Post by daj on Apr 18, 2005 22:03:41 GMT -5
Arend qualifies the CMKXtreme Machine in the top half of the field in Las Vegas
Courtesy of Bill Walters
CMKXtreme Racing
LAS VEGAS, qualifying: CMKXtreme Machine Funny Car driver Jeff Arend qualified for his fourth race of the season on Saturday at the 6th annual NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals at ‘the Strip’ at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Arend qualified in the No. 8 position. It was the first time Arend has qualified the CMKXtreme Machine in the top half of the field since Houston last season and he’ll face Cruz Pedregon in round one of Sunday’s eliminations.
On Thursday evening, Arend signed autographs and greeted hundreds of faithful NHRA drag racing fans along with more than 20 NHRA drivers during a very popular pre-race autograph session at the ESPN Zone, outside of the New York New York Hotel and Casino.
Friday the CMKXtreme Machine team got down to serious business in preparation for the first two qualifying sessions. Arend had the best incremental numbers of the round early on his first run, but he spun the tires before half-track, recording a 5.811 at 162.27 mph to qualify 9th . With CMKX CEO Urban Casavant and his wife Carolyn on hand to support the team, the CMKXtreme Machine Monte Carlo improved its performance significantly during the cool evening conditions of the second qualifying session. Arend blasted to a 4.885 at 319.67 mph, his fastest run of the season, and finished the first day of qualifying in the top half of the field in the lucky No. 7 position.
Saturday’s final two rounds of Funny Car qualifying were held during the heat of the day, which featured 80-degree temperatures and plenty of sunshine heating up the Las Vegas quarter-mile. Arend raced along side of Got CMKX?/Lucas Oil Funny Car driver and teammate, Tony Bartone, during the final two qualifying sessions. Arend shook the tires early on his third run and coasted to a 9.885 at 82.05 mph but remained in the No. 7 spot, well qualified in the top half of the field with one round remaining.
Shadows from the grandstands began to cool the track as the final Funny Car qualifying session began. Arend roared to a 4.962 at 310.98 mph on his final run, falling one spot on the ladder and finishing the day qualified in the No. 8 position.
“It was very important to run that 4.88 Friday night,” said Arend as he reflected on qualifying, “because the track was so hot during the day it was very tricky to get down. The 4.88 put us in the top half of the field and that’s a great feeling for the entire team and especially Urban and Carolyn Casavant. Today the track temperature was very hot and we were experimenting with some new clutch discs in the heat. Paul Smith and the crew came through on our last run with a respectable 4.96 and I’d take that for sure in the first round of eliminations. The track temperature was over 125-degrees today, so I’m real happy with that 4.96.”
Courtesy of Bill Walters
CMKXtreme Racing
LAS VEGAS, qualifying: CMKXtreme Machine Funny Car driver Jeff Arend qualified for his fourth race of the season on Saturday at the 6th annual NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals at ‘the Strip’ at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Arend qualified in the No. 8 position. It was the first time Arend has qualified the CMKXtreme Machine in the top half of the field since Houston last season and he’ll face Cruz Pedregon in round one of Sunday’s eliminations.
On Thursday evening, Arend signed autographs and greeted hundreds of faithful NHRA drag racing fans along with more than 20 NHRA drivers during a very popular pre-race autograph session at the ESPN Zone, outside of the New York New York Hotel and Casino.
Friday the CMKXtreme Machine team got down to serious business in preparation for the first two qualifying sessions. Arend had the best incremental numbers of the round early on his first run, but he spun the tires before half-track, recording a 5.811 at 162.27 mph to qualify 9th . With CMKX CEO Urban Casavant and his wife Carolyn on hand to support the team, the CMKXtreme Machine Monte Carlo improved its performance significantly during the cool evening conditions of the second qualifying session. Arend blasted to a 4.885 at 319.67 mph, his fastest run of the season, and finished the first day of qualifying in the top half of the field in the lucky No. 7 position.
Saturday’s final two rounds of Funny Car qualifying were held during the heat of the day, which featured 80-degree temperatures and plenty of sunshine heating up the Las Vegas quarter-mile. Arend raced along side of Got CMKX?/Lucas Oil Funny Car driver and teammate, Tony Bartone, during the final two qualifying sessions. Arend shook the tires early on his third run and coasted to a 9.885 at 82.05 mph but remained in the No. 7 spot, well qualified in the top half of the field with one round remaining.
Shadows from the grandstands began to cool the track as the final Funny Car qualifying session began. Arend roared to a 4.962 at 310.98 mph on his final run, falling one spot on the ladder and finishing the day qualified in the No. 8 position.
“It was very important to run that 4.88 Friday night,” said Arend as he reflected on qualifying, “because the track was so hot during the day it was very tricky to get down. The 4.88 put us in the top half of the field and that’s a great feeling for the entire team and especially Urban and Carolyn Casavant. Today the track temperature was very hot and we were experimenting with some new clutch discs in the heat. Paul Smith and the crew came through on our last run with a respectable 4.96 and I’d take that for sure in the first round of eliminations. The track temperature was over 125-degrees today, so I’m real happy with that 4.96.”