21st Rugged Liner Northstar Nationals
Aug. 15-18th, 2002, Brainerd, MN
Notes |
Results
NATIONALS NOTEBOOK:
John Force is able to stretch out his overall POWERade FC point lead after a record setting 103rd career victory. Force dominates the event setting both low ET and top speed at 4.859 secs and 319.82 mph and has now won 10 times in his career at Brainerd International Raceway. Force beats his racing stable mate Gary Densham in the final round -- both drivers have tire smoke problems but Forces is less of a problem as it comes at the track‘s back half.
Cory Lee makes his return to the Funny Car class driving the 3rd Checker-Schucks-Kragen car for Worsham Racing. Lee’s first event back on the circuit produces a 14th qualifying effort (at 5.058 secs). Lee gets loose in round one versus Whit Bazemore and clips the cones for an automatic DQ.
Kenny Bernstein chips further into Larry Dixon’s overall POWERade Top Fuel championship points margin when he defeats Dixon in a classic final round. Bernstein wins easily at 4.830 secs 303.16 mph in the Budweiser King as Dixon smokes his tires. The win is Bernstein’s 4th in eight final rounds this season and moves him to within 80 points of leader Dixon as the circuit heads into Indy.
Top Fuel semi final round is a tough bunch -- it includes the event’s four top qualifiers and also the top four in 2002 POWERade points. Dixon is able to oust Tony Schumacher 4.672 secs to 4.759 secs and Bernstein out runs Doug Kalitta 4.619 secs to 4.712 secs.
Pro Stock Bike racing produces a first time winner with Geno Scali taking a popular win. Scali rides the only Kawasaki to qualify for the Brainerd event to victory lane over 15 other Suzukis. Scali tops Craig Treble in the final round winning a 7.277 to 7.295 secs decision on the Craftsman Tools-sponsored machine. Scali upset overall points leader Angelle Savoie in the semi final round when Savoie had trouble.
Pro Stock car racing produces a record fast field for the BIR facility. The bump spot is a rapid 6.914 secs which compares to the previous track record of 6.932 secs coming into the 2002 event. Teams also shatter the Pro Stock speed record recording the track’s first ever 200 mph runs. History will show that Gene Wilson is the first Pro Stock racer over 200 mph when he runs David Nickens’s Team Mopar Neon to 200.23 mph during the final qualifying session.
Jeg Coughlin Jr wins his 3rd Pro Stock title of the season driving the Jegs Mail Order Chevy Cavalier. Jeg is able to run by points leader Greg Anderson’s Chevy Cavalier in the final round 6.918 secs to 6.984 secs. Anderson ended up with top speed of the meet at 200.77 mph while yet another Chevy, the Eagle One Cavalier driven by Ron Krisher, set low ET at 6.857 secs (track record).
The weather plays havoc with the Rugged Liner Nationals event schedule affecting action all day Thursday, Friday and again Saturday morning. Rain washes out a lot of Sportsman time trails as well as one qualifier each in Top Fuel and Funny Car.
TAD racing sees Art Gallant take the nitro-injected Pep Boys dragster to his second national event title of the season. Gallant is able to run down the supercharged car of Shelly Howard in the final round at 5.317 secs at 252.52 mph. Gary Ormsby Jr., also in an injected nitro entry, set both low ET and top speed in the class at 5.293 secs and 269.08 mph.
Sportsman class racing includes all marquee winners with David Rampy (Competition), Peter Biondo (Super Stock), Dan Fletcher (Stock), Gary Stinnett (Super Comp) and Sheldon Gecker (Super Gas) earning titles.
