Inaugural NHRA Nationals
Joliet, IL (Sep. 27-30th, 2001)
Notes |
Results | Photos
NATIONALS NOTEBOOK:
NHRA's "Chicago 2" event is a record
smasher from pretty well every angle. Whit Bazemore who starred at Indy
running Funny Car racing's quickest and fastest times ever -- ups the
anti again with an incredible 4.750 secs qualifier -- a new all time
quick mark for the sport. Bazemore, driving the Chicago-based Schumacher
Racing/Matco Tools Pontiac is able to back up the mark for a new NHRA
national ET record. From there, the Lee Beard tuned team goes on to
win the race in dominating fashion. Final round is a classic with Bazemore
outrunning John Force himself in a telling match 4.823 secs 320.97 mph
to 4.875 secs at 312.93 mph.. That prompts many observers to wonder
if in fact John Force's seemingly endless FC class domination may truly
be coming to an end? Bazemore superb event also includes top speed of
the meet -- a fantastic 325.45 mph in round one.
Pro Stock racers thrive in the great air and track
conditions at Route 66 Raceway as they improve NHRA's quickest ever
Pro Stock bump by a huge margin to 6.844 secs. NHRA's previous all time
quickest field had been 6.880 secs set at Reading PA. last season. A
long list of racers produce career best runs and all sixteen qualified
cars run over 200 mph. Warren Johnson ultimately defeats the super quick
contingent when he runs down Darrell Alderman's Mopar Parts Dodge Neon
in a classic final round confrontation. Alderman gained a very slight
starting line advantage however Johnson's GM Service Plus Pontiac Grand-Am
wins a narrow 6.832 to 6.852 secs decision.
Kurt Johnson resets both ends of NHRA's Pro Stock
national records during qualifying when he takes the AC Delco Chevy
Cavalier to 6.801 secs at 202.70 mph marks. That gives Johnson the pole
going into eliminations however Kurt loses on a holeshot in round two
to another Chevy driven by Mike Edwards.
Kenny Bernstein clawed his way back on top in
the 2001 NHRA Winston Top Fuel championship points chase with a second
consecutive circuit victory. Bernstein and his crew chief Tim Richards
are super quick and super steady throughout the event. That included
low ET during each round of racing (four straight 4.5 secs elapsed times!)
with the Budweiser King. The final round is over early as Darrell Russell
overpowers the racetrack trying to keep pace with Bernstein. Bernstein's
wins a crucail match in the semi final round when he takes out top rival
Larry Dixon 4.545 secs 317.12 mph to 4.578 secs 318.92 mph. That combined
with his final round win gives Bernstein a slim 14-point lead over Dixon
with four events remaining. Bernstein's win was his milestone 60th career
NHRA event victory.
Mike Dunn sets both low ET and top speed in Top
Fuel during qualifying at 4.511 secs and 326.95 mph driving Darrell
Gwynn's NY Yankees car. Gwynn's team, which is outfitted with various
New York Fire Department dedications for the event is however upset
in round one by number 16 qualifier Scott Weis. Weis wins with a 5.826
secs as the Yankee car goes up in tire smoke.
Pro Stock Truck racing is also a record breaker.
22 trucks show for battle and they lower NHRA's all time quickest field
from 7.510 secs (set at Route 66 last June) to an amazing 7.458 secs.
Indy champ Mike Coughlin, is the class performance star again as he
resets both ends of the national record driving his Jegs Mail Order
Chevy S-10. Coughlin runs 7.379 secs and 182.65 mph, which are the quickest
and fastest ever in the class by a bunch. A number of other racers dip
into the 7.3 secs zone not the least of which is Taylor Lastor who's
first ever sub 7.4 second run (7.398 secs) comes in the final round.
That gave the Texan his second career title over opponent Greg Stanfield.
FMD racing is about as competitive as it can get
as nearly all the nations class hitters (except Rick Santos) show for
the Chicago event. Indiana's Keith Stark, who won at Indianapolis on
Labour Day, is impressive again while taking his second title of the
season driving his injected-nitro machine. Stark's winning trek includes
both low ET and top speed of the event at 5.302 secs and 273.88 mph.
His 5.302 secs is backed up for a new NHRA national ET record. Stark
beats the supercharged car of Shelly Howard in the final round.
FMFC class is once again dominated by multi--time
and defending World Champion Frank Manzo who carves out his 5th win
of the season and 45th of his career. Manzo runs the quickest and fastest
times yet under NHRA's new format class rules introduced for 2001 --
5.578 secs and 255.24 mph.
Manzo defeats fellow NHRA Northeast Division rival Bob Newberry in the
final round.
Andrew Cowin's Australian Top Fuel team
has a rather miserable Route 66 event. That includes what was arguably
two of the biggest top end engine explosions of the season -- both coming
during qualifying. Expensive and fiery incidents limit the team to only
one full qualifying lap, which comes in the final session at 4.617 secs.
Cowin's K&N Filters car then smokes it's tires in round one while
losing to Darrell Russell.
