EVENT NEWS EVENT NOTEBOOK GSA PRO MODS POINTS AFTER EVENT ROUND-BY-ROUND  FINAL ROUND RESULTS			EVENT GALLERY

SUNDAY: A TRUE SPECTACLE COMES TO AN EXCITING CONCLUSION

THAT'S JUST HATREFUL - Against his better judgment Robert Hight kept the gas pedal in his Auto Club Mustang mashed to the floor. His car had gotten hateful in the second round of Funny Car eliminations at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway. It had developed a mind of its own essentially bringing the point leader along for the ride.

“It had welded the clutch together,” Hight said. “When it did, it just pulled the tires off. It was really a hairy run because it starts spinning the tires. With four-wide racing, you have to just stay in it. It’s really against your better judgment because it is really moving all over the place. The car is slipping and sliding and the engine sounds every bit like it is going to blow up.

“It turned the win light on.”

This was Hight’s second round in competition where the nitro cars run four abreast. Hight ended up running .17 slower than his first round winning lap and still ended up as the second quickest in his quartet, and earning a berth in the finals.

Sometimes you are just living right.

Sometimes you have a crew chief the likes of Jimmy Prock, who will tell you, “Don’t worry about this, I got it.”

Hight added, “He told me that no matter what lane we go in, I have this fixed.”

And, he did.  

Hight strapped a holeshot on Cruz Pedregon in the final round and fended off a resurgent Ron Capps for the victory.  Just to think, in qualifying, Hight made only one run to the finish line under power.

“I really wasn’t concerned at all,” said Hight. “I have a lot of confidence in my team. We were on the good side of not going down the track all weekend. We were weak [in not throwing enough horsepower at it]. When you’re too fast, out of control and having to search for a combination to get down this track, then you worry. Jimmy Prock has no trouble in throwing horsepower at this car.

“When the clouds came out, he was able to step all over it. We were close to a three second run and ran 320 miles per hour.”

Five races into the season, the Auto Club-sponsored driver has won every 2012 race but one. The last time a Funny Car driver won four races in a row was John Force in 1994.

Hight laid down the gauntlet early in the day with an incredible 4.014 elapsed time at 320.81 miles per hour. He, along with Bob Tasca III, advanced to the second round.

In the final round, Hight showed his driving expertise as he left in .011 seconds on eventual runner-up Pedregon and thundered to a 4.076-second victory at 314.83 miles per hour. Pedregon was the quickest of the quartet with a 4.070 run. Ron Capps [4.085] and John Force [6.814] finished as semi-finalists.

Hight enters the O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals with a commanding 145 point lead, almost eight round wins, over teammate Mike Neff.

FASTER THAN A SPEEDING BULLET - For those of you old enough to remember Schoolhouse Rock, you’ll know “Three is the Magic Number.” Sunday at the 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway, 330 was the magic number, as in 330 mph. Not only did a driver run 330 mph for the first time in the 1,000 ft. era, it was done a total of three times by two drivers, the duo being event Top Fuel winner Spencer Massey and runner up Tony Schumacher. Massey, who did it twice (330.55 mph, E1 and 332.18 mph, Finals) leaves Concord, N.C., with both the national speed record and the class points lead.

Schumacher (330.23 mph, E1) is now 0-10 in the finals in a winless streak now at 27 races. For Massey, it is the 29-year-old’s ninth win in 17 final appearances and his third of the 2012 season.

“When I crossed the finish line,” Massey said during his post-race interview, “I didn’t really realize who had won. With the 4-Wide, it’s kind of difficult to see. So, I didn’t really know until I made the turn off and … everyone said ‘You won!’ I was getting out and they said ‘You went 332 mph,’ that’s just unreal at a thousand foot. Don has to be extremely happy.”

The first driver to hit the number was seven-time champion Tony Schumacher, who ran his U.S. Army rail down the track at 330.23 mph in the first round of NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel eliminations against Doug Kalitta, who would advance, and Terry McMillen and Shawn Langdon, who would not. It was fitting for Schumacher to hit that plateau as he was also the first driver to reach the 330 milestone in the quarter-mile era at Phoenix in 1999.

The number stood for approximately ten minutes as Massey put a 330.55 on his speedometer, that number becoming an official record since he had backed it up with a speed of 328.78 mph earlier in the weekend in qualifying. Fellow Don Schumacher Racing pilot Antron Brown joined Massey in advancing to the second round of eliminations, sending Morgan Lucas and Hillary Will home early.

“Starting off with qualifying, it was awesome to run 328 mph (Saturday) and then coming out this morning and blistering a 330 right after watching Tony Schumacher go 330 mph,” Massey said. “I wouldn’t have even guessed it. We were just trying to go down the track, for the second round, we were just trying to go down the track and not beat ourselves.”

In the other two Top Fuel quads, event top qualifier Steve Torrence moved to E2, as did Bob Vandergriff over Clay Millican and Pat Dakin, who was unable to make it to the line due to a fuel line issue. Brandon Bernstein and Dave Grubnic moved up to the semi-finals over Dom Lagana and Khalid al Balooshi. In an ironic twist, it was the Team Al-Anabi cars of al Balooshi and Langdon who finished 1-2 in this event last year with Del Worsham and Larry Dixon, respectively.

The semi-finals saw the cloud cover move away and the temperatures rise, so speeds and times were considerably slower. Massey finished second to Brown with a 3.834 second ET to Brown’s 3.827 while on the other side of the bracket, Schumacher barely made it into the 300s with a 302.21 mph pass at 3.880 but was still able to win the round over Kalitta’s 3.911 second ET.

As the afternoon wore on, the cloud cover began creeping back and by the time the Top Fuel finals were at the line, the sun had disappeared. Massey had the race won from the green light with a reaction time of .037 seconds, beating Schumacher’s .065. Massey’s ET was .011 seconds faster than Schumacher’s as well. But it was the speed on the scoreboard that stunned all in attendance: 332.18 mph. Prior to Sunday, no one had run 330 mph at 1,000 ft. Sunday it had been done three times.

With the landmarks set Sunday, there is sure to be conversation at NHRA regarding safety at the race track. Massey, however, implored NHRA during the post-race press conference to not slow the cars down.

“I feel like, obviously as a driver, I want to go faster,” he said. “I don’t ever want to slow down. Whenever I was rolling back from the top end with (Funny Car winner) Robert (Hight) and (Pro Stock winner) Greg Anderson, I saw (NHRA Senior VP of Racing Operations) Graham Light and said, ‘Please don’t slow us down!’ Because I don’t want to get slowed down, I want to go as fast as possible.

“That’s what drag racing is all about. I hope we can go as fast as we can.”

Rounding out the top five in NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel points are Massey’s DSR teammates Tony Schumacher and Antron Brown, respectively, Morgan Lucas, and Shawn Langdon in fifth.

NOT A CLEAR PICTURE - The last thing Greg Anderson thought when he crossed the finish line during the Pro Stock finals at the 4-Wide Nationals Sunday was that he won at zMax Dragway.

“There was confusion for me (when he came around the turn after the finish line),” Anderson said. “The confusion at the end came from me seeing Jason Line a car length in front of me. I just knew I lost and Jason won. I had no idea how the other cars did because you can’t see all the way to the other side. It is not like Jason redlights very often so I didn’t even think of that. I knew I was at best second place, and probably worse, so I was kind of pouting when I came around the corner.”

Anderson didn’t need to be disappointed, because his observation was completely wrong.

Line did redlight and Vincent Nobile had engine problems and Anderson beat Erica Enders to the finish line for the win.

Anderson clocked a 6.540-second time to defeat Enders who came in at 6.608 seconds.

Anderson’s victory wasn’t that simple though.

When the race finished, Enders was the only driver to have her win light come on. Enders’ crew was celebrating at the starting line believing she won the race and made history by becoming the first female to win an NHRA Pro Stock national event.

“I had no idea Erica’s win light had come on, I just knew I lost to Jason Line,” Anderson said. “It was a crazy deal. I guess I lost a couple of ways and still won.”

This was Anderson’s second win of the season and the 72nd of his career.

“I definitely am off to a good start this year,” Anderson said. “I have been to three final rounds and I’m leading the points. I have a great race car and Jason (Line, Anderson’s teammate) has a great race car. This Summit Racing team is absolutely come out of the gates this year on fire. We have a lot to look forward to. We have a lot of great competitors in this class, but we have two of the very best cars we have ever had.”

Line and Anderson have won the last two world championships, but Anderson didn’t think his resume meant much at the 4Wide nationals.

“In a deal like this with four cars at once, you feel like an underdog,” Anderson said. “Even if you had the fastest car by a hundredth or two hundredths of a second you are running up against guys who cut double 0 lights and teen lights every time and I’m not one of those guys, so you feel like an underdog. I feel very fortunate (Sunday). I think I got a lot of luck in the final round.”

Although Anderson has won the 4-Wide nationals twice, he admitted this type of racing does present starting line challenges for Pro Stock drivers.

“It may look easy from the grandstand or from side, but it is terrible in the race car,” Anderson said. “It all you can do to tell which lane you are in and which part of the (Christmas) tree to watch. I know that sounds crazy, but apparently we have that many more things we have to do in our car. There is too much thinking going on that is what happens. Nobody wants to get timed out so everybody is trying to rush in as fast as they can, so the whole procedure seems to go faster than a normal procedure would. It is a crazy deal. It is like walking through a mine field out there. There are a million ways to lose and when you win, you think ‘how did that happen?’”

It would seem like Pro Stock drivers would almost want to treat their 4-Wide elimination rounds as a time trial run to avoid the distraction of the three other drivers. Anderson, however, said it’s not that easy.

“You just can’t do that,” Anderson said. “It is all you can do to concentrate on which part of the (Christmas) tree to watch, which stage ball is yours. They are all right next to each other and they are all so close they kind of all blend together. Then it seems like everybody is in a hurry to stage the car because no one wants to get timed out. It is a crazy, crazy deal, but if the fans love it I’m all for it. None of us have been speaking that we love this format  (4 wide) and love racing like this. It is tough. There are too many ways to screw up and look like a complete idiot. When you don’t at the end of the day you just want to go ‘How did I do that?’”

