EVENT NEWS EVENT NOTEBOOK POINTS AFTER EVENT ROUND-BY-ROUND RESULTS FINAL ROUND RESULTS			EVENT GALLERY

SUNDAY

NO TIME LIKE THE FIRST TIME - It took 110 NHRA Pro Stock races, but Rodger Brogdon finally reached the winners circle.

Brogdon claimed his inaugural win by beating Erica Enders-Stevens Sunday in the finals of the Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol, Tenn. He clocked a 6.745-second elapsed time at 205.38 mph to beat Enders-Stevens’ 6.752-second lap at 205.66 mph.

“The guys did a good job,” Brogdon said. “We didn’t have lane choice other than the first round and I can’t tell you how happy I am. It was hard getting through the 1-2 shift. The last round mine shook all the way through low and when I went to second it straightened up. I managed to keep it somewhat in the middle, and we got the win, but the track was tricky for us all weekend.”

Steve Kent owns the Pro Stock team he and Brogdon compete for.

“I do not think so,” said Brogdon when asked if his first Pro Stock win had sunk in. “I am having trouble even breathing. It is incredible. I do not know what else to say.”

Brodgon, who qualified No. 8, beat V. Gaines, No. 1 qualifier Mike Edwards, Jason Line and Enders-Stevens during his memorable day at Bristol Dragway.

Brogdon, an accomplished Sportsman racer, had only been in one other Pro Stock final round, losing to Vincent Nobile in 2011 at Houston.

“I said when we started this program it was going to take at least 10 races or so and it just happened to be the 10th race,” Brogdon said.

Last week, Brogdon did some test laps at Bristol Dragway and those were beneficial Sunday.

“That testing sure paid off for us,” Brogdon said. “We made nine runs in two days and we were so much better when we left than when we got here. I have to give a lot of credit to my guys for coming up here and having a good plan. I feel like a kid - this is great. We knew this would be hard when we did it, but it was a great challenge for us and we put a great team together. I’m up here taking all the pictures and stuff, but I would not have done it without my team and Steve Kent most specially. He is a fantastic guy. He is like a big brother to me.”

Brogdon has been competing full-time in Pro Stock since 2009.

He moved up to ninth in the point standings and he is hopeful this is a sign of things to come.

“We are going to be doing this for a while, especially after winning one,” Brogdon said. “Do not expect us to go anywhere for a long time.”

FORCE GETS SPECIAL FATHER’S DAY WIN - John Force has no equal in NHRA history.

Before this weekend, Force had won an NHRA-best 134 Mello Yello Series races.

Now, the total is 135.

Force snapped a 31-event winless streak by beating Cruz Pedregon Sunday at the Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway.

Force clocked a 4.1480-second lap in his Castrol GTX Ford Mustang to defeat Pedregon’s Snap-on Tools Toyota Camry, which slowed to 4.335 seconds.

The legendary Force last won an NHRA race February 12, 2012, when he captured the Winternationals title at the Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif.

“I’m going after (Richard) Petty’s 200 if I do not fall over before then,” Force, 64, said. “It is all in the race car they give you. That is really the truth. Mike Neff (Force’s crew chief) and I have struggled through chassis changes and through so many things. I never cry about it; I want to wait until we perform.”

On Father’s Day, Force beat his daughter Courtney in the first round and followed that up with wins over Matt Hagan and Blake Alexander before upending Pedregon. Force is ninth in the point standings.

“I really thought Courtney was going to take me out first round,” said Force, who has won 15 NHRA Funny Car world championships. “Her car has been flying all year. Struggling, but flying. It is all in the teamwork. This was just a great day. My wife (Laurie) gave me a card. It says do not tell Courtney, but I hope you win. It was like Mother Teresa fixed my car right there. She is the saint in our family. Laurie is the one who holds everything together. You guys think I’m perfect, but I’m really a mess all of the time. This is great to come back here (to the winners circle). A good race car gives you confidence. You get that and you get natural on the tree. My lights were all good today - I am starting to come around. All I want to do is earn the right to be out here.”

Force qualified No. 6 en route to his fourth win at Bristol Dragway.

“This is pretty cool in Bristol,” Force said. “It had been 31 races (since he won). They were printing me up a T-shirt: John Force extinct. It would have been a big seller, so I can get rid of that.”

Force admitted breaking his victory drought on Father’s Day was special.

“It is big. When you have been out of it a while I used to complain about winners circles. Now I am like are you kidding me?” Force said. “I have Brittany and Courtney in the car at the other end. We loaded everybody up and went to the winners circle with mom. People ask me when is enough enough? I’ll tell you when it is time. It is not time yet. This is just a great day for the Force family and then to do it on Father’s Day, the good Lord must love me.”


TORRENCE WINS TEXAS SHOOTOUT FOR FIRST 2013 TOP FUEL WALLY - In an all-Texas Top Fuel showdown between the Nos. 1 and 2 qualifiers and former Division 4 sportsman rivals, Steve Torrence won the Ford Thunder Valley Nationals Sunday for his first $50,000 victory of the season, fourth overall, and first since last August at Seattle.

The Kilgore, Texas, owner-driver of the Torrence Racing/Capco Contractors Inc. Dragster held off Fort Worth native Spencer Massey in the Battery Extender Dragster from the Don Schumacher Racing organization.

Using a 3.871-second elapsed time at 320.13 mph on the 1,000-foot Bristol Dragway course, Torrence topped Massey's 3.894, 317.19 and got that glimpse of Countdown glory he was hoping for when he changed crew chiefs four races ago.

With Lee Beard tuning, No. 2 qualifier Torrence advanced to his first final of the year past gritty class rookie Leah Pruett, points leader Shawn Langdon, and No. 3 qualifier Clay Millican.

He denied Massey his second victory of the season and prevented Don Schumacher Racing from scoring a repeat victory here at the legendary Tennessee track.

More important, Torrence reached out to somebody special on this Father's Day.

At an impromptu team meeting following winners circle activities, he gave the Wally trophy to his assistant crew chief, Tony Derhammer, who lost his dad the Sunday night of the recent race at Englishtown, N.J.

"It's Father's Day. We all got to call our dads. He didn't," Torrence, who partners and races with dad Billy, said. "It meant a lot for us to win and to give that to him. You can't replace [his father], but you can try to do anything you can to help him get over it a little better."

