by Bobby Bennett, Jr.; Photos courtesy of NHRA, Ron Lewis Sun, 2023-04-30 20:17
As Josh Hart sees it, if he can throw off world-class Top Fuel drivers just by taking his time staging, it says a lot about them, not him. He’s not saying that he should be considered the scapegoat. Hart refuses to be one.
Hart was the source of ire from his fellow competitors, who took exception to the slower staging process. In the spirit of drag racers, even though NHRA drag racers are afforded seven seconds to stage once their opponent rolls into the beam, it is customary to stage rapidly, especially in fuel racing.
This time, Hart had two drivers expressing their displeasure with him.
By Susan Wade, photos by Ron Lewis, NHRA Sun, 2023-04-30 19:10
John Force Racing crew chief Dave Grubnic knew that zMAX Dragway could yield a 3.689-second run Friday night at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. And he was right – but it came from Top Fuel rival driver Josh Hart.
“We’re developing a new program,” Grubnic said following the more-than-respectable 3.730-second pass at 328.70 mph from his own driver, Brittany Force. That moved her into the tentative top half of the field, at No. 7. But Grubnic wasn’t content to guide Force to a respectable or even more-than-respectable elapsed time. He was going for dominating, leading, No. 1.
By Susan Wade, photos by Ron Lewis Sun, 2023-04-30 19:00
Funny Car veteran Bob Tasca said following the season-opening Gatornationals that “the first five races of the season are really critical to show performance.”
He has done that with a pair of top-qualifying positions now, thanks to his 3.852-second elapsed time Saturday at 324.59 mph in the BG Ford Mustang at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at Concord, N.C.
By Susan Wade, photo by Ron Lewis Sun, 2023-04-30 18:55
Matt Hartford and his Total Seal, CIP1, GETTRX Chevy team were perturbed enough by the shock of having the rear end of their Pro Stock Camaro lock up at the starting line during Friday night qualifying for the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.
“We went to bed last night really disappointed in the fact that we knew we had a car last night that could go to the pole,” he said.
By Susan Wade, photos by Ron Lewis Sun, 2023-04-30 18:50
The Gaige Herrera phenomenon continues.
In capturing his second No. 1 qualifying position in as many Pro Stock Motorcycle races this young season Saturday at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, the young California Suzuki racer’s dominance of the class is raising eyebrows.