QUICK HITS RACE REPORT

TOP FUEL

FIRST ROUND

THREE-THIRTY-BY-GOSH - In the first NHRA Full Throttle Series “quad” of the day at the 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway, Tony Schumacher became the first driver in NHRA history to run 330 mph (330.23 mph, to be exact) at 1,000 feet in Top Fuel. It’s not uncharted territory for Schumacher as he was the first Top Fuel driver to hit 330 in the quarter mile, which he did in Phoenix back in his Exide days. “As the first guy to go 330 twice, what more can you ask for?” Schumacher said after the run. Doug Kalitta also moved on to E2 with a 3.838-second ET topping Terry McMillen and Shawn Langdon, a 2011 4-Wide finalist who popped his chutes at half track.

THE TORRENCE DREAM TEAM - In the second group, first-time top qualifier Steve Torrence continued his dream weekend by making it to the first round, only .002 seconds behind Bob Vandergriff. Clay Millican’s 3.907 ET sent him home early, and 16th qualifier Pat Dakin never made it to the starting line after a fuel line issue.

FOUR GO OUT, TWO COME BACK - Brandon Bernstein and David Grubnic advanced to the second round in the third class grouping as Team Al-Anabi’s Khalid al-Balooshi, who led the charts in Q1, and Dom Lagana were unable to advance. Balooshi’s loss meant last year’s 1-2 race finishers would not make E2 Sunday.

FUN WHILE IT LASTED - Tony Schumacher’s reign as the fastest Top Fuel driver in the sport lasted approximately ten minutes when Don Schumacher Racing teammate Spencer Massey sent his rail blazing down the track at 330.55 mph. His speed officially counts as the record since he back up his speed earlier in the weekend with a run at 328.78 mph. Antron Brown also advanced with an ET of 3.805 seconds over former Top Fuel winner Hillary Will, making her 2012 debut, and Morgan Lucas.

”That shows you how well these DSR cars and teams are put together,” Massey said at the top end after the run. “We just want the win lights, speed doesn’t matter, but 330? That’s what I’m talking about.” Antron Brown also advanced with an ET of 3.805 seconds over former Top Fuel winner Hillary Will, making her 2012 debut, and Morgan Lucas.

SEMI-FINALS

SLOWER=WIN LIGHT: Steve Torrence’s dream weekend came to an end with the shake of his Goodyear’s as Tony Schumacher and Doug Kalitta advanced to the 4-Wide finals over the young Texan and Bob Vandergriff. The sun finally made its appearance and the times and speeds were indicative. Schumacher’s speed of 330.23 mph in E1 was slowed drastically when the cloud cover broke, as the seven-time class champion crossed the finish line at 302.21 mph. Kalitta was slightly better, running 306.67 mph with a 3.911 ET to turn on the win light.

FASTER=NO WIN LIGHT: Setting up the second half of the Top Fuel finals, DSR teammates Spencer Massey, who earlier set the all-time NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel speed record at 330.55 mph, earned victories over Dave Grubnic, who shook the tires, and Brandon Bernstein, who lost to Brown on a hole shot (Brown—RT: .058 seconds, 3.827 ET; Bernstein—RT: .082, 3.825 ET).

FINALS

MASSEY KEEPS ROLLING: Spencer Massey proved Sunday he is the fastest dragster in the Don Schumacher Racing stable.

Massey ran a 3.802-second lap and led from start to finish to defeat his DSR teammates Tony Schumacher (3.833) and Antron Brown (3.844). Doug Kalitta, the other driver in the 4 wide final slowed to 4.858 seconds after smoking the tires. Massey’s win was memorable as he set an NHRA national speed record on the pass at 332.18 mph. This was Massey’s third win of the young season.

FUNNY CAR

FIRST ROUND

NEFF CONTINUES MARCH - The first round of eliminations for Funny Car saw Mike Neff continue to wear out his win light in 2012, finishing first with a 4.084 ET. “The track’s really good right now,” Neff said. “We’re just waiting for the sun to come out.” DSR’s Johnny Gray, who didn’t make the show until the final round of qualifying Saturday, also advanced to E2. Blake Alexander and Alexis DeJoria, who suffered from some engine issues towards the end of her run, did not advance.

OF CAPPS, TRUEX AND OH YEAH, FORCE - For the next quad, NASCAR star Martin Truex Jr., a top-ten finisher at Saturday night’s Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, was on-hand to support his NAPA teammate Ron Capps, the No. 2 qualifier for the class this weekend. Truex’s presence definitely didn’t hurt as Capps hustled down the track in 4.065 seconds followed by 15-time champion and former 4-Wide champ John Force. Bob Bode’s 4.253 ET wasn’t good enough to advance and Tony Pedregon “blowed up” during his run, costing him 10 points and $1,000.

PROCK'S ROCKET LIVES UP TO REPUTATION - With the cloud cover and unexpectedly cooler temps, the times in the Funny Car class were getting quicker and quicker and top qualifier Robert Hight took full advantage, sending his Jimmy Prock-tuned Mustang down “The Bellagio of Drag Strips” in 4.014 seconds at 320.81 mph. Prock, a master of understatement, said after the run, “These are definitely the best conditions we’ve had all weekend. I think we got it right, it was a good run.” Fellow Ford Racing teammate and Funny Car finalist in Las Vegas Bob Tasca III also advanced over Team Kalitta’s Jeff Arend and Tim Wilkerson, who suffered from tire shake early in the round.

In the final grouping for Funny Car, defending winner Jack Beckman made a solid pass of 4.071 seconds, crossing the finish line first, just ahead of Cruz Pedregon and his ET of 4.085 seconds. Todd Lesenko headed to the house early and Courtney Force not only did not advance to E2, but blew the burst panel on her Ford and oiled down the track, joining T-Ped with a 10-point/$1,000 fine.

SEMI-FINALS

WELCOME BACK MR. FORCE – Since his Pomona win, John Force has been marginal at best in his performances. However, when the Full Throttle tour steps outside of the normalcy of conventional drag racing, the 15-time champion comes alive. \

In the second round quartet featuring Force, teammate Mike Neff, Ron Capps and Johnny Gray, the fan favorite thundered to the second winning position with a 4.258, 269.35.

Force only trailed Ron Capps, who has been on fire, but not literally, in his first race with new tuner Rahn Tobler. Capps was the leader into the finals with a 4.102, 313.58.

The day ended in this round for Mike Neff and Johnny Gray.

CRUZING WITH HIGHT – Cruz Pedregon and Robert Hight finished one and two in the final quartet. This race was over by the eighth-mile mark as both Jack Beckman and Bob Tasca III were out of competition early.

FINAL

HIGHT FLEXES HIS MUSCLE AGAIN: It appears at least for the time being, no one can stop Robert Hight.

Hight, who is part of the John Force Racing stable, won his fourth NHRA national event in a row by capturing the 4 wide title Sunday.

Hight used a holeshot to get to the finish line first just in front of Cruz Pedregon. Hight clocked a 4.076-second time compared to Pedregon’s quicker 4.070-second time. The difference at the finish was Hight’s .058 reaction time compared to Pedregon’s .069-reaction time.

Ron Capps came in third with a strong 4.085-second run, while John Force slowed to 6.814 seconds.

PRO STOCK

FIRST ROUND

NOTHING VENTURED, NOTHING GAINED: In the first round of eliminations for Pro Stock, 13th qualifier Grace Howell made the best of her opportunity, racing her Ford off the starting line first with a reaction time of .036 seconds, but was eventually run down by Erica Enders (6.592 seconds) and Mike Edwards (6.598 seconds). Steve Kent joined Howell in taking the trip back to the hauler for an early tear down.

4-WIDE GIVETH, 4-WIDE TAKETH AWAY: The second set of doorslammers provided the first taste of how the 4-Wide snake can bite a driver when Shane Gray and Vincent Nobile staged and Dave Connolly and Greg Stanfield, in the interior lanes, did not. Seven seconds later, the latter timed out and were DQ’ed while Gray and Nobile raced down the 1320 and into the second round.

NOTHING VENTURED, PART DEAUX: Fifteenth-place qualifier Mark Martino took a cue from Grace Howell and decided the best reaction time has the best chance to advance. Unfortunately, despite a .018-second RT, defending race winner Greg Anderson and Las Vegas winner Allen Johnson took the win lights, running 6.544 seconds and 6.551 seconds, respectively. The fall winner at zMAX, Kurt Johnson, failed to advance with his pass of 6.595 seconds.

THE BOOKENDS TAKE THE WINS: In the final quad of doorslammers, polesitter Jason Line and 16th-place qualifier Jeg Coughlin, Jr., who only made the show due to V Gaines’ DNQ, made an odd combination of winners as the first and the last of the class took the win lights. Coughlin took his win courtesy of a hole shot over Roger Humphrey thanks to his RT of .026 versus Humphrey’s .071 despite the North Carolina native running a 6.575 ET against the four-time champ’s 6.607 second lap. Rodger Brogdon also saw his day end early.

SEMI-FINALS

FOURTH TIME A CHARM?-No. 2 qualifier and one of the favorites to win the 4-Wide in Pro Stock Mike Edwards lost power almost immediately off the starting line after a .029 second RT while Jeg Coughlin, Jr., who barely made the show and advanced to the semi-finals thanks to a hole shot, saw his luck finally run out as Jason Line and Erica Enders crossed the line first in their quad. Enders’ .017 second RT wasn’t enough to beat Line to the finish with his ET of 6.543 seconds. If Enders wins, she will become the first female ever to win in an NHRA Full Throttle Series Pro Stock race. If Line takes the Wally, he will have finally shaken off the zMAX curse that has seen him lose in the first round as well as red light in the finals here last fall, despite having earned four-straight top qualifier awards.

NO REPEAT FOR A.J.- Despite being quick all season and being the most recent NHRA doorslammer winner, Allen Johnson won’t race for the money after losing power early along with Shane Gray, who suffered the same issues. Four-time champion Greg Anderson will face his Summit Racing teammate Jason Line and Erica Enders along with Vincent Nobile. Anderson, the defending race winner, had the better time of the two E2 winners with a pass of 6.550 seconds against Nobile’s 6.565 second run.