Torrence said his plan to turn around his performance is progressing faster than he had imagined.

"Today's been unbelievable. I didn't expect the car to turn around nearly as quick as it did. Those guys have come in and they've been working their tails off. They're working 14 hours a day, trying to get the car just the way they wanted it."

Torrence said the Brownsburg, Ind.-headquartered team tested a six-disk clutch at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis. "And I'd say we had some pretty good success with it. I'm happy with the way the car's running. It's real consistent," he said.
 
Likewise, he's content with making his personnel switch, he said.

"I'm happy with the decision we made. It was a real hard decision. Richard Hogan is a good friend, good crew chief. We wanted to go in a different direction, and it's paying off now," Torrence said. "When you go up to the line every time and have confidence in your car, in your team, it definitely eases your mind.

"The car's not been representative of the caliber of team we have," Torrence said. "We made some changes and it's starting to come around."

The progress, Torrence said, "was actually a lot quicker than I would have thought originally, but Lee Beard is a very accomplished tuner. I had a lot of confidence in him, but he definitely exceeded what I expected out of him."

The victory assured Torrence a berth in the $100,000-to-win Traxxas Shootout that will play out Labor Day weekend during the U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis.

"The gold man [the Wally statue] is great, but the  points we walked away with meant more to us than anything, because we were on the outside [of the top 10], looking in. We're racing for points, and we're trying to get into that Countdown."

Torrence shared the podium with Funny Car's John Force and Pro Stock's Rodger Brogdon. When Torrence earned his previous victory, he shared the celebration with Erica Enders[-Stevens], Sunday's Pro Stock runner-up, and Funny Car's Courtney Force.

"It's cool to be in the winners circle with Force, but it was a lot better with the younger Force," Torrence said.

It certainly was cool, he indicated, to defeat Massey, a driver he said he considered skilled.

He and Massey have been opponents in Super Comp and Top Alcohol Dragster throughout Texas and the South Central U.S. "Every class I've raced, I've raced Spencer Massey," he said, adding that competing against him only heightens his respect for Massey's sharpness on the Christmas Tree. 

Massey, the top qualifier with both ends of the track record from Friday night qualifying, got a solo pass against Doug Herbert, then eliminated Brittany Force and Morgan Lucas to score his second final-round appearance of the season. The Charlotte winner of the Dollar General Four-Wide Nationals in April was making his second final-round appearance in six races.

THE OLD STOMPING GROUNDS - Rickie Smith made it back-to-back wins at Bristol Dragway, beating Troy Coughlin on a holeshot on Sunday in the finals of the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series at the 13th annual Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers. The race is the fifth of 10 races in 2013 for NHRA’s popular 250-mph doorslammer touring series.

After winning at legendary Thunder Valley in 2012, the King, N.C. native held off a hard-charging Coughlin, the 2012 NHRA Pro Mod Series world champ, in the final, running a 5.991 at 240.47 mph in his IDG Chevy Camaro to claim his second straight victory in Bristol. Coughlin ran a quicker 5.984 at 246.26 in his JEGS.com Corvette, but Smith’s better .061 reaction time sent him to the win, his first in the 2013 season.

“This has been a good track to us over the years and it’s a great deal to win here,” said Smith, whose name is listed on the Legends of Thunder Valley at the track. “We’ve been blessed here and to go out and win every now and then, it’s just a major accomplishment for us.

“We had a rough weekend and we were just trying to save the engine each round, but we’re glad and just so happy to get this win.”

After winning his first-round matchup against Chris Juliano on Saturday, Smith, who qualified second, started Sunday with a second round victory against Pete Farber, going 5.994 at 240.38. In the semifinals, Smith faced off against Robert Patrick and his Ford Mustang, powering to a 6.418 at 169.23 to advance to the finals.

With the victory, Smith also jumped to second in the points standings at the halfway mark of the season. By advancing to the finals, Coughlin, who knocked off Mike Janis and No. 1 qualifier Danny Rowe to reach the championship round, took over the points lead from the Summit Racing Equipment team of Kenny Lang. Lang dropped to third with a second-round exit.

The next NHRA Pro Mod Series race takes place on July 4-7 at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio.

SATURDAY NOTEBOOK

TOP FUEL

DOING THE BOUNCE - Spencer Massey and the rest of the Top Fuel class battled the problems that a 127-degree racetrack can cause Saturday during the final day of qualifying for the Ford Thunder Valley Nationals.

But his 3.775-second elapsed time and 326.79-mph speed Friday night that captured both ends of the Bristol Dragway 1,000-foot records held up. And he claimed his first No. 1 qualifying position since last August at Seattle and his first ever at this historic dragstrip nestled in the Appalachian Mountains.

The Battery Extender Dragster driver said he's all set to face No. 16 qualifier Doug Herbert in the opening round of eliminations, which are scheduled to begin at noon Sunday.

"Today it was a little tricky because it's hot. Everybody was struggling to get down the racetrack. We backed it down enough to where it only went a 3.94, but it went down the racetrack," Massey said.

The positive news, he said, was that "we have data for tomorrow. Tomorrow's going to be very similar conditions, so I'm excited. I'm ready. I have confidence. We wanted to come in here and have good data and get down the racetrack. Qualifying No. 1 is awesome."

Given that Don Schumacher Racing teammate Tony Schumacher is Bristol's most successful NHRA pro racer, one might think that Massey would benefit greatly from the data sharing that's part of the DSR culture. But Massey said that's not the case. He and crew chief Phil Shuler aren't going to learn anything juicy from fellow tuner Mike Green and the U.S. Army Dragster team.

"We can't necessarily say that if it worked on that car it's going to work on this one," Massey said. 

"We all share information. But things are different from car to car. Tony's car has been performing great all season long, and our car's been struggling. So our car's taking a little bit more power, a little bit more clutch, just a different set-up. Right now, we're basically racing ourselves. I know Tony's had a lot of success and he's running well in the heat right now. It doesn't matter."

His team will figure it out as he goes along Sunday, he said, insisting he's not looking past Herbert in the B.R.A.K.E.S. Dragster. And he said he doesn't "necessarily have to go out and try to run low E.T. first round or try to be the fastest. We just need to go up there and run the lane, whatever the conditions put to us."

Massey said, "I've had a lot of success at Bruton's other tracks in Vegas and Charlotte, but Bristol has just been average for me. I think we changed that Friday night, under the lights at Bristol. It doesn't get any cooler than that."
That officially might make Massey both cool and hot at the same time.

