“Three months ago, when Warren was 100
up on everyone, and Kurt was 200 points back, I was telling
folks that at the end, it would be Kurt who would be the
factor,” Anderson said. “Warren would be up
and down, but Kurt was going rounds, getting consistent
performance – and you’ve seen what’s happened
the last six races. Here he is, just like I said.”
While this year has been far harder on the cardiovascular
and digestive systems for Anderson, wins like Sunday’s
(which came after KJ got the jump at the line) are more
satisfying. “This is why you run. To be able to thump
your chest and say you beat the best,” he said.
Still, this day was tougher than most. Anderson defeated
his brother-in-law, Ronnie Humphrey in the first round (6.823),
then teammate Jason Line in the second (6.805). In the semifinals,
Anderson (6.887) had to knock off veteran Rickie Smith,
who had only won two rounds all season before putting away
two-time NHRA champs Jim Yates (foul) and Jeg Coughlin in
a row.
“I didn’t want to race anyone on that list
today. I love my brother-in-law, and I was sure I was gonna
do something stupid thinking about that. Then to run your
teammate . . . it was a day I wanted avoid, but in the end,
you wind up feeling pretty good,” Anderson said.
KJ, the No. 1 qualifier, rolled to his 60th final round
with wins over Kenny Koretsky (6.830), Stanfield (6.853)
and upstart Dave Howard (6.817). Howard beat veterans Larry
Morgan (who has run all 18 Memphis events) and Ron Krisher
before red-lighting against
As for Warren Johnson … if they said it could happen
twice, they were wrong. He was beaten on a holeshot by Greg
Stanfield in the semis at Brainerd, and it happened in Sunday’s
first round – though WJ also had problems trying to
shift into third gear. That dropped him to third in the
points.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
Andrew Hines didn’t look like a man who was down
on his luck after collecting his second win of the season
and fifth of his career. But that’s how he felt after
the first three rounds of qualifying when he was sitting
dangerously close to the bubble.
“The engine went boom the first round, the second
and the third,” Hines said. “I went into that
last round as low as I’ve been, thinking ‘I
need a solid run just for some confidence.’ ”
He got it, and more, taking the top spot in qualifying,
and the No. 1 seed going into next week’s Ringers
Gloves Pro Bike Battle at Indy. “My Dad (crew chief
Byron Hines) and Scott Scuerman rebuilt that first engine,
and gave me a perfect bike,” Hines said. “That’s
why my Dad’s a genius.”
After beating Matt Smith (7.341) in the first round, Hines
got a scare in the second from Ryan Schnitz (7.226-7.230).
“Toughest race I’ve had in three years,”
said Hines, who had the track to himself after Chris Rivas
broke at the line.
Tonglet put away former champ Geno Scali (7.263), Michael
Phillips (7.263) and Shawn Gann (7.233), who had ended an
0-for-13 slump against three-time champ Angelle Sampey the
round before.
Sampey’s teammate Antron Brown, who had led the points
race going into the race at Sonoma, went out in the first
round to Matt Guidera and is now 104 behind the Screaming
Eagles.
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