PEDREGON
FULLER COUGHLIN AND ELLIS LEAD ACDELCO GATORNATIONALS QUALIFYING
Story by NHRA
Photos by Les Welch
"It's
exciting," said Coughlin. "For us to have both of our team cars at the
top of the ladder is really a nice tribute to the guys back in Charlotte
building our horsepower. My teammate Dave Connolly took both of our cars
testing last week and I think it's really helped us both."
The quickest rider in Pro Stock Motorcycle history, Ellis opened the
season strong with the two best passes of the day, a 6.956 and a 6.957
on his Drag Specialties Buell V-Twin.
"We got up this morning and wondered if we'd even get to run today,"
Ellis said. "But it quit raining and the NHRA did a great job prepping
the track and we made two great runs. If it gets a little cooler and we
get even a slight tailwind we might knock down that record."
Three-time series champion Angelle Sampey, the most prolific female drag
racer ever, is close behind with a 6.960 at 191.87 mph on her U.S. Army
Suzuki.
Qualifying continues Saturday at noon and 2:30 p.m. for Sunday's 11 a.m.
eliminations.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Results Friday after qualifying for the 38th annual
ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, third of 23 events
in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue
Saturday for Sunday's final eliminations.
Top Fuel -- 1. Rod Fuller, 4.535 seconds, 323.66 mph; 2. Whit Bazemore,
4.542, 326.24; 3. Cory McClenathan, 4.585, 330.07; 4. David Grubnic,
4.596, 328.86; 5. Morgan Lucas, 4.602, 327.90; 6. Michael Gunderson,
4.635, 326.16; 7. Doug Herbert, 4.641, 311.99; 8. J.R. Todd, 4.642,
304.32; 9. Bruce Litton, 4.678, 319.90; 10. Larry Dixon, 4.697, 314.75;
11. Hillary Will, 4.873, 240.85; 12. Doug Kalitta, 5.758, 165.25; 13.
Tony Schumacher, 5.995, 154.69; 14. Clay Millican, 6.299, 137.39; 15.
Melanie Troxel, 7.254, 105.49; 16. Bob Vandergriff, 8.326, 88.76.
Funny Car -- 1. Cruz Pedregon, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.792, 295.21; 2.
Robert Hight, Ford Mustang, 4.793, 318.84; 3. Gary Scelzi, Dodge
Charger, 4.795, 319.90; 4. John Force, Mustang, 4.802, 316.97; 5. Ron
Capps, Charger, 4.810, 323.66; 6. Jim Head, Toyota Solara, 4.818,
310.13; 7. Tony Bartone, Monte Carlo, 4.831, 315.05; 8. Ashley Force,
Mustang, 4.832, 306.67; 9. Tim Wilkerson, Monte Carlo, 4.900, 307.30;
10. Del Worsham, Monte Carlo, 4.907, 306.40; 11. Phil Burkart, Monte
Carlo, 4.909, 276.35; 12. Kenny Bernstein, Charger, 4.910, 306.33; 13.
Scott Kalitta, Solara, 4.919, 257.87; 14. Tony Pedregon, Monte Carlo,
4.924, 254.18; 15. Eric Medlen, Mustang, 4.951, 279.73; 16. Jeff Arend,
Monte Carlo, 4.956, 319.90.
Pro Stock -- 1. Jeg Coughlin, Chevy Cobalt, 6.632, 207.85; 2. Allen
Johnson, Dodge Stratus, 6.644, 206.83; 3. Dave Connolly, Cobalt, 6.652,
208.17; 4. Larry Morgan, Stratus, 6.657, 208.17; 5. Kurt Johnson,
Cobalt, 6.660, 207.15; 6. Jason Line, Pontiac GTO, 6.667, 207.72; 7. Tom
Martino, GTO, 6.668, 207.85; 8. Kenny Koretsky, Cobalt, 6.668, 207.43;
9. Greg Anderson, GTO, 6.676, 207.50; 10. Richie Stevens, Stratus,
6.681, 207.02; 11. Erica Enders, Stratus, 6.681, 205.88; 12. Greg
Stanfield, GTO, 6.682, 206.48; 13. Max Naylor, Stratus, 6.684, 206.48;
14. Mike Edwards, GTO, 6.685, 206.92; 15. Warren Johnson, GTO, 6.688,
207.75; 16. Jim Yates, GTO, 6.691, 206.73.
Pro Stock Motorcycle -- 1. Chip Ellis, Buell, 6.956, 192.36; 2. Angelle
Sampey, Suzuki, 6.960, 191.27; 3. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.969, 190.89; 4.
Antron Brown, Suzuki, 6.987, 191.59; 5. Craig Treble, Suzuki, 7.003,
193.29; 6. Geno Scali, Suzuki, 7.004, 192.60; 7. Andrew Hines,
Harley-Davidson, 7.014, 191.59; 8. Ed Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 7.015,
190.65; 9. Matt Guidera, Buell, 7.029, 189.02; 10. Steve Johnson,
Suzuki, 7.046, 191.76; 11. Chris Rivas, Buell, 7.046, 188.89; 12. Paul
Gast, Suzuki, 7.049, 190.27; 13. Peggy Llewellyn, 7.049, 189.12; 14.
Shawn Gann, Suzuki, 7.050, 191.46; 15. Tom Bradford, Buell, 7.073,
190.38; 16. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 7.074, 188.89.
