Denver: Mopar Friday qualifying summary

MORRISON, Colo. -- Mopar Motorsports NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series teams completed the first day of qualifying for this weekend's 23rd annual Mopar Parts Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway.

DEAN SKUZA, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Stratus R/T

Dean Skuza led the way for the Mopar contingent with a solid eighth-place qualifying effort. The Mopar Parts Dodge Stratus R/T Nitro Funny Car driver managed a 5.280-second elapsed time at 284.39 mph.

"On that last run, the car got out there and it was weak," Skuza said."It tried to blow the tires off of it, but it didn't do it. It hooked up by itself. It was weird. I can't believe that the car would hook up like that in the thin air. The air got better. We'll take another gallon out of it tomorrow. We're plenty safe with it now. I think we saw what we wanted to see with this Dodge Stratus body."

GENE WILSON, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T

Gene Wilson and his Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T didn't have the day he would have liked. After shutting off early in the first round of qualifying, Wilson's 7.426-second elapsed time at 186.87 mph second-round run missed the top-16 qualifiers.

"We definitely didn't have this in mind," said a frustrated Wilson."To be here at my sponsor's event at the Mopar Parts Mile-High Nationals and not to qualify so far is frustrating. In the first round, the car got out of the groove, spun the tires and I needed to abort the run. On the second pass, I let the clutch out and went to low gear. Then in second gear, the motor lost fire on cylinder number one. I don't know why it did, but we're still working to try and find out. Hopefully, tomorrow morning the air will be good enough to get us in the show."

LARRY MORGAN, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T

Larry Morgan, driver of the blue Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T, made a solid pass and nabbed the provisional 14th-qualifying slot. The Newark, Ohio, resident logged a 7.330-second elapsed time at 188.65 mph.

"I'm just thankful that we're in," said a smiling Morgan."If I could only drive the car. I keep hitting the limiter in the first two gears. I drive like a total idiot. I tell you what, just to be in at the Mopar Parts Mile-High Nationals, is great. I hope we can stay in, but we're pretty excited right now."

DARRELL ALDERMAN, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T

The thin air of Bandimere Speedway was not enough to hold back three-time POWERade Pro Stock World Champion Darrell Alderman and his Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T. Alderman, who is gunning for his 29th NHRA national event victory this weekend, clicked off a 7.327-second lap at 187.89 mph. Alderman sits 13th after the first day of qualifying activity.

"That 7.32 will be close to the bump before the weekend is over," Alderman said."I think the run in the morning might be a little bit better. Hopefully we can put together a better run and stay in the show."

-mopar.com-