Texas Speedzone - Saturday Final IHRA Qualifying for Amalie Oil IHRA Texas Nationals

Final Qualifying for Pro Classes; A total of 456 cars from coast to coast, and southern border, to Canada rolled through the pit gates for the 4th Annual Amalie Oil IHRA Texas Nationals, including 80 first time racers in the 'Sportsman' classes.

Amalie Oil IHRA Texas Nationals, presented by Ancira Cars, Trucks and RV's & San Antonio Express News @ San Antonio Raceway 4/2/05 By J M Hallas Final Qualifying for Pro Classes; A total of 456 cars from coast to coast, and southern border, to Canada rolled through the pit gates for the 4th Annual Amalie Oil IHRA Texas Nationals, including 80 first time racers in the 'Sportsman' classes. Saturday morning brought bright sunny skies and little to no wind, that put a halt to one of yesterdays Pro Class rounds. Tracks temperatures climbed to over 100% by the 11:00am start time, while the air density adjusted altitude remained good. The track would cool off as night went into final eliminations, making for excellent conditions and record breaking runs. The Top Dragster and Top Sportsman classes also got their final round of qualifying in with Bradenton Floridas, Jason Folk taking the number one slot in Top Dragster posting a 6.836@197.83 in his 2005 Mullins Chassis powered by a 598ci Chevy. Top Sportsman top honors were taken by Joe Baker from Milton Florida in his 2002 Dodge Neon with a 596ci Dodge powerplant.(I'm guessing , yep it is a Hemi!) Top Stock newcomer, Joe Sorenson from Woodburn Ore. set the standard posting a 9.747@135.35 in 69 Camaro with a 427 ci Chevy, that carried the front wheels out 100.' Pro Stock Frank Snellings- 6.575@213.00 Rick Jones- 11.871@87.06, syncronized slides Tony Gillig- 7.609@200.89, " " , back on gas Pete Berner- 6.470@216.38 Robert Mansfield- 6.558@212.53 Doug Kirk- 6.986@=213.23 Dwayne Rice- 7.368@203.68, smokes tires on start Steve Spiess- 6.467@217.00 Ed Machacek- 7.043@200.48, peddles mid-track Frank Gugliatta-6.613@212.90 Daniel Seamon- 6.523@216.41 Larry O'Brien- 8.094@156.53-bad tire shake at start Chuck Demory- 6.696@209.01 Elisha Morton- 6.557@213.00 Richard Penland- 6.543@212.36 John Nobile- 6.518@216.41, backs up lasts nights speed track record Jerry Haas- 6.524@215.00 Brian Gahm-14.647@64.62 shook bad, shut off John Montecalvo- 6.479@215.44 Robert Patrick- 22.935@33.29 bad tire shake, coasted through Patrick Posts Pro Stock Fast Pass, as records fall. Despite a terrible final run, Fredericksburg, Virgina's, Robert Patrick claimed the top qualifying spot in Pro Stock with his Friday night pass of 6.427@217.14. Both of which were track records at the time of the run. Patrick pilots the Purvis Ford-Lincoln-Mercury/Easy Care Vehicle Service Contracts/Jerry Haas Race Car using a John Kaase motor. John Nobile backed up 217.18 speed ,which was run after Patrick, to grab the World Record for Pro Stock. Brian Gahm's blast of 217.39 on Friday holds up as the track speed record. Should Gahm be able to back up his run within 1% he will then take the World Record mark Funny Car Jeff Burnett-7.879@119.04, starts hopping around at 1/2 track, shuts off Mark Thomas- 5.887@241.28 Terry Munroe- 5.966@238.61 Trevor Lebsack- 6.423@190.32 Rob Atchison- 5.910@231.12, blew burst panel at finish line Thomas Carter- 5.844@240.77, moves to #1 qualifier Terry McMillen- 5.944@235.93 Chris Foster-6.112@237.13, shakes tires, but keeps going Mark Poyser- Broke on burnout, gives Brown a solo Burl Brown-smokes tires, crosses centerline, wipes out cones Jim Sickles- 5.999@237.00 Local driver shocks Funny Car field Thomas(Dr. Tom) Carter from Cuero, Texas, stunned the IHRA Funny Car field as he qualified number one, running a lap of 5.844@240.77 in his Jawbreaker Motorsports, 511ci Hemi powered, Gordy's Chassis, 99 Camaro. Carter not only beat the best that IHRa has to offer, but did it in his first ever Alcohol Funny Car ride. Carter who has run, most recently ran in a Pro Modified last year. Previously he had run in the dragster ranks and was the 2002 Champion in the SAR Blown vs Nitrous Series. "This was only our third full pass in the car, and I'm ecstatic about being number one qualifier, especially being at our home track. We look to try to make all the