LIKENESS NOT CARVED IN STONE, BUT SCHUMACHER RULES AT BRISTOL - Tony Schumacher has won more NHRA national-event drag races at Bristol than any other pro driver with five Top Fuel victories. But the seven-time champion has not yet been honored as one of the Legends of Thunder Valley. Those individuals have their names gracing the facing atop the left-side grandstand. Schumacher, obviously joking, said Saturday he's holding out for a Mount Rushmore-like tribute on the face of the mountain or his name in giant block letters à la the Hollywood sign.   

"My name's not on any wall," Schumacher said. "They're waiting." He smiled and broke into silly mode, mock-dismissing the notion of a Tony Schumacher Grandstand. "I specifically asked for an etching of my face in the stone -- like me and The Three Stooges," he said, laughing.  
Kidding aside, Schumacher (dad to sons Anthony and Michael and daughter Jacqueline) wants to earn his sixth Wally trophy here -- on Father's Day -- and reclaim the points lead

Shawn Langdon swiped by winning the previous event, at Englishtown, N.J.

He'll be starting from the No. 5 spot Sunday as he goes for a repeat victory here. Last June Schumacher halted a 32-event winless streak as he and Funny Car's Ron Capps combined to present Schumacher's dad, boss Don Schumacher, with a double-up winners circle. That victory also gave Schumacher the points lead.

Schumacher has won two races this season, at Phoenix and Las Vegas, and has reached the final round at five of the season's first nine events. But he does have a fondness for the facility carved into the East Tennessee hills.

"Forget about all the winning. This is just a great place," he said. "I used to come here with the jet car [before he drove a Top Fuel dragster]. And people would drink moonshine up in those hills and roll down. They couldn't help it, nor could they stop themselves -- those are pretty steep.

"But Thunder Valley, man, you give it gas and whomp-whomp-whomp-whomp . . . and you hear it . . . and it's beautiful," Schumacher said.

"The fans are amazing. They love racing," he said. Schumacher stopped at a gas station / mini-mart this past week, wearing street clothes (no Army team shirt), and fans recognized him. (That 's in contrast to an overeager track worker one year at another Bruton Smith-owned track, Las Vegas Motor Speedway. That official refused to let Schumacher enter the timing/media tower and didn't believe him when he pointed out his name on his firesuit and helmet. She told him, "It's Halloween weekend. You could just be somebody dressed like Tony Schumacher.")

He said this is one of the special markets in which "people appreciate the hard work you're doing. That's the key. You feel appreciated here. The town really likes racing. Not only does it probably pay the taxes, so they appreciate that side. But they just love racing. You've got a NASCAR track right next to a dragstrip. This town is built around racing."


 KABOOM - Leah Pruett burst into the 16-car field -- almost literally -- early Saturday . . . at the expense of her Dote Racing Dragster. She improved from 19th and unqualified at 5.264 seconds at 131.25 mph to 14th in the third overall session with a 4.744, 161.48. In the process, the car was dropping cylinders on both sides and finally ignited in a big fireball. Pruett was unhurt. Her Doug Kuch-led crew had the car ready for a final-session pass, but it smoked the tires right off the starting line. Pruett will start 15th Sunday and will meet Steve Torrence in the first round.

SALUTING TAMMY - Kalitta Motorsports team members are sporting "777" wristbands to show their support for 30-year associate Tammy Oberhofer. She has served as the organization's public-relations representative and most recently as the team's office manager, and she has been fighting cancer for more than a year. She's the wife of Jim Oberhofer, Kalitta Motorsports vice-president of operations and crew chief for the Mac Tools Dragster that Doug Kalitta drives. TV personality Jesse James, husband of Kalitta Motorsports / Tequila Patrón Funny Car driver Alexis DeJoria, created and produced the "777" wristband as a symbol of gambling good luck and of "Tammy O's" fondness for playing slot machines. Team members are wearing the wristbands to let Tammy know they're thinking about her each day.


GOING IN CIRCLES AGAIN - Antron Brown has used all of the Bristol Motor Speedway property this weekend. The Top Fuel driver took the chance Friday morning to make about 30 laps around the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series oval next door to Bristol Dragway. "We went out there and had some fun with the Dale Jarrett Driving School. It was a good, fun day to go out there, make some laps, and talk to his students. We made about 30 laps, and it felt good to get out there in a decent car," Brown said. "The last time we were over there was back in 2009, when a bunch of us NHRA drivers were out there in old beat-up late models doing a fun run for Speedway Children's Charity. It was good to get out there yesterday in a car that was a lot more realistic. We had fun turning some good laps and feeling that banking."

He said getting back to drag racing business also was satisfying, although he no doubt would have liked to start better on the grid than 12th.

"It felt good to get out there and make a solid run in the final session," Brown said Saturday. "We had some pretty hot conditions today, and a lot of teams weren't able to make it down the track. We went out there and accomplished what we were hoping to do. The Matco Tools team will go through everything and get dialed up for tomorrow. We've got a race against our U.S. Army teammate [Tony Schumacher] to start, and it's going to be a monumental match-up. It's a great opportunity to help ourselves in the overall standings, as well."

The always-optimistic Brown said, "Tomorrow is a whole new day. Qualifying is one thing, but we've got to race for everything we're going to get from here on out. If we have to race our teammates, we'd rather it be in a semifinal or final, but sometimes it happens where it's the first round. We're going to go out there and give it everything we've got."


ANGELS ON BOARD - Doug Herbert had fallen to the bump spot during the final qualifying with Terry McMillen still threatening to knock him off the grid. McMillen lost traction, though, and joined Pat Dakin and Troy Buff on the DNQ list. "I was really worried! Terry McMillen's a great guy, but it's great to be racing on Father's Day!" Herbert said. His B.R.A.K.E.S. Dragster carries the likeness of sons Jon and James, whom he lost in a North Carolina auto accident in 2008. "We've got Jon and James riding with us. We've got a lot of angels riding with us," he said. Herbert, a four-time IHRA champion who has had plenty of victories here at Bristol, will race No. 1 Spencer Massey in the first round of eliminations Sunday.


