AUSTIN AND COMPANY “UN-COIL”
AT 90-PERCENT
Out of all the fuel mechanics, no one has handled the 90-percent rule better than John Force crew chief Austin Coil and fellow scientists Bernie Fedderly and John Medlen and the Las Vegas race is proof positive why. Force ran a 318.32-mph speed in the high, dry desert air that was nine-mph better than his closest competitors in qualifying. Two weeks back, Force logged a 321.50-mph charge at the Mac Tools Gatornationals, which was Top Speed of the entire Meet and the best Funny Car speed of the year. On the 321, Force logged low e.t. of the Funny Car at 4.836.

At the Winternationals, Force checked in with the millennium’s first 4.8-second run, a 4.89 early in qualifying that was only superseded by teammate Tony Pedregon’s 4.830, the best time of the year. While WWF Racing’s Jerry Toliver and Las Vegas winner Jim Epler have made the going tough for Force’s brain trust, the numbers indicate that if the Castrol gang find a little consistency (and they have for the past decade), trouble awaits the wrestlers and the rest of the field.

-CM

PRO STOCKS CRAP OUT IN THE DESERT
Six-thousand-foot Bandimere Speedway aside, the new Las Vegas track appears predestined to produce performance-less (e.t / mph) Pro Stock shows. The Pro Stock car is drag racing’s biggest primadonna. If the weather is just the least bit warm and dry, the cars go into a funk; they simply won’t come out of the dressing room. During Saturday’s two qualifying sessions, the field remained bookended by Ron Krisher’s 7.048 and John Fairleigh’s 7.122. There was nothing close to 200-mph and when qualifying ended, Warren Johnson had momentary top speed at 196.33 mph. All in all, probably NHRA’s worst Pro Stock performances in five years.

-CM

IF LAS VEGAS WAS REPRESENTATIVE OF ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR,
WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD IT WOULD BE
It’s no secret to drag race fans, but Alcohol Funny Car has been giving off the death rattle for a couple of years. In 23 1999 national events (including the Winston Showdown), three-quarters of them featured less than a full 16 cars. Looking at an official NHRA Federal-Mogul Funny Car ladder, one would swear he was reading the lyrics to “Bye Bye Love.” Way too many singles. At Las Vegas, an astounding 28 cars filled the lanes and a terrific show came about. Moreover, a large number of new faces emerged. Who are No. 7 qualifier Leif Andreasson, No. 8 qualifier Don Hudson, No. 14 qualifier Michael Heckert, No. 16 qualifier John Patton and alternates Robert Kanenwisher and Lloyd Bandle? And while we’re on the subject, where did this Ed Marx guy come from? On the qualifying list, it says, “San Rafael, Calif..” and No. 1 qualifier at a 5.787, 246.30. Shows like the Las Vegas clambake will go a long way to keeping these boys alive. Either that or new equipment regulations.

-CM

PRO ROOKIE OF THE YEAR?
To Drag Racing Online’s jaundiced eye, the early leader has to be Melanie Troxel in the Jerry Darien, Ken Meadows-owned, Todd Smith-tuned, Moen faucets-backed Top Fuel dragster. She debuted in excellent fashion at the Chief Auto Parts Winternationals, by qualifying seventh at a 4.71 / 311.20, but lost in round one. She went two rounds at the Checker / Schucks / Kragen Nationals, qualifying fifth with a 4.677 / 315.49, but budgetary considerations forbade a trip to the Mac Tools Gatornationals. At Las Vegas, the team bounced back with their best performance yet, a fourth best 4.664 / 316.15 and a first-round finish.

As the season goes on, Tod Paton, who debuted at Gainesville with a No. 4 qualifying 4.91 / 315.42 in the Nitrofish Firebird Funny Car and a semifinal finish, rates as real competition for the Colorado Top Fuel rookie. Paton also qualified No. 1 at Las Vegas in his Wayne Dupuy-tuned entry at 4.945 and lasted two rounds. The thing to consider about Troxel and Paton is that the latter is hopping into a car that last year was the NHRA Pontiac Excitement Nationals; the Troxel car is new to fuel at all ends.

-CM

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