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Despite the loss, it was a good weekend for Herbert, crew
chief Johnny West and the Snap-on crew. Herbert started fourth in this
race, his highest position of the campaign, following a 4.625-second,
313.73 mph run in Saturday's first session. He followed with a 4.690
to conclude a consistent effort on a very tricky National Trail asphalt.
"We changed blowers for this race and it took Johnny a
few runs to get things figured out," Herbert said. "I think we are definitely
going in the right direction and I think using the new blowers helped."
Herbert also had some good fortune go his way a couple
of times. The car smoked the tires hard at the starting line and he
coasted to a 14.115-second, 49.25 mph first-round win when Chris Karamesines
fouled away his chances at the line.
Herbert then knocked out Doug Kalitta with a 4.788 to
a 4.796 and advanced to his 14th career final on a single run when Shirley
Muldowney failed to show for the run. She'd had mechanical problems
and couldn't repair her car in time for the run.
In the final, it was all Dixon because Herbert's car lost
traction early. Dixon thundered through with a 4.619 at 319.14 to Herbert's
6.278 at 163.61. - Joe Sherk
THAT'S THE SPIRIT
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| Andrew Cowin returned to the States after
his 500-kph record setting run in Australia. Hmm. . .what happened
to the pinstripes? |
IF YOU CAN'T WIN, BE SPECTACULAR
In Saturday's final qualifying session, Cory McClenathan,
from Anaheim, Calif., driver of the Henkelman & Baca Motorsports Top
Fuel Dragster, suffered a severe engine explosion as he approached the
shut down area at the end of the National Trail Raceway quarter-mile.
This created a late night thrash to insure that car would meet the bell
for Sunday's eliminations. As time for first round was approaching,
the Henkelman & Baca Motorsports Team was still preparing the car for
an opening round match up with Rhonda Hartman-Smith, from Williamston,
S.C.
Team owner and partner David Baca explained the probable
cause of the engine malfunction. "It's a chicken and egg thing," said
Baca. "We broke a rod and a piston, but we don't know which happened
first. Right now all we want to do is to give Cory a car that is safe
and capable of winning when we take to the track. "
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All the thrashing rebuilding the engine, replacing electrical
and air lines and fine tuning the Henkelman & Baca Centennial Batteries
Dragster paid off. Against Hartman-Smith, McClenathan drove straight
down Broadway in what might be termed an "uneventful" run.
Hartman-Smith was away first at the light, but McClenathan
had gobbled her up by the 330-foot mark running the second quickest
elapsed time of the round. This brings McClenathan, third in the NHRA
POWERade point standings, face-to-face with current point leader Larry
Dixon. - Mickey Schultz
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