty young and we got a new car, new motor, new team and new driver.  So like I say if we can just get qualified then I’m thrilled to death.”

NOT JUST LIKE A BICYCLE - It's been sixteen months since Melanie Troxel strapped into a Funny Car and it's not like riding a bicycle – you don't just jump on and ride.

“Oh it’s a little a nerve wracking going out there after that long kind of like starting over,” Troxel said, adding, “especially after spending you know the last six months driving a different type of car.”

Troxel drove a Pro Mod in 2009 while awaiting for the right opportunity to get back into a Funny Car. She will continue to drive the Pro Mod in 2010 while running eight events in the Funny Car, both for R2B2 and both backed by IN-N-OUT Burger.

The starting line procedures for both cars are very different.

“You definitely notice when you’re backing it up,” said Troxel of the difference between the two types of cars. “(The Funny Car) steers different. I tried to go over the starting line procedure in my head a lot just because everything about these two cars is different.

“It was good to just get that out-of-the-way, though. I know we were all anxious.

Anytime you bring out new stuff like this it's good to shake the cobwebs out. We got out there and didn’t get very far down the track but in reality we got a lot of stuff done today.  We got the computer checked and the bodies checked.”

While the equipment is the same equipment the team used in 2008, the faces are quite different. It is as important to be able to work together at the track as it is to get the car through tech. There is so much work to be done prior to even making a first run.

“It started,” said Troxel. “It went to the starting line, did the burn out, so are set to go if the weather will hold out tomorrow I think we’re ready to start doing some laps.”

For all the intensity of getting back into a Funny Car, all the butterflies in the stomach, Troxel admitted there was a pleasant side to the experience. There was a sense of settling into a favorite chair.

“Ya, I mean, it’s funny when I first got in that car, with all my gear on, and was getting strapped in - it’s like your nervous about everything but I had a definite sense of home that kind of came over me. Once I sat in it’s like this feels right so ya it was nice to get back in there. It doesn’t mean there weren’t still little nerves backing up through the burn out and doing all the stuff.

“It's like I said, it’s good to get one launch out-of-the-way; just kind of refresh all those memories. To get that feeling of yes, I’ve done this before I remember all this.”

Critical to the use of the NHRA's new body measuring device is location. Here an NRHA inspector places marks on the roof of the car at the appropriate locations prior to using the device to measure the body. There is also a mark on the blue tape located just behind the front wheel.

“The reason we're doing this is to try to speed up the process because we have big lines and what not and it's new technology,” remarked Gracia on Friday morning at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. “Obviously we're still trying to get the bugs out, that's why it's not painted or powder coated. It used to take us 45 minutes to do a car.”

Once his inspectors become more familiar with the operation of the device, Gracia estimates it will take between 15-20 minutes to certify a body, including the time needed for individual templates.

Roger Brogdon's '09 Pontiac GXP was the first car through the device, referred to as “the referee”, and the process took about one hour as inspectors cross checked the system with the old system.

Part of the process is ensuring the inspectors are reading the marks on the device correctly.

One area of the process which provided some discomfort to teams was the portion of the device use to measure the wheelbase. Danny Gracia, NHRA National Technical Inspector, stated after double checking the measurements, the device worked accurately.

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FRIDAY QUALIFYING NOTEBOOK - QUALIFYING IS IN THE BOOKS

Roger Brogdon, in the near lane, lines up against Jeg Coughlin, far lane, as the two make a qualifying pass for the Pro Stock Showdown. Brogdon qualified 7th with a 6.742 pass and Coughlin qualified 5th with a 6.712 pass.

V. Gaines lights up the tires as he prepares to make a qualifying pass. Gaines qualified 9th with a 6.769 pass.

Sporting the distinctive #1 of a defending champion, Mike Edwards prepares to defend his 2009 title. Edwards qualified in the top spot for the Pro Stock Showdown with an impressive 6.681 at 206.95 mph.

Vinnie Deceglie, near lane, goes up against Greg Stanfield during qualifying for the Pro Stock Showdown. The two qualified fourth and sixth respectively.

Rookie Pro Stock driver Shane Gray pulled double duty during qualifying for the Pro Stock Showdown. Gray was going through the licensing procedure while also qualifying 11th for the Pro Stock Showdown.

Ron Krisher, using Mike Edwards motors, qualified third for the Pro Stock Showdown with a 6.685 second pass.

Rickie Jones, near lane, qualified 10th in his '10 Pontiac GXP with a 6.771 second pass.

Allen Johnson showed the power in his '10 Dodge Avenger with a 6.684 second pass at 206.73 mph, good enough to qualify second behind defending Pro Stock Champion Mike Edwards.

MoreJeg Coughlin qualified fifth for the Pro Stock Showdown with a strong 6.712 second pass.