FINAL

WACKY WIN: Greg Anderson was crowned the event champion during the 4 wide finals, but it didn’t come without some controversy.

When the race finished, Erica Enders was the only driver to have her win light come on. Enders clocked a 6.608-second time and her crew was jumping up and down at the starting line believing she won the race and made history by becoming the first female to win an NHRA Pro Stock national event.

The joy of the Enders camp vanished moments later as it was announced and shown on the NHRA mobile vision Anderson won. For some reason, Anderson’s win light didn't come on, but he did run a faster 6.540-second time and captured his 72nd NHRA win.

Vincent Nobile and Jason Line finished third and fourth in the 4 wide final. Line, the reigning world champ, had a redlight start and Nobile had engine problems right off the starting line.

SATURDAY: IT WAS A GOOD DAY TO GO FOUR-WIDE

JIMMY-NO-BACKUP - There was a part of Robert Hight, the human element, which couldn’t help but be concerned when after two sessions he was unqualified for the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway.

Another part reminded him he’d qualified No. 1 three times and won three of four races this season for a reason. Saturday’s initial qualifying session yielded a 4.074, 317.19 to renew his faith in the rocket man and put him in the number one qualified position.

“It was a long night last night and being on the outside was not a position we had been in all year,” said Hight, who has won every race this season except for one.

But in every dark cloud lies a silver lining. Hight’s positive outlook was tuner Jimmy Prock’s tendency to be more successful going forward than backing up. After all, there’s a reason his car is called the Prock Rocket.

Hight’s Mustang came to the starting line twice on Friday with to little horsepower.

“The fortunate thing was that we were on the good side of the issue,” said Hight. “Jimmy Prock has no problems making more power and go faster. That’s easy for him. If we were on the other side, too fast and having to slow down, then I would have been nervous.”

Of the four qualifying sessions, Hight made it to the finish line under power only once.

When you’ve been as dominant as Hight has been in 2012, such misfortunes are nothing more than a speed bump.

“I have a good feeling that when we get on the other side of it this Auto Club Mustang can be low qualifier each round,” admitted Hight. “If we had come off of a few bad races, and only had one good run, I would be more nervous. Jimmy Prock really does have a good handle on this thing and he will have it figured out for tomorrow.”

Temperatures in the Charlotte area are forecast to reach into the mid-80s on Sunday and this could play into Prock’s game plan. Following the Las Vegas event two weeks ago, Prock opted to skip testing on Monday in order to work on his hot weather tune-up.

“He wanted to test in the crusher conditions because they will soon be on us,” said Hight. “We made a real nice run. Testing in these kinds of conditions aren’t usually his style. He’s always looking for conditions where he can give it everything he’s got. Doing that helped us with the 4.07 today.”

FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME - Thanks to a great run on Friday and warmer conditions on Saturday, Steve Torrence earned his first-career NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel top qualifier award for Sunday’s 4-Wide Nationals here at zMAX Dragway. The Texan’s 3.799 second ET from Q2 was enough to maintain P1 through both rounds on Saturday, putting him ahead of Brandon Bernstein, who qualified second with a 3.805 and Antron Brown, rounding out the top three with a 3.806 second pass.

“That’s kind of crazy,” Torrence said after qualifying. “I never would have thought (our first) No. 1 spot would have come at Charlotte. This is a good track, (track owner) Bruton (Smith) has put together a good track and a great facility here. We enjoy coming here. That No. 1 spot, that’s huge. That’s a big milestone in my career being as it came when we started our own new team and then for it to come this quick.”

The former NHRA Lucas Oil champ was quick to credit his crew for his success at “The Bellagio of Drag Strips” during one of the marquis events of the NHRA season.

“The car’s been running really well, Richard Hogan’s been running good on the tune up and I’ve been driving the car pretty good myself,” Torrence said. “It was going to come together sooner than later, but we’re happy to be here right now. It speaks volumes for the hard work we’ve put in and we’ve tried to put together the most professional team I possibly could field. Hopefully, this is the first of many.”

There was a scary moment in the final round of Top Fuel qualifying when “The Greek” Chris Karamesines was staging. His rail lurched forward, hitting two crew members. At press time, per NHRA, one team member had been evaluated and released from the track’s medical facility while the other, awake and alert, was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.

The Greek was unable to make the final pass and will not race on Sunday, nor will hometown favorite Doug Herbert, who had planned to make his 2012 season debut here this weekend. Brady Kalivoda is also going home.

NOT A GOOD ONE, BUT A NO. 1 NONETHELESS - At any drag strip upon which the National Hot Rod Association races, it’s not a hard thing to go from hero to zero. Two-time and defending NHRA Full Throttle Series Pro Stock champion Jason Line is a perfect example. Friday at the 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway, he set the national speed record in Q1 with a pass of 213.91 mph and was able to back it up in Q2 to top the field.

Saturday, though, was a different day as Line struggled in both sessions. His Summit Racing doorslammer coasted down the track in the first round and timed out at the starting line in the final round due to some confusion at the line regarding the 4-Wide Christmas tree lights.

Fortunately, his heroics Friday were enough for his fourth-consecutive top qualifier in Charlotte. Fellow champion Jeg Coughlin, Jr., barely edged into the field as the 16th qualifier after V Gaines failed to qualify.

The 26th top qualifier award of his career comes at a track he likes. On certain days, anyway. “We do in qualifying, we just don’t get along on race day,” Line said in the media center after qualifying. “It feels good. Didn’t have a good day today. We’ve had better for sure. All in all, it’s great. Anytime you qualify No. 1, how can that be a bad thing?

“We made a nice run the last run, it may have been the first 214 mph run in Pro Stock history, but I guess we’ll never know. A little screw up there…but at least it’s today and not tomorrow.”

Allen Johnson maintained his No. 2 spot with a 6.500 second ET with Las Vegas runner-up Vincent Nobile third with his pass of 6.512. Kurt Johnson, the winner at the fall race here last year, qualified 10th.

Not making the show Sunday in addition to Gaines are Rickie Jones, Larry Morgan, Warren Johnson, Ron Krisher, and John Gaydosh.

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO LANE THREE - NHRA Vice President of Operations Graham Light admitted the glue [traction compound] applied to the tracks on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing tour is supposed to be the weak link on the equation between the racing slicks and the concrete racing surface.  

Friday at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals, lane three at zMax Dragway was the exception among the quality of the four lanes.

Multiple sections of the third lane were damaged during the second sessions when portions of the concrete pulled up with the rubber.

The NHRA’s Safety Safari went to work when the problem became apparent, applying a temporary epoxy just to finish the day until a more permanent solution could be implemented. The lane was shut down for 30 minutes so the repair substance could cure.

“We used a product that we first discovered at Maple Grove [Reading, Pa.] that they used to patch holes,” said Light. “When you have a sticky surface, the tire sticks to the surface and when the tire rolls it separates from the surface and something has to give. In this instance, it was the concrete.”

Light said the temporary fix was made using a rubber-type material which, with heat, bonds to the surface. The name of the product is Crafco which provided race officials with a temporary fix to make it through the day.

The track’s engineers worked last night to apply a more permanent concrete repair known as a Rhino Patch. Prior to the application of the patch, the track’s engineers, who are trained in a NASCAR-sponsored course on track repair, dug out the Crafco from Friday before applying the patch. The repair crew then hand-grinded the affected areas and did so in a manner where the surface texture would adhere to the applied rubber.

Light said instances of what happened Friday at zMax Dragway happens from time to time at other tracks and isn’t an indication of the quality of a racing surface.

“Concrete was never intended for what we do with it,” Light explained. “Concrete is extremely strong under compression. It is intended for buildings and runways. What we do in drag racing is attempting to pull it apart. You want the tire to adhere to the surface as best you can to prevent tire smoke and give the fans the quality show they expect to see. When that tire separates, the goal is that the glue is the weak link.”

Lane three was returned to competition on Saturday and during Top Fuel qualifying the first driver down, Spencer Massey, ran a 3.869, 319.92,

Light said the reason the NHRA stopped running in the lane was out of safety concerns.

“There were some sharp rough edges, and by doing nothing, could have cut a tire,” said Light. “The cars are going fast at this point in the track, about 330 feet, and it doesn’t take much to cut a tire. We erred on the side of caution. We didn’t want to take that chance.

“We didn’t run any more Funny Cars in that lane and went out and checked at the end of the session and it had hardened enough that we felt comfortable. More importantly it removed those sharp edges. I think we provided a safe and quality lane.”

A TEAM PLAYER INDEED - Consider the change, some drivers might have gotten caught up in the controversy. Not Don Schumacher Racing’s Jack Beckman.

Last weekend was just another week, like any other week, for the veteran NHRA Full Throttle Funny Car driver. While the drag racing media was on fire reporting the swapping of crews for his team and that of Ron Capps, Beckman stayed close to home with his opinion.

Beckman still coached his son’s little league baseball team. He took time to watch his 9-month old daughter’s new teeth come in. Beckman was on time for every family meal. He also mowed the lawn and took out the garbage as required of a regular family man.

“There’s a component of life where life remains normal and then another where there’s the uncertainty,” Beckman explained. “In my driving career at DSR, I’ve had many crew chiefs, several different sponsors and lots of different crew guys.”

In other words, home is routine. Racing is, well, not so routine.

Beckman’s crew, which had been with him since 2010, were reassigned to the NAPA Auto Parts team along with crew chief Rahn Tobler. It was the longest he’d kept a crew intact since joining DSR.

Beckman through his actions isn’t sweating the new supporting cast.

“I think people get resistant to change,” said Beckman. “When you hear about that change, the natural reaction sometimes is a mild panic. I have to remind myself that I get paid to drive for Don Schumacher. My new crew has years of experience, and I’m right next door to my friends who were my crew.

“What speaks loudest is that through the changes, Don has given me a top five car every year. It’s hard to argue his business decisions when you have that kind of success.”

