5th Chicagoland Dodge Dealers Nationals
Joliet, IL (May 30-June 2nd, 2002)
Notes |
Results | Photos
NATIONALS NOTEBOOK:
Pro Stock program is a doozy at Chicago with a huge field of 43 cars (!) showing for battle. Despite hot racing conditions 15 of 16 drivers still manage to qualify in the 6.8 secs zone and only a scant .041 of a second separates pole sitter Jim Yates and bump man JR Carr. It is however Texan Bruce Allen who wades his way through the field to become the first 2-time winner in Pro Stock on the NHRA series this season. Allen beats former NBA star Tom Hammonds in the final round when Hammonds is late. Allen wins at 6.888 secs to 6.869 secs.
Del Worsham claws his way to the Funny Car crown driving the Checker-Schucks-Kragen “red car” -- his second win of the 2002 campaign. Worsham denies Scotty Cannon his now much overdue first NHRA win when he unloads a superb 4.878 secs at 312.21 in the final to easily cover Cannon’s Oakley Firebird which smokes it’s tires. Worsham’s roll includes taking out two of the three John Force cars, including John Force himself and overall point’s leader Gary Densham. Scotty Cannon had looked more the primed for earn his first victory after qualifying second (4.800 secs) and then running a string of three straight mid 4.8’s during eliminations.
The FC class is paced by Bruce Sarver who drives Alan Johnson’s super trick White Cap Toyota to it’s quickest run yet -- a sensational 4.768 secs. That mark holds up for low ET of the meet. Sarver beats John Lawson in round one but then falls to Gary Densham in the second frame. Team owner Alan Johnson reveals to the public officially at Chicago that he and former team driver Gary Scelzi had parted ways - amicably -- after a very successful five year racing association.
Angelle Savoie moves into the overall points lead in Pro Stock Bike with her second win of the season. Angelle and recent E-Town winner Antron Brown put on a great show in the final with sensational reaction times of .405 and .408 respectively but Angelle’s low ET run of the meet (7.139 secs) proves to be too much for Brown to handle. Michael Phillips sets top speed in the class at 189.58 mph during qualifying.
Pro Stock racing features a number of new cars. Former Pro Stock Truck circuit racers Chris DeSalvo, Greg Stanfield and Mike Corvo Jr., all make their PS car class debuts and all in Mopars. None of the three qualify, however Stanfield and Corvo Jr. do get their slick new Hemi-powered Neons into the sixes first time out.
For the fourth time this season Kenny Bernstein and Larry Dixon face off in the championship final round of Top Fuel. Dixon prevails again to extend his overall points lead, taking the final in a close 4.580 to 4.620 secs match. It is Dixon’s 6th win of the 2002 season. Bernstein had out qualified Dixon with a 4.562 secs and that number held up for low ET of the meet. Doug Kalitta, who qualified the Mac Tools Dragster second at 4.575 secs, ran a career fast 327.43 mph, which was top speed of the event.
Sportsman racing is highlighted by a win in Stock eliminator by Gene Mosbek from Minnesota. Mosbek is driving a meticulous 426 CID factory wedge A/SA ’64 Plymouth. Mosbek who qualified 36th of 90 cars is able to run down the cool wheel-standing F/SA Camaro of Nick Folk in the final frame. Tennessee lady racer Amy Faulk took the pole in the eliminator when she ran her F/SA ’01 Firebird to 1.154 secs under the index.
John Smith, who is husband to Top Fuel racer Rhonda Hartman-Smith, has his best outing yet in NHRA Top Fuel going to the semi-final round driving his Prestone-sponsored machine. Smith qualifies 12th and then takes out Cory McClenathan and David Grubnic. Smith is credited with a 4.648 secs in round two which is a career best ET. Smith’s bid for his first career final round ends in tire smoke however when his team tried hard to keep pace with Bernstein in round three.
Canada’s Todd Paton and his Nitro Fish team have another rough outing at Route 66. They work heroically all the week before to rebound from the damage endured to their machine at Topeka. Despite that their best run of 6.132 secs misses the 5.025 secs bump. Todd and Barry do however strike a deal with reputed tuner Larry Frazier on Sunday afternoon at Chicago who has agreed to be a team consultant until at least NHRA St. Louis.
