Indy IRP test notes 2005-08-24

ANDERSON AND HINES PRODUCE UNOFFICIAL TRACK RECORD PERFORMANCES IN MAC TOOLS U.S. NATIONALS TESTING

Schumacher and Scelzi are quickest in nitro categories; Will earns Top Fuel license

CLERMONT, Ind. -- Greg Anderson and Andrew Hines raced to performances better than the current track records in their respective categories Wednesday to close open testing for the 51st annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, the world's most prestigious drag race.

Two-time and defending POWERade Pro Stock world champion Greg Anderson, a three-time winner of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals and the 2004 Driver of the Year, powered to a 6.746 second run with a top speed of 205.19 mph in his Summit Racing Pontiac GTO. The official track records in Pro Stock are 6.778 seconds by Kurt Johnson (2003) and 205.01 mph by Anderson (2003).

Defending POWERade Series world champion Hines, an Indianapolis resident and defending winner of the Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle, clocked an impressive 7.106 second run at 196.67 mph on his Screamin' Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson. The official Pro Stock Motorcycle track records are 7.115 seconds by Chip Ellis (2004) and 190.65 by Hines (2003).

NHRA teams utilized the two-day test to prepare for the tradition-rich $2.6 million race, Aug. 31-Sept. 5 at Indianapolis Raceway Park, which will be televised by ESPN2 with more than 10 hours of coverage.

In other headlines during the day, Tony Schumacher, winner of the last three Top Fuel titles at Indy and four overall, covered the quarter-mile distance in 4.520 seconds at 328.54 mph in his U.S. Army dragster to edge Larry Dixon for the quickest run of the test session in the 7,000 horsepower category. Dixon followed his 4.55 effort from Tuesday with a 4.524 at 328.70 in the Miller Lite dragster. It was crowded at the top, as Cory McClenathan (4.528), Dave Grubnic (4.538) and Brandon Bernstein (4.542) also posted runs in the 4.5-second range. POWERade Series points leader Doug Kalitta, who enters the race with a four-point advantage over Schumacher, posted a 4.603 at 327.82 in the Mac Tools dragster.

Hillary Will completed her Top Fuel licensing requirement, making three runs. Her best, a performance of 4.676 at 321.27, was supported with efforts of 4.792 at 309.84 and 4.813 at 247.97. It was announced recently that in 2006 she will make her Top Fuel debut piloting a dragster owned by Ken Black and fielded by Connie Kalitta. She will be the 16th woman to compete in Top Fuel in NHRA history. The most successful was Shirley Muldowney, winner of 18 events and three world championship crowns.

"It's awesome to get my license," said Will, who will compete at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals next weekend in her Top Alcohol Dragster. "If you would have asked me a month ago that I would have a Top Fuel license right now I would have never believed you. But it's like I couldn't fail because I had so many good teachers over there. Scott Kalitta was very, very helpful. He wrote three pages of notes for me and was very willing to answer all my stupid questions. It didn't matter how many times I asked a question he answered it. Dave Grubnic helped me and Rahn Tobler and Jim O (Oberhofer). I'm pretty fortunate to have those guys help me. It's just cool for me to have a license that Scott, Dave and Doug signed off on."

Gary Scelzi continued to set the pace in Funny Car, posting a 4.772 at 328.14 in his Mopar/Oakley Dodge Stratus, which edged rookie Robert Hight for quickest of the test session. Hight, the POWERade Series points leader, was a tick off the pace with a 4.775 at 326.56 in the Auto Club Ford Mustang. Four-time U.S. Nationals winner John Force was third overall with a 4.797 at 317.57 in the Castrol GTX Start Up Mustang.

Scelzi and Hight both produced speeds better than the current Funny Car track speed record of 325.69 mph set by Whit Bazemore in 2001.

Wednesday's best runs by category, listed in order of elapsed time, at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals test session:

TOP FUEL
Tony Schumacher, 4.520, 328.54
Larry Dixon, 4.524, 328.70
Cory McClenathan, 4.528, 329.91
David Grubnic, 4.538, 323.27
Brandon Bernstein, 4.542, 325.45
Doug Kalitta, 4.603, 327.82
Scott Kalitta, 4.619, 322.34
Hillary Will, 4.676, 321.27
Tim Gibson, 4.854, 230.84
Rod Fuller, 5.014, 202.15
Kevin Pointer, 5.976, 148.43
David Baca, 9.247, 91.93

FUNNY CAR
Gary Scelzi, Dodge Stratus, 4.772, 328.14
Robert Hight, Ford Mustang, 4.775, 326.56
John Force, Ford Mustang, 4.797, 319.37
Tony Pedregon, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.805, 306.19
Ron Capps, Dodge Stratus, 4.833, 321.27
Whit Bazemore, Dodge Stratus, 4.835, 319.45
Tommy Johnson Jr., Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.839, 321.73
Cruz Pedregon, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.880, 315.93
Bob Gilbertson, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.888, 309.56
Phil Burkart, Toyota Celica, 4.896, 314.75
Eric Medlen, Ford Mustang, 4.907, 315.56
Del Worsham, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.932, 316.75
Paul Lee, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.940, 279.27
Mike Ashley, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.990, 302.28
Gary Densham, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.340, 204.01
Frank Pedregon, Dodge Stratus, 5.635, 174.73
JR Todd, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.958, 156.61
Jim Head, Dodge Stratus, 6.520, 138.73

PRO STOCK
Greg Anderson, Pontiac GTO, 6.746, 205.19
Ron Krisher, Chevy Cobalt, 6.780, 203.40
Dave Connolly, Chevy Cobalt, 6.797, 203.43

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 7.106, 196.67
Ryan Schnitz, Buell, 7.240, 168.62
Connie Cohen, Suzuki, 7.282, 183.54
Wesley Wells, Suzuki, 7.328, 186.05

-nhra-