FORCE INCHES CLOSER TO WJ’S NHRA ALL-TIME NO. 1 QUALIFIER’S RECORD
Worsham records first career TF No. 1; Line records 18th career No. 1
CONCORD, N.C. – John Force inched closer to the one major NHRA record that eludes him when he collected his 136th career No. 1 qualifier Saturday at the VisitMyrtleBeach.com NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway.
The other No. 1 qualifiers at the fourth of 22 races in the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season were Del Worsham (Top Fuel) and Jason Line (Pro Stock).
Force, the 15-time and defending NHRA Full Throttle Series champion, moved around teammate Robert Hight and the Auto Club Ford team with his 4.056-second pass at 315.19 mph in his Castrol GTX Ford Mustang. He now is just two shy of Pro Stock legend Warren Johnson, who has amassed an NHRA-record 138 career No. 1 qualifiers.
“You always go after records, you don’t think about them on raceday, but if I can get it – if I can tie him, if I can catch him … – but just to be in the running with him … any time you can put yourself in a category with these guys, you’re doing your job,” Force said.
Force will be matched up in the opening round of Sunday’s eliminations with Dale Creasy, who qualified 16th, and Nos. 8 and 9 qualifiers Ron Capps and Jim Head. The top two from each of the four first-round quads will advance to the semifinals.
In Top Fuel, Worsham assumed the top spot with a track-record 3.780-second pass at 325.77 mph in the Al-Anabi dragster. It was his first career No. 1 in Top Fuel and the sixth of his career (the other five coming in a Funny Car).
“Definitely feels good. What a great run,” Worsham said. “Alan Johnson and (crew chief) Brian (Husen) did magic on the car and I’m just lucky to be driving it.”
Worsham will open in a quad with Morgan Lucas, Dave Grubnic and Antron Brown.
In Pro Stock, Line, from nearby Mooresville, N.C., moved around teammate and overnight polesitter Greg Anderson on the final pass of the final qualifying session with a 6.562-second pass at 210.97 mph in his Summit Racing Pontiac GXP.
“It’s very cool to be on the pole here (at zMAX Dragway), this Summit car is bad to the bone right now,” said Line, who recorded his 18th career No. 1 qualifier and first since the NHRA last raced in Concord in September, 2010.
Line will open in a quad with No. 8 qualifier Ron Krisher, No. 9 Dave Connolly and No. 16 Shane Gray.
With the fields set, the VisitMyrtleBeach.com NHRA Four-Wide Nationals will begin at Noon Sunday.
CONCORD, N.C. -- First-round pairings for professional eliminations Sunday for the Second annual VisitMyrtleBeach.com NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway @ Concord, the fourth of 22 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.
Top Fuel -- 1. Del Worsham, 3.780 seconds, 325.77 mph vs. 16. Morgan Lucas, 4.012, 255.73 vs. 8. David Grubnic, 3.859, 314.83 vs. 9. Antron Brown, 3.864, 316.15; 2. Tony Schumacher, 3.798, 326.71 vs. 15. Doug Herbert, 4.005, 239.40 vs. 7. Steve Torrence, 3.856, 318.69 vs. 10. Doug Foley, 3.868, 312.93; 3. Larry Dixon, 3.808, 323.43 vs. 14. Dom Lagana, 3.957, 303.03 vs. 6. Shawn Langdon, 3.853, 317.64 vs. 11. Terry McMillen, 3.874, 305.56; 4. Doug Kalitta, 3.813, 322.50 vs. 13. Spencer Massey, 3.881, 319.98 vs. 5. Brandon Bernstein, 3.835, 316.90 vs. 12. Bob Vandergriff, 3.876, 311.63.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Pat Dakin, 4.031, 306.40; 18. Terry Sainty, 4.039, 286.25; 19. Chris Karamesines, 4.118, 258.86.
Funny Car -- 1. John Force, Ford Mustang, 4.056, 315.19 vs. 16. Dale Creasy Jr., Chevy Impala SS, 4.279, 282.60 vs. 8. Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 4.119, 301.60 vs. 9. Jim Head, Toyota Solara, 4.132, 305.77; 2. Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.062, 313.07 vs. 15. Paul Lee, Impala SS, 4.192, 288.33 vs. 7. Johnny Gray, Charger, 4.115, 304.74 vs. 10. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.142, 307.65; 3. Cruz Pedregon, Solara, 4.064, 307.44 vs. 14. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.155, 296.89 vs. 6. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.111, 307.44 vs. 11. John Smith, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.143, 298.40; 4. Mike Neff, Mustang, 4.072, 308.35 vs. 13. Jeff Arend, Solara, 4.155, 305.91 vs. 5. Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.074, 314.02 vs. 12. Tony Pedregon, Impala SS, 4.152, 306.26.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Melanie Troxel, 4.477, 298.40; 18. Brian Thiel, 4.545, 293.35.
Pro Stock -- 1. Jason Line, Pontiac GXP, 6.562, 210.97 vs. 16. Shane Gray, GXP, 6.640, 208.65 vs. 8. Ron Krisher, GXP, 6.586, 210.67 vs. 9. Dave Connolly, Chevy Cobalt, 6.586, 210.14; 2. Greg Anderson, GXP, 6.566, 210.37 vs. 15. Kurt Johnson, GXP, 6.632, 208.97 vs. 7. Allen Johnson, Dodge Avenger, 6.585, 211.26 vs. 10. Ronnie Humphrey, GXP, 6.591, 210.57; 3. Mike Edwards, GXP, 6.573, 210.83 vs. 14. Warren Johnson, Cobalt, 6.630, 209.98 vs. 6. Greg Stanfield, GXP, 6.582, 210.37 vs. 11. Larry Morgan, Ford Mustang, 6.605, 210.14; 4. Rodger Brogdon, GXP, 6.577, 210.01 vs. 13. V. Gaines, Avenger, 6.613, 209.62 vs. 5. Vincent Nobile, Avenger, 6.578, 211.16 vs. 12. Erica Enders, Cobalt, 6.606, 210.18.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Bob Benza, 6.652, 207.78; 18. Steve Spiess, 6.666, 208.30; 19. Buddy Perkinson, 6.679, 207.82; 20. Mark Martino, 6.681, 206.95; 21. Robert Patrick, 6.682, 207.37; 22. Frank Gugliotta, 6.778, 204.60.
