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CANNON SHOOTS A BLANK
The other member of the Schumacher team, Scotty
Cannon, had problems getting down the track
with last year's Oakley-sponsored car, managing
a best of 5.731/187.83.
"We're fighting a gremlin," Cannon said. "It
has nothing to do with the tune-up. The effort
for the next four days will be going back to
the basics that (crew chief) Paul Schuler and
I know work and try to get it down the track."
'THE PRINCE' GETS SEAT TIME
Brandon Bernstein eased into the seat vacated
by his father and six-time NHRA champ, King
Kenny. The younger Bernstein made half-track
runs on Friday and Saturday, getting comfortable
with staging, letting out the clutch, and other
starting line maneuvers - all under the watchful
eyes of his father and crew chief Tim Richards.
On Sunday the team got down to business making
full passes down the quarter-mile.
"Tim has been very patient," Brandon said.
"He told me to go at my own speed and just get
comfortable in the car."
Patience paid off as Bernstein's final run
on Sunday was 4.581/323.12, his best e.t. to
that time. (It would be eclipsed by a 4.545
the following Tuesday.)
"The car left so hard and just marched down
there, almost like you didn't want to lift,
it was pulling so hard. The finish line came
real quick," he added, "it was such a rush."
BACA BACK IN
DRIVER'S SEAT
After a successful run in Top Alcohol Dragster,
where he currently holds the NHRA TAD national
speed record at 274.44 mph, David Baca earned
his Top Fuel license last year and moved up
in competition. Baca ran in the final two Top
Fuel races of 2002.
This year veteran crew chief Johnny West has
joined Henkelman & Baca Motorsports and the
team put together a run of 4.724/295.01 in Firebird
testing. The team has no plans for further testing
until the NHRA season opener Feb. 6-9 in Pomona,
Calif. They are still working on obtaining sponsorship
for the season. (Photo
by Tim Marshall)
ROMINE ON A QUEST
Paul Romine and the John Mitchell-led Montana
Express Top Fuel team concluded testing with
the CARQUEST Auto Parts-sponsored car running
a best time of 4.710-seconds at 299.06 mph.
"We're happy with the results at Phoenix,"
said Romine. "The .71 was an early shutoff pass
and we tested some different clutch setups on
our other runs, which resulted in tire smoke.
We're still a new team, but everyone worked
well together in Phoenix so we're going to Las
Vegas in two weeks to test again before Pomona."
(Photo by Tim Marshall)
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