FRIDAY ROCKINGHAM QUALIFYING
Bruce
Litton's Top Fuel Dragster didn't quite make the full distance on his
first qualifying run at the IHRA World Finals presented by The U.S. Air
Force at Rockingham Dragway Friday evening, but his engine lasted just
long enough to make him the provisional No. 1 qualifier and earn five
bonus points as "The Last Man Standing" for Top Fuel. Current Top Fuel
points leader T.J. Zizzo could only manage a fourth-place in the first
of three qualifying sessions for the IHRA finale, reducing his margin
in the championship chase to just 21 points.
In other eliminators, Pete Berner earned the "Quarter-Max Pro Stock
Challenge" bonus points to narrow No. 1-qualfier Robert Patrick's lead
in the season-long points Pro Stock battle to just 14 points; while Bob
Gilbertson, Mitch King and Rob Atchison King earned both the No.1 spot
and the bonus points in Nitro Funny Car, Pro Modified and Alcohol Funny
Car, respectively.
Bruce
Litton's Top Fuel Dragster didn't quite make the full distance on his
first qualifying run at the IHRA World Finals presented by The U.S. Air
Force at Rockingham Dragway Friday evening, but his engine lasted just
long enough to make him the provisional No. 1 qualifier and earn five
bonus points as "The Last Man Standing" for Top Fuel. Current Top Fuel
points leader T.J. Zizzo could only manage a fourth-place in the first
of three qualifying sessions for the IHRA finale, reducing his margin
in the championship chase to just 21 points.
In other eliminators, Pete Berner earned the "Quarter-Max Pro Stock
Challenge" bonus points to narrow No. 1-qualfier Robert Patrick's lead
in the season-long points Pro Stock battle to just 14 points; while Bob
Gilbertson, Mitch King and Rob Atchison King earned both the No.1 spot
and the bonus points in Nitro Funny Car, Pro Modified and Alcohol Funny
Car, respectively.
Litton
coasted across the finish line with a 4.736 second, 251.44 mph run that
put him atop the Top Fuel qualifying list, with teammate Jeff O'Neill
second at 4.841 and 301.33, Scotty Cannon third at 4.856 and 282.78h,
and Zizzo fourth with a tire-shaking 5.161 at 250.92 mph. Litton's
bonus puts him one round and one point behind Zizzo with two qualifying
runs remaining. Cannon is still mathematically in the chase, but he is
91 points behind Zizzo and Zizzo has not stopped earning points.
Patrick took the top spot in Pro Stock with a 6.354 second, 213.91 mph
effort, with Berner and Brian Gahm close behind at 6.372 and 6.377,
respectively Three drivers are still in the chase for the Pro Stock
championship, Berner less than one round behind Patrick, with Frank
Gugliotta still in the running, 46 points behind Patrick and qualified
seventh at 6.431.
Atchison extended his championship lead over Mark Thomas to 32 points
by taking the five-point "Last Man Standing" bonus for Friday night, as
well as qualifying first with a 5.823 at 239.14. Terry Munroe is third
in the points, but is not yet qualified after breaking before he could
make a run, and Thomas is qualified seventh, barely in the field. Neal
Parker, Laurie Cannister, and Paul Noakes round out the top four in the
category after the first round.
Scott
Cannon almost clinched the Pro Modified championship when he claimed a
41-point bonus to take a 75-point lead over Mike Janis for the season,
but Cannon sits 16th after the first round, while Janis is solidly
qualified third with a 6.127 at 235.64 mph. Chip King is finishing the
season with strong performance, but is out of championship contention
despite a session-best 6.081 second,
230.06 mph run, with Jim Halsey second at 6.121 and 228.42.
Gilbertson carded a strong 4.927 at 302.14 mph to take the provisional
pole position for this event, with newcomer Cory Lee right on his heels
at 4.931 and 305.22. Jack Wyatt and Jeff Diehl round out the tup four
after the first round. Dale Creasy Jr. clinched the Nitro Funny Car
championship two races ago and found himself fifth after the first
round of qualifying.
Two more rounds of qualifying, at 2 and 6 p.m. Saturday, will set the field for Sunday's eliminations.