By his actions and words, Beckman knows his role at DSR – being a team player. It’s a role he feels he performs quite well.

“I think I learned a long time ago how to be a team player, even before I went into the military,” admitted Beckman. “I think in the jobs I’ve had, as a drag racing school instructor, I learned a long time ago that no one man can do it all by themselves. It takes four people just to start the car I drive. You have to check your ego at the door if you want to do this.

“You don’t have to but your crew isn’t going to care much about you if you think it is all about the driver. The driver is one-tenth of a full crew over here at Schumacher Racing. You are no more or less important than the nine other guys.”

LOOKING GOOD SO FAR - Five races into the season Alexis DeJoria is happy with her progress as a rookie driver.

“I think I’ve learned a lot of things thus far,” admitted DeJoria. “Every time we make a run out there I gain confidence. Now that the car is running really well I have even more confidence.”

DeJoria, the heiress to the Paul Mitchell fortune, could easily do anything she wants in life. Her life is all about drag racing and she proudly considers herself part of the next generation of nitro drivers.

“I’m here for the long haul,” she explained. “Life is crazy and can throw you curveballs but my plan is to be here long term.”

DeJoria’s association with the popular hair care product line and high end Patron tequila brand is opening NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing to a new consumer demographic.

“I think it’s huge for the potential these brands can bring to the table with NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing,” said DeJoria. “The fact I’m a female driver on the edgy side, with tattoos and a single aspect, it has its advantages.”

If you’re wondering why her fuel Funny Car features no Paul Mitchell livery whatsoever, DeJoria says it’s a matter of demographics.

“Patron has been a company that has always been associated with motorsports,” said DeJoria. “It just makes sense. The Paul Mitchell brand is more into surfing and snowboarding. They haven’t really made the switch over to the darkside.”

THE CALAMITY LANE - Good ole lane two at zMax Dragway, Matt Hagan has a love hate relationship with it. He’s run the first official three-second run in the 1,000-foot era in lane two but the luster of the achievement is getting a bit tarnished with two body-shredding explosions, one on Friday and the other in 2010.

The latest calamity was a broken intake valve on the No. 8 cylinder which caused a spring to break.

“When the spring breaks, it just lets the valve go and it goes kaboom,” explained Hagan. “Seems like more times than not, I’m down the race track when it happens. It wasn’t human error, it was parts failure. I guess we are going to get the sponsor name on the television one way or another.

“There are some times when you can do no wrong and others when you can’t seem to dig your way out of the hole.”

CAN A BROTHER GET A BREAK? – Doug Herbert didn’t have a good day at his home track.

During Friday’s qualifications, he lost the first run to a human error timing malfunction and then was in the concrete-peeling lane three. He failed to crack Saturday’s 3.984 bubble.

Herbert was less than enthused following his final qualifying session.

“We didn’t get a time on our first run and in the second, we had Mt. McKinley growing on our tire,” said Herbert. “I’m pretty disappointed in how poorly we did and even more that failing to qualify wasn’t nearly our fault.”

ITCHING TO DRIVE AGAIN - It’s been three years since six-time NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel winner JR Todd rocketed down a drag strip in a nitro rail, but he never left the sport. Whether piloting a Pro Mod or just being at the track, he has been a part of the sport he loves, just not in the manner that he necessarily wanted.

That will hopefully change Monday when he tests a team car for Bob Vandergriff at zMAX Dragway in order to get his Top Fuel license current. Once that happens, Todd plans to make his return to the class in Houston.

“Feels good,” he said from inside the Bob Vandergriff pit area. “It’s been awhile since I’ve stepped on the gas in a Top Fuel car. It’s been almost three years so hopefully, I’m not too rusty come Monday.”

The plan to race with Vandergriff has been in the works for some time now, according to Todd, with the sponsor situation starting to work itself out.

“I kept in contact with Bob, and we’ve been working on some things off and on for the last three or four years trying to make this thing happen. We’ve had some different sponsor functions that we’ve done so far just trying to keep the ball rolling and turn this thing into something big.”

As of now, Todd is scheduled to race Houston, Atlanta, and Topeka, but is hoping to race approximately 10 to 12 races in 2012 with a return behind the wheel full time in ’13.

Todd said his experience with the doorslammers, while not nearly as fast as a nitro fuel car, helped keep his skills honed and ready.

“It’s always good to be in something fast to keep you sharp,” he said. “Like I said before, driving the Pro Mod was very similar to driving one of these as far as steering it and what have you. You don’t want to get in there and over drive it. You just want to be smooth and finesse it.

“So, yeah, I guess it helped. It’s plenty fast. It’s definitely not a Top Fuel car, but it’ll keep you sharp.”

STILL LOOKING - It’s hard to imagine the 2011 4-Wide Nationals runner-up and 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel champion not being in a race car, but for Larry Dixon, that’s the reality. At the end of the 2011 season, a year in which he won twice, set personal bests in both speed and ET, and finished fourth in the final points standing, he and Team Al-Anabi parted ways.

Almost more surprising than the fact the four-time class champion isn’t racing this season is his lack of panic over the fact. Walking through the pits at zMAX Dragway, he talked with fans and has been very vocal that he has no plans to race until 2013.

“Larry Dixon’s looking for a company that wants me to represent them,” he said with a smile. “That’s pretty much what I’m doing right now. Everything else, my wife, my kids, everything is doing good, and I’m really just trying to focus on that and to get back out here and get back out here strong for 2013.”

A couple weeks ago, some back-and-forth between Dixon and fellow Top Fuel veteran Doug Herbert led some to believe Dixon may end his career as a driver and start anew in the sport as … a bottom-end engine specialist?

“We were having some fun,” Dixon said of Herbert, who is making his 2012 season debut here this weekend. “He found a bottom-end guy. He wanted me to work on the bottom end of (his) car and I didn’t want to get my hair dirty. I’m getting old and all that. It was fun.

“We were working at speed shops together at the same time in Southern California. Known him for a really long time and if he needed me to do something and really needed it, I would jump at it in a heartbeat.”

HE DOES HAVE A POINT - "I'm about as happy as an unemployed man can be," quipped Larry Dixon Jr., when asked by a fan how he's feeling.

IT'S THE INTERACTION THAT MATTERS - Forgive Bob Bode, he didn’t get the memo.

The missed memo mandated a full-time fuel Funny Car driver doesn’t operate the back door on the team’s hauler or likewise put the pit area ropes in place.

Bode cannot help it, he’s still adjusting to life running the complete 23-race NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing tour.

“I do every job along with my crew,” said Bode, at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals. “The guys do most of the work but I get my hands dirty every day. If I didn’t get to get my hands dirty, I probably wouldn’t enjoy driving as much.”

Bode is also a driver who understands his priorities. While he desperately needs the media attention which in turn brings more marketability for his low budget team, he will reluctantly ask a reporter to wait while he interacts with the race fans clamoring for his autograph.

“I’ll be right back,” he tells the reporter, as he treats each autograph seeker as if they are a long lost friend.

“Those fans mean a lot to me,” Bode pointed out as he reflected on the experience. “There were some fans who walked up to us today who had a photo of us from Gainesville last year they wanted me to sign. Someone who can carry that photo around for a year deserves my attention. We had another couple who stopped to talk to us in Pomona the year we had the hail and they came up this morning to talk to us. These kinds of connections are special. Sometimes you only have 30 seconds to speak … but that 30 second connection can last a lifetime.”

The interaction isn’t limited to the races as Bode admits he receives a healthy measure of fan mail at his shop in Barrington, Ill., seeking autographed photos or the opportunity to purchase a t-shirt,

“Last week we received a picture from a guy whose cancer was in remission,” explained Bode. “He had a big picture because he couldn’t get out to the race track. He signed the picture for us.”

The autograph read, “Thanks to Bode Racing for being the little guy and working hard to stay ahead.”

The fan said his statement represented his own fight in life.

“That’s a priceless connection,” Bode said. “This means a lot to me. Sometimes we lose sight of the fact when we are working with this race car … a toy … that we make important connections.”

Bode reached the semi-finals of the NHRA Summit Nationals in Las Vegas, a weekend where on the Friday of the event his father suffered a stroke. He passed away on April 7.

“The photo would have brought tears to my eye anyway, but in losing my father, I shed a few extra,” admitted Bode. “This sport is personal.”

Because the sport is so personal, Bode tries his best to balance the good outings such as Vegas with the fact he’s facing the giants weekly.

“This sport is very humbling,” Bode said. “We come into these events with confidence, and I must say my crew guys were perfect in Vegas. My driving was good. You always want to build on those showings. But, with this sport, you can show up and have everything go horribly wrong in a matter of seconds. We just try to always protect what we have and do the best we can.”

And the best thing for Bode, is making those personal connections and getting his hands dirty; they are as important as round wins.

VIDEO: HAGAN'S BOOMER FROM THE GRANDSTANDS

THE TOBLER TRANSITION - Rahn Tobler believed headed into the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals that the transition between he and driver Ron Capps would be seamless. After the first session, it appeared he knew what he was talking about.

Capps was the No. 1 driver in Funny Car qualifying at zMax Dragway on the strength of a 4.105 elapsed time at 301.81 miles per hour. Tobler also tuned Jack Beckman to the No. 2 qualifying position.

“I think in this case, it will be an even switch for us,” said Tobler. “It’s not like I have someone new or inexperienced. I think in this case the transition will be seamless. We both probably have our little idiosyncrasies but I think trading Ron Capps for Jack Beckman is a pretty even trade.”

Tobler and his crew were assigned to the role of tuner for the NAPA Auto Parts car following the resignation of Tim Richards as crew chief following the team’s DNQ at the NHRA Summit Nationals in Las Vegas. Prior to the reassignment, he was the chief tuner for Jack Beckman. He will continue to tune Beckman’s Funny Car until newly hired crew chief Todd Smith is brought up to speed.

Capps inherits his fourth tuner with championship experience.

Tobler is a championship-proven tuner having guided Shirley Muldowney to four Top Fuel series championships and most recently Cruz Pedregon in Funny Car, and when it comes to a driver, the greatest attribute he covets is consistency.

