John Force is 24 hours and two runs away from tying Warren Johnson's record of 138 starts from the top spot; which would be the fourth for Force in the first six races of the 2011 season.

Tying the record would be nice but Force considers it like comparing apples to oranges.

“I've never raced Warren Johnson and you put me in a Pro Stocker and I couldn't start it,” said Force. “It's like comparing baseball with football. But, any time you can put your name up there with a guy like Warren Johnson; I'm proud. He's just cool.”

 John Force is 24 hours and two runs away from tying Warren Johnson's record of 138 starts from the top spot; which would be the fourth for Force in the first six races of the 2011 season.

Tying the record would be nice but Force considers it like comparing apples to oranges.

“I've never raced Warren Johnson and you put me in a Pro Stocker and I couldn't start it,” said Force. “It's like comparing baseball with football. But, any time you can put your name up there with a guy like Warren Johnson; I'm proud. He's just cool.”

Force actually thought Cruz Pedregon was going to take the top because “his stuff is really the hot rod to beat right now,” and if not Cruz, Robert Hight or Bob Tasca. Tasca led first round qualifying.

With Saturday's qualifying sessions set for 11:45 am and 2:15, Force is reluctantly confident his run of 4.072/310.98 will hold up against any challenge. The 4.072 is a track record.

“I would like to think it would,” Force said when asked if the time would hold up. “At the end of the day, if it cools down and the track is pretty good it will depend on how late we run. This is late night here. Tomorrow you'll have humidity and heat.

“I don't like to say it, because every time I say something (trouble). I ran my mouth at Kansas against Chuck Etchels one year. I said I would be the first in the Fords fours because my old hot rod was outrunning everybody.”

As Force did his burnout a brake caliper fell of the car, ending any chance he might have had to set a new record.

“It just proves nothing is a sure thing, but we'll see (what happens tomorrow),” added Force.
 
Force was ready for the run and a half hour delay did little to improve on what the team was looking for out of the car.

“Guido told me, three cars back, he was looking to run .08 and he is pretty good at calling a number,” explained Force. “He sets it up and they'll know what it will do if it works. And, it ran an .07. Guido and Ron Douglas are really savvy on this thing. Guido was taught by Austin Coil. They don't do it unless they can do it.”

Cruz Pedregon jumped from fifth to second in the second session with a solid 4.111, while Bob Tasca, leader after the first round smoked the tires in his second effort.

Five drivers have yet to qualify, with the most notable being Ron Capps. Others include Brian Thiel, Tim Wilkerson, Johnny Gray and Paul Lee in no specific order.

 

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