<B>TWO-TIME CHAMP WJ, MISSOURI PRO MODDER MCAMIS, DENSHAM,
GANN GET RECORD-SETTING RUNS AT SEARS CRAFTSMAN NATIONALS</b>
MADISON, Ill. (June 27) – Before a near-sellout crowd at Gateway International
Raceway, Warren Johnson and Tim McAmis were near-perfect to pace qualifying runs
during the first day of action in the Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals.
More records are expected Saturday, when qualifying concludes with two more rounds at
4:45 and 7:45 p.m. Final eliminations will also be a spectacular performance display,
starting at 4:30 p.m. Tickets remain at the gate for both days’ action.
WJ, a two-time winner of this event (1997 and 2001) set a track elapsed time record with
his run of 6.808 seconds (202.12 mph) in his GM Performance Parts Pontiac. If the mark
holds through this evening’s final two rounds of qualifying, he take sole possession of the
event record for No. 1 qualifying performances. He currently shares the mark at three
with Gary Scelzi (Top Fuel) and Matt Hines (Pro Stock Bike).
“That was a very good run, but certainly not perfect,” said Johnson, the six-time NHRA
Pro Stock champion from Sugar Hill, Ga. “Hitting the set-up is always a guesstimate at
best, due to variances in the track conditions from afternoon to night. For example, the
track was about 25 to 30 degrees cooler tonight than it was this afternoon. We could have
gotten greedy and tried to run a 6.77 or 6.78, but then it could have gone over the line,
shook the tires and gone 9.77.”
The top speed mark was set by current NHRA Pro Stock points leader Greg Anderson of
Charlotte, N.C., who went 202.85 mph while qualifying second (6.815 seconds).
McAmis, from nearby Hawk Point, Mo., grabbed both ends of the track record in the
AMS Staff Leasing Pro Modified Challenge with a run of 6.231 seconds and a top speed
of 226.51 mph in his McAmis Chassis ’63 Corvette.
(more)
Gateway/Record Runs Open Sears Craftsman Nationals/Page 2
“I was tickled to death just to get in the show,” said McAmis, who failed to qualify for
last year’s eliminations. “The craziest things can happen when you’re racing an hour
from home, so to all but lock in a spot is what I came here to do.”
Densham, the veteran from Bellflower, Calif., set a track Funny Car top speed record of
316.97 mph en route to an elapsed time of 4.889 seconds to sit atop the qualifying list
after one day in his So. California AAA-Mustang, one of three cars owned by 12-time
NHRA champ John Force.
He’s not sure he’ll stay the recordholder. “The No. 1 qualifier will run a quicker number
Saturday night,” Densham said. “The real trick this weekend is going to be the first round
on Sunday (at approximately 4:30 p.m.). We will be running in a little warmer conditions
and that could be the key to winning the race.”
What he and crew chief Jimmy Prock are trying to do is get more consistency. “We have
always been really fast in perfect conditions, but now (crew chief) Jimmy Prock is
working on making this car work with lots of power no matter what the conditions are.
What we are trying to do is be able to be more consistent which will allow us to win more
races and that is what we really want.”
Shawn Gann of Stoneville, N.C., who has been the runnerup in Pro Stock Motorcycle
class here the past two years, set the track E.T. mark of 7.136 seconds on his Gann Speed
Airtech Suzuki during the evening run.
“We have changed the weight program on our bike,” Gann said. “I lost some weight and
that allowed us to be able to shift weight around and add more weight on the front of the
bike. We have always had the power but shifting the weight around has really helped
improve our 60-foot times and we are becoming more consistent every week.”
Jim Head of Columbus, Ohio, took over the No. 1 spot early in the final Top Fuel runs
with his pass of 4.667 seconds (315.34 mph) . . . but a pair of oildowns later in the round
soured any hopes for records in that category.
Kenny Bernstein, the defending Top Fuel champion who came out of retirement to sub
for injured son Brandon Bernstein, drove the Budweiser dragster to a solid fifth-place
qualifying pass Friday afternoon.
Area Pro Mod veteran Bill Kuhlmann walked away from a spectacular crash during the
first round of eliminations, as his car veered from the right lane and hit the left lane
guardwall.