“Certainly there’s the part where you leave the starting line, but there’s an important part before you leave. It’s the stuff like applying the clutch properly when backing up and things like that. I see a lot of people out here that I think don’t do it right. You have to have someone who is smooth in the car and does the same thing on every run. When the car is prepared to stage, the car is sitting there much like it was the run before. It’s important going into the race track and treat the race car the same every time.

“I’ve watched Ron make enough runs that I’m convinced [this area] will be just fine.”

Tobler might be flexible with his drivers but not so much with his race cars. The once dyed-in-the-wool dragster crew chief made the switch to Funny Cars almost a half-decade ago. The thought of going back to dragsters wouldn’t provide such a seamless transition.
 
“There were times when we would joke around about hating Funny Cars and wanted to go back to Top Fuel but to be honest if I did go back, there would probably be a steep learning curve,” admitted Tobler. “We’re in a pretty good comfort level right now.”

Tobler was feeling really comfortable following Friday qualifying where his drivers were No. 1 and No. 2 after two sessions. His assessment was this outing doesn’t fit the prototype scenario of a crew chief entering a new setting.

“This is all of our stuff,” Tobler said, referencing the Napa Auto Parts team. “This is the Valvoline stuff with Ron Capps driving. It’s the same cars, the same parts and the same people … just a different driver. We have a different trailer and we're fortunate enough to be able to keep our tech trailer for ourselves. It’s not like I had to go to the NAPA car and learn about their people, car and parts. We just exchanged Jack for Ron. Over there we will work hard to make [Jack’s] car just like this one until Todd gets comfortable running it on his own.”

Tobler is quick to credit assistant crew chief John Collins for making everything fall into place.

“He is a great assistant for me,” said Tobler. “He ramrods most everything that goes on around here.”

THE DRIVE TO DRIVE - If ever there was a victim of big-money racing, it’s been Dave Connolly. Entering the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway as a finalist at this race last year, the Ohio native hasn’t run a full season since 2007, where he won five-straight events, but has still been impressive every time he’s been behind the wheel of an NHRA Full Throttle Series Pro Stock car.

In 2008, he missed the first five races due to lack of sponsorship, still made it to eight final rounds, made the Countdown to 1, and was a factor in the title chase. During the 2010 season, he won the Pro Stock race at Maple Grove as well as Sportsman races in Super Gas and Top Dragster.

For the past two years, he has been tuning the racecar for Erica Enders, showing his skill under the hood as much as he did behind the wheel. But being in a Cagnazzi Racing team car this weekend, it’s hard for Connolly to deny he’d like to be back on the circuit full time.

“I’m not going to lie, I’d much rather have a deal and be out here racing full time, but it’s just not in the cards right now,” he said following qualifying. “It’s tough economically for everyone. It’s tough when guys like Kenny Bernstein can‘t even get a sponsor in Top Fuel. For a guy like myself, it is difficult but I’m still enjoying it a lot standing behind Erica and learning a lot about the ins and outs of the car. It’s definitely a different aspect for sure.”

The first round of qualifying wasn’t a positive affair for Connolly, despite having tested here immediately following the race at Las Vegas. His 14.233 ET at 60.69 mph wouldn’t get him pulled over on the highway.

“We came right here from Vegas to test the car and we’ve got a lot of different pieces on here and it definitely didn’t pan out (in Q1). We’re pretty confident we can figure it out and go A to B in (round 2) and kind of work on it from there.”

He wasn’t wrong. He finished the first day of qualifying in the Pro Stock class third behind Jason Line and Allen Johnson, respectively, with a pass of 6.528 seconds, a personal best for him.

His other gig for the weekend, crew chiefing for Enders, was a little more challenging with the 2011 sixth-place points finisher finishing Q2 on Friday the 13th in 13th with a 6.565. Connolly is convinced, however, Enders will find her way to the Winner’s Circle sooner than later.

“It’s just timing right now,” he said. “We had a really good car in Gainesville and she turned the cherry on and she was driving her butt off in Vegas and we were making horrible runs, so it’s just timing. We need to be clicking on the same page on the same day. I think it’ll definitely come.”

FRIDAY NOTEBOOK: A TOUGH DAY FOR SOME; A BREEZE FOR OTHERS

A FINE, FINE DAY - You can’t help but shake your head in amazement at Ron Capps.

In the course of two weeks, he failed to qualify for an event, lost his crew chief, got a new crew and crew chief. A lesser man might have buckled under the whirlwind of adversity.

Friday during the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway outside of Charlotte, Ron Capps proved anything but a lesser man.

At 4.105 seconds and 301.81 miles per hour, Capps thumbed his nose at adversity en route to the provisional qualifying position.

Capps admitted the toughest part was not in worrying about what might go wrong in the transition of personnel. He just didn’t want to be the one who messed up.

“The nerve-racking part prior to the run was in knowing what the car was capable of,” said Capps. “The car hasn’t been in the winner’s circle but has always been in the hunt. Just knowing that put more pressure on me before I hit the throttle. That first run was a confidence builder. I am so excited about the rest of the year with Tobler.

“I’ve never had the opportunity for him to point through the windshield though I have worked around him long enough to know what kind of guy he is. His credentials showed today.”

And just like that, Tobler, the veteran tuner of championship drivers Shirley Muldowney and Cruz Pedregon, put his fingerprint on the NAPA Auto Parts-sponsored team.

The first run together didn’t begin with a pep talk or inspiration, just acclimation.

“He just briefed me on the procedures in the warm up,” said Capps. “He didn’t say much about anything that would have made me a better driver on the run. He just told me things that they [he and assistant John Collins] do differently on the burnout and the backup procedure.”

Capps admitted the union wasn’t peanut butter and jelly of acclimation. However, the more he listened, the more the recipe for success became clear.

“It was a bit awkward at first because I wasn’t used to what they do,” admitted Capps. “That’s the hardest part and on top of that, being here at the four-wide. Then you have that tree with four lanes. I just sat in the lounge as he talked about what the car was going to run, and it did. That was amazing.”

The Tobler cars were one – two after the first day with Beckman second with a 4.113 pass during the second session.

“That was cool,” said Capps. “I wanted to see Beckman and my former crew guys do well. I was happy for them. I might not have been as happy had they have run a 4.099.”

SURPRISE, SURPRISE - Steve Torrence played out the most unlikely of scenarios during Friday night qualifying at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway outside of Charlotte, NC.

The unheralded Top Fuel driver, who is a past NHRA Lucas Oil champion and cancer survivor, thundered to the top spot in qualifying with a 3.799-second pass to lead this class.

Considering the teams Torrence’s small independent outfit is facing—the Don Schumachers, the Al-Anabis, the Morgan Lucases — his run to the top is all the more impressive. Especially when you consider the fact he was second in Q1 to Al-Anabi rookie Khalid al Balooshi, giving Torrence a total of five bonus points for his second- and first-place qualifying rounds, respectively.

“That’s a big achievement because those guys have got lots of data, lots of runs, and lots of experience,” he said. “So to come out, run a few races last year, show up at the first of the season and consider yourself to be a competitive team, it’s a big achievement and my hat’s off to everyone who’s been a part of it.”

Brandon Bernstein, a new addition to Morgan Lucas Racing, finished the day second with a run of 3.805 seconds with current Top Fuel points leader Antron Brown rounding out the top three with a 3.806 second ET.

MR. SPEED - Jason Line’s a pretty good racecar driver.

He’s the two-time and defending NHRA Full Throttle Series Pro Stock champion, he’s won 28 victories in that class, including six in 2011, and has the national Pro Stock ET record with a pass of 6.477 seconds he made at Reading, Penn., last year.

Friday, he continued his assault on the record books by setting the national speed record for the Pro Stock class with a lap of 213.91 mph at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Concord, NC. He was able to back it up in Q2 with a 213.43 mph pass, giving him provisional top qualifier honors and five bonus points for leading the second round and being .001 seconds behind Allen Johnson in the first round.

The irony of the record-setting run was that Line thought it could have been better. “It was not a great run going down the lane,” he said immediately following the first round. “It didn’t start out that great anyway. It didn’t take to it that well. The wheels were really shaking and I had to shift it early but all in all, pretty cool. It was exciting to go that fast.”

Considering the unique format of the 4-Wide Nationals, teams will try things they wouldn’t think of at other facilities and the Summit Racing teams of Ken Black Racing are no different.

“It’s a nice opportunity to come here close to home and test a few things and we are testing a few things, so that part of it’s good. It’s a hard race and it’s different so it’s a race where you try some things you normally wouldn’t try.

If Line can hold P1 through Saturday, it will be his fourth consecutive pole at “The Bellagio of Drag Strips.” While that’s an impressive stat, it doesn’t take the sour taste out of his mouth after his loss in the finals here last fall to Kurt Johnson after a rare red light. Most racers will say a track never owes them a win, however…

“I think it does! It’s one of those deals where we’ve certainly run well here in the past, but we’ve just never been able to seal the deal, so maybe this weekend’s the time.”

Rounding out the top three Pro Stock qualifiers Friday were Allen Johnson with his ET of 6.504 seconds and Dave Connolly, performing double duty as a driver and tuner for Erica Enders, who made it down the quarter mile in 6.528 seconds.

OUT OF ACTION - Jeff Arend debuted his new Toyota body but was forced to switch it out after just one run when debris from Matt Hagan's explosion in the next lane over caused damage.

4 - 1 = 3-WIDE - Two quartets into Friday’s NHRA 4-Wide Nationals qualifying, NHRA officials were forced to downsize to three lanes at zMax Dragway.

According to the NHRA, a “blemish” on lane No. 3 forced the NHRA to move those scheduled to run the lane into No. 4. NHRA officials corrected the issue and returned the lane to competition in the first group of Top Fuel dragsters. In actuality, the blemish was the concrete actually pulling up with the rubber. Track officials used an epoxy to fill the problem portion of the track and let the portion cure for about 30 minutes.

A testimony to the NHRA's Safety Safari, Spencer Massey ran a 3.869, 319.92 to jump to the top spot momentarily.

