PRO STOCK
After DNQing just two weeks earlier in Canada,
Jason Collins put his 2002 Cougar on top of
the 16-car Pro Stock field in Martin with a
track record 6.586-secs pass. Veteran driver
Elijah Morton suffered a scary moment when his
2000 Cougar -- the same car Gene Wilson drove
to the 2001 IHRA Pro Stock championship -- got
out of shape in his last qualifying attempt
and rolled near the finish line. Morton was
shaken up, but fortunately not injured in the
crash.
 Collins
beat former series champ Dan Seamon in the first
round, another former champ in Doug Kirk, and
fellow Cougar pilot Carl Baker (photo above)
in the semis. Meanwhile, number-six qualifier
Tim Bell steered his West Virginia Division
of Tourism/Songer Whitewater Rafting '03 Mustang
past 1999 champion Chris Holbrook, last year's
champ Brian Gahm, and series newcomer Frank
Gugliotta, who debuted a new Jon Kaase-powered,
Jerry Haas-built 2003 Mustang at the race.
In the final round, Collins left with a slight
advantage, but Bell quickly caught up and went
on to post a winning 6.608-second pass against
Collins' 6.652. The win was Bell's career-first,
and was made all the more remarkable since the
Martin race also brought him his first elimination
round win this year. "I think this was as good
a day as I could hope for," Bell said. "This
is the second race on this car and it is only
a month old. It all worked out well."
PHOTO FINISH
Just that he made it into the show could be
considered a triumph for Todd Paton and his
Tim Horton's-backed team after border crossing
delays got them to the track too late to prepare
for the first qualifying round, then the car
wouldn't start for the second round. But the
Canadian still made it into fifth place on the
ladder with a last-attempt 4.96-second run.
Unfortunately for Paton, he also blew up his
engine in a big way and oiled down both lanes
just as Saturday night's final qualifying session
got under way, creating an hour's delay for
cleanup.
The only serious Pro Mod incident of the weekend
came in first-round qualifying when Canadian
driver Al Billes damaged his new, Tim McAmis-built
'53 Corvette when the car crossed over from
the left lane and struck the right guardwall.
Billes suffered only bruising and strains in
the single-car accident, but the 'Vette's suspension
and body were too badly banged up to continue.
(photos by Brian Wood)
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