Post by daj on Jun 29, 2005 14:26:51 GMT -5
Arend qualifies for his 45th career national event in St. Louis
ST. LOUIS, qualifying: CMKXtreme Machine Funny Car driver Jeff Arend qualified for the 45th race of his career at 9th annual Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals. Arend overcame the stifling heat to qualify in the No. 13 position with a 4.912 and will face Cruz Pedregon in round one on Sunday.
Arend began the weekend by joining CMKX Racing teammates Tony Bartone and Connie Cohen on a visit with children at the St. Louis Shriners Hospital. They signed autographs and donated CMKX merchandise before heading to Gateway International Raceway to prepare for Friday's pair of qualifying sessions.
Arend entered qualifying fresh off of his career-best effort in Englishtown one week earlier, where he grabbed the No. 2 position. The CMKXtreme Machine smoked the tires just off the starting line on his opening run and Arend finished the first session in the No. 15 spot. After the sun went down Friday evening the conditions improved enough for Arend to make a solid run. The 42-year-old Canadian native jumped into the top half of the Funny Car field on his second attempt with a 4.912 at 315.19 mph, the third fastest run of the late evening session.
Saturday's conditions at the Sears Craftsman Nationals were extremely hot, with temperatures in the high 90-degree range. Arend rolled into the staging beams for his third qualifying attempt with only a faint hint of daylight remaining. The CMKXtreme Machine launched hard but smoked the tires almost immediately and Arend dropped two spots to No. 10 on the qualifying ladder. On his final attempt Arend was on a great pass until his Monte Carlo began smoking the tires near half-track. He finished qualifying in the No. 13 position and will square off against Cruz Pedregon for the fourth time this season when eliminations begin late Sunday afternoon.
"We were testing a little bit today to see what the track will hold so we have a good tune-up for tomorrow," said Arend.
The former NHRA Funny Car national event champion added, "I had a student of mine that came through Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School a long time ago named Joe Candela, and we've kept in touch with each other over the years. He lives in this area and usually comes to the St. Louis race. His mother, Carol Candela, has been very sick and she's in the hospital. I wanted to wish her well and let her know the entire CMKXtreme Machine team is thinking of her."
ST. LOUIS, qualifying: CMKXtreme Machine Funny Car driver Jeff Arend qualified for the 45th race of his career at 9th annual Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals. Arend overcame the stifling heat to qualify in the No. 13 position with a 4.912 and will face Cruz Pedregon in round one on Sunday.
Arend began the weekend by joining CMKX Racing teammates Tony Bartone and Connie Cohen on a visit with children at the St. Louis Shriners Hospital. They signed autographs and donated CMKX merchandise before heading to Gateway International Raceway to prepare for Friday's pair of qualifying sessions.
Arend entered qualifying fresh off of his career-best effort in Englishtown one week earlier, where he grabbed the No. 2 position. The CMKXtreme Machine smoked the tires just off the starting line on his opening run and Arend finished the first session in the No. 15 spot. After the sun went down Friday evening the conditions improved enough for Arend to make a solid run. The 42-year-old Canadian native jumped into the top half of the Funny Car field on his second attempt with a 4.912 at 315.19 mph, the third fastest run of the late evening session.
Saturday's conditions at the Sears Craftsman Nationals were extremely hot, with temperatures in the high 90-degree range. Arend rolled into the staging beams for his third qualifying attempt with only a faint hint of daylight remaining. The CMKXtreme Machine launched hard but smoked the tires almost immediately and Arend dropped two spots to No. 10 on the qualifying ladder. On his final attempt Arend was on a great pass until his Monte Carlo began smoking the tires near half-track. He finished qualifying in the No. 13 position and will square off against Cruz Pedregon for the fourth time this season when eliminations begin late Sunday afternoon.
"We were testing a little bit today to see what the track will hold so we have a good tune-up for tomorrow," said Arend.
The former NHRA Funny Car national event champion added, "I had a student of mine that came through Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School a long time ago named Joe Candela, and we've kept in touch with each other over the years. He lives in this area and usually comes to the St. Louis race. His mother, Carol Candela, has been very sick and she's in the hospital. I wanted to wish her well and let her know the entire CMKXtreme Machine team is thinking of her."