HORAN ESTABLISHES NEW AA/FC RECORD EN ROUTE TO MARCH MEET PROVISIONAL

by Bobby Bennett; Photos by Dave Kommel    Sat, 2019-03-09 13:26



Nostalgia Funny Car racer Dan Horan Jr. established a new class record en route to grabbing the provisional No. 1 spot during first-day professional qualifying at the Good Vibrations Motorsports in Bakersfield, Ca.

Horan topped the leaderboard with his 5.665 elapsed time, but it was his 265.22 mile per hour speed which left many talking. It also left a good impression on his new sponsors which debuted this weekend.

“My crew has just been busting their tails on this car for a couple of years trying to get it to run back in the 260s, and today the conditions and everything were perfect, and we went for it, and it rewarded us with a nice 265 in the Strive Testing car,” Horan said. “I’m just excited for the new partners that I have. Choice Hotels has never been nostalgia racing before and StriveTesting.com, it’s just an awesome experience for me as a driver."

While Horan understands it's elapsed time which means the most in qualifying or eliminations, he's pretty thrilled with his speed which is nearly 10 miles per hour faster than the next recorded one. Despite the advantage, he's not ready to concede his speed will be the best throughout the event.

"It’s pretty special right now," Horan said. "Tomorrow it could be 265 is not good enough, 266 might be the number. You never can tell. But today, right now, it’s a high.

"We’re going to take a look at some things and see what we can do, and we’re definitely going to come back in the morning and see what we can to try to get some consistency out of this Camaro."

Horan by his own admission could have gone quicker and faster.

"We actually left a little bit in the first 60 feet, the first 330 feet, and from 330 feet to the finish line, it was all gone," Horan explained. "There was nothing left. But it went through the finish line, it didn’t burn up itself, and it was still on eight cylinders at the finish line. Anytime you get a fuel funny car to go on eight cylinders at the finish line; it’s a great thing."

Kris Krabill, the quickest runner of Q-1, was second with a 5.676, 250.83, just ahead of defending series champion Bobby Cottrell, third, recording a 5.677.

Matt Malendez anchors the 16-car field with one session left to go.

Bret Williamson was No. 1 in Nostalgia Top Fuel with a 5.736, 250 miles per hour. Defending series champion Mendy Fry is fourth with two sessions remaining.

Tom Padilla is No. 1 amongst the Fuel Altereds with a 6.009, 236.67. NHRA superstar Ron Capps is tenth after one session.

 

 

 
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