19th Lucas Oil Keystone Nationals
Sep. 11-12, Oct. 3-5th, 2003, Reading PA
Notes |
Results | Photos #1 | Photos #2
NATIONALS NOTEBOOK:
It takes seven days in total but the 2003 Lucas Oil Keystone Nationals finally wraps up some three weeks after it’s originally scheduled dates. Rain plays havoc with the initial schedule (Sep. 11-14) forcing circuit racers to return (Oct. 3-5th). Despite the long timeline Pro teams in fact only get two qualifiers to set the field.
Tony Schumacher remains red hot in Top Fuel winning for the third time in his last four NHRA starts. Schumacher qualifies on the pole with a spectacular 4.465 secs during the event’s first take -- which at the time was the quickest ET in drag racing history. Schumacher takes the U.S. Army-backed car to a new NHRA national ET record with a stupendous 4.441 secs clocking at 332.34 mph (top speed) which occurs during a round two win over Doug Herbert. Schumacher then runs an equally impressive 4.449 secs while beating Clay Millican in the semi-final round. The event championship sees Schumacher edge out Jim Head in a tight 4.584 secs to 4.603 secs match. Jim Head’s strong runner-up finish included a career best 4.550 secs for the Ohio-based veteran racer.
The event also featured an impressive semi final round finish by Paul Romine who also hit career best numbers at the event running a 4.524 secs driving the Carquest-backed Carrier Boyz dragster. Romine rudely upsets David Baca and Larry Dixon Jr in the first two rounds before being edged out by Jim Head, 4.622 secs to 4.678 secs.
FC eliminator sees Tim Wilkerson, who won big at Indy, score again driving the L.R.S. Pontiac Firebird. Wilkerson qualifies 5th and is then easily the most consistent car during eliminations rattling off 3 straight low four eighties. The Illinois driver beats a tire-smoking Cruz Pedregon in the final round.
Funny Car - round one - features some monster upsets, the most significant being #14 qualifier Terry Haddock earning his first ever NHRA round win over non-other then John Force. Using Paul Smith’s tuning help, Haddock drives his independent Chevy Camaro to a stunning 4.973 secs at 308.35-mph (career best numbers) to beat Force who is forced to shut off after his Castrol GTX Mustang does a wild high-speed wheelstand.
Round one also sees points leader Tony Pedregon fall to Dale Creasy Jr. With the loss Pedregon blows a significant opportunity to stretch out his points lead over Whit Bazemore who was a shocking DNQ at the Reading event. Creasy receives some tuning help from the Schumacher Racing team for the round, which sees him run a winning 4.904 secs at 309.42 mph which easily covered Pedregon’s 5.186 secs at 278.12 mph.
FC eliminator also features strong finishes by Cruz Pedregon and Dean Skuza. Pedregon places runner-up driving the Advance Auto Parts Pontiac after running a career best 4.796 secs at 320.43 mph in round one. Skuza, who qualified his independent Pontiac 3rd for the field, beats Ron Capps and Phil Burkart Jr., before losing to Cruz in the semi final round.
Sunday’s FC class eliminations include a “mongo” explosion for Del Worsham who blows the body of his CSK/Valvoline Pontiac Firebird to pieces while beating Tommy Johnson Jr. in round one. Worsham rides the bucking bronco bare chassis to a sliding stop in the top end sand trap and is miraculously not injured. His amazing team makes repairs and installs another body in time for round two but Worsham’s car goes silent at half-track while racing Gary Densham.
Pro Stock sees Warren Johnson win his 4th event of 2003 and the 92nd of his career driving the GM Performance Parts Pontiac. Warren wins the final round when his opponent, Troy Coughlin red lights. Johnson’s march to victory lane included a 2nd round win over defending event champion Jim Yates as well as a semi final round win over the suddenly very strong running Dodge Status driven by Larry Morgan.
Greg Anderson sets low ET and top speed of the meet in Pro Stock at 6.707 secs and 205.79 mph. Anderson’s bid for this 10th win of the season however falls short when he loses on a holeshot to Troy Coughlin in the semi final round; 6.738 secs to 6.722 secs. Despite the loss Anderson moves closer to his inevitable POWERade Pro Stock title because his closest points rival Kurt Johnson is a shocking DNQ. Anderson can clinch the title this coming weekend at Dallas.
Pro Stock Bike racing produces a first time winner with Louisiana's Michael Phillips prevailing. Phillips upsets Angelle Savoie in the final round winning a 7.133 secs to 7.165 secs match. Savoie had been the favourite after clocking low ET of the meet at 7.056 secs aboard the Army-sponsored Suzuki while winning in the semis.
A national record setting and winning effort highlighted TAD racing by Florida’s Michael Gunderson. Gunderson makes class history in qualifying when he wheels his injected nitro car to a barrier breaking 280.54 mph -- the first ever 280 in the class. He later backs that mark up for a new NHRA national ET record. Gunderson’s event win also includes low ET at 5.232 secs.
Canadian Daniel Mercier also turns heads during the Reading race. At the event the Quebec-based rookie racer outright purchased the TAD car which Duane Shields had driven to 2nd place in NHRA points last year. Mercier proceeds to run very well in his debut in it, including a swift 5.462 secs at 262.84-mph while winning in round one. His speed is the fastest yet by a Canadian driver in the TAD category. Mercier runs a 5.506 secs in round two but is edged out by Mike Kosky.
