20th Colonel’s Truck Accessories Nationals
Brainerd MN (Aug. 16-19th, 2001)
Notes |
Results
NATIONALS NOTEBOOK:
Brainerd event is marred by a spectacular first round collision in Top Fuel involving defending NHRA Winston Champion Gary Scelzi and John Smith (husband to Rhonda Hartman). Scelzi’s Team Winston dragster explodes a motor at half track which cuts his chassis in half right behind the roll cage and sends him veering right into Smith’s lane. Both cars slam the guardwall and mayhem ensues. Scelzi’s dragster is completely destroyed but thankfully he jumps out AOK. Smith suffers injuries, including a broken leg, arm and wrist and is transported to hospital. His Fram-Autolite dragster is severely damaged.
Team owner Don “Snake” Prudhomme is dominant at the event as his team earns both the event Top Fuel and Funny Car championships. Larry Dixon moves into the overall Winston Championship points lead with his 4th victory of the season driving the Miller Lite Dragster while Ron Capps takes the Skoal “Team Green” Camaro to the FC podium. Dixon’s win is the 14th of his career, which tied owner Prudhomme’s career TF win tally. Prudhomme does however have 35 FC titles to his credit.
Top Fuel racing includes some monster upsets and impressive performances from unlikely sources. Chicagoland’s Luigi Novelli upsets TF points leader coming into the event Kenny Bernstein in a huge round one surprise. That loss is costly to Bernstein who ultimately falls to second in Winston Championship points when Dixon wins. Oregon’s Joe Hartley also runs well including a career best 4.746 secs at 314.02 mph to qualify 11th.
IHRA regular Bruce Litton has his best finish yet in NHRA competition with the Wix Filters car, qualifying 10th and going to the semi final round.
FC qualifying is paced for the 4th time in the last five races by Whit Bazemore in the Schumacher Racing Matco Firebird. Bazemore runs a track record 4.849 secs and goes to the final before smoking his tires to Capps.
Bazemore’s strong performance moved him to second in Winston Championship points, 325 behind John Force but 44 ahead of Del Worsham who was eliminated in round two.
FC class racing sees 2001 circuit newcomer and former powerboat racer Bob Bode run well with a career best 4.971 secs at 305.63 mph to qualify his Dodge Avenger for the first time in NHRA competition. Bode debuted new sponsorship from Minnesota-based Pro Motorsports at the event. Bode was denied his first career round win when he loses to John Force in an side-by-side tire smoker in round one.
Bruce Allen ends a frustrating 11-year winless streak in Pro Stock when he powers the Reher-Morrison Pontiac Grand-Am to victory lane. Allen defeats Chevy Cavalier pilot Ron Krisher in the close final round. Warren Johnson sets both low ET and top speed at the event during qualifying at 6.932 secs and 198.96 mph.
FMD racing produces a first time NHRA champion when Denver’s Bruce Bowler wins driving his injected nitro car. Bowler’s victory is impressive and comes from the pole including both low ET (5.422 secs) and top speed (259.31 mph). Jay Payne wins in FMFC which is his 4th win of the season in the Valvoline-sponsored Chevy Camaro. Payne also nets low ET and top speed at 5.699 secs and 250.74 mph. Only 10 cars show for FMFC class racing at Brainerd.
NHRA Colonel’s sponsored event also includes a special Snowmobile eliminator which goes to Mike Knapp on a ‘97 Yamaha. Knapp beats Jamie Bellman in the final round; Bellman had won this event in 2000. Knapp had both low ET and top speed for the demonstration asphalt sleds: 9.039 secs and 143.73 mph.
NBA Minnesota Timberwolves player Tom Hammonds runs well with his now rebuilt Chevy Cavalier (which he crashed at Chicago last June) in Pro Stock as he qualifies solidly at 6.970 secs 197.54 mph (9th). Hammonds loses a narrow 6.970 secs to 6.990 secs decision in round one however to Jim Yates -- both drivers had identical .468 RTs.
