34th K&N Filters Supernationals
Englishtown, NJ (May 15-18th, 2003)
Notes |
Results | Photos #1 | Photos #2
NATIONALS NOTEBOOK:
NHRA Englishtown lives up to its reputation as once again the event includes rare “mineshaft” atmospheric conditions. Rain washes out most of Friday’s Pro qualifying sessions however there are few complaints as the atmospheric stations read 300-400 feet below sea level throughout most of the rest of the event. The result is career bests for nearly everybody!
Pro Stock racing is truly a treat as class racers absolutely obliterate the record book. Greg Anderson steals the show running the first ever sub 6.7 secs runs in NHRA class history. Anderson’s quickest is a stunning 6.670 secs NHRA national record. He also resets the national speed mark to 207.18 mph! That is a huge incremental lead -- the former record and all time fastest speed was 205.57 mph set by Kurt Johnson at Houston and Anderson skipped right over the 206 mph mark. Oh yeah -- did we mention that Anderson also won the event? With that he collected the maximum 138 points available to put himself and car owner Ken Black first in NHRA POWERade PS points.
Pro Stock’s bump spot is also surreal with the 16th car running 6.741 secs. The former all time quickest field had been 6.768 secs at Houston in April. Nearly without exception every single Pro Stock qualifier ran career best elapsed times and speeds. Check this out -- there were 13 drivers in the 6.7 seconds zone -- which did not qualify! Yowzer!
Top Fuel racing -- round one -- third pair -- features a truly bizarre incident involving rookie driver Brandon Bernstein. While racing John Smith, Bernstein appears to overdrive the car after it begins to smoke it’s tires and the Budweiser dragster collects and then vaults over the guard rail and into the grass. NHRA had set up some post-event pyrotechnic devices in that vicinity and some of those are set off as Bernstein’s car ploughs through them. Unconfirmed reports have one of the devices actually landing within the cockpit confines of his dragster but amazingly not igniting. Bernstein unfortunately suffers a back injury in the wild incident. Initial reports have him diagnosed with two compressed vertebras that will sideline him for at least 2-3 months and quite possibly the balance of the ‘03 season. Bernstein’s father Kenny, who announced his retirement at the end of ’02, has confirmed he will reassume the controls next week at Topeka.
Doug Kalitta moves closer to the leaders in POWERade points with his second win of the season driving the Mac Tools dragster. Kalitta is dominant recording both low ET and top speed of the meet while winning. Kalitta runs a 4.481 secs in the semi final round which is the first 4.4 secs elapsed time ever at Englishtown Raceway Park. He also hits 330.63 mph -- which is the first 330 mph recording at the facility. Kalitta wins a thrilling final round over point’s leader Larry Dixon -- 4.494 secs 328.54 mph to 4.554 secs 326.40 mph. Kalitta qualified on the pole again -- his 6th #1 in eight events so far this season.
Funny Car eliminator sees Whit Bazemore exorcize himself from some recent demons when he wins big driving the special edition Matco Tools Dodge Stratus. The victory is the first for a Dodge-bodied Funny Car in NHRA since ‘98. Bazemore beats Ron Capps in the final round. Bazemore’s win helps him move up big in points -- to second -- behind Tony Pedregon.
Bazemore’s racing teamate Gary Scelzi rides another Dodge Stratus to the fastest run in NHRA class history at 326.95 mph. Scelzi’s speed is not a NHRA national record but does eclipse the 326.87 mph, set by Gary Densham, which had stood the test of time -- coming in February 2002.
NHRA’s AMS Pro Mod cars also thrive at the event as they produce the quickest 8-car field in drag racing history. That bump spot is dropped to a 6.168 secs with 24 cars vying for a slot in eliminations. Tim McAmis paces the field at 6.097 secs and runs an even quicker 6.084 secs (low ET) in round one however it is once again class “hot shoe” Mitch Stott that claims the victory. Stott runs a stout 6.132 secs at 230.69 mph to run down a quicker leaving Mike Ashley in the final round.
New York’s Mike Castellana makes Pro Mod class history when he becomes the first nitrous-injected driver into the “teens” in the category. Castellana runs an historic 6.175 secs at 226.66 mph during the final qualifier -- but still misses the program -- his is 9th! The run comes in the Western Beef Chevy Camaro -- the car which was driven by Shannon Jenkins to the IHRA and AMS titles last season. Mitch Stott’s brother Quain also sets a Pro Mod mark running 233.72 mph in the supercharged Lee-Boy Corvette. That was reported as the fastest “legal” Pro Mod speed in history.
The record setting continued in Pro Stock Bike -- with the all time quick bump spot being lowered to 7.207 secs which compares to the 7.267 secs mark set at Houston in April. Shawn Gann won the event recording his second career victory. Gann appeared to be well covered in the final round by Craig Treble who bolted to a huge lead based on a superior RT, however, Treble’s Matco Tools Suzuki appeared to suffer a transmission failure and Gann was able to ride by. Gann hit a career best 7.051 secs in qualifying to pace the field -- a time which is the second quickest run in NHRA history.
Pro Stock Bike class racing also included a huge incremental improvement from the Vance & Hines Harley Davidson V-Rod. GT Tonglet sped to a terrific 7.113 secs at 189.95 mph -- by far the best math yet for the brand in the class.
Kurt Johnson won $50,000 during Saturday’s Demon Pro Stock Shootout. Johnson’s Shootout win was his third in three career final rounds. Driving the AC Delco Chevy Cavalier, KJ was an underdog after Greg Anderson ran 6.684 secs compared to his 6.716 secs in the semi final round. That ultimately did not matter however as Anderson’s car appeared to overpower the track in the final round.
Frank Manzo dominates while winning the TAFC class. Manzo skips to the fastest speed in class history at an amazing 262.33 mph in round one and in fact runs nothing but 260+ mph during all four rounds of eliminations. Manzo defeats his fiercest division rival Bob Newberry in the final round.
Bob Gilbertson brought back a lot of fond memories at E-Town by running a special edition “Jungle Jim” Chevy Camaro. Gilbertson puts the car into the sand after a 4.971 secs 313.22 mph qualifier and then smokes his tires in round one. “Jungle Pam” is on hand at the event -- backing Gilbertson up after his burnouts. Gilbertson’s team will reportedly run a second (red) “Jungle Jim” Chevy Camaro during next September’s event in Reading, PA.
Another interesting new look Funny Car is fielded by Ohio’s Dean Skuza who hooks up with rock star and Black Label Society lead man Zakk Wylde for the event. Wylde is on hand as a guest to watch but only sees Skuza blow the tires off his car on both qualifying attempts.
Long Island’s Tony Bartone wins big in TAD driving his injected nitro car. Bartone easily defeats the supercharged car driven by Doug Foley in the final round. TAD racing was paced by Richard Bourke at 5.455 secs.
