18TH C.S.K. NATIONALS
Phoenix, AZ (FEB. 21-24th, 2002)
Notes |
Results | Photos
NATIONALS NOTEBOOK:
John Force comes ever so close to earning his astonishing 100th career NHRA title but places runner-up to Del Worsham. Worsham driver of the C.S.K. Pontiac Firebird thrills event sponsor Checker-Schucks-Kragen, and avenges his final round loss to Force at Pomona with the victory. Worsham struggles during qualifying -- he does not get in until the final session on Saturday when he clicks a 4.929 secs for the 10th slot.
Force clobbers the Firebird Raceway track record during qualifying when he earns the pole with a 4.797 secs (which is low ET). That is not the only track record for the Force camp -- teamate Gary Densham sets the speed mark at 321.19 mph which makes him 2-2 in top speeds of the meet this season.
Force meets rival Whit Bazemore in highly anticipated round one at Phoenix. Bazemore struggles throughout qualifying -- just making the field on the bump at 5.011 secs. Whit and Company improve big time to a 4.838 secs in round one, which is low ET for all of eliminations. Unfortunately, for Whit Force would have none of that has he leaves first and beats him with a 4.843 secs.
Tony Schumacher ends a long winless streak dating back to Dallas in the fall of ‘99 when he scores in Top Fuel. Schumacher, the first Top Fuel racer ever to crack the 330-mph barrier, out peddles Pomona winner Larry Dixon in a tire-spinning final round. Schumacher has top speed of the meet in the Army car at 329.26 mph. Runner-up Dixon qualifies on the pole and sets low ET at 4.555 secs in Don Prudhomme’s Miller Lite car, which is also displaying MLB Arizona Diamondbacks, colours for the event.
IHRA World Champion Clay Millican once again flirts with NHRA victory lane going to the “final four” in Top Fuel for the third event in a row (including last year’s season-ending AAA Finals). Millican, was reportedly running his IHRA tune-up in the Peter Lehman Werner Enterprises car during the event. After qualifying 10th, he beat Andrew Cowin and Doug Herbert before falling to eventual winner Schumacher. Millican’s event included a career best speed at: 322.73 mph.
Top Fuel racing sees Japanese rookie Yuichi Oyama qualify in the middle of the pack again with a 4.718 secs (10th) and win his first round in competition (over Don Lampus). Oyama goes 309.06 mph -- a career best speed. Also on hand in Top Fuel was veteran driver Garth Widdison, from Utah who is entered driving former TAD racer Mike Strasburg’s new machine. Widdison does not make the cut with a 4.955 secs best. Strasburg will assume the controls next time out for the team at Las Vegas in April.
Funny Car racing produces a career best qualifying effort by Phil Burkhart Jr driving the California-based Geronimo Camaro. Burkhart qualifies 5th with a stout 4.868 secs but is sent packing by Cruz Pedregon in round one.
CSK Nationals marked for the first time in decades (since 1981) NHRA hosting a national event race that did not include Top Alcohol Dragsters or Funny Cars. Those classes have been scaled back to 16 of the 23 events this season.
Bruce Allen wins his second Pro Stock event in the last three races dating back to last year’s AAA Auto Club Finals at Pomona. Allen cuts a great .410 RT in the final round to handle Warren Johnson who shut off. “WJ” had set low ET of the meet during round one of eliminations. Ron Krisher qualified on the pole and set top speed of the meet at 201.97 mph driving his Eagle One Chevy Cavalier.