HAPPY IN TOP HALF - Brittany Force has met one of her goals this weekend. The Castrol EDGE driver from John Force Racing stayed in the top half of the field. She maintained her No. 8 status from Friday and will race No. 9 JR Todd when eliminations start Sunday. Her 3.828-second elapsed time in the Friday night session was her second-quickest of this rookie season. (Her best, 3.822 seconds, came in February at the season-opening Winternationals.)

In her first race at Bristol Dragway, crew chiefs Dean "Guido" Antonelli and Eric Lane guided her to her first race-day start with lane choice.

"I'm happy to be qualified No. 8. That's the highest we've qualified for an event so far. I'm glad we're starting to work our way up in the field," she said. "I'll be running J.R. Todd tomorrow in the first round, and I’ve never run him before. So I'm excited to be running him. I'm hoping we can make some improvements and just have a good race car for tomorrow."

Force also earned qualifying bonus points for the first time in her young career. She was second-quickest in Saturday's first and third overall qualifying session. It came in a weekend in which 11 different drivers earned qualifying bonus points. Tony Schumacher is the lone Top Fuel racer to get qualifying bonus points in two different sessions.

"We'll take any points, no matter what. We earned two qualifying points, and that'll help us move up and get into the top 10, hopefully," she said. "That's really exciting getting that lane choice over JR Todd. I have never had it (lane choice) before."

Moreover, she said she has an extra motivation for performing well Sunday: "It's fun to be able to be out here and celebrate Father's Day with my dad. And most of my family is out here so it's exciting. Hopefully we can get a win for my dad and bring that home for him."

OTHER ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS - Dave Grubnic will square off against Morgan Lucas in the opening round of eliminations. Shawn Langdon and Bob Vandergriff will meet, as will Clay Millican and Chris Karamesines. Khalid alBalooshi's first test will be against Doug Kalitta.

MISSING THE CUT - Terry McMillen, Troy Buff, and Pat Dakin were the three who will sit out Sunday.

FUNNY CAR


NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT – And to think, Del Worsham thought the competition was tough in Top Fuel during his 2011 title run. The past Top Fuel champion held onto the Bristol track record during the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Saturday to become the eighth No. 1 qualifier of the 2013 season. 

“The competition this season is just amazing,” Worsham said. “Our first round race could easily be a final round. It shows the level of competition we have in all of the classes in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. When I ran Top Fuel, I didn’t think it could get any more competitive. Here I am in 2013 and I think it’s more competitive than it was when I raced in Top Fuel.”

Saturday in Bristol those lines, in a roundabout way, blurred in qualifying.

Worsham, who admitted some teams use testing during a race as an excuse when they don’t run well, confirmed in Saturday’s second session that they were absolutely testing. He also revealed the team had put the same engine, which runs in the Mac Tools dragster driven by Doug Kalitta, in their Funny Car.

“We just wanted to see what would happen,” Worsham said. “This was Jim Oberhofer’s idea. It pulled the tires loose but it made a tremendous amount of horsepower. This is probably the direction we’ll be headed in the future. It’s encouraging but would have been nice to get it down the track.”

On Saturday, Worsham was still beaming from the aura of Friday’s 4.00 pass.

“That run was awful special last night,” Worsham said. “I said how well everybody on the DHL Toyota Camry team was doing. Jon Oberhofer, Nicky Boninfante and Jim Oberhofer have been working hard on this car. The entire team has been above and beyond what they need to do.”

Sunday, Worsham meets Robert Hight in the first round.

“This could truly be a final round match in the first round,” Worsham said.

PLAYING IT SAFE – Ron Capps and the NAPA AUTO PARTS team produced an impressive run of 4.066 seconds at 310.84 mph on Friday night and it held up to earn his team the No. 5 qualifying spot for Sunday's championship eliminations at Bristol Dragway.

"The Friday night run was the hero run we talk about," said Capps, who owns 39 NHRA titles. "You have to have your act together and get in (the field) on that one run, and it's very tough on the crew chiefs because you don't want to miss the opportunity when you get near- perfect conditions like that."

Capps was equally impressed with how crew chief Rahn Tobler and assistant John Collins tuned his Dodge on Saturday to runs of 4.191 seconds at 293.03 mph and 4.142 at 304.60 under mostly sunny skies and air temperatures about 20 degrees hotter than Friday night.

THE CHAMP’S PERFORMANCE – Jack Beckman played it safe on Saturday in easing down the track with a 4.192 elapsed time. Saturday’s pace was much more reserved than Friday’s 4.133, 317.05 blast.

TOUGH WEEKEND – Robert Hight entered Saturday outside of the top 12 qualifiers but because there are only 16 cars on the property, he’s assured of a Sunday berth. The second day wasn’t much better as he failed to make a full pull to the finish line.

BY THE SKIN – Chad Head made Friday’s cut with a 4.136, 301.54 and this worked well for him on a challenging Saturday where he failed to make a full run.

HERE’S TO YA DAD - John Force and Courtney Force each had a chance to shake up the ladder and avoid an awkward Father’s Day. Courtney Force and her Traxxas Ford Mustang came the closest, improving her qualifying position from Friday just missing a move up the ladder by .002 of a second. The youngest Force will race her father by virtue of her No. 11 qualifying position and his No. 6 qualifying spot.

PRO STOCK

EDWARDS STEAMROLLS THE COMPETITION IN QUALIFYING … AGAIN - NO. 50 - NHRA Pro Stock points leader Mike Edwards will go for his fifth consecutive victory at the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers Sunday at Bristol Dragway from the No. 1 qualifying position.
 
With warmer weather conditions for Saturday’s two qualifying sessions, no one improved on Edwards’ Friday run of 6.632 seconds at a track record speed of 208.23 mph in his Interstate Batteries/I Am Second Chevy Camaro. Edwards has dominated the Pro Stock competition at Bristol in the last four seasons. He defeated hometown favorite Allen Johnson last year in a close final round and outran finalists Erica Enders-Stevens in 2011, Rickie Jones in 2010 and Greg Anderson in 2009.
 
“I love coming to this track and racing here,” said Edwards, who will meet JR Carr in the opening round. “It has been good to us over the years. It’s great to be running good here again. If we could get five in a row at this place, that’s phenomenal for me. We are just going to take it like we have been doing all year long. You never know. We feel like we have as good a chance as anybody.”
 
The 2009 Pro Stock world champ earned his ninth No. 1 of the season, second at Bristol Dragway and the 50th of his career.
 
