Compiled by Ian Tocher
Photos by Tom West
6/23/04

n June 18-20, Old Bridge Township Raceway Park hosted the 35th annual K&N Filters NHRA SuperNationals presented by Strauss Discount Auto. Here’s the whole story, as told by the racers in their own words in NHRA and team press releases.

TOP FUEL

“We need to go a little quicker than a .73, but at the same time we need to go from A to B. I haven’t done that in eight runs and I finally got to do that today. I got to use my chutes and I’m happy about that.” -- Cory McClenathan after qualifying 10th at 4.736 seconds and referring to a series of troubled runs dating back to his DNQ effort at the previous race in Columbus, OH

“With the accident last year and the first-round loss this year, we need to find a way to tame this track and get back on its good side.” -- Brandon Bernstein on his less-than-stellar performances at Englishtown

“It’s tough having to beat your teammate in round one and then face the other teammate in the next round.” -- Scott Kalitta after beating David Grubnic in round one, but before falling to cousin Doug Kalitta in round two

“That was a close one.” -- D. Kalitta on his semi-final loss to McClenathan by just six-thousandths

“There nothing like going to a final round. I’m happy. We moved up in points a little bit and put a little gap between us and the people behind us. That’s a good thing.” -- McClenathan seeing the positive side after falling to Larry Dixon in the big-money round

“We went back to what we knew after Columbus. This car has worked well ever since we had it. I say we keep it for a while and race it.” -- Mark Carrier, team owner for Cory Mac on switching back to a tried-and-true chassis after debuting new pipe in their DNQ effort a week earlier

“When you’re on a streak like we were for the last few years you think it’ll never end. Then it does and before long, it seems like forever since you’ve won.” -- Dixon on earning his first win since August 2003, and the 34th victory of his career

“If I had known that I was gonna’ win every Father’s Day I would have started having kids when I was a teenager.” -- Dixon again, on also winning on Father’s Day at Columbus last year