GANN GET RECORD-SETTING RUNS AT SEARS CRAFTSMAN NATIONALS</b>
MADISON, Ill. (June 27) – Before a near-sellout crowd at Gateway International
Raceway, Warren Johnson and Tim McAmis were near-perfect to pace qualifying runs
during the first day of action in the Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals.
More records are expected Saturday, when qualifying concludes with two more rounds at
4:45 and 7:45 p.m. Final eliminations will also be a spectacular performance display,
starting at 4:30 p.m. Tickets remain at the gate for both days’ action.
WJ, a two-time winner of this event (1997 and 2001) set a track elapsed time record with
his run of 6.808 seconds (202.12 mph) in his GM Performance Parts Pontiac. If the mark
holds through this evening’s final two rounds of qualifying, he take sole possession of the
event record for No. 1 qualifying performances. He currently shares the mark at three
with Gary Scelzi (Top Fuel) and Matt Hines (Pro Stock Bike).
“That was a very good run, but certainly not perfect,” said Johnson, the six-time NHRA
Pro Stock champion from Sugar Hill, Ga. “Hitting the set-up is always a guesstimate at
best, due to variances in the track conditions from afternoon to night. For example, the
track was about 25 to 30 degrees cooler tonight than it was this afternoon. We could have
gotten greedy and tried to run a 6.77 or 6.78, but then it could have gone over the line,
shook the tires and gone 9.77.”
The top speed mark was set by current NHRA Pro Stock points leader Greg Anderson of
Charlotte, N.C., who went 202.85 mph while qualifying second (6.815 seconds).
McAmis, from nearby Hawk Point, Mo., grabbed both ends of the track record in the
AMS Staff Leasing Pro Modified Challenge with a run of 6.231 seconds and a top speed
of 226.51 mph in his McAmis Chassis ’63 Corvette.
(more)
Gateway/Record Runs Open Sears Craftsman Nationals/Page 2
“I was tickled to death just to get in the show,” said McAmis, who failed to qualify for
last year’s eliminations. “The craziest things can happen when you’re racing an hour
from home, so to all but lock in a spot is what I came here to do.”
Densham, the veteran from Bellflower, Calif., set a track Funny Car top speed record of
316.97 mph en route to an elapsed time of 4.889 seconds to sit atop the qualifying list
after one day in his So. California AAA-Mustang, one of three cars owned by 12-time
NHRA champ John Force.
He’s not sure he’ll stay the recordholder. “The No. 1 qualifier will run a quicker number
Saturday night,” Densham said. “The real trick this weekend is going to be the first round
on Sunday (at approximately 4:30 p.m.). We will be running in a little warmer conditions
and that could be the key to winning the race.”
What he and crew chief Jimmy Prock are trying to do is get more consistency. “We have
always been really fast in perfect conditions, but now (crew chief) Jimmy Prock is
working on making this car work with lots of power no matter what the conditions are.
What we are trying to do is be able to be more consistent which will allow us to win more
races and that is what we really want.”
Shawn Gann of Stoneville, N.C., who has been the runnerup in Pro Stock Motorcycle
class here the past two years, set the track E.T. mark of 7.136 seconds on his Gann Speed
Airtech Suzuki during the evening run.
“We have changed the weight program on our bike,” Gann said. “I lost some weight and
that allowed us to be able to shift weight around and add more weight on the front of the
bike. We have always had the power but shifting the weight around has really helped
improve our 60-foot times and we are becoming more consistent every week.”
Jim Head of Columbus, Ohio, took over the No. 1 spot early in the final Top Fuel runs
with his pass of 4.667 seconds (315.34 mph) . . . but a pair of oildowns later in the round
soured any hopes for records in that category.
Kenny Bernstein, the defending Top Fuel champion who came out of retirement to sub
for injured son Brandon Bernstein, drove the Budweiser dragster to a solid fifth-place
qualifying pass Friday afternoon.
Area Pro Mod veteran Bill Kuhlmann walked away from a spectacular crash during the
first round of eliminations, as his car veered from the right lane and hit the left lane
guardwall.