“That’s a goal that I have been trying to reach for a long time,” Edwards said. “One of my goals starting out the year was to reach 50 No. 1s. It’s truly a blessing that we have been able to do that and an awesome feat for me.”

HOMETOWN REPORT – The hometown favorite Allen Johnson ended qualifying as the second quickest with a 6.645, 206.70 best from Friday. He managed a 6.658 in Saturday’s runs.

BREAKING IN – Greg Anderson came to Bristol with a new Camaro and by the end of qualifying was seventh with a 6.671 best from Friday. He races Greg Stanfield in the first round.

MAJOR SHOT – Shane Gray jumped to the fourth position with a major improvement on Saturday. His 6.654 will pair him with Steve Kent in Sunday’s first round.

MIDDLE OF THE PACK – Rodger Brogdon heads into Sunday in the middle of the pack. His 6.680, 207.05 mile per hour pass was good enough for eighth. He meets V. Gaines in the first round.


RICKIE DON’T LOSE THAT NUMBER – Rickie Jones ended up 11th with a 6.692, 206.99. He meets Jeggie Coughlin in the first round.

THE MINORITY – Jeggie Coughlin was in the minority of teams which improved on their Friday time. He ran a 6.661, 206.73 pass during Saturday’s first session.



PRO MODIFIED

No. 1 qualifier Danny Rowe won his first-round matchup during the opening round of eliminations on Saturday in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series at the 13th annual Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers at Bristol Dragway. The race is the fifth of 10 races in 2013 for NHRA’s popular 250-mph doorslammer touring series.

Rowe kept up his strong weekend pace in his Agave Underground Tequila Chevy Camaro, putting together a Saturday-best pass of 6.004 at 243.59 mph in his first-round win against the BAC Enterprises team of Clint Satterfield. That came on the heels of finishing as the No. 1 qualifier in his supercharger-powered entry, as his 5.958 at 243.37 from Friday stood up through the one qualifying session on Saturday.

It was Rowe’s second straight No. 1 qualifier and the third in four races as the Laguna Hills, Calif. native goes after his first win of 2013 when eliminations continue on Sunday. A victory would also get Rowe, who is currently ninth in points, back in the championship mix.

“We’re really, really happy right now. Our whole crew has been working hard and we’ve been consistent this year,” Rowe said. “We just want to continue doing a good job and finish well in the points. With the type of cars out there it’s really been competitive, but we’ve been consistent and that’s a good sign.

“It’s anybody’s race right now and if we have a great weekend in Bristol and go out and win, we’re going to be right back in the (championship) hunt.”

Rowe will meet Eric Dillard in the quarterfinals on Sunday after Dillard powered his Ford Mustang to a 6.103 at 246.26 in an opening-round win against Mike Castellana.

Defending Pro Mod world champion Troy Coughlin won his first round matchup against Mike Knowles, going 6.020 at 246.08 in his JEGS.com Corvette. He will meet the most recent Pro Mod event winner after Mike Janis and his Valvoline Chevy Camaro beat Chip King with a 14.643 at 68.29.

Defending event winner Rickie Smith, who qualified No. 3 in his IDG Camaro, will meet Pete Farber, who knocked off Von Smith with a pass of 6.017 at 241.41, in the second round.

The final quarterfinal matchup will feature points leader Kenny Lang, who drove his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Corvette to a 7.102 at 220.94 against Doug Winters, and Robert Patrick, who went 6.030 at 235.35 in his Ford Mustang to beat Steve Matusek. 

PATRICK REBOUNDS – After eight months of rehabilitation on an injured knee suffered in a racing accident, Robert Patrick scored his first round, posting a weekend best 6.03 to beat Steve Matusek.

BACK BREAKING – Pete Farber scored the upset of the first-round with a torrid 6.017 to eliminate Von Smith. Only Danny Rowe ran quicker with a 6.004.

 REINSTATED – Chris Juliano lost twice in the first round after beating Rickie Smith. The nitrous racer suffered an intake explosion which ripped away a good portion of his hood. Juliano was disqualified after bypassing the scales, and as a result Smith was reinstated.

FRIDAY

TOP FUEL

TOP FUEL RECORDS FALL SEVERAL TIMES IN NIGHT SESSION - U.S. Army Dragster driver Tony Schumacher is skilled at a variety of tasks. He proved Friday evening to be a pretty accurate forecaster of drag-racing results.

Last year's Ford Thunder Valley Nationals Top Fuel winner distinguished himself early Friday as the provisional No. 1 qualifier and owner of both ends of the Bristol Dragway record. His 3.795-second run on the 1,000-foot course topped Shawn Langdon's year-old elapsed-time record by one-thousandths of a second. With his 325.77 mph, he wiped out Spencer Massey's mark of 324.98 mph.

"It'll last about an hour and a half," he said immediately after climbing from his car.

He was right.

No fewer than four competitors blasted to quicker times in the second session, and his own Don Schumacher Racing mate Massey wound up the provisional No. 1 qualifier with a 3.775-second E.T. and a 326.79-mph speed that reset both ends of the track record.

Massey never has underestimated what crew chief Phil Shuler can do, but that it happened at this historic Tennessee dragstrip was a bit of a surprise to him.

"I've never done well at Bristol. I've never had anything spectacular happen," he said after besting not only Schumacher's afternoon performance but also the second-session runs of Steve Torrence, Clay Millican, and Dave Grubnic.

In succession, Grubnic, Torrence, and Millican lowered the E.T., but Massey said he figured either Schumacher or Shawn Langdon would storm back in the last pairing and take back the records. They had their own traction problems, leaving Massey in the catbird seat overnight.

And the provisional top qualifier said he and Shuler have determined that the car can go quicker to the 60-foot and 300-foot marks.

"We should've given it more power," Massey said, guessing that he might have been able to draw a 3.75 from the dragster Friday night if he were able to take another pass.

"Fingers crossed," he said of turning his chances Saturday into his first No. 1 start of the season and seventh of his career. 

TODD'S SUB STINT FOR BERNSTEIN IS A SEAMLESS MOVE - JR Todd was serious and sincere, but he knew it sounded devious. And he laughed as he awaited Friday's opening qualifying sessions for the Ford Thunder Valley Nationals at Tennessee's Bristol Dragway.

