When NHRA officials were forced to cancel the second round of Top Fuel qualifying Friday night at the Fram-Autolite Nationals, it didn’t sit well with some competitors.

The NHRA called off the second round of qualifying because the sanctioning body didn’t believe it could complete the session by the 10 pm. curfew at Infineon Raceway.

“I think they (NHRA) had to cancel a Top Fuel qualifying session back in 2007 or 2008 at Sonoma,” said Jim Oberhofer, crew chief for Doug Kalitta. “You think they would have learned from that. They have a strict 10 pm. curfew and our (Kalitta Motorsports) Funny Car didn’t make its first lap until 5:31 pm., (which) is what is says on our time slip.

“I do not know how the heck they got so behind. I think it is a bull**** deal. I think whoever the hell makes the schedule here for this race, needs to either be fired or learn how to make a schedule. We constantly have this problem here every time we run here. The problem with this place is that the air changes so much that you end up having problems running your car. The chances of blowing stuff up are much greater here because of these huge air swings.”

When NHRA officials were forced to cancel the second round of Top Fuel qualifying Friday night at the Fram-Autolite Nationals, it didn’t sit well with some competitors.

The NHRA called off the second round of qualifying because the sanctioning body didn’t believe it could complete the session by the 10 pm. curfew at Infineon Raceway.

“I think they (NHRA) had to cancel a Top Fuel qualifying session back in 2007 or 2008 at Sonoma,” said Jim Oberhofer, crew chief for Doug Kalitta. “You think they would have learned from that. They have a strict 10 pm. curfew and our (Kalitta Motorsports) Funny Car didn’t make its first lap until 5:31 pm., (which) is what is says on our time slip.

“I do not know how the heck they got so behind. I think it is a bull**** deal. I think whoever the hell makes the schedule here for this race, needs to either be fired or learn how to make a schedule. We constantly have this problem here every time we run here. The problem with this place is that the air changes so much that you end up having problems running your car. The chances of blowing stuff up are much greater here because of these huge air swings.”

According to Larry Dixon, who won Top Fuel’s provisional pole Friday with a 3.839-second pass, it took 45 minutes to run the first round of Top Fuel qualifying.

“There wasn’t 45 minutes left to the night if 10 p.m. is it (the curfew),” Dixon said. “I’m not sure what time it was when they (NHRA) called it, it was around 9:40 pm. This curfew has happened to Top Fuel teams here before.”

Kalitta was third fastest in the first round of qualifying at 3.899 seconds, but Oberhofer believes that could have changed if the second session would have taken place.

“It is really disappointing that we didn’t get to run the second round of qualifying,” Oberhofer said. “They had a great crowd here, and if I were the fans, I would be pissed, and I would want to know who the hell made this schedule, and I want to have a piece of their (rear), if it was me. It is really a shame. I didn’t see any empty seats anywhere, and I know when they (NHRA) announced they weren’t running Top Fuel, they (the fans) were booing. They were pretty pissed and they have every right to be pissed.”

The first round of Funny Car and Top Fuel qualifying was slated for 4:45 pm. Pacific Time Friday and the second round was supposed to be on tap at 7:15.

“The sessions here need to be at 3 and 6 o’clock,” Oberhofer said. “They’re flirting with disaster because there is no give on the curfew here. It’s 10 p.m., and that’s what it is. You can’t pay a fine or anything. I heard (Kenny) Bernstein had like 1,000 Copart people here and they’re all out here wanting to see their race car run. You have all these people here wanting to see their cars run, then they can’t run.

“I do not know why they were so behind. The first session of Funny Car started late. It was supposed to start at 4:45 pm, and our Funny Car was up at the front of the pack, and we didn’t make our first lap until 5:31 pm. They were already 45 minutes behind at that point. Somebody need to take a real hard look at how they lay the schedule out for this race because it is really screwed up.”

Veteran Cory McClenathan, who won at Seattle last Sunday, also was trying Friday night to come to grips with the NHRA’s decision. McClenathan drives the Fram dragster for Don Schumacher Racing, but failed to qualify with a 6.338-second run.

“I have two thoughts on it, and it is kind of rough because I’ve been in both situations,” McClenathan said. “I’ve been in the car here (at Sonoma), at this track, with this curfew, in the water box and been told I can’t run. Then, I have been in a situation like (Friday night), where you are the third pair and you know, you’re going to make the cut to make a run, but then they realize they’re not going to be able to get the whole session in, so they call it. I applaud NHRA for not starting a session they couldn’t finish, but at the same time they probably should have started everything earlier to make sure everybody has enough time to get in and make their runs.

“It does kind of ring the same bell because we have had this happen more than a couple of times. After a while, you think maybe you should have started this earlier because it is not only hard for us, but it is also hard for the fans. They’ve been waiting all day to see this show. We need to allow for time for these (qualifying sessions). Plus, when this is your sponsor’s race, you really do not want this happen.”
McClenathan will have two more chances on Saturday to get his FRAM dragster into the field; however it is unlikely conditions will be ripe enough for McClenathan to have a shot at winning the pole.