6th Lucas Oil Route 66 Nationals
May 29th-June 1st, 2003, Joliet, IL
Notes |
Results | Photos #1 | Photos #2
NATIONALS NOTEBOOK:
Funny Car national records get butchered at Route 66 Raceway as both John Force and Gary Scelzi set new national standards. Force lowers the ET mark to a blistering 4.721 secs which is the quickest run in class history. Scelzi, who just missed resetting the MPH mark at E-Town two weeks before gets the speed mark this time at a stupendous 328.06 mph -- the fastest speed ever for the “plastic fantastics“. Both Scelzi and Force however can not ride that speed to victory lane. Force is upset in round one by #16 qualifier John Lawson and Scelzi loses out to Gary Densham.
The FC title goes to Whit Bazemore who makes his third straight NHRA final round and wins for the 2nd time in three races. The final round is very redeeming for Bazemore who wins on a holeshot over Tommy Johnson Jr, 4.872 secs 319.67 mph to a quicker 4.839 secs 316.97 mph.
Big news in FC eliminator comes in the form of the return to drag racing after 13 years for veteran Arnie Karp. Karp enters competition for the first time in his career driving a nitro Funny Car, a third team car for Worsham Racing and with sponsorship from Artisan Entertainment. Karp’s car is decked out in a special paint scheme commerating the release of the new Terminator 2 DVD. In fact 30 muscle bound Terminators escort the car through staging and to the starting line during a very visual Saturday official unveiling. Karp shows well at the event running a stout 4.917 secs at 312.78 mph which just misses the quick Joliet FC cut of 4.909 secs.
Pro Stock qualifying on Saturday includes a truly frightening moment as Jim Yates is knocked flying by a NHRA safety safari truck. Yates jumps out of his car after seeing his opponent Bruce Allen blow his motor and have difficulty exiting his car at the top end. Yates runs to his aid but is clobbered by the safety truck as it comes through dense smoke. Yates is taken to hospital but is released the next morning and surprises everybody by in fact driving the car in a round one loss.
Tony Schumacher shows immediate benefits from his recent hiring of Alan Johnson as crew chief to his U.S. Army sponsored team. Schumacher wins for the first time since Indy last year. Johnson tunes the Chicago-based driver to the quickest runs of his career including a pole qualifying 4.512 secs and then a 4.507 secs in round two. Despite giving up lane choice to Larry Dixon for the final -- Schumacher wins 4.530 secs 321.50 mph to 4.615 secs 321.42 mph.
The husband and wife team of John and Rhonda Hartman-Smith shine in Top Fuel at Joliet carding career best numbers in qualifying. John qualifies 4th with a 4.556 secs at 325.77 mph and Rhonda goes 4.562 secs at 316.23 for 6th. John goes to the “final four” before bowing out in the Prestone car while Rhonda’s Fram-sponsored machine loses to Larry Dixon in round two.
NHRA presents a special demonstration eliminator -- the Street Glow Extreme Rush. That exhibition features the NHRA Summit Sports Compact Series cars both rear wheel and front wheel drive machines. Fan reaction at Route 66 is generally mixed as some cars fly while others stumble. George Ioannou's RWD Street Glow Solara is truly the most impressive as it unloads a number of 6.7 secs runs including a best of 6.707 secs at 207.94 mph. Matt Scranton, driving the Turbonetics Celica wins the RWD final however over Ioannou, 6.858 secs 194.86 mph to 6.923 secs 207.94 mph. The FWD title went to Nelson Hoyos in the Bothwell Motorsports Chevy Cavalier over Jerrold Rhodes. Hoyos had top speed for the “front runners” at 187.65 mph.
Fred Hahn makes another statement in Pro Mod as he wins the AMS feature in dominant fashion. Hahn drives Jim Oddy’s Summit Racing Corvette to low ET and top speed in qualifying at 6.128 secs and 230.76 mph and then doesn’t look back. He wins for the 2nd time this year when he beats a crossed up Troy Critchley in the final round.
Kurt Johnson moves back on top in the fiercely fought Pro Stock points battle with Greg Anderson when he wins for the 4th time this season driving the AC Delco Chevy. Johnson wins the final over defending NHRA World Champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. 6.791 secs to 6.833 secs. Anderson had set both low ET and top speed at 6.751 secs and 204.23 mph (track records) however the car breaks in the burnout box in the semi final round. Johnson’s win gives him a scant 2 points lead over Anderson as the tour heads to Columbus this weekend.