ANOTHER HAGAN BOOMER - Lightning struck twice for Matt Hagan at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway.

Hagan exploded the engine in his Aaron’s-sponsored Funny Car and disintegrated his Dodge Charger body. This is his second body destroying explosion at the event since 2010. He was uninjured.

“It just seems like we are making a spectacle out of it every time,” an agitated Hagan said over the public address system. “I don’t know. I don’t have a whole lot to say other than I am okay. We were having issues all this morning. It’s just not a good thing to do that. I’m just glad it didn’t hurt anyone or get into anyone else. It could be a lot worse. I know my guys will put it back together. I just don’t have a lot of positive off of that.”

NEW TOYOTAS - Both Cruz Pedregon and Jeff Arend are racing with the new 2012 Toyota Camry Funny Car bodies this weekend.

During Friday qualifying, Arend joined Kalitta Motorsports teammate Alexis DeJoria in running the new body.  DeJoria has run the new body in all four previous races this season.

Pedregon will run the new body during Saturday qualifying.

Tony Pedregon is currently on-pace to have the new body mounted in time for the Houston event, April 27-29.

STILL SEEKING AN ANSWER - An official for the Goodyear Tire & Robber company, the official supplier for tires in the nitro and Pro Stock categories, said the company is still looking for a definitive answer to what caused Antron Brown's tire damage at the NHRA Summit Nationals in Las Vegas. Brown's dragster suffered chassis damage when the tread on his slick ripped from the tire. 

MAKING HISTORY - Don Fezell made Stock eliminator history when his AA/S entry became the first Stocker into the eight-second zone with an 8.954. The run put him atop the Stock qualifying list at -1.046 under the AA/S index.

A REAL THREAT - Team Al-Anabi has won the last two NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel championships (Larry Dixon, 2010; Del Worsham, 2011). Last year, Team Al-Anabi finished 1-2 with Worsham taking the win over Dixon. This year in his first season with the team, Shawn Langdon will pilot Worsham’s rail at the 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway.

Do the math. It could be a good weekend for the former NHRA Jr. Dragster champ.

“It’s definitely a confidence booster sitting in a car for Team Al-Anabi, being that they’ve won the last two championships,” Langdon said during a media luncheon in Greensboro, N.C. Thursday. “As a driver, you can’t have any more confidence sitting in a racecar.”

Being in the position to win and actually winning, however, are two entirely different things and Langdon is very aware of the distinction. When he received the call from Al-Anabi Team Manager Alan Johnson in the offseason, the California native knew this was an opportunity racers dream of. In fact, he admits the prospect of racing with arguably the best Top Fuel team in drag racing was a little intimidating, saying he doesn’t want to be known as the guy who can’t win with a championship team.

Admittedly, there have been struggles this season, the most recent being a hole shot loss in E1 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway two weeks ago. But Langdon was given a vote of confidence from Johnson, who understands the learning curve of a new driver with a different team.

“Alan’s a great guy and he’s so great to work with and just so easy-going. Sheik Khalid (al Thani) has been, just whatever it takes to get it done. It’s been a great experience so far.”

At zMAX, Langdon has cut his own path, making the final four last year driving for Morgan Lucas Racing. In a season he admits was a difficult one, his performance in NASCAR country stands out as a high point.

But once again, the chasm between almost winning and actually winning is huge and Langdon feels the pressure of who he’s driving for and the drivers who proceeded him.

“I’ve said if I can’t win with Alan Johnson, then maybe it’s not my calling to be a Top Fuel driver,” Langdon said. “I think coming into the 4-Wide where they did well here last year, we’ve got good data, confidence, and obviously they know what they’re doing and I’m going to do the best job I can on the starting line.”

Without a doubt, though, the best experience he’s had racing in the Charlotte area is his interaction with the fans. They may come to “The Bellagio of Drag Strips” stock car fans, but they leave as nitro addicts.

“The biggest thing that surprised me about the Charlotte fans is that they will come up to the ropes and say, ‘We’ve never been to a drag race before, but this is the best thing we’ve ever done,’” he said. “They talk about how it’s so great to be a fan and be able to go into the stands and watch the race and then be able to come into the pits and interact with the drivers.

“There’s so many people who say, ‘We’re NASCAR fans, but now we’re drag racing fans because this is the best racing experience we’ve ever had.’”

HOW’D THAT HAPPEN? - Super Gas racer Joe Michaels didn’t have a good first day at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals. His Super Gasser broke an axle and the momentum of the car caused it to launch on top of the guard wall. He was uninjured but the Mopar needed a crane to extricate it from the guardwall.

OH YEAH! - NHRA Full Throttle Racing fans around the country have been awaiting a John Force Racing RC Funny Car model since the beginning of a new, unique and energetic partnership between Traxxas and John Force Racing was announced in early January of this year. Today fans at the 3rd annual Four-Wide NHRA Nationals got their first peek at the four JFR Traxxas Funny Cars during a photo shoot beside the Traxxas fan experience zone.

Traxxas revealed last week a collection of fully assembled, Ready-To-Race®, Traxxas RC Ford Mustang Funny Cars. The new models run 70+ mph and are designed to convey the realistic effects of the Funny Car class. The Funny Cars have all the current logos and paint schemes from the 2012 JFR Ford Mustang Funny Cars.

A NEW DEMOGRAPHIC - April Roberts is not exactly your prototype race fan. In fact, she’s never been to a motorsports event in her life.

Thanks to the kindness of a client and the lure of meeting an industry hero, the professional hair-dresser will knock out two first-time experiences on Sunday afternoon. She will attend the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals this weekend and will meet NHRA Full Throttle Funny Car racer Alexis DeJoria, daughter of Paul Mitchell styling products founder John Paul DeJoria.

She isn’t as excited about the 8,000 horsepower that DeJoria’s Toyota Camry makes as much as she is in meeting a member of the family which has been an integral part of her life since she became a professional stylist in 1999.

“My first thought was, ‘no way,” said Roberts. “I just couldn’t believe it. The DeJoria family has always intrigued me because they are self-made people who succeeded against the odds. The family has a wholesomeness about them with the ability to hit the extreme edge in their products.”

So enamored with the Paul Mitchell product name and the DeJoria family, Roberts incorporated the brand into her salon’s name. Her Tressed Out Salon and all things Paul Mitchell business is located in Spartanburg, SC.

Roberts founds out two years ago that Alexis DeJoria, an admitted thrill-seeker, planned to step up from the amateur ranks to professional drag racer status and this was enough to inspire the outgoing hairdresser to begin studying NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing.

Her focus was on keeping up with her favorite drag racer – DeJoria.

“I think it’s so rocking cool,” said Roberts, whose hobbies include beekeeping, handgun target shooting and acting in amateur theatre. “When I found out about her drag racing, I immediately began searching YouTube and watching ESPN2 to see how she did. I even watched her accident at Englishtown and how she walked away from it, and that left me inspired.

“For someone of her social stature to declare she’s going to drag race, I don’t know how you couldn’t be inspired. You look at how she’s raced, and in working her way up through the ranks … she’s done it the right way and how can you not be a fan? I don’t know that I have the guts to drag race. For goodness sakes, I can’t bring myself to drive over 70 on the interstate. So I guess I will live vicariously through her.”

Roberts is no random Paul Mitchell customer. She has had extensive instruction through the company’s training program and graduated to the role of national trainer.

“This was what inevitably opened me up to what the family is all about,” said Roberts. “The more I learned, the more I liked. I have attributed so much of my company’s success to their example of where there’s a will, there’s a way, as long as you work hard and never give up.”

Thanks to Ms. DeJoria’s publicity team, she will meet the heiress to the Paul Mitchell fortune on Sunday morning prior to final eliminations. Since Monday morning she’s been practicing what she’s waited 14 years to tell the DeJoria family.

“I just hope I don’t start stuttering,” Roberts said, laughing. “I do that when I get excited. I just want to get the point across that she inspires me and I am impressed.

“I just want to let her know that before she got involved in drag racing, I thought it could be an extreme renegade sport. Now that I’ve seen her family embracing it, I now know that it’s a family sport.”

And for Roberts, she’s happy to be a part of the extended DeJoria family.

HONORING THE HEROES -MAVTV Pro Stock driver Rodger Brogdon is partnering with Hot Rods for Heroes at this weekend's 4-Wide NHRA Nationals to salute members of the military and their families.

The parachutes on Brogdon's Pontiac carry the words "Welcome Home" as a message to service men and women returning from overseas.

The cars of Pro Stock driver Steve Kent as well as Top Alcohol Funny Car driver Jay Blake will also carry the "Welcome Home" message.

"We're happy to help," Brogdon said. "It's important that we remember what our military personnel does for us, and I'm proud to be able to show them our thanks when I pull the 'chutes this weekend."

Hot Rods for Heroes was founded by U.S. Army veteran Ron Greenwood in 2010 to provide active and retired members of the five branches of the Armed Services – the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard – and their families the chance to attend various sporting events and other activities without cost to them.

A group of 20 vets and family members are attending this weekend's 4-Wide Nationals as guests of Brogdon's team.

"They've helped me fulfill my goal," Greenwood said. "We want to say thank you and welcome home to our veterans, and any veteran and their family members will know what that means."

The family of Pvt. Stephen Snowberger III of Lexington, N.C. were among Brogdon's guests in Charlotte. Snowberger was killed May 11, 2006 in Iraq.

THURSDAY NOTEBOOK: GETTING READY FOR THE SPECTACLE

GIVING 'EM WHAT-4

 
Here's what some of the Full Throttle Drag Racing Series competitors are saying about the Four-Wide Nationals, an interruption of their routine:
 
Larry Morgan:  "I'm a fan a racing, period. I'm OK with anything. I'm up to a challenge. I've got a lot of respect for Bruton [Smith], and if that's what we wants to do, we'll do it. If he wants us to drive down the track backwards, then we'll do that, by God."
 
Jack Beckman: "When my friends say they're going to take a vacation and want to go to an NHRA event they've never attended I tell them the Four-Wide has to be on top of their list. It's so different. When you think how on Earth can you top two 8,000-horsepower cars . . . well, there are two choices: You either put a jump or Hot Wheels loop halfway down the track, which is not a good idea, or you put four cars side by side.
 
