Bob Vandergriff Jr. |
Three weeks ago at the Mile-High Nationals, Joe Amato broke the late Blaine Johnson's three-year-old Bandimere Speedway track record. On the first day of Top Fuel qualifying for the 12th annual Autolite Nationals at Sears Point Raceway, Bob Vandergriff Jr. performed a similar feat, cruising to a 4.552 to break Johnson's similarly aged track record of 4.614 to lead the Top Fuel field after two sessions.
First-session leader Kenny Bernstein, whose 318.39 speed on his opening lap of 4.615 broke his own three-year-old track record of 315.67, improved to a 4.559 in the second session to hold on to the second position.
Top Fuel results
John Force |
Winston champ John Force leads a tight trio at the head of the Funny Car pack, his 5.000 just ahead of the 5.002 of Whit Bazemore and the 5.003 of his teammate Tony Pedregon, whose 307.65 track-record speed broke Cruz Pedregon's year-old mark of 306.01.
Bazemore was particularly impressive in the consistency department having run 5.003 in the first session; Force, who holds the track e.t. record at 4.980, ran 5.06 on his first pass.
Funny Car results
Jeg Coughlin |
Mike Edwards bounced back from his non-qualifying effort in Seattle to lead the Pro Stock field after one session with a 6.960, but by the end of the second session, his effort was bumped back to fifth. Jeg Coughlin, whose 6.995 was third quickest of the first session, jumped up to a 6.946 to grab the top spot and a new track record, eclipsing Warren Johnson's year-old 6.949.
Former Winston champ Darrell Alderman shocked everyone by improving from a 27thg-best 15.879 to a 6.958 for second, just ahead of the 6.959 of Allen Johnson and Edwards' 6.960. Surprisingly, halfway through qualifying, neither Warren nor Kurt Johnson is in the field; W.J. is 23rd at 7.150 and Kurt 25th at 7.996.
Pro Stock results
A trio of A/Fuel Dragsters led by Rick Henkelman's 5.461, a run that broke his own track record of 5.465 set last year, head the Federal-Mogul Dragster field. Seattle winner Melanie Troxel is second at 5.523 followed by John Costanza's 5.562.
Federal-Mogul Dragster results
Another Seattle winner, Pat Austin, leads the Federal-Mogul Funny Car field with a wild 5.650, 255.05 that shattered his year-old track records of 5.850 and 249.16. Austin's uncle, Bucky , sits second at 5.726 followed by Steve Gasparrelli's 5.764 and the 5.779 of Seattle runner-up Larry Miner.
Federal-Mogul Funny Car results
om Brown placed his F/ED at the top of the Comp field after one qualifying session with a run of (-.556) 8.474, just a few ticks ahead of the (-.552) 8.818 of B/SM pilot Bryan Morrison. Rick Houser's C/SR is third at (-.530) 8.800.
Comp results
Tony DeFrank (GT/GA) and Gary Williams (SS/MA) are the only two Super Stock drivers to qualify at more than a second under their indexes after two sessions. DeFrank's 10.109 is 1.091-second under while Williams' 11.098 is 1.052 under his index.
Super Stock results
Darren Smith is the runaway leader in Stock after two sessions with a DT/SA run of 12.046, a whopping 1.454 under the index. Bill Kost (M/SA, -1.088), Rob Youngblood (D/S, -1.028), and Darin Grossi (B/SA, -1.026) round out the top four qualifiers.
Stock results
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