March 6, 2006

The season is finally underway... But not the start we were hoping for!!

The season got underway a couple weeks ago on the Left Coast (Pomona), and the season here in the Sunny South got its start last week at the fabled Gainesville Raceway, in Florida. This race would serve as a tune-up for the big Gatornationals in a couple weeks time and give us a chance to get the rust out. After all, we gad a division title to defend!!

This division is going to be a lot tougher in 2006 as a couple very tough West Coast A/Fuel cars have decided to claim Division 2 this season. Ashley Force and Aaron Olivarez will run the the South East.

Run #1.........

Here at Gainexille last weekend, there were 14 cars trying for the 8 car field and the first session was not what Guy and the team were hoping for. The Ronnie Swearingon tuned dragster left hard but got real loose near the top of first gear and Guy worked hard to try and keep the car in his lane, but unfortunately he took out the 660 cones and the run was dnq'ed. "That run was a bear, and it surely shook the cob-webs out of me in a hurry". stated Guy after that first run.

Round one qualifying

1 8 A/FD Arthur Gallant, Boxboro MA, Dan Page-BAE 5.384 261.55 261.55
2 45 A/FD Aaron Olivarez, San Luis Obispo CA, Spit 5.403 268.97 268.97
3 19 A/FD John Finke, Selkirk NY, McKinney-BAE 5.420 255.53 255.53
4 7 A/FD Ashley Force, Azusa CA, McKinney-BAE 5.425 261.32 261.32
5 1320 B/AD Wayne Morris, Lincoln University PA, Spi 5.585 247.18 247.18
6 22 B/AD Artie Allen, Jacksonville FL, Hadman-BAE 5.761 248.13 248.13
7 226 A/FD Eric Edelmann, Clearwater FL, McKinney-B 6.032 243.04 243.04
8 205 A/FD Dick Garlets, Lowell IN, Spitzer-BAE 6.566 203.52 203.52

------------ Not Qualified ------------

9 221 B/AD Jeremy Haskett, Wilkesboro NC, Hadman-BAE 6.825 132.17 132.17
10 3382 A/FD Bob Leverich, Kimball MI, Victory-TFX 8.239 156.84 156.84
11 7051 B/AD Darren Nicholson, Mission Viejo CA, Hadm 9.768 93.69 93.69
12 265 A/FD Cherissa Griffis, Gainesville FL, Innova 15.081 71.81 71.81
13 2155 B/AD Guy Kelly, Wadley AL, Hadman-BAE DQ

Round two qualifying

Since Division 2 only has two qualifying sessions, the team was really under the gun. Six cars were going to be going home early, and if we are to have a chance to defend our back to back championships, and a chance to three-peat, we had to get in the field. Ronnie stuck in a high 5.50 or low 5.60 tune-up in, as we did not want to blow the tires off or shake too hard. The team felt that a run in that range would get us into the field and we weren't likely going to try and run a 5.30 and risk the weekend. I got down the track (in my own lane), and turned in a 5.629/257. The run was good enough for the #7 spot and a date on Sunday with one of those fast A/fuelers, driven by Art Gallant.

Final qualifying numder (all numbers courtesy DRC)

1 4 A/FD Bill Reichert, Owosso MI, Bowen-Reich 5.373 263.54 263.54
2 8 A/FD Arthur Gallant, Boxboro MA, Dan Page-BAE 5.384 261.55 261.55
3 45 A/FD Aaron Olivarez, San Luis Obispo CA, Spit 5.391 271.82 271.82
4 19 A/FD John Finke, Selkirk NY, McKinney-BAE 5.420 255.53 255.53
5 7 A/FD Ashley Force, Azusa CA, McKinney-BAE 5.425 261.32 261.93
6 1320 B/AD Wayne Morris, Lincoln University PA, Spi 5.585 247.18 250.69
7 2155 B/AD Guy Kelly, Wadley AL, Hadman-BAE 5.629 257.21 257.21
8 22 B/AD Artie Allen, Jacksonville FL, Hadman-BAE 5.761 248.13 248.13

------------ Not Qualified ------------

9 221 B/AD Jeremy Haskett, Wilkesboro NC, Hadman-BAE 5.999 181.34 181.34
10 226 A/FD Eric Edelmann, Clearwater FL, McKinney-B 6.032 243.04 243.04
11 205 A/FD Dick Garlets, Lowell IN, Spitzer-BAE 6.566 203.52 203.52
12 7051 B/AD Darren Nicholson, Mission Viejo CA, Hadm 6.997 120.32 120.32
13 3382 A/FD Bob Leverich, Kimball MI, Victory-TFX 8.239 156.84 156.84
14 265 A/FD Cherissa Griffis, Gainesville FL, Innova 15.081 71.81 71.81

Eliminations

Gallant ran in the 5.30's in qualifying so we knew we had to step on it and cut a good light to have any chance in round one. Ronnie tuned it up to a 5.40 and Guy had a good light (.032). He had the lead until around 850 feet where the injected car drove around him and held on for a 5.36 to 5.46 win. The margin was .003, or about half a car length.

Here are the numbers, and the margins down the track.

#8 Arthur Gallant 0.092 5.366 254.23 def. 2155 Guy Kelly 0.032 5.463 258.99

60ft(-0.059), 330 ft(-0.068), 660ft(-0.030), 1,000ft(0.018). MOV: 0.0372 seconds

The next race is in two weeks at Gainesville for the 'Gators', and then the following weekend at Bradenton, for the second Lucas Oil event of the season.

Hope to see you there!!!