He's substituting at least two races in the Joe Barlam-tuned Protect the Harvest / MAVTV Dragster for Morgan Lucas Racing. Regular driver Brandon Bernstein is recovering from back surgery to correct bulging discs that have pinched nerves in his leg and caused debilitating pain and numbness in his leg and foot.

"I told him, 'Don't rush back,' " Todd said, recognizing how that sounded and quickly clarifying his advice.

"I'm not saying that just because I'm driving. But the race car will be here forever. That's a lifelong injury if you don't take care of it. He needs to do his best to heal up," he said. "He had his surgery last Wednesday, and I saw him. He was still in quite a bit of pain."

Todd, who's racing part-time (as funding permits) with Bob Vandergriff Racing as teammate to the Houston Top Fuel winner and to Clay Millican, planned for certain to race with the Morgan Lucas team this weekend at Bristol and next weekend at Epping, N.H.

Bernstein, he said, had hoped to return by the end of the month at the O'Reilly Route 66Nationals at Joliet, Ill. However, Todd indicated he wasn't sure exactly when Bernstein actually would resume racing.

"It all depends on his rehab time and how much pain he can endure," Todd said. "Hopefully he heals up fast. In the meantime, we can do some good while he's gone." 

At least Todd didn't have to go through much of a "getting-comfortable" period.

"Pretty much all the guys working on Brandon's car were here when I drove for Morgan in 2008," he said. "As far as comfort level, that shouldn't be a problem. We had a lot of fun. It's a great-running car. I was honored when Brandon and Morgan called me to fill in."

He said, "The ironic thing about driving this car is I actually drove the exact car in 2008 at Pomona and Phoenix. It's the same cockpit I used then."
 
(However, he's hoping he won't repeat his performance from the 2008 Winternationals in this dragster. He hit the wall.)

Because Todd and Bernstein are about the same height, he and the crew had few adjustments to make.

"I took my seat out of Vandergriff's car and plugged it into this car," Todd said. "As far as procedures, it's basically the same.

"Being as I ran seven races last year and one this year [at Houston], it makes my confidence level a lot better than it was at the beginning of last year, when I'd been sitting out since 2009," he said.

Todd, from Lawrenceburg, Ind., moved upstate to the Indianapolis suburb of Avon, near the Brownsburg shops of both the Vandergriff and Lucas operations.

"I moved to Avon in 2006, when I was driving for Dexter [Tuttle]," he said. "Bob's shop is in Brownsburg, right across the street from Brandon's and Morgan's. It's one big family over there in Brownsburg."   
Todd said he had no added pressure in taking to the racetrack Friday.

"I just know I need to go in there and do my thing," he said. "Things should be like Brandon's not even out of the car."
Todd had Vandergriff's blessing to help out the Morgan Lucas Racing team.

"He said no problem. Bob was totally, 100 percent on board with it," Todd said. "We didn't have any races coming up with Bob's car [until the Dallas event in September]. This wasn’t going to interfere with any of that. 

"It's kind of a bittersweet situation," he said, referring to his close friend Bernstein's back problems being the reason he gets more seat time in a Top Fuel car. "But we're going to make the best of it."       
If Todd and Vandergriff had their way, Todd would be in that third car fulltime. That's what they're working toward and hope to have settled before the Dallas race.

"Hopefully we can get something together before that," he said, adding that Vandergriff "is working pretty hard around the clock on that. We've had some meetings. Hopefully those come together soon and we can get this thing [Vandergriff's third dragster] back on track."

Then he and his friend Bernstein both can race.

FEATS OF CLAY - Clay Millican hit career-best numbers for both elapsed time and speed Friday night in moving up from fourth to third in the Parts Plus/Caseholed Dragster. He posted a 3.787-second E.T. at 326.48 mph.

'OUR TIME IS COMING' - Steve Torrence, owner-driver of the Torrence Racing/Capco Contractors Inc. Dragster, tested at Indianapolis in the nearly two-week down-time after the Englishtown race. Consequently, he said he felt better prepared as he entered this Bristol race.

It showed Friday night, as Torrence used his 3.779-second pass to claim the tentative No. 2 spot in the order with two more qualifying chances for everyone Saturday. For a while he had the track record -- until Spencer Massey drove one of the three Don Schumacher Racing dragsters to the top of the list with both the E.T. and speed marks at Bristol Dragway. 

"We tried some different things [in testing], and I was excited to see how well everything worked out. Lee and the guys have been working well together. We need take advantage of every chance we get and make sure we get as many points as we can. We'll get there. It's just a matter of time . . . and I think our time is coming," Torrence said. 

The Kilgore, Texas, racer is 11th in the standings and said he's eager to make up the ground and qualify for the Countdown quickly, without any waste of the remaining nine races before the Top Fuel Countdown field is set.

FLASHY RETURN - Doug Herbert made a flamboyant return to the racetrack for the first time since the Charlotte race last fall with his 4.850-second, 191.35-mph pass in Friday's first session. It was a wild ride not because of the numbers but because he hiked the front wheels up on the launch and slammed them back down. That caused him to smoke the rear tires. That left him No. 16 in the order after the first run. He's 17th overnight. 

This track is where Herbert got his first Top Fuel victory in 1992 (in the IHRA) on the way to six straight victories here. This year, though, he's racing with the likenesses of sons Jon and James on the B.R.A.K.E.S. Dragster. And he'd like nothing more than to make the field for Father's Day to honor the young men, who were killed in a head-on collision near their Charlotte, N.C., home in 2008. Jon's and James' friends helped Herbert establish B.R.A.K.E.S. -- "Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe" -- an intensive pro-active teen driving course that has reached out to thousands of teenage motorists across the country.

FUNNY CAR


RAPID DELIVERY – Del Worsham delivered in his DHL Funny Car Friday evening during first day qualifying at the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tenn.

Worsham, the 2011 NHRA Top Fuel champion, was the king of the mountain with a new track record 4.008 elapsed time at 314.83 to lead the provisional field.

The No. 1 shot and subsequent track record came as a surprise to Worsham.

“I was shocked,” said Worsham. “The last few races this car has been running better. The crewchiefs along with Jon Oberhofer, Jim Oberhofer and Connie Kalitta are all helping out with the DHL Toyota.”

Worsham has been on a roll of late, landing fifth in the qualifying order at Topeka and most recently second in Englishtown.

“A lot of headway has been made on this car,” said Worsham.

The car Worsham is driving in Bristol was front-halved after Englishtown.