"You [a driver] can't see the other track because of the other wall, so staging is something you have to think about. It has been challenging to synchronize how you can start four cars with engines that that only have a maximum of 2 minutes and 15 seconds to run. If you smoke the tires in eliminations and know you can't catch the car next to you normally you shut off. But in the Four-Wide, you can finish second and move onto the next round. Because you can't see the cars in the adjacent pair of lanes, you don't know if either of them had bigger trouble. So you have to get your car to the finish line. That means we have to be a little harder on parts, in theory, on Sunday than other races. Now second, technically, is the same as a win."
 
Steve Torrence: "This changes the mix and the whole thought process. The driver wants to react (to the lights) in the staging process, and now we have to wait for two more drivers to stage . . . and that takes away our focus."
 
Shawn Langdon: "I always liked the Four-Wide Nationals. I'd love to say it's easier because you only have to win three rounds instead of four to win the race. But I've only made it to the final round so maybe it isn't. It would be nice to win a special, once-a-year event. People haven't had a lot of chances to win it so it would mean a lot. Last year, both Al-Anabi cars ran really well and finished first and second so that's real encouraging for the Al-Anabi team this year. There's a little bit of strategy, just knowing that you don't have to win the round to advance until you get to the finals. I think the key, in addition to having a consistent race car and a fast race car, is just making sure your car gets down the track. It seems like at a normal race you can run into that one guy that makes a 'Hail Mary' run. At the Four-Wides, you can have that and still advance, but in the final round, you have to treat it like any other race and be the first one to the finish line. Qualifying is different, because there are obviously four lanes at zMAX Dragway. At a normal race, you get two qualifying passes in each lane. At the Four-Wides, you only get one in each lane so that's less information about each lane. And if you happen to lose a round of qualifying due to rain, you could end up in a lane for the first time during eliminations, and nobody wants to do that. It's important to get a good, solid run in each lane so you have that data for eliminations."
 
Johnny Gray: "There really isn't anything that prepares you for this race. It's so different than anything else we do."
 
Tony Schumacher: "I think it's hard to say anyone is really comfortable with it, being we only race that way once a season. However, I do think it's a matter of whether a driver embraces the challenge or not. I don't really give it a lot of thought, to be honest. I just try to go up to the starting line and do my usual routine and not get caught up in the fact there are three other drivers out there with you instead of just one. The goal is still the same – to be the quickest each and every time you go down the track."
 
Mike Neff: "Four-wide always adds a little bit more of the unknown. You have to do more negotiating with the other drivers to keep track of what's going on. Plus, it's just so much more fast-paced. The time goes by quicker. Running four cars at a time, it just seems like things are happening faster. From a driver's standpoint, it's something you're not used to, waiting for two more guys to stage and things like that. But we're anxious to get there."
 
John Force: "I'm excited about the four-wide. Not everybody likes it, but it's something a little different for the fans."
 
Dom Lagana: "It's pretty crazy when you have four nitro cars going down the track at once. It's a lot of noise and a lot of horsepower. Driving-wise, you have to treat it like any other race – but your focus definitely has to be on point to make sure everything goes smoothly on the starting line. You have to run really well to get qualified, but if you do, you have twice the chance of winning a round on race day in the four-wide format, because the first two people to the finish line go on."
 
Antron Brown: "We always get excited to go to the Four-Wide. It's an all-out battle royal. Yeah, it's fun, but we'll go there and attack it like any other Full Throttle race."
 
Ron Capps: "It's gotten to be a lot of fun. It's so different. If you let it be too big of a deal it can affect you as a driver. We just go up there and do what we know how to do, but it is very different."
 
Courtney Force: "I've never raced four-wide before, but I've heard from my dad and teammates that it's pretty cool to experience. I know the fans love it and it puts on a great show that is unlike anything else the fans can see any other time throughout the season. I wouldn't say I’m nervous but definitely excited to race at zMAX Dragway."
 
Shane Gray: "We haven't had much luck at this race in the past, but I think it's about time to change that. we have made some positive changes, and I'm also focusing on what I can do to better myself. This four-wide deal takes a lot of focus and concentration, so I'm going to do my best to be on my game. It sure wouldn't hurt to have a little luck swing our way, too."
 
Brandon Bernstein: "It's getting better for me. Mentally you have to be on your toes a lot more. As a driver you need to be aware of what's going on in those other three lanes instead of just one lane. We've done it enough that we've got the lights right now. We've got them adjusted where we can really see them well. It should be a decent test for everyone once again. Sometimes it takes a second to realize that on race day you have to race three cars instead of just one, but that shouldn't be a problem because this MAVTV car has always run well at Charlotte."
 
SPARED - Spencer Massey's close friend Mitch King lives in Galveston, Texas, and his old-fashioned ice cream parlor and candy store on the historic Strand there took a hit from Hurricane Ike. In the past couple of weeks, Massey's area of Texas is trying to recover from the effects of vicious tornadoes. Massey escaped the devastation that took place in the Dallas / Arlington part of the Metroplex, but the truck stop where he regularly washes his motorhome and fills it up wasn't as lucky. "It was my Petro that was on all the news where the big rigs were flying around," Massey said. "We were lucky that it didn't hit Fort Worth. Everybody is all shook up. It's really sad about all the homes and businesses were lost. At least no one was killed. I'm just happy to wake up in the morning and be able to wiggle my toes ... let alone drive a race car."
 
And he's driving a race car sensationally these days. He is two-for-two in final rounds in four races this season in the Prestone / FRAM Dragster for Don Schumacher Racing. "Our goal always is to try to win the trophy, and our plan is to do that my winning rounds," Massey said. "We go up to the starting line every time playing it smart and not doing anything to hurt ourselves. But we're never complacent. We should learn something every day and always try to get better."
 
GROOVY - Top Fuel racer Shawn Langdon said he's ready to get in a top-performance groove. "The Al-Anabi cars have been running really well, but it seems like when the car is on the driver is off and when the driver is on the car is a little off," Langdon said. "So we need to get our timing straight. We have four races in the next six weeks, and I think that will help our team get in the right rhythm to get one of these Al-Anabi cars in the winners circle. Two semifinals in four races is a pretty solid start to the season, but all of us on the Al-Anabi team have higher expectations, because we know we are capable of much more.  Our car has been running well, but I've lost two races on a holeshot. I need to pick up my reaction times by a hundredth or two. I pride myself on not losing on a holeshot, and I take a lot of the responsibility for us not having won in the first four races. I'm not blaming that on the car at all. I have one of the best cars out there. I just need to do a better job."
 
OVER FEAR NOW - Tire Kingdom/Service Central Dragster driver Dom Lagana said that the first time he raced in the Four-Wide Nationals "I was definitely a little nervous that first run. When we were sitting in the water box, I probably would have done anything to give up the seat. I just didn't want to mess up. Now I know what to expect." His older brother Bobby, now his crew chief, drove the Paul Richards Racing dragster at the inaugural event in 2010. "We made really good runs in Gainesville," said Lagana, who DNQd there in the middle of sorting out the grief from losing dear friend Jim Weinert unexpectedly. "Our plan is to continue in that direction and keep on stepping up the car to run a little quicker each time. Our first goal is always to try to get in the show, because it is so tough. Hopefully, Friday night we can run somewhere in the mid- to high-3.80 zone and get in there. We're excited because Charlotte can be a really fast track. We always have a good time when we get to fire up our Tire Kingdom / Service Central Dragster, but this weekend will be really cool. I can't wait."
 
SCHUMACHER & zMAX = BFF - Tony Schumacher, winless since the fall Las Vegas race in 2010, is returning to the racetrack at which he became the all-time Top Fuel wins leader. He said zMAX Drag way "absolutely" has a special place in his heart. "Even though it was four years ago, I remember that day as if it were yesterday. It was such an exciting time for my team, my dad [Don Schumacher] and the Army. I will always cherish that moment. Those are the kind of memories that stay with you forever."
 
FRIENDS - Antron Brown has reached the Top Fuel final round at three of the season's four races so far, and twice Spencer Massey has beaten him. (He beat Don Schumacher Racing mate Tony Schumacher at Phoenix but lost to Massey at Pomona and Las Vegas.) But he dismisses the notion of rivalry. "No way," Brown said. "You need to have a grudge against somebody for a rivalry to start, and that's not going to happen at DSR. It's just good competition between me and Spencer and Tony. We go up against each other because we're all going rounds and doing our jobs. There's no grudge. We all just want to win." Brown loves going to the Brownsburg, Ind., shop as much as possible, just as he did with his former bike crew and crew chief Steve Tartaglia in his first DSR stint. "It's like family time," he said. "I just like seeing my brothers. I come in a lot to see what the boys are doing or to have lunch with them, to see if they might need some help. I like being at the shop."
 
BUFFING UP - Al-Anabi / Toyota Racng's Khalid alBalooshi seems to be feeling the pressure -- from himself -- despite just 49 passes in a Top Fuel dragster. "I am trying as hard as I can to be better and better in the car. I have started working out at the gym, because if I get in better shape, I think it will help me in the car. That is what I mean by saying that I am doing everything I can to be better in the car," the Top Fuel rookie from  Dubai said. "Jason (crew chief McCulloch) and everyone on the team are doing a perfect job, and I want to do everything I can to help the team. I will keep working to get better until I am doing the kind of job Sheikh Khalid [team owner Sheikh Khalid Al Thani], Alan [team manager Johnson] and Jason expect for the Al-Anabi team."
 
GOING FOR 4 AT 4-WIDE - Robert Hight has won at Phoenix, Gainesville, and Las Vegas, marking the second time he has won three consecutive events. In 2010, he ruled the St. Louis, Atlanta, and Topeka stretch of races.
 
That feat put Hight, the Funny Car points leader, in some excellent company. The most recent Funny Car driver to win three in a row before HIght did it in 2010 and this season was Cruz Pedregon, who won the last three races of the 2008 season to secure his second Full Throttle Funny Car championship.
 
