21st Carquest Northern Nationals
Martin, MI (July 26-28th, 2002)
Notes|
Results | Photos
NATIONALS NOTEBOOK:
IHRA racers and fans got their first look at a fully re-furbished U.S. 131 Dragway on July 26-28th, the vision and product of owner Canadian-owner Alec Pinnsonealt. The rebuilt facility, which reportedly cost in excess of $14.0M (U.S.), raised the bar for national event facilities for IHRA’s Hooters Drag Racing series.
Clay Millican once again steals the event headlines -- setting records on a number of fronts. The Tennessee-based driver of Peter Lehman’s Werner Enterprises car wins for the seventh straight event this season. That breaks his record of six straight events that he set last year. In the final round Millican tops Bruce Litton again, winning at 4.878 secs at 301.81 mph. Millican’s final round win light is very significant -- it marked his 20th straight round win in IHRA. That is the most ever consecutive round wins in Top Fuel racing history, eclipsing the 19 straight wins set by Scott Kalitta in NHRA competition in 1994. Millican’s victory at U.S. 131 also included both ends of the track record -- 4.749 secs and 310.70 mph
Top Fuel racing at Martin attracted a total of 11 cars for the 8-car field. That includes the debut for Illinois-based driver Tim Cullinan. With Mike Smith as his tuner, Cullinan qualified the J.R. Phillips-owned car 4th with a run of 4.994 secs. The rookie driver however was defeated in round one by Roger Dean who ran an inspirational and career best 4.853 secs at 302.96 mph to take him out.
The Pro Modified program was a solid one with 29 cars on the premises. Shannon “Iceman” Jenkins won for the second event in a row driving the Awesome Motorsports nitrous-injected Chevy Camaro. Jenkins gets out first on overall points leader Al Billes in the final round and didn’t look back while taking a 6.350 secs 220.26 mph to 6.500 secs 219.79 mph decision. Billes’s runner-up finish is a nice rebound, coming after he just barely qualified his supercharged ’53 Studebaker in the 16th and final position.
Quain Stott set both low ET and top speed during PM qualifying at 6.283 secs and 226.81 mph driving his LeeBoy-sponsored supercharged ‘63 Corvette.
New York’s John Montecalvo earned the first win by a non-Ford product in Pro Stock eliminator since the season-opening event at Rockingham by taking his Citgo Chevrolet to victory. Montecalvo, who had qualified 15th, held off Carl Baker’s Summit Racing Mercury Cougar in the final round, running a winning 6.708 secs at 206.76 mph. Montecalvo’s victory came over the tightest field in IHRA Pro Stock drag racing history. Amazingly, only .041 of second (!) separated the pole sitter (Brian Gahm 6.655 secs) from the bump spot (Elijah Morton 6.696 secs).
Doug Vancil won his third Screamin’ Eagle Nitro Harley title of the season when he bested Mark Conner for the championship. Vancil skipped to a winning 6.572 secs at 204.08 mph in the final to build on his overall 2002 points lead. Vancil’s closest points rival, Steve Stordeur, set both low ET and top speed of the meet during a round one win at 6.426 secs and 219.58 mph.
Iowa’s Dale Brand nailed his much overdue first Alcohol Funny Car win of the season when he defeated surprise finalist Mike Comella on a holeshot. Brand won at 6.005 secs 237.00 mph to Comella’s 5.990 secs at 234.98 mph. Brand won the event from the pole -- setting low ET of the meet at 5.849 secs during qualifying. The final round for Mike Comella (son to Joe Comella) was the first of his IHRA career.
IHRA’s Top Stock class was presented at the Carquest Northern Nationals and that featured the first win ever by a Mopar when Joe Aluise Jr., drove his ’64 Plymouth to victory. Aluise Jr., beat Paul Mercure’s ’67 Chevy Camaro in the final round -- 10.36 secs to 10.40 secs. Mercure had entered the final as the favourite after setting low ET at 10.34 secs. 12 cars are entered in Top Stock eliminator at Martin.
Professional racing at the event included the debut of new machines driven by Floyd Cheek in the Robert Killian Motorsports Pro Stock Mustang and new Pro Mod entries from Mid-west racers Dan Provenzano (’63 Corvette) and Zach Barklage (’02 Pontiac Grand-Am). All three cars run well but DNQ.
Charles Carpenter, one of the pioneer racers behind the Pro Modified class movement made a rare and unexpected IHRA circuit appearance. Carpenter drove his nitrous-injected ‘55 Chevy to a quick 6.500 secs at 217.25 mph but that missed the 6.441 secs bump.