David Hope, Nevada Mo., puts the Mohegon Sun '09 Buell XB9R through the paces during the Pro Stock Showdown at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Mike Berry, Littleton Co., puts his LAT Racing Oils '09 Buell through the paces at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

After 15-plus months Melanie Troxel mashes the throttle on her Funny Car with new sponsor IN-N-OUT. Troxel is set to run 8 events in the Funny Car and the full Pro Mod schedule with IN-N-OUT.

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Defending NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series champion Mike Edwards of Coweta, Okla., earned No. 1 Qualifier status today for the Pro Stock Showdown at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Pro Stock and Supreme Sportsman Series eliminations will begin Saturday at 10 a.m. Pacific time.

Final order after 4 rounds of qualifying in Pro Stock at the Las Vegas Pro Stock Showdown:

1 Mike Edwards, Coweta Okla., 6.681/206.95.
2 Allen Johnson, Greeneville Tenn., 6.684/206.73.
3 Ron Krisher, Warren Ohio, 6.685/206.32.
4 Vinnie Deceglie, Rancho Cucamonga Calif., 6.709/205.47.
5 Jeg Coughlin, Delaware Ohio, 6.712/206.70.
6 Greg Stanfield, Bossier City La., 6.715/205.66.
7 Rodger Brogdon, Houston Tex., 6.742/204.60.
8 Bob Yonke, Burleson Tex., 6.758/204.54.
9 V. Gaines, Lakewood Colo., 6.769/203.74.
10 Rickie Jones, Galesburg Ill., 6.771/203.86.
11 Shane Gray, Artesia New Mex., 6.774/204.39.
12 Justin Humphreys, Monrovia Md., 6.786/204.11.
13 Johnny Gray, Artesia New Mex., 6.897/201.70.

Schedule (subject to change):
Saturday, Feb. 6 – Pro Stock Showdown and Supreme Sportsman eliminations
7 a.m. – Credential sales and pit parking.
8 a.m. – .5 Full Tree Run-for-the-Money (and more).
Open to all Non-Electronic .5 Full Tree.
.4 Pro Tree Run-for-the-Money (and more).
Open to all cars running .4 Pro Tree.
.5 Full Tree Electronics Run-for-the-Money – open to all Electronics .5 Full Tree.

10 a.m. – First round of Pro Stock Showdown (16 cars), Stock/Super Stock Combo, Super Comp, Super Pro Bracket, Super Gas.

2 p.m. – Second round of Pro Stock Showdown (8 cars).
First round of Pro Bracket, Top Sportsman, Top Dragster, continue Sportsman eliminations.

2 p.m. – Third round of Pro Stock Showdown (4 cars).
4 p.m. – Pro Stock Showdown finals.
5:45 p.m. – All Supreme Sportsman finals.

8 p.m. – 2009 LVMS drag strip awards banquet (infield of Superspeedway).

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THURSDAY NOTEBOOK - SHAKING IT DOWN FOR THE WEEKEND, THE SEASON

Rodger Brogdon drove his "The Pistonator" to a fast lap of 6.738 seconds, 204.82 mph. His fastest run of the day was a 204.91.

Rodger Brogdon drove one of three Jerry Haas-built Pro Stock cars on the property at The Strip at Las Vegas Motorspeedway.

Bob Glidden, center, shares a laugh with Johnny Gray, left, and Justin Humphreys, right. Humphreys will be getting assistance from Glidden and Ford as he campaigns his 2010 Ford Pro Stock Mustang.

Bob Glidden brushes out the water box at The Strip at Las Vegas Motorspeedway.

Pro Stock chassis builder Jerry Haas stands to the left of Bob Glidden as the two watch Johnny Gray go down the track.

Jeg Coughlin Jr. sports the No. 50 on his Pro Stock ride to celebrate the celebrate the 50 years JEGS has been in business.

Jeg Coughlin Jr. is driving a Super Stock Dodge Challenger R/T in 2010 in addition to his Pro Stock ride.

Jeg Coughlin Jr.'s 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T cuts a mean look while sitting in the staging lanes.

Veteran driver Johnny Gray heats up the tires before making a 6.847 second, 202.27 mph pass in his Pontiac GXP.

Shane Gray does a burnout on his way to a 7.405 second, 201.31 mph pass as he embarks on his professional debut in 2010.

Rickie Jones heats up the tires before making a 6.759 second, 204.48 mph pass during testing at The Strip at Las Vegas Motorspeedway.

Bob Yonke, in his Yonke Motorsports Pontiac GXP, heats up the tires before making a 6.813 second, 202.82 mph pass.

Alex Denysenko takes it to the air in his Stock Mustang Cobra Jet during a Thursday afternoon time trial.

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