Others who did it are John Force (11 times), Don Prudhomme (twice), Tony Pedregon, and Frank Hawley.
 
If Hight can extend the streak to four straight, he would become one of only three drivers to accomplish that. Kenny Bernstein did it in 1987, and Force followed in 2000. The longest consecutive Funny Car winning streak is seven, by Don Prudhomme in 1975-76. Prudhomme won the last five races of  1975 and the first two of 1976.
 
Hight said he and crew chief Jimmy Prock "talk all the time about trying to put together a dominant season, like Force or Prudhomme. We are not thinking about records, only about being consistent. That has been the key for us during this streak. My team has been together for so many years, my guys know what their job is and they can support each other. It has been a great three races, especially winning the Gatornationals. I want to win the Four-Wide because it is such a unique race."
 
CHECK OUT THESE STATS - Mike Neff has distinguished himself as the only professional drag racer to win the four-wide-formatted race at zMAX Dragway as both a driver (in the inaugural exhibition in 2009) and a crew chief (to race winner John Force in 2010). This weekend, at the third edition of this tradition-breaking race, the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang driver will try to become the first to win as driver AND crew chief of the same car.
 
With the pace he has set so far, that could happen. Of the 12 runs Neff has made on race day during the first four events this season (at Pomona, Phoenix, Gainesville, and Las Vegas),  his worst was 4.264 seconds -- and that was in a quarterfinal match-up he won.  His race-day average of 4.105 seconds is by far the best in the class. By comparison, JFR mate Robert Hight, who has won the past three races, has averaged 4.362 seconds on 13 competitive laps (4.230 seconds, if tossing out a season-opening 5.941 in an upset loss).
 
Neff, who worked out some bugs in his Mustang with post-race testing at Las Vegas, said he knows the advantages and the pitfalls of this race and this track and is optimistic. He said zMAX Drag way "is a great track and, depending on how the weather is, it should be a good weekend for us."
 
Neff, with his skill, could win on this track in a dump truck. Wait -- he already has. In the first race ever contested at zMax, he beat Force when both were driving dump trucks on the dirt site of what would become the world's first four-wide track.
 
BECKMAN LOVES zMAX -Jack Beckman's most prized Wally statues, he said, both came from zMAX Dragway. He won the inaugural Funny Car event crown at Charlotte in the fall of 2008 and won the Four-Wide NHRA Nationals last season. "I won the inaugural race there, and you'll only ever have one of those. And I won the Four-Wide last year -- and it's such a unique event that it makes that trophy special," Beckman said. The Freightliner/Valvoline NextGen Dodge Charger driver is third in the standings as this fifth race approaches.
 
SHOW-OFF (HEHEHE) - John Force learned the hard way, thankfully for him not in competition, just how much nitro it takes to get to the finish line at zMAX Dragway. He was selected to participate in the first four-wide exhibition, during the fall race in 2009. So was Del Worsham, now the current and retired Top Fuel champion and crew chief for Alexis DeJoria's Toyota Funny Car.
 
Force asked Worsham what he planned to do for his burnout. Worsham said he planned to follow his normal routine. "Are you [kidding]?" Force said. "I'm going to do a burnout to the lights, and then I'm going to turn around and burnout back to the line. We've got to give these people a show. They've never seen four-wide racing."
 
Said Worsham afterward, "I did the longest burnout I've ever done, and I looked up and Force is 300 feet past me."
 
The Voice of Reason, Austin Coil (Force's crew chief at the time), warned Force nott o do that. He was worried about running out of fuel. But Force couldn't help himself. He did one anyway. Not surprisingly, as his Castrol Ford Mustang neared the finish line in the lead, his fuel tank ran dry, the engine blew, and teammate Mike Neff drove around him for the victory.
 
When everyone returned in 2010 to do it for real, Force won. That atoned for his DNQ at the inaugural Charlotte race in the fall of 2008, when it was a tradition two-lane event -- and track owner Bruton Smith had just named a grandstand in Force's honor.
 
"We love running Bruton Smith tracks. We just came from Las Vegas, but this is the Bellagio. When Bruton does something, he does it right," Force said.
 
" We’ve got four good Mustangs right now with Robert [Hight] and [Mike] Neff and my youngest daughter, Courtney. We won Pomona, but we’ve struggled since then. We tested after Vegas, and we're ready to go back racing," he said.
 
EVEN DIFFERENT FOR CAPPS - This weekend, Ron Capps will have an extra-special Honorary Crew Member for his DSR-owned NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger. Martin Truex Jr., who drives the No. 56 NAPA entry for Michael Waltrip Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, will join Capps' team at zMAX on Sunday, along with crew chief Chad Johnston and other crew members from the stock-car team. Truex and teammates plan to fly to Charlotte after completing the Cup race Saturday night at Texas Motor Speedway at Fort Worth.
 
It will be a weekend of something different for Capps, who will be racing with a new crew chief in Rahn Tobler and with three opponents in each run rather than the traditional one.
 
But the whole experience will be different for Truex, who invited Capps to share his NASCAR weekend March 25 at Fontana, Calif. And Capps said he's thrilled.
 
"It's neat that those guys are going to fly back right after they race to be at zMAX with us," he said. "We won't have the luxury of putting Martin on a pit box like he let me do at his race, but we'll be able to get him up to the starting line. Every time I get to do something with Michael (Waltrip) and Martin I get to brag about our NAPA Auto Parts  Funny Car. One day, I want Martin to get in it and do a burnout and launch to feel 8,000 horsepower."
 
'LIFE IN THERE AGAIN' - Matt Hagan and his DSR-owned Aaron's Dream Machine Dodge Charger Funny Car team had a great day at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway -- the day after the SummitRacing.com Nationals. The reigning class champ hasn't had much of that 2011 mojo spill over to this season, but crew chief Tommy DeLago wanted to stay after the last race and test. "Our Aaron's Dream Machine was phenomenal. It was just a shame it was a day too late," Hagan said. "Tommy rewired the car and changed some stuff. It might have had an ignition issue, so he and our crew changed several components. We made four really nice laps. A couple we shut off just past half-track and still ran 4.20 (seconds). Heck, it had been taking us that long on full runs. It started to feel like our old car. There's life in there again." And DeLago knows a thing or two about the quickest way down zMAX Dragway. Last September 17, he tuned Hagan to the first sub-four-second Funny Car pass, at 3.995 seconds. With that, he also became the only Funny Car to run more than 322 mph. That earned him the national elapsed-time record and the No. 1 qualifying position of the Countdown kickoff -- which he won for the first of his two victories in the final six events of the year.
 
GRAY FAMILY REUNION - Johnny Gray will have a little extra incentive, or pressure, this weekend in his DSR-fielded Service Central Dodge Charger Funny Car. He wants to show his company a really spectacular time. "We're excited to go out there and take on this four-wide deal again. There isn't anything like it, and it really makes this race something special," Gray said. "Both my boys will be racing -- Shane in the Tire Kingdom / Service Central Pro Stock car and Jonathan in Comp Eliminator. Plus all my grandkids, both my daughters-in-law, a bunch of friends, and the engine shop people from Gray Motorsports (at nearby Denver, N.C.) will be there, so it'll be a lot of fun. We'd sure like to give them all something to celebrate at the end of this weekend."
 
SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND - What's that old saying when somebody is searching for something? "It's always in the last place you look." That's the case for Lucas Oil Ford Pro Stock driver Larry Morgan. What he was looking for was the problem that kept him from being any higher than 10th in the standings, despite flashes of success. It turned out to be a defective wheel. He and his crew, forced to fine-tune all areas of his Mustang, expect to see their extra work will pay off. "We're having our first real first race of the season. That's the way I'm looking at it," Morgan said. "We've got the car fixed and have put all that behind us, let's hope. I'm actually really looking forward to going back out and racing."
 
GETTING COMFORTABLE - Greg Stanfield and his Nitro Fish/Coffman Tank Trucks Pro Stock Camaro team have been thankful for an extra 10 days to haul their new car from Las Vegas to Bossier City, La., and sort out both chassis and engine issues. “We have been addressing issues we've had with the car and getting the motors in shape for another weekend of racing," Stanfield said. "We want to make the chassis better, and we are glad we had the opportunity to work on it." Crew chief Eddie Guarnaccia said, "We ran well at Las Vegas. Things will continue to improve with every run we make. What we really need to work on is the data we collect at each track, so it's important the car goes down the track on every run." Stanfield missed winning in the four-wide race at Charlotte last year by about 20 inches or 0.0054 of a second, and he was fourth in the inaugural event, despite debris getting sucked into the car's manifold during the final round.
 
LET THE GXP SHINE - Pro Stock driver Shane Gray has a brand new Jerry Haas-built Chevy Camaro at his shop in Denver, N.C., but he will be driving his familiar Tire Kingdom / Service Central Racing Pontiac GXP this weekend at "neighborhood racetrack" zMAX Dragway.  "It's a beautiful car, and Jerry Haas did a stand-up job on that thing," Gray said of the Camaro. "We are planning on testing the Camaro at zMax Dragway on Monday, and this weekend we're going to race our Service Central Pontiac. We aren't quite ready to let this one go, and we'd like to let her shine a little bit."
 
WANTING MORE - Allen Johnson won at Las Vegas, making good on a promise from the Gatornationals to the late Buddy Ingersoll (crew chief Mark Ingersoll's drag-racing-legend dad) to "win the next one for you." As he headed to Concord, N.C., from nearby Greeneville, Tenn., Johnson said, "After you pick up a win, you can't wait to get back to the track and enjoy that high while you can, because there are a lot more lows than there are highs in this sport. We'll stick out our chest in qualifying at Charlotte and hopefully be right back in the competitive spirit again." He has taken the Team Mopar / J&J Racing Dodge Avenger to the semifinals three times at Charlotte since 2009, including in each of the first two editions of the Four-Wide Nationals. "As a driver, you really have to approach the event differently," he said. "There is a lot of focus and concentration needed when working the trees at the starting line, because there are four of them. We've been fast there before and have good notes to refer to."   - Susan Wade