Post by daj on Jun 10, 2005 20:44:34 GMT -5
6/10/2005 : Arend unable to tame tricky National Trail Raceway
Courtesy of Bill Walters
CMKXtreme Racing
COLUMBUS, qualifying: CMKXtreme Machine Funny Car driver Jeff Arend missed the cut on Saturday at the 41st annual Pontiac Performance NHRA Nationals in Ohio. Arend was never able to get a handle on the tricky racing surface at National Trail Raceway and his 5.647 best fell short of the 5.206 bump spot.
The weather was wet and cold on Friday and the racing surface at National Trail Raceway was not cooperating with the 8,000 horsepower fuel cars. Arend finished the first day of qualifying in the No. 11 position in the CMKXtreme Machine Funny Car with a tire shaking 6.386 at 152.80 mph. Only seven cars were capable of producing a four-second run after two sessions and everyone was looking for better conditions to work with on Saturday.
A standing room only crowd crammed into the Pontiac Performance Nationals on Saturday and the weather was ideal, with partly cloudy skies and plenty of sunshine. The NHRA Safety Safari did a great job of preparing the track for the final two qualifying sessions and performances began to improve.
Unfortunately, the CMKXtreme Machine Monte Carlo smoked the tires on Arend's third qualifying run and he fell to the No. 18 position with one last chance to make Sunday's 16-car elimination field. Arend still had trouble getting the power to the race track on his final qualifying attempt and he finished the weekend in the No. 18 position.
"We've had a race car that looked like it could go down the parking lot at most national events," said Arend following qualifying. "Like most teams, we had trouble getting down the track on Friday. Today we set it up to run a 4.90, just like we have at every other race this year, and it just didn't work. On the last run the CMKXtreme Machine shook early and as soon as I pedaled it the car picked up the front end and went toward the center line and I couldn't get it back and save the run."
Courtesy of Bill Walters
CMKXtreme Racing
COLUMBUS, qualifying: CMKXtreme Machine Funny Car driver Jeff Arend missed the cut on Saturday at the 41st annual Pontiac Performance NHRA Nationals in Ohio. Arend was never able to get a handle on the tricky racing surface at National Trail Raceway and his 5.647 best fell short of the 5.206 bump spot.
The weather was wet and cold on Friday and the racing surface at National Trail Raceway was not cooperating with the 8,000 horsepower fuel cars. Arend finished the first day of qualifying in the No. 11 position in the CMKXtreme Machine Funny Car with a tire shaking 6.386 at 152.80 mph. Only seven cars were capable of producing a four-second run after two sessions and everyone was looking for better conditions to work with on Saturday.
A standing room only crowd crammed into the Pontiac Performance Nationals on Saturday and the weather was ideal, with partly cloudy skies and plenty of sunshine. The NHRA Safety Safari did a great job of preparing the track for the final two qualifying sessions and performances began to improve.
Unfortunately, the CMKXtreme Machine Monte Carlo smoked the tires on Arend's third qualifying run and he fell to the No. 18 position with one last chance to make Sunday's 16-car elimination field. Arend still had trouble getting the power to the race track on his final qualifying attempt and he finished the weekend in the No. 18 position.
"We've had a race car that looked like it could go down the parking lot at most national events," said Arend following qualifying. "Like most teams, we had trouble getting down the track on Friday. Today we set it up to run a 4.90, just like we have at every other race this year, and it just didn't work. On the last run the CMKXtreme Machine shook early and as soon as I pedaled it the car picked up the front end and went toward the center line and I couldn't get it back and save the run."