“I was real excited for my entire team,” said Worsham. “The last six years these guys have worked awful hard. And they’ve had some success and won races. I feel really good where we are right now. I have to say I am real happy for Nicky Boninfante and Jim Oberhofer because they have stuck with this team through thick and thin. They have had tough times and now good times.”

THE STAND IS NOW OPEN – Alex’s Lemonade Stand will reopen next month at the NHRA Mile Hight Nationals at Bandimere Speedway, thanks to the generosity of Funny Car driver Johnny Gray and wife Terry along with his sister Terry Chandler.

Gray’s Pitch Energy Dodge will put aside its orange Pitch Energy paint scheme in favor of the children’s cancer research charity and additionally the Darrell Gwynn Foundation which offers support for people with paralysis and works to prevent spinal cord injuries.

"You know, three years ago I was introduced to Alex's Lemonade Stand by TBC Retail Group, and since that introduction, I have found great pleasure in being able to bring awareness through our race program to such a great organization," said Gray.

"It's a real honor to be associated with these folks. This year, to be able to bring together Alex's Lemonade Stand with another group of people who are near to my heart - the Darrell Gwynn Foundation - it just makes me realize that I am extremely blessed. I've been affiliated with both of these groups separately for a few years now, and to bring them together makes a lot of sense in this last year that I'm racing full-time.

"Sometimes, things happen in life that put a whole new perspective on how you look at things. These two organizations and the work that they do and the lives they touch have done that for me. My hope is that our partnership with them for these four races will raise awareness and touch the lives of others like it has touched ours."

In addition to raising funds for cancer research, the Grays and Chandler have purchased four new custom wheelchairs which will be given out at the four races this car competes at.

In addition to Denver, the NHRA events scheduled for the Gray’s support of the Alexis’ Lemonade/Darrell Gwynn Foundation will be at Indianapolis, Dallas and Reading.  

SHOTS WITH ALEXIS – A group of Gold Star Mothers gathered for a special moment with Funny Car racer Alexis DeJoria to share a shot of her sponsor’s product. The occasion was not a party but instead in remembrance of their fallen loved ones.

The American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. was formed in the United States to provide support for mothers who lost sons or daughters following World War I.

Though Alexis only toasted in spirit and chugged from a bottle of water, the importance of the gesture was not lost on her.

“Last year I met the Gold Star Moms in Bristol,” said DeJoria. “I met the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, husbands and wives. It was important to show our support of what their family members do and have done overseas. It means a lot to me to be able to bring them into our pit area and make their racing experience better. I wanted them to know our pit is their pit.”

Cindy Powell, one of the Gold Star Mothers in attendance, lost her son Scott Cooley, a Marine, in February 1993. He was killed in an automobile accident while enlisted.

“Being a Gold Star Mother means everything to me,” said Powell. “These ladies have helped me to get through a very trying time. It’s been 20 years for me, but this year has been especially hard. I’ve cried a lot more than the last two or three years. These ladies are everything to me.”

DeJoria’s father, John Paul DeJoria, is a U.S. Navy veteran.

“Because my dad and his brother served in the Navy, supporting our troops is special to us,” said DeJoria. “I support them 100-percent and my father has had major connections with them, and so has my husband. It is dear to our hearts.”

BEEN THERE DONE THAT BEFORE - Bob Tasca III made a massive jump from a 4.15 in the first session to grab the early provisional No. 1 with a 4.082.

 FIRST SESSION IS BEST - Johnny Gray turned in a best 4.127, 298.73 during the first session but wiped out the cones and his chances to improve in the second session.

GOT WILK? - Tim Wilkerson ran a 4.061 in the final session to step up from a previous 4.106 to land in the No. 4 spot after the first day.

NOT A GOOD DAY IN THE OFFICE - Cruz Pedregon heads into Saturday without a run in the top twelve. He ran a 4.205, 295.40 during the first session as his only run on record. The final run of the day was disqualified when he crossed the centerline opposite of Chad Head.

ONE SHOT WONDER - Tony Pedregon sat out Friday’s first session but came back in the second session with a 4.140, 293.79.

 BIG SHOT - Alexis DeJoria made a significant jump in Friday’s evening session with a 4.096, 312.42, stepping up from her previous 4.14.

PRO STOCK

EDWARDS PROVES HIS HOT-WEATHER TUNE-UP JUST AS BRUTAL - Not even a racing surface with triple-digit temperatures could stop Mike Edwards from continuing his Pro Stock dominance in the I Am Second/Interstate/K&N Chevy Camaro -- and his dominance on the Bristol Dragway quarter-mile.

In the opening qualifying session Friday at the tradition-rich Tennessee track, Edwards added to the lore. He ran a 6.638-second elapsed time at a track-record 208.23-mph speed. 

His time was five-thousandths of a second shy of improving his own track E.T. mark but was nearly three-hundredths of a second quicker than that of  provisional No. 2 qualifier Jeg Coughlin (6.664, 206.67). His speed erased Greg Anderson's standard of 207.94 mph from May 2009.

In his second pass, the Coweta, Okla., racer shaved six-thousandths of a second off his E.T. to rewrite his own track record.

Edwards, who's seeking his fifth consecutive victory at Bristol, is looking to earn his ninth top-qualifying position in 10 events so far this season.

Just as Edwards was unfazed by the heat at Englishtown, N.J., throughout the previous race, he ignored Friday's early high temperatures. That bodes well for him as the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continues its grind of races on four consecutive weekends and seven in eight weeks -- including the strenuous Western Swing.

"We felt like we left a little out there," Edwards, who tested here for two days last week, said.

He called the car's performance "flawless" and said, "It's almost scary how good we're running."

Edwards indicated he isn't too wound up about whether he'll capture his fifth straight Bristol victory.

"If it's God's will, there ain't nobody going to beat me," he said. "We'll go up there and do our best."
 

NOT A HALLMARK KIND OF DAY - This Father's Day weekend is not shaping up the way six-time series champion Warren Johnson [below] and racer son Kurt Johnson, a 40-time event winner, had planned. In both sessions they brought up the rear in the class, 18th and 19th in the order in their 2009 Pontiac GXPs.

JOHNSON CHALLENGING - Allen Johnson moved up from fifth on the grid to second in the evening session Friday. He improved his 6.681-second pass to 6.645 in the Team Mopar Dodge Avenger. The Edwards-Johnson top billing evokes memories of last year's final round, which Edwards won with a .0000-second victory margin on Greeneville, Tenn.'s Johnson's home turf.

