STANFIELD EXPLOITS CRAZY CONDITIONS, SCORES NO. 1 SPOT IN PRO STOCK
by Susan Wade; Photo by Roger Richards Sun, 2022-03-13 14:00
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"We knew we were going to face some weather this weekend,” Pro Stock racer Bo Butner said of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series’ first trip to the East Coast this season. “But we did not anticipate that it would be quite this dramatic." Aaron Stanfield made it even more dramatic Saturday on the Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway quarter-mile.
He drove his Janac Brothers Camaro to Pro Stock’s quickest pass in the EFI era and the quickest elapsed time in the past five years Saturday in the weekend’s lone qualifying session for the Amalie Oil Gatornationals. The Elite Performance Motorsports driver did it with a track-record elapsed time of 6.468 seconds at 211.66 mph.
It wasn’t the fastest Pro Stock pass. Kyle Koretsky had top speed of the meet so far (212.06 mph) as he powered to the No. 2 spot in the line-up.
Even more remarkable was that Stanfield, in his quest for three straight championships in the Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown class, was the No. 4 qualifier in that category Saturday. On top of that, he is overseeing the tune-ups for four cars in that class because his family’s Stanfield Racing Engines supplies their power – and, he said, “I get to make crew-chief decisions.”
So he said he understood how his own Elite crew might have felt, knowing it would have just one chance to make the field and do it in style.
“I’m sure the crew chiefs have been a little nervous. We had some really good weather conditions, but the track conditions were a bit tricky. When you’re thinking you’re only going to get one qualifying run, it definitely affects your decisions,” Stanfield said. “I don’t think [my] guys went up there trying to lay the gauntlet down, but they did, for sure.”
He called the run “awesome” and said, “It was in the groove the entire time. I could tell it was nice and free, but I didn’t feel very loose. It was a clean run from start to finish. I had all the confidence in the world [in my team]. All the guys who work on my hot rod, they did a heck of a job.”
Stanfield said, “I think we’ll be tough to beat if we can keep a fast race car.”
However, he was trying to figure out what to anticipate for Sunday’s eliminations, when he’ll begin the day racing No. 16 starter Stefan Ernyrd, of Sweden – yet another unknown this weekend.
“Maybe if we can get some sunlight on the track, get some heat in the track, we can see some more of those mid-to-high [6].40 runs, for sure. The air might be a little bit better tomorrow. I wouldn’t be surprised if you saw another one,” he said.
After missing out in his final-round appearance here two years ago, Stanfield said he would be seeking redemption.
Other first-round match-ups look like this: Koretsky v. Fernando Cuadra, Erica Enders v. Butner, Rodger Brogdon v. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Deric Kramer v Matt Hartford, Greg Anderson v. Mason McGaha, Camrie Caruso v. Cristian Cuadra, and Dallas Glenn v. Troy Coughlin Jr.
Val Smeland, Chris McGaha, Alan Prusiensky, and Larry Morgan did not qualify.
In the Factory Stock Showdown class, Stanfield has some stout competition – including top qualifier Mark Pawuk, who opened qualifying for everyone Saturday with the quickest and fastest run in the history of the class (7.608-second elapsed time at 183.15 mph for Don Schumacher Racing).
As a testament to the Safety Safari’s work on the racetrack, the top eight qualifiers each made runs that were quicker than the previous quickest run ever.
Pawuk, driver of the Empaco Dodge Drag Pak, said Saturday, “To be honest with you, we didn’t think we could run this fast. I was kind of shocked. The conditions are exceptional. We have our Dodge Drag Pak flying. Hopefully we can keep this car rolling. I have set both ends of the record in Pro Stock, and it would be cool to do that in Factory Stock also. It would be an honor to possibly be the first guy in the [7.]50s.”
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