IHRA events this, basing our decision on being fifth or better in points. After years in the Top Dragster class, we spent most of 2003 building the Pro Mod," said Carter who is an Oral Surgeon by trade. "I think our chances of winning are good or I wouldn't be here otherwise. I know now we have the fastest car here and I just need to go down the middle of the track. I hope we can race one of the top guys in the finals, if I don't win, I can still say I made it there. It's just going to take some laps to get comfortable with the car. The launch is mush greater than the Pro Mod or dragster. You have to finesse the Pro Mod and need to muscle to Funny Car. If the weather is right I hope for runs in the high 77's-87's." "I need to mention all the people that help make this possible for me, since we have no major sponsors. Jeff Fowler of Fowlers Engine Inc. is builder and crew chief on our motor. The crew also consists of Dale Cannister along with his wife, a former IHRA Funny Car driver, Laurie Cannister, who still holds the Funny Car speed world record. Chris Shafer, Bob Rauenswinter, who at 79 years old outworks everyone in the pits and Mary-Allison Fowler, who helps keep the team well fed." Thomas' dream weekend came to an early end when he came to staging for the first round of eliminations. As they pushed the car up to the starting area it was noted that it was trailing fluid behind it. This forced Carter to scrub the run giving his competition a solo run. Pro Modified Mike Lockwood- 6.428@213.50 Eddie Ware- 6.322@225.07 Harold Martin- 6.330@223.01 Cody McManama- 6.850@211.03, tire shake, but drives through Burton Auxier- 12.621@65.69, shakes bad, get sideways, shuts off Al Billes- 6.648@227.15, On/off the gas, sideways, but hangs on to make field Marc Dantoni- 8.318@159.87, skates around down the track Billy Harper- 6.506@216.24 Steve Vick- 15.547@69.28, gets sideways, crosses centerline, hit cones, comes baqck across and barely misses wall. Mike Janis- 7.167@166.76 gets loose drifts towards wall Charles Carpenter-6.728@217.46 Dennis Radford- 6.304@222.03, bumps last years National Champion, Janis Glen Kerunsky- 7.142@ 180.96, shook bad, blows up on top end Steven Engle-10.404@74.50, slides around track Jim Halsey- 6.304@225.60 Rick Distefano-7.483@ 186.05, Mike Castellano- 12.311@83.07, shakes, lifts Kenny Lang- 12.660@76.34, sideways off line, shuts off Shannon Jenkins-6.296@224.62 Quain Stott-6.225@231.50 Ed Hoover- 6.759@159.21 Last years champ, fails to make field Ed Hoover, from Gilbert. SC. had his run of 6.197@232.23, from last night stand up through final round to hold on to top qualifier spot in Pro Mod in his Paul Trussell, Trussel bros. Construction/Ram Clutches/Torco Race Fuels/Tommy Mooney Race Car with a 526 ci Brad Anderson Chevy, wrenched by Jimmy Rector . Hoover's credits boast 11 IHRA Pro Modified wins. On the other side of the coin, last years defending champion, Glen Kerunsky and defending national champion John Nobile were both spectators from the rest of the show as they posted DNQ's for the event.. Top Fuel Dragster John Smith- 9.707@86.23, smokes tires at start Gary Cooper- 6.861@119.50, throws blower belt Mitch King- 5.200@220.94, shuts off early Paul Athey- 9.044@100.14, smokes tires off line Rick Cooper- 4.974@275.28 Louie Allison- 7.622@102.55, breaks loose after 60 feet Bobby Lagana- 7.428@111.39, smokes tires and blows motor at half track Bill Ancona- throttle hangs on burnout, runs through with chutes open, gives Lagana solo run Todd Paton- 5.406@18038, shut off early Chris Karamesines- No Time, never made finish line, smokes tires and coasts to stop Doug Foley- 4.772@289.14 Roger Dean- 5.175@258.32 Bruce Litton- 6.427@137.33, smoked tires at half track Clay Millican- 12.897@73.11, smoked ties on green Litton holds Top Fuel Top Spot Indianapolis, Indiana's, Bruce Litton held on to the Top Fuel fast qualifier spot when his 4.735@316.76 run from Friday night held up. Doug Foley dropped defending race and four time National Champion Clay Millican to third when posted second quickest time. Litton drives the Lucas Oil/Torco Race Fuels/Stoops Freightliner/Renegade/Bruce Litton Trailer Sales/2004 Brad Hadman Chassis with a Mike Wolfarth 500ci TFX tuned by Richard Hartman.