The Ohio-based Mopar driver is
not only an excellent shoe, he’s also a respected and sought-after
engine builder.  This year Morgan-built Hemis are powering the likes
of  Vinnie Deceglie, Max Naylor, Johnny Gray and Phoenix winner V. Gaines
and, of course, his own car.  The thing is, though, all of Morgan’s
customers have been competitive from time to time this year, with
Gaines having emerged with one big victory.  But the team leader has
been spending his Sundays on the sidelines, an ignominious DNQ every
time out.

Saturday is going to be interesting with the likes of John Force, Ron Capps and Jerry Toliver unqualified. (Marty Reger)

The
first of two pro qualifying sessions resulted in a fair significant
amount of grumbling from a number of tuners and drivers about the track
preparation – or lack thereof.  As one former champion put it after
noting that the Funny Car list had a best of 4.927 and it only took a
six second run to get in at that point, 

“There is no way there are 21 stupid crew chiefs out here.”  Mired at
the back of the field at that point were the likes of drivers like John
Force, Ron Capps, Scott Kalitta and Cruz Pedregon.

Piedmont Dragway put on a season-opener to
remember yesterday, as fans enjoyed action-packed racing and weather
fit for a king. After a single shake down session and two qualifying
rounds, the field was set for an eye-opening Big Dog event that many
won't soon forget.

As cars and drivers alike tried to shake off winter's ring rust, Todd
Tutterow found himself sitting at the top of the ladder, driving his
blown Willys to a 4.18 @ 175mph. Seven positions south sat Darrin Hoyle
on the bump, making the show in his first Big Dog start. After a
brilliant career in ORSCA Limited Street, Hoyle drove his ex-Rickie
Smith Pro Stock Cobalt to a 4.30 @ 170mph.

Under
a setting sun at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway three of the
four John Force Racing Ford Mustangs stepped up and blasted to the top
half of the field after one day of qualifying at the 9th annual
Summitracing.com NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas. Led by Ashley Force, No.
3, who also recorded the fastest mph of any Funny Car on the Bruton
Smith owned facility, Mike Neff, No. 6, and Robert Hight, No. 7 rounded
out the John Force Racing young guns.

The lone JFR driver on the outside looking in was 14-time champion John
Force who did not improve on his first round 4.971 second pass during
the second qualifying session which was good enough for 15th quickest
of the day. His run will not carry over into Saturday and he will be
battling eight other drivers including Ron Capps, Jack Beckman, and
former teammate Gary Densham for one of four remaining qualifying spots.

Three-time Las Vegas winner Jeg Coughlin Jr. is off to a strong start
at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, qualifying with a steady
6.743 at 203.98 mph Friday evening to claim the No. 8 spot on the
provisional ladder.

Usually qualifying positions don't mean as much this early in the
POWERade season, but Coughlin entered the ninth annual SummitRacing.com
NHRA Nationals, the fifth of 24 national events on the 2008 schedule,
just three points out of the lead. He knows the No. 1 ranking he held
just one race ago is attainable just by qualifying well.

"It all matters when you're racing in the Pro Stock class because as
we've seen already this season, any car in the field is capable of
winning," Coughlin said. "We've seen championships won and lost based
on just a few points over the last few years so it really makes you
aware of the bonus points you earn in qualifying."

WILKERSON, SCHUMACHER, KORETSKY CLAIM PROVISIONAL NO. 1 QUALIFYING SPOTS

Tim Wilkerson has qualified low in 2008, if his Friday effort holds on Saturday. He'll have a third in 2008.

Tim Wilkerson looked primed to earn his third No. 1 qualifier of the
season during the opening day of qualifying at the ninth annual
SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals.

Wilkerson piloted his Levi Ray & Shoup Chevy Impala SS to a
4.850-second pass at 318.24 mph to become the provisional top
qualifier. It will be his 13th career No. 1 and his first in Las Vegas
if the run remains the best after two qualifying sessions on Saturday.

Bob Tasca, III told Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com earlier this week his decision to

Bob Tasca, III is currently in the second position after the first day.

part
with crew chief Mike Kloeber was based on team chemistry. In his first
event after promoting Chris Cunningham to the lead tuning role, there
were no adverse chemical reactions.

In fact, Tasca drove his way to the second quickest lap of the second session with a 4.864.

Two times this season, Tim Wilkerson stormed to the top spot early in qualifying only to

Tim Wilkerson is gunning for a third pole position in 2008. (Marty Reger)

proclaim
the run wouldn’t stand. In the end, he entered eliminations as the top
speed despite his doom and gloom prognostications.

Wilkerson drove the Levi, Ray & Shoup Chevy Impala SS to the top spot with a 4.850 elapsed time at 318.24 mph.

Tony Schumacher laid down a 4.510-second pass at 328.38 mph in the

Tony Schumacher honored U.S. Army Medal of Honor recepient Jon Caviani with his low qualifying run. (Roger Richards)

second
session to climb to the provisional pole position. The fact he was
carrying a little extra weight didn’t bother him in the least.

In fact, the extra weight made all the difference in the world.

Just 56 days after ground was
officially broken, The Dragway @ Lowe's Motor Speedway is rapidly
taking shape in preparation for the Sept. 11-14 NHRA Carolinas
Nationals.

“It's amazing to see how fast everything is coming together,”
said Roger Slack, Lowe's Motor Speedway's vice president of events.
“With the structure of the starting-line tower in place, concrete being
poured for the first pedestrian tunnel and the grandstands going
together, anticipation is building for the first race.”