"I wasn't horribly disappointed losing last year in the closest side-by-side final round in NHRA history," Johnson said. "It was certainly a little disappointing, but it was an exciting finish for the fans and teams alike, and you can't be disappointed about that. We were just on the wrong side of the bullet there. It was a great race and we knew it would be. We almost got it done, and that fueled us for the rest of the year. And we are hoping to do the same thing this year but come away with a win and fuel us for the championship race." This marks the first time Johnson has run in front of home-area fans as the defending NHRA Pro Stock champion.

DOING IT FOR DAD - Summit Camaro driver Jason Line's father, Lawrence Line, will be following the weekend's results from his home in Wright, Minn. And the two-time champion, who has children Jack and Emma and wife Cindy with him this weekend, has a Father's Day reputation to live up to.

"My [sportsman racer] dad is one of the reasons I got into this. Father's Day was a pretty good weekend for me when I first started racing Pro Stock – the first three times I raced on Father's Day, I won. Getting those wins for my dad was a pretty neat gift, but it's been a long time since I was able to do that," Line said. "It would be nice to do it again for him, and for Summit Racing and our great team owners Ken and Judy Black." The Blacks are here from Las Vegas.

Line is in a strong position to deliver Sunday. With two more qualifying sessions remaining Saturday, he's No. 3 so far at 6.661 seconds, 206.73 mph.

PRO MOD

STILL THE ONE - Danny Rowe continued his strong run during qualifying in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, as he raced to the qualifying lead on Friday at the 13th annual Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers at Bristol Dragway. The race is the fifth of 10 races in 2013 for NHRA’s popular 250-mph doorslammer touring series.

Driving his Agave Underground Tequila Chevy Camaro, Rowe, who is seeking his first finals appearance of 2013, put together one of only two 5-second passes during Friday’s two qualifying rounds, running an impressive 5.958 at 242.76 mph.

Current points leader Kenny Lang and his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro ran an identical 5.958, but Rowe’s speed topped Lang’s 242.63 mph. Rowe and Lang , who both drive supercharger-powered Camaros, were the only two drivers to dip into the 5-second zone at Bristol Dragway.

Should Rowe hang onto the top qualifying position, it would give him the No. 1 qualifier for the second straight race and third time in the past four NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series events.

Following Rowe and Lang in the third spot is defending event champion Rickie Smith, who powered his IDG nitrous-injected Chevy Camaro to a 6.007 at 241.45 mph. Mike Janis is fourth with a 6.036 at 238.85, while Steve Matusek, who is currently seventh with a 6.090, posted the fastest run of the day at 245.58 mph in a Ford Mustang.

The final qualifying session for the NHRA Pro Mod Series is Saturday at 2 p.m. and will be followed by the first round of eliminations at 4 p.m. Pro Mod eliminations will continue Sunday beginning at approximately 3:30 p.m.

HE'S BACK -Robert Patrick is just happy to be back.

Last summer, the veteran mountain motor Pro Stock racer, who made the successful switch to Pro Modified-style racing, suffered extensive injuries in a crash when his Mustang made an abrupt right turn into the retaining wall at Norwalk, Ohio’s Summit Raceway Park.

Patrick suffered a cracked kneecap and a severely injured anterior cruciate ligament [ACL]; injuries likely sustained when he pushed in the clutch prior to impact. The seat belt gave a little, forcing his full weight down on the knee.

"It really has been a long eight months since the crash," Patrick said. "There have been many physical therapy sessions and some surgery, plus getting a new car built. I'm just really ready to get back on track, and to do it at Bristol, a track where I have good history, is special."

Patrick understands the challenge many of today's stick and ball athletes undergo when trying to come back from this painful injury.

"Right now I am about 70-percent in strength when it comes to pushing the clutch in and out," he said. "My lights have been decent. I don't think if I was a football player I'd be ready to get back in the game."

Patrick wasn't keen on being on the sidelines following the crash. He admits before the car stopped sliding down the track, he was plotting ways to get back into action.

"When I got back to the trailer I was talking to the guys at Jerry Bickel about how soon I could get back on the track," Patrick said. "Of course I didn't know until I got back home just how broken up I was and how bad the car was damaged. Neither me nor the car were going to be fixed in a couple of weeks."

Coming back to Bristol Dragway, a track where he won an IHRA title during the 1994 season, Patrick says his new Jerry Bickel Mustang, equipped with an electronic fuel injected Sonny Leonard 903-inch powerplant, will be on kill.

He ran the recently completed ADRL event with lackluster results.

"We had planned to test before the ADRL event but there was rain on the Friday before the race," Patrick said. "We decided it was still a good idea to bring the car out even though it was untested. I hadn't driven since the crash and I was behind the wheel of a car which hadn't turned a tire under power. Just like any new car, we struggled with some things. There were just items such as wiring, plumbing and shocks which needed dialing-in. We lost a qualifying run, leaving us with only two runs to dial in the new car."

Patrick made the Pro Nitrous field and ended up exiting early in eliminations. He stayed over two more days and tested Tuesday, posting a .960 sixty-foot time and a best lap of 3.97 despite a few bugs.

"We were hitting on something really good at the end of the year last year," said Patrick. "We tested pretty good going into the event where we crashed. I was really looking forward to the last two races on the tour. Unfortunately, the accident happened and it knocked us a step back."

At Bristol this weekend, he's planning on getting the lost step back, both physically and mechanically.

STEPPING UP – Eric Dillard struggled in his first run but rebounded in Q-2 with a 6.070, 243.02 to conclude Friday as fifth quickest.

SPEED MERCHANT – Steve Matusek ran a baseline 6.33 in the first session but turned up the wick with a 6.090-second run and scored top speed with 245.58.

CONSISTENTLY QUICK – Rickie Smith jumped out to the early lead in Pro Modified qualifying with a 6.007. He failed to improve but still ran a strong 6.026.

LOW MAN ON THE TOTEM POLE – Troy Coughlin, after two runs, has failed to make a pass to the Bristol Dragway finish line under power. He’s 15th with a 9.197 best.

POINT LEADER STRONG ON FIRST DAY – Canadian Kenny Lang made both the fifth and second quickest runs on Friday. He’s presently second with a 5.958, 242.63.