| ESPN Network: ESPN.com | RPM | NBA.com | NHL.com | ESPNdeportes | ABCSports | WNBA.com | FANTASY | |
|
|
|
| |
 |
  |
 |
 Start your engines! Play RPM.ESPN Stock Car Challenge! Win a Honda S2000! Play The CART Challenge powered by Honda! |
Friday, August 3 More qualifying set for Saturday By Bill Stephens ESPN.com
A blown engine just before the finish line in last week's Top Fuel final not only may have cost Bernstein the race against Gary Scelzi, it most definitely cost him 10 points and left Dixon less than a round behind him in the standings. On Friday, Bernstein regrouped and showed his challengers his disappointing runner-up finish last week has not taken any of the fight out of the current points leader. After Dixon began the day at the No. 1 spot with his 4.62/308 in the first session, Bernstein came back in the evening round and rocked the wine country with his 4.56/319 pass to take the low qualifier position from Dixon with two more rounds set for Saturday. Doug Kalitta, who has won this race three consecutive times, is No. 2 thanks to his 4.58/311. Dixon is third, Scelzi's 4.61/313 ride in the second session put him No. 4 and Doug Herbert's 4.62/314 pass Friday night was good enough for fifth heading into Saturday. Funny Car While Bernstein came up short a week ago, Bazemore nipped Ron Capps in the final at SIR and leaped into the No. 2 spot in the points, his highest ranking of the year. With John Force enjoying an enormous points lead in his quest for championship No. 11, Bazemore is clustered with at least five drivers scrambling for the second spot with nine races left this year. Bazemore was the quickest in the class Friday with a thundering 4.88/301 to go with his 4.95/297 from the opening round and took the distinction of holding the top spot at the end of both Friday sessions. Dean Skuza, who has no wins this year but two poles, is second with his 4.91/305. Force has the No. 3 spot with his 4.94/303, Bruce Sarver, who smoked his tires in the first session, made an impressive second run of 5.01/303 to finish the day fourth. Tommy Johnson Jr., who won the pole in February at the season-opening Winternationals, is fifth with his 5.01/303. Pro Stock While the nitro teams contended with hot, sunny northern California conditions and a right lane that defied anyone to run quickly, the Pro Stock ranks dealt with their own set of challenges Friday that saw the first qualifying session steadily victimized by rampant tire shake. The No. 1 qualifier at the end of the early session was Warren Johnson, who suffered nasty tire shake in the first 100 feet of his run and could only muster a lukewarm 7.00/198. Surprisingly, last week's Seattle finalists, teammates Mark Osborne and Darrell Alderman, were outside of the field after the first session. But many of the teams fared better late Friday, including Coughlin, who jumped over Johnson with his track-record 6.88 at over 199 mph. On Friday, Coughlin announced a split between his team and engine-builder Richard Maskin. After a demoralizing early exit last weekend, Coughlin's run in Friday's second session was just what his team needed. Coughlin's 6.88 dropped Johnson down to No. 2 with his own 6.88/199, his son and defending event champion, Kurt Johnson, No. 3 with a 6.89/198. Bruce Allen, last week's low qualifier, was fourth with his 6.89/198, and last week's winner, Osborne, took fifth with his 6.89/200.  Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Copyright ©2001 ESPN Internet Ventures. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information are applicable to this site. Click here for a list of employment opportunities at ESPN.com. |
