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MAKING THE ROUNDS
AT VEGAS
By Darr Hawthorne
Photos by Tim Marshall and Zak Hawthorne
Much of the chatter over the long drag racing winter was
that this would truly be the year of Beer Wars. Kenny Bernstein and
Larry Dixon finished one-two in 2001 and a lot of pundits expected that
the new season would pick up where it left off in Top Fuel; maybe 2001
Rookie of the Year Darrell Russell would be a factor. (photo by Tim
Marshall)
Funny Car would be a continuation of the John Force and
Whit Bazemore battle begun last fall, maybe Del Worsham, after his win
at the Finals, would be a factor. The Snake's cars would be contenders
or yet another one of the potent Team Force Funny Cars. This could be
the year that a driver other than John Force wore the new NHRA POWERade
crown.
Pro Stock would depend on who gained the slightest advantage
in horsepower, but Warren Johnson and Jim Yates, maybe Bruce Allen,
the Dodges, or one from the Ron Krisher camp would be a factor.
Cut to 2002. We've got a new series sponsor in POWERade,
new horsepower, and a new Goodyear tire.
The year so far had a dominant Larry Dixon, a strong Force
and Worsham camp, and Ron Krisher picking up the number one qualifying
position at every race, but inconsistent on the tree.
We headed to the fourth race of the season at The Strip
in Las Vegas for the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals. Vegas is the only
race track that I know of where there is strong drag racing and a constant
air show from the nearby Air Force base. Last season's race had been
dismally cold and windy, so who knew what to expect this year, the weather
brought temps in the mid to high 80's and an attempt by NHRA to smooth
out a noticeable top-end bump by grinding the drag strip surface. (photo
by Tim Marshall)
Vegas had some of the "usual suspects" from the West Coast
vying for the Top Fuel field, including Gary Clapshaw (above), Garth
Widdison, Arley Langlo, Bob Hallock, and the newly formed team of Rick
Henkelman, David Baca, and Cory McClenathan who had made it to the Gatornationals
semi's with crew chief Wes Cerny. (photo by Zak Hawthorne)
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