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CANNISTER GETS FIRST FUNNY CAR WIN
That defending Funny Car champion Mark Thomas failed to
qualify for the President's Cup Nats was a big surprise. That Laurie
Cannister was number-one qualifier and finally finished on top on Sunday
was not. It just seemed to take longer than expected, after the 2000
Pro Outlaw champion made the switch to Funny Cars in 2001.
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| Laurie Cannister and husband Dale (beside
car) finally won their first Funny Car race after two years in the
class. |
No one can say the lady had it easy, though. In order
to score her career-first Funny Car title, Cannister had to get past
some of the sport's heaviest hitters. No matter, she obviously was up
for the challenge, starting from the top spot with a 5.81 at 242.58
mph, then setting the class speed record at 244.87 mph in her first-round
win over Dave Ray.
Crew chief Jeff Fowler obviously had Cannister's Wolf
Racing entry tuned just right, as she reset the speed mark to 246.26
mph in the next round against John Vouros. That set up a meeting with
Dale Brand, currently second in points, where she again relied on Fowler's
horsepower to overcome a slight holeshot by Brand and went through the
traps in 5.781 secs at 246.03 mph.
Finally, Cannister faced off against points leader Jimmy
Rector, who made his way to the final through Fred Tigges, Terry McMillen,
and Bunny Burkett, who ran her best lap of the season in the semis at
5.903 and 241.37 mph. In the final, Rector left first and held a narrow
lead almost to the finish, but Cannister nipped past to win with a 5.806
at 244.43, to Rector's 5.833 at 242.32.
"Jimmy's really good on the tree and I have always had
problems in that area, so I had to come around him," Cannister said.
"This is just a great win for all of my sponsors and I appreciate how
much they have stood by me."
'CRAZY' STOTT WINS
After defeating points leader Shannon Jenkins in the Pro
Mod final in Maryland and moving to within 101 points of the lead, Mitch
Stott said he's ready to take the championship if Jenkins stumbles at
the final race in Rockingham.
"He's crazy if he thinks that," Jenkins reportedly said
when told of his rival's confidence. "He's still dreaming after all
this time."
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Mitch Stott took his supercharged
Radiac Abrasives '63 Corvette to its third straight final this
year against Shannon Jenkins' nitrous-fed '68 Camaro and emerged
victorious for the second time.
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