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NHRA: Dixon, Neff Fastest On Opening Day At Summit
Written by: Amanda Brahler
Go2Geiger.com   http://www.go2geiger.com
06/27/2009
Norwalk, OH
 
With an overabundance of questions entering the Third Annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park, competitors weren’t too sure what to expect on the Ohio track after track owners, the Bader family, opted to resurface both lanes prior to the event weekend. But all panned out just fine on Friday, with the track gaining grip with each run, before surrendering the fastest lap of the day to Larry Dixon’s Al-Anabi Top Fuel dragster.
Dixon’s lap was the class of the field in 3.882 seconds, a speed at 301.74 mph. (Go2Geiger.com) » More Photos

Dixon and other drivers slated to go off in the end of the Top Fuel session caught a break in the heat after the round was delayed for 30 minutes while remains of a Joe Hartley blowup were cleaned up.

“The first run obviously went down the track it ran decent. You're just trying to gauge it off the track temperature. That's the biggest thing everybody looks at. You can adjust for the weather with the engine, the clutch and all that, you just make adjustments for it. They hit it,” Dixon said. “They were going to run a high 3.90 and they did.

"For the second session, it's just a matter of how much the track temp comes around. That long delay in the middle of the session really helped us out to where they could do a little bit more adjustment, the track tightened up a little bit more. It probably dropped five or 10 degrees just from the start to the finish of the session and we were able to sneak one in.”

Dixon’s lap was the class of the field in 3.882 seconds, a speed at 301.74 mph.

His predecessor Spencer Massey, in the U.S. Smokeless dragster, was second fastest, with a speed topped out at 301.00 mph.

Brandon Bernstein's Budweiser rail was the first entry to hit over the 300-mph mark but he drifted back to sixth after the final session had run its course.

In Funny Car, John Force Racing’s Mike Neff nabbed the No. 1 qualifying run in his Ford Drive One Mustang.

“The track was tricky today. Especially after that first session. It’s hard to guage how you can make it run better,” Neff said, after running his Mustang in 4.190 at 279.73 mph. “It would be great to qualify No. 1, We haven’t done it all year. Any time you leave the day and you’re No. 1, it’s always exciting.It’s hard to say what the weather will be like tomorrow. If the sun is out, it’ll be hard to get around that.”

Allen Johnson and Mike Edwards squared off in the final Pro Stock run of the night with both drivers improving to claim the 1 and 2 slots. Edwards entered the second round on Friday as the leader before KB Racing teammates Greg Anderson and Jason Line.

Johnson took the No. 1 position with a run in his Mopar Dodge Intrepid in 6.649 at 206.99 mph.

“I hope we see the conditions we had tonight,” Johnson said of his hopes entering Saturday’s session. “There’s a little bump in the left lane, the right lane is really smooth. The conditions will probably be a lot different.”

Matt Guidera nabbed the No. 1 starting spot in Pro Stock Motorcycle, improving his first run and leap-frogging over Eddie Krawiec’s Harley.
Guidera laid down his run in 7.001 at 187.11 mph.

“The
track is coming in a little bit better. That’s great because the track wasn’t that good this morning,” Guidera said.
Saturday’s first of two qualifying sessions begins at 12:10 PM.

FRIDAY'S RESULTS

Top Fuel

1. Larry Dixon, 3.882 seconds, 301.74 mph; 2. Spencer Massey, 3.908, 301.00; 3.Shawn Langdon, 3.927, 299.80; 4. Rod Fuller, 3.929, 302.62; 5. Antron Brown, 3.933, 305.01; 6.Brandon Bernstein, 3.939, 300.06; 7. Morgan Lucas, 3.939, 299.80; 8. Doug Kalitta, 3.954, 296.11;9. Clay Millican, 3.957, 302.69; 10. Tony Schumacher, 3.979, 289.63; 11. Tim Cullinan, 3.989,295.14; 12. Joe Hartley, 4.037, 296.05. Not Qualified: 13. Troy Buff, 4.064, 283.73; 14. CoryMcClenathan, 4.066, 275.45; 15. Scott Palmer, 4.107, 289.88; 16. Pat Dakin, 4.126, 242.36; 17.Luigi Novelli, 6.472, 100.84; 18. Steven Chrisman, 9.460, 98.15.

