2007 NHRA NATIONAL EVENT SCHEDULE
Listen to Trackside Interviews with Champions, Drivers and Crew Chiefs
Robert Hight
Hillary Will
Bob Vandergriff
Dave Connolly
Ed Iskenderian
Cory McClenathan
Robert Hight
Jim Yates
Tony Bartone
Hillary Will
Whit Bazemore
Byron Hines
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Story by NHRA Photos by Les Welch
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Greg Anderson and Angelle Sampey used world record performances to qualify on top in their respective categories in front of a standing-room only crowd Saturday at the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals at historic Gainesville Raceway. Larry Dixon and Robert Hight also earned No. 1 qualifying positions at the third of 23 events in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship. Sunday's eliminations start at 11 a.m. Anderson posted the first Pro Stock run in excess of 210 mph when he blasted to 211.20 mph in his Summit Racing Pontiac GTO, while Sampey claimed the Pro Stock Motorcycle national record with her 6.911-second elapsed time on her U.S. Army Suzuki. Anderson thrilled the fans with his track record 6.566 at a national record speed of 211.20 mph, but the Summit Racing Pontiac GTO pilot wasn't exactly pleased with his own performance, which netted him his 53rd career No. 1 qualifying award. "We're all running career-best numbers but I bet not very many of us would say we're making good runs," Anderson said. "The conditions got so good overnight it was like the horsepower fairy came by and sprinkled 50 extra horsepower on every engine. We've got no experience with that. No one does. It makes it very tough." Anderson's teammate Jason Line, the defending POWERade Series world champ, waited until the last session to make the field with a fifth-best 6.597 at 211.03 mph. There were several notable DNQs in Pro Stock, including Phoenix winner Kurt Johnson, two-time series champ Jim Yates and defending event winner Tom Martino. Both of Sampey's Saturday runs put 6.91s on the scoreboard in what finished as the quickest 16-bike field in NHRA history. Sampey's first run -- a 6.919 -- gave her the national record. She then lowered the mark to a 6.911 on her final attempt. "This is a beautiful way to start the season," Sampey said of her 40th No. 1 qualifying effort, most for a female in NHRA history. "To be No. 1 in the quickest field ever with a potential national record already in the books and to have my teammate [Antron Brown] right behind me in third is awesome for us. There aren't as many Suzukis as there used to be but we're still here." |
ANDERSON
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