Madison: Post-race notes

Post Race Notes:
Eighth annual Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals
June 25-27, Gateway International Raceway, Madison, Ill.

TOP FUEL

* Doug Kalitta, from Ann Arbor, Mich., won his second event of the 2004 season by defeating David Grubnic in the final round. Kalitta powered the Mac Tools dragster to the finish line in 4.535-seconds at 326.87 mph to outrun Grubnic's Kalitta Air dragster, which recorded a performance of 4.794 at 304.80.

* With the victory, Kalitta moved into the points lead for the first time in his career. He bumped Tony Schumacher out of the top spot for the second time this season.

* Darrell Russell was the No. 1 qualifier for the event - the second of his career. He drove his Amato Racing dragster to the top of the field with a track record run of 4.511 at 328.54.

* Russell, 35, from Hockley, Texas, was fatally injured when his dragster went out of control and crashed during the second round of eliminations. Russell transported to St. Louis University Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead.

FUNNY CAR

* Gary Scelzi, from Fresno, Calif., earned his first win of the year in the Oakley Dodge Stratus R/T. Scelzi's 27th career victory and second in Funny Car came with a 4.827 at 325.30, beating John Force's 5.321 at 210.28 in his Castrol GTX Start Up Ford Mustang. It was Scelzi's third win and fourth final round appearance at Gateway.

* Scelzi also earned his first No. 1 qualifying award of the season and the 36th of his career when he blasted down the track in 4.742 seconds at 329.50 mph, setting both ends of the track record. He bettered the track record speed with a 330.23 pass during eliminations.

* Scelzi's only other Funny Car win was at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., last season.

* Jerry Toliver, from Canyon Lake, Calif., earned a $1,000 bonus for earning the Motel 6 'Who Got the Light' award when he defeated Tim Wilkerson by 0.0058 of-a-second margin of victory in the first round of Funny Car eliminations.

PRO STOCK

* Greg Anderson, from Charlotte, N.C., posted his ninth victory of the season and 25th of his career by beating Steve Johns in the final round. Anderson drove his Vegas General Construction Pontiac Grand Am to a 6.726-second run at 204.98 mph to defeat Johns' 6.779 at 205.32 in his Sportlite Chevy Cavalier.

* Anderson also earned his ninth No. 1 qualifying position of the season and 26th of his career with a track record E.T. of 6.702 seconds at 205.41.

* Johns, from Mountville, Pa., recorded the fastest speed in track history, with a 206.07-mph effort during qualifying.

PRO STOCK BIKE

* Steve Johnson, from Birmingham, Ala., rider of the K&N Performance Filters Suzuki, earned the first "Wally" trophy of his 18-year career with a 7.220 at 183.34 final round pass to defeat Craig Treble's 7.129 at 186.28 on a holeshot.

* Antron Brown, from Indianapolis, took home his first No. 1 qualifying award of the season and seventh of his career with a track record time of 7.086 at 187.68 on the U.S. Army Suzuki.

* Treble, from Hensley, Ark., set the track record speed, clocking a 191.70 on his Matco Tools Suzuki during qualifying.

-nhra-