42ND K&N FILTERS WINTERNATIONALS
Pomona, CA (Feb. 7-10th, 2002)
Notes |
Results | Photos
NATIONALS NOTEBOOK:
NHRA’s post-Winston era and second half century begins at Pomona with new primary series sponsor POWERade. Coca-Cola/POWERade corporate types could not help but be impressed with the event as they are greeted by truly great weather conditions and sensational racing that remains prevalent throughout their inaugural event presentation.
Top Fuel racing starts off where it left off in 2001 with Kenny Bernstein and Larry Dixon opening another chapter in NHRA Top Fuel’s fierce “Battle of the Breweries”. Dixon, who finished a close second to Bernstein last year in the final Winston tally, draws first blood this season driving Don Prudhomme’s Miller Lite dragster when he beats Bernstein’s Budweiser King in the final round. The Pomona event marks the start of Bernstein’s “Forever Red” final tour as a driver.
Top Fuel racing sees Australia’s Andrew Cowin pace the field with a career best run (and track record) 4.490 secs. It is the first pole and first race for Cowin behind the wheel of the Gwynn/Steinbrenner NY Yankees car replacing Mike Dunn. Cowin’s car, which is now outfitted in more traditional NY Yankees “home” jersey colours, is however a shocking round one loser succumbing to tire smoke against number 16 qualifier John Smith. Top speed of the meet goes to Tony Schumacher who clobbers the Pomona Raceway track record at 330.88 mph.
Top Fuel racing sees Japan’s Yuichi Oyama qualify for eliminations in what was his first ever NHRA national event appearance. Oyama runs progressively quicker on each and every qualifying lap and ends up 11th with a truly impressive 4.688 secs at 307.86 mph. Oyama spins his tires in round one however and that is easy pickings for his opponent, defending IHRA World Champion Clay Millican. Millican, who finished in the semi final round at Pomona last November matches that effort with another “final four” placing at the Winternationals driving for Peter Lehman and Werner Enterprises.
Gary Scelzi and Alan Johnson cross over to Funny Car from Top Fuel debuting a fantastic new Toyota-bodied machine sponsored by White Cap. Toyota Celica is wicked looking and that attracts obligatory controversy from class opponents who weren’t quite sure what they were looking at. Johnson’s team has to do some bodywork massaging on Thursday to ultimately get the car through NHRA tech. After that they qualify well at 4.934 secs (13th) and even win their first round over Tony Pedregon. Scelzi also provides one of the event’s most exciting moments during qualifying with a great half-track wheel stand which he collects back without incident.
John Force wins NHRA event title number 99. Pre-event hype between Force and Bazemore does not really materialize at Pomona. The duo line up twice during qualifying with Force winning both times including a 4.746 secs (low ET) of the event. Force debuts a new 2002 Mustang shell for Saturday’s first qualifying session but that body is damaged when the rear wing damn collapses in the lights. Force switches back to the black Castrol 11X car for Sunday’s eliminations and out peddles Del Worsham in a tire-smoking final round. Force’s stable mate Gary Densham sets top speed of the meet at a national record setting 326.87 mph -- FC racing’s all time fastest run.
Pro Stock racing sees no less then seven Hemi-powered Dodges entered in competition. Mark Osborne, Darrell Alderman, Larry Morgan and Allen Johnson are joined by Tommy Lee, Vinny Barone and John Geyer -- all in new Neons. Osborne qualifies the fastest amongst the Mopars clan but all are eliminated after round two of competition.
George Marnell wins his second career Pro Stock national title driving his independent Pontiac Grand-Am from Las Vegas. Marnell’s victory is truly a testament to what a great driving job can do for you as he wins from the 16th and final qualified position. Marnell wins the final round on a .417 RT which makes his 6.880 secs a winner over Jim Yates’s much quicker 6.812 secs. Marnell had won all three of his previous rounds (over Ron Krisher, Mike Edwards and Tom Hammonds) all via the holeshot route.
A major NHRA announcement during the Winternationals event is that Lucas Oil had become the official sponsor of Sportsman racing replacing Federal Mogul who optioned out at the end of 2001. Lucas Oil Sportsman racing action at Pomona includes multiple first time winners including David Coapstick (Super Gas 9.90), Ken Passerby (Stock) and Mike LaPalma (Competition). The Super Stock final round was a true battle of class heavyweights with defending World Champion Dan Fletcher defeating Jeff Taylor.
Top Alcohol racing saw Washington’s Pat Austin notch his milestone 75th career win when he defeated his uncle, Bucky Austin, in the final round. Bucky Austin had entered the bout as the favourite after recording both low ET (5.561 secs) and top speed (256.55 mph) during earlier eliminations. Austin’s 5.561 secs is the quickest run in NHRA class history post the class rule revisions of 2001. The Top Alcohol Dragster final round featured all supercharged on alcohol machines with Northwest “hitters” Steve Federlin and Mark Hentges facing off. Federlin grabbed the win with a slower ET but quicker RT; 5.444 secs to 5.421 secs.
The Top Alcohol Dragster class included a British-based team with David Wilson entering his first NHRA national event. Wilson was behind the wheel of a dragster which was formally raced by British Columbia’s Bob Haffner. With Haffner on hand as team consultant, Wilson runs a quick 5.623 secs at 253.23 mph to qualify but is ultimately no match for Brian Hough in round one of eliminations.
Competition eliminator includes three Pro Modified cars. Dennis Radford’s Dodge Viper and Randy Hagerty’s ‘63 Split are entered but hands down the fan favourite is Oregon’s Lee Smith who thrills the capacity crowd with wild smoky burnouts with his AA/PM ’58 Corvette. Powered by an Alan Johnson 526 CID motor, Smith cranks out a best of 6.365 secs. The Comp final however sees pole qualifier Mike DePalma win driving his unique Dodge-powered ’92 Chevy Lumina. DePalma defeated the Jeep-powered E/EA of Brett Brown.
