Pomona and Daytona, here we go again!
By: Drew Hierwarter
Tony Schumacher and his U.S. Army sponsored Top Fuel team started off the 2008 NHRA Powerade season in exactly the same place they ended 2007, in Pomona’s victory lane. Schumacher reeled off four runs with bracket race like consistency to earn his second Winternationals trophy and the forty second event win of his Top Fuel career. Schumacher edged out teammate Cory McClenathan with a run of 4.49 seconds to McClenathan’s losing 4.53. In an emotional victory lane, Schumacher said he plans to give the trophy to his friend and competitor Doug Herbert, whom he defeated in the second round. Only two weeks ago Herbert lost his two sons in an automobile accident and Schumacher said; “This trophy is going to Doug Herbert. I’ve been praying for him and his family every day. It was tough racing him in the second round but if he had won that race I would’ve been so happy for him and I would have backed him to win the race. I hope he enjoys it and it helps him in some way.”
The big story in the Funny Car division was the return of John Force after his devastating crash in Dallas last year. Force has gone through months of grueling physical therapy and returned to the cockpit of his race car sooner than anybody thought was possible. In addition to Force working on his injuries, the team has been working on a completely new, safer funny car chassis. And the new car proved itself as three of John Force’s team cars reached the semi-finals with Robert Hight going all the way and defeating Cruz Pedregon by nearly .02 seconds for the win.
The event was not without it’s excitement as Cruz’s brother Tony suffered a violent engine explosion near the finish line in his first round race against John Force. Miraculously Tony received only a few minor burns to his hands, for which he was treated at a local hospital and returned to the track in time to watch Cruz beat Ashley Force in the semi-final round. In the final it was Pedregon on the losing side as Hight’s 4.861 defeated Pedregon’s 4.879.
In the Pro-Stock final it was three time champ Greg Anderson over defending champion Jeg Coughlin, 6.616 at 209.23 mph to Coughlin’s 6.638 at 208.42. “Jeg’s worn me out on the starting line so I knew I needed to be sharp to have a chance and we ended up leaving together,” Anderson said. This was Anderson’s fifty second win of his career.
If there was ever any doubt about how well NASCAR’s new car was going to race at Daytona, Saturday night’s Bud Shootout should’ve taken care of that! From the drop of the green flag the race was competitive with no one able to gain any sort of clear advantage. Eight different drivers shared the lead over the race’s short 70 laps and at the end, thirteen cars streaked under the checkered flag within one second of each other! The new car was also supposed to eliminate the need for teams to have so many cars specialized for each type of track. The third place finishing car had been previously raced at Darlington, and the fourth place car was first raced at Martinsville. Both of those cars could just as easily have won here at Daytona too. Something that was just not possible with the old cars. Score the new car as a success.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr also eliminated any doubt about his potential performance as the newest driver for Hendrick Motorsports. He led 47 of the 70 laps and, working together with teammates Jimmy Johnson and Jeff Gordon, was able to hold off strong charges from Tony Stewart and Dave Blaney to win the thirtieth running of the Shootout. “We had a lot of help at the end from Jimmie (Johnson). That was half the win. The other half was the car, being able to stay up front there at the end.”, Earnhardt said. This was his second win in the special pre-season race having also won it in 2003. Earnhardt was followed under the checkered flag by Tony Stewart, Jimmy Johnson, and Jeff Gordon.