24th Mopar Mile-High Nationals
July 18-20th, 2003, Denver, CO
Notes |
Results | Photos #1 | Photos #2
NATIONALS NOTEBOOK:
John Force ends what had been a surprising winless 2003 season so far by winning for the 107th time in his illustrious career. Force runs top speed of the meet at 303.78 mph and qualifies 5th. John faces off against Cruz Pedregon in the final round and wins a close 5.044 secs to 5.060 secs dash.
With the victory, Force moves up to the fourth slot in POWERade FC points.
FC round one features a number of big upsets including the exit of the #1 ranked car as Tony Pedregon loses out to Scotty Cannon. The 3rd John Force team car driven by Gary Densham is also sent packing (by Cruz Pedregon) in the opening frame.
Dale Creasy Jr experiences two rather nasty fires during FC class action. His first comes during the final qualifying session on Saturday when the Sears Craftsman car lights up and Dale rides it into the top end sand trap before making a hasty exit. That car receives major damage so the team works all night to prepare their backup car for Sunday. Unfortunately that car too explodes in a fireball during a round one loss to Tommy Johnson Jr. Thankfully Creasy is also not injured in the second incident.
FC class racing includes a spectacular new Mopar-sponsored Dodge Stratus body for Schumacher Racing driver Whit Bazemore. The stunning paint scheme easily wins the event “Best Appearing” award. Bazemore qualifies 3rd in what is it‘s only scheduled event appearance is ousted by John Force in round two of competition.
Larry Dixon and his crew chief Dick LaHaie pad their overall POWERade Top Fuel points margin when the notch their 6th win of the ‘03 season. In the final round Dixon once again takes the measure of Doug Kalitta. Dixon/LaHaie are the class of the field with their Miller Lite sponsored dragster. The qualify on the pole (4.790 secs) and set low ET and top speed of the meet. During Sunday’s final eliminations they run nothing but 4.7 secs times to pretty well dwarf the field.
Pro Stock Bike features a stunning event winner as Texan Blaine Hale wins driving his Cornwell Tools-sponsored Suzuki. Hale’s win is the first of his career and comes from the 16th and final qualified position. Hale is the first rider to win from the bump in the PSB class since 1987. Hale’s win includes a number of big breaks as two of his opponents red light against him and another (Karen Stoffer) is shut off on the starting line. But Hale delivers a terrific .006 RT in the final round to upset Mike Berry who is much quicker but has a very poor .141 RT.
PSB class racing includes the debut of new Army sponsorship for Angelle Savoie and Antron Brown who have now joined the Schumacher racing camp. Angelle and Antron qualify 7th and 12th respectively however neither lasts long during eliminations -- both fall in round one.
GT Tonglet makes Pro Stock Bike class history when he qualifies a Harley Davidson on the pole for the first time. Tonglet skips to a 7.534 secs (low ET of the meet) but then suffers a stinging red light foul start to eventual winner Blaine Hale in round one. Tonglet’s racing stable mate Andrew Hines, who qualified his HD 2nd (7.543 secs), does better. Hines runs his machine to the semi final round before losing on a holeshot to Colorado’s Mike Berry.
Pro Stock car racing sees Warren Johnson score his third win of the season
driving his GM Performance Parts Pontiac. “WJ” tames defending NHRA World Champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the final: 7.225 secs to 7.250 secs.
Johnson’s event victory includes a crucial 2nd round win over points leader
Greg Anderson. Johnson leaves first (.013 to .027 RT) and wins a razor thin 7.245 to 7.246 secs decision.
FC class racing also includes strong event appearances by Frank Pedregon and Dean Skuza who both make the “final four”. For Pedregon it is his best finish of the season so far driving for Jim Dunn and K&N Filters. That included wins over Ron Capps and Scotty Cannon. Skuza, driving his newly painted Cornwall Tools car speeds past Del Worsham and Tommy Johnson Jr. before going .015 red racing Cruz Pedregon in the semi final round.
Colorado’s own Melanie Troxel has a sensational semi final round finish in Top Fuel. The lady racer qualifies 7th and then beats Mike Strasburg and Cory McClenathan to the stripe in rounds one and two. In the semi final round however her 4.976 secs proves to be no match for Doug Kalitta’s 4.765 secs. Troxel will be wed to FC driver Tommy Johnson Jr on Jan 1/04.
Super Comp racer Bill Lagoni produces the event’s most frightening moment when he barrel rolls his Mercury Cougar during the first round of eliminations on Saturday. Lagoni rides out a nasty series of flips which ultimately sends him to hospital for observation. Lagoni is released later in the day however his unique machine is pretty well a right off.
Sportsman class racing includes some marquee name winners. David Rampy scores again in Competition eliminator which is his 6th national event win of the season. Class hitters also win in Super Stock (Dan Fletcher) and in Super Comp (Gary Stinnett).
