Richie Stevens is the newest
member of the Don Schumacher stable, driving a Pro
Stock Stratus. |
Mike Edwards led all Pro Stocks in qualifying when his
Young Life Pontiac Grand Am ripped off a 6.732 at 205.13
in first round action. "This is a great way to start
the season and the year," Edwards said. "I realize
a lot of good cars didn't get down the track that time
but we all had the same chance. I think with the rumors
of the weather turning on us tomorrow that it got on people's
minds that we might lose a round. I know we were thinking
about it. Maybe some folks were too aggressive.
"For us, this is really just the product of burning
a lot of gas this off-season in the dyno room and in testing.
This is the same car we had and we really didn't need to
do much to it. We just kept Frank (engine builder) in the
dyno room chasing horsepower."
 |
Greg Anderson, the 2004 Driver of the Year, evidently
had mechanical problems in his Summit Racing Equipment-backed
Grand Am. He did his burnout and then just kept going
down the track without backing up and isn't qualified
for the 16-car lineup. |
Warren Johnson had very little time to test his new GM
Performance Parts Grand Am during the POWERade Drag Racing
off-season, having received his new Jerry Haas race car
at his shop in Sugar Hill, GA only a week and a half before
the season-opening NHRA Winternationals. The reason for
that may have been the delays with getting the new GM body
approved so that a new car could be built.
In fact, although the crew had not even installed the
parachutes before arriving in Pomona, WJ's first full-power
pass in the car yielded an impressive 6.733 at 192.91 mph,
placing him in the second position following the first
of four passes.
"Quite obviously, we're pleased with the result,
especially as it was the first full pass on this race car," Johnson
said. "It's an excellent starting point, and gives
us something to build on. We were a little puzzled at first
by our top speed, considering we were fourth fastest to
the eighth mile and dropped to sixteenth (fasted at the
stripe)."