Funny Car

1. Mike Neff, Ford Mustang, 4.190, 279.73; 2. Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.214,286.07; 3. Tony Pedregon, Chevy Impala, 4.217, 278.52; 4. Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 4.236, 278.35;5. Ashley Force Hood, Mustang, 4.241, 256.21; 6. Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.242, 280.66; 7. JohnForce, Mustang, 4.252, 276.24; 8. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.263, 272.89; 9. Matt Hagan, Charger,4.266, 275.28; 10. Jerry Toliver, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.279, 280.72; 11. Bob Bode, Chevy Impala SS,4.310, 270.81; 12. Del Worsham, Toyota Solara, 4.314, 275.96. Not Qualified: 13. Jim Head, 4.317,255.92; 14. Cruz Pedregon, 4.339, 271.41; 15. Jeff Arend, 4.357, 238.72; 16. Justin Schriefer, 4.634, 258.81; 17. Tim Wilkerson, 4.661, 209.04.

Pro Stock

1. Allen Johnson, Dodge Stratus, 6.649, 206.99; 2. Mike Edwards, Pontiac GXP,6.655, 207.24; 3. Greg Anderson, GXP, 6.666, 207.02; 4. Jason Line, GXP, 6.667, 206.73; 5. Warren Johnson, GXP, 6.689, 206.89; 6. Jeg Coughlin, Chevy Cobalt, 6.700, 206.42; 7. Greg Stanfield, GXP, 6.700, 205.72; 8. Rodger Brogdon, GXP, 6.704, 205.41; 9. Justin Humphreys, GXP, 6.708, 205.07; 10. Kurt Johnson, Cobalt, 6.710, 206.23; 11. Ron Krisher, Cobalt, 6.714, 206.42; 12. Larry Morgan, Stratus, 6.718, 203.43. Not Qualified: 13. Rickie Jones, 6.731, 204.45; 14. Dave Northrop, 6.734,205.04; 15. Johnny Gray, 6.736, 204.91; 16. David Beckley, 6.740, 205.38; 17. Ryan Ondrejko, 6.749, 204.20; 18. Bob Benza, 6.771, 203.43; 19. V. Gaines, 6.851, 201.97; 20. Erica Enders, 6.870, 199.70; 21. Kenny Delco, 6.887, 200.74; 22. Mark Hogan, 16.458, 44.04.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

1. Matt Guidera, Buell, 7.001, 187.11; 2. Eddie Krawiec,Harley-Davidson, 7.013, 190.35; 3. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 7.015, 191.51; 4. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.070, 186.69; 5. Douglas Horne, Buell, 7.076, 185.97; 6. Hector Arana, Buell, 7.078, 189.23; 7. Matt Smith, Suzuki, 7.097, 186.92; 8. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 7.100, 187.91; 9. Shawn Gann, Buell, 7.113, 187.13; 10. Michael Phillips, Suzuki, 7.114, 190.32; 11. Junior Pippin, Buell, 7.134, 185.43; 12. David Hope, Buell, 7.137, 186.41. Not Qualified: 13. Mike Berry, 7.145, 185.92; 14. Jim Underdahl, 7.197, 184.45; 15. Craig Treble, 7.216, 183.89; 16. Wesley Wells, 7.221, 185.54; 17. Joe DeSantis, 7.225, 186.72; 18. Angie McBride, 7.240, 182.90; 19. Geoff Godfrey, 7.481, 177.95; 20. Bailey Whitaker, 10.690, 77.58.

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