11th Carquest Presidents Cup Nationals
(Sep. 27-29th, 2002) Budds Creek, MD
Notes|
Results | Photos
NATIONALS NOTEBOOK:
Biggest news from Carquest Presidents Cup Nationals is the end of Clay Millican’s amazing winning streak in Top Fuel. Millican’s hope for an unprecedented undefeated season in Top Fuel ends in round one when his Werner Enterprises car strikes it’s tires while racing Jack Ostrander. Both drivers peddle to the finish line but it is Ostrander who gets to the stripe first -- 7.207 secs 206.80 to 8.343 secs 132.74 mph. Prior to that defeat Millican had won 30 straight rounds in IHRA Top Fuel competition this season! The Maryland event did have a bright side however for Millican’s team as they mathematically clinched a second consecutive IHRA Top Fuel points championship.
“Pontiac Jack” Ostrander emerges as the winner in Top Fuel -- earning his first circuit win since NYIR in 1993. History will show Ostrander as the first ever Top Fuel winner at Maryland International Raceway. Prior to 2002 the event’s 12-year run had never featured the Top Fuel class however a multi-million $ investment provided for the inclusion beginning this year.
Tropical storm Isadore plays havoc with the event racing schedule. Due to saturated pit parking areas all Sportsman racing is deferred and time trials do not start until Saturday. Many Sportsman racers are forced to wait in long lines along the M.I.R. track entrance road while things dry up. Only Pro cars run on Friday.
Former Pro Outlaw class World Champion Laurie Cannister earns her first win in the Alcohol Funny Car class when she drivers her “Girl Power” Chevy Camaro to a much overdue victory. Laurie is fully deserving and impressive throughout the event, including unloading low ET of the meet (5.806 secs) in the final round to beat overall points leader Jimmy Rector. In earlier action she and her crew chief Jeff Fowler had reset IHRA’s national speed record to 246.26 mph.
The Budds Creek event attracts the biggest Pro Mod field of the 2002 season with no less then 47 (!) cars showing for the intense eliminator. The new MIR track surface and atmospheric conditions do prevent any record setting this year however. Mitch Stott wins for the second event in a row driving his supercharged Hemi-powered Corvette. Stott clobbers Shannon Jenkins in the final round running a 6.227 secs at 227.77 mph as Jenkins has tire shake. Jenkins defeated Canadian Al Billes in an extremely crucial first round pairing and that combined with his runner-up finish gives the “Iceman” a significant 94 points lead over Billes going into the 2002 season finale at Rockingham in two weeks.
Pro Mod class racing includes the return of Johnny Rocca who had announced his intentions to retire from the sport following the 2001 season. Rocca runs his popular “Iron Horse” Mercury but his 6.606 secs at 221.23 mph best is well off the 6.373 secs class cut.
Ohio’s Brian Gahm wraps up the 2002 Pro Stock points championship when he wins for the 4th time this season driving his mountain-motored Mustang. Gahm saves his best effort of the weekend for the final round when he combines a .412 RT with a low ET of the meet 6.558 secs to easily defeat Canada’s John Konigshofer. Konigshofer’s final round appearance was his third in the last four IHRA events.
New Mexico’s Doug Vancil extended his Screamin’ Eagle Nitro Harley lead to 67 points with one race left after he won for the 6th time this season. Vancil got a huge break when his closest points rival, Steve Stordeur was eliminated in a upset by Steve Hopkins in the first round. Vancil beat veteran Ray Price in the championship final round.
Joe Aluise Jr. earned his second Top Stock title of the season when he wheeled his classic ‘64 Plymouth Belvedere to the championship defeating Mike Adam’s ‘68 Chevy Camaro in the final round. Aluise, who had qualified on the pole at 10.05 secs, in fact won the final on a holeshot 10.109 secs 130.63 mph to 10.089 secs 129.07 mph. 16 cars showed for Top Stock competition at Budds Creek.
