Championship Drag Racing


O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals
Houston, TX
(April 8-10)

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O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals

Team Reports
News and notes from NHRA's Pro teams at the O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals. These reports will be updated and new ones added as they become available.

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Sunday
Brandon Bernstein: Bernstein suffers first round loss at Houston
Cory McClenathan: Cory Mac advances to final round, No. 4 in points
David Baca: Tire smoke, Lucas end Baca's day
Doug Herbert: Herbert breaks in new car with round win in Houston
Doug Kalitta: Kalitta makes semifinals
Larry Dixon: Dixon drives to round-two finish
Morgan Lucas: Lucas upholds second place in championship chase
Rod Fuller: Career best weekend for Powers Motorsports
Scott Weis: Team runs well, but not well enough
Tony Schumacher: Schumacher captures second win of the year

Saturday
Clay Millican: Millican qualifies 9th, will face fuller in first round
Cory McClenathan: Cory Mac almost, but not quite, at top of field
Dave Grubnic: "Aussie Dave" will start 12th
David Baca: Baca to meet Lucas in opening round
Doug Herbert: Herbert ready for eliminations
Doug Kalitta: Kalitta qualifies No. 4
Larry Dixon: Dixon races to fifth qualifying spot
Scott Kalitta: Former champ qualifies No. 7
Scott Weis: Team swings for the fences, twice!
T.J. Zizzo: Zizzo qualifies in the number 13 position
Tony Schumacher: Schumacher takes No. 1 spot

Friday
Cory McClenathan: Cory Mac misses top spot by one thousandth
Larry Dixon: Dixon sits ninth after Friday qualifying
Scott Weis: A competitive run in the sun, a struggle in the night
T.J. Zizzo: A very eventful day
Tony Schumacher: Schumacher swipes No. 1 starting position

Pre-race
Brandon Bernstein: Bernstein looking for a repeat of last year's successful performance
Clay Millican: Millican returns to site of first-ever NHRA final round appearance
Cory McClenathan: Cory Mac’s goal: Go rounds, add points
Dave Grubnic: Grubnic heads to Houston to amend memories
David Baca: Good test results boost Baca's confidence
Doug Herbert: Herbert aiming for old results with a new car
Doug Kalitta: Kalitta is hoping Houston will be second in a string of NHRA wins
Larry Dixon: Dixon ready for another championship run
Morgan Lucas: 'Doing it for Darrell' is Lucas' motivation
Rod Fuller: Fuller looking to win one in his sponsor's backyard
Scott Kalitta: Kalitta reflects on winning and hobbling in Houston
Scott Weis: Weis and crew are getting big support from sponsors and fans
T.J. Zizzo: Zizzo is ready for the Lone Star State
Tony Schumacher: Schumacher looks to rebound

Sunday
Bob Gilbertson: Gilbertson found his groove a little late
Cruz Pedregon: Cruz drives to first final of 2005
Del Worsham: Deja vu all over again
Eric Medlen: Medlen fast in the first, out in the second
Gary Densham: Densham will look for better luck in Las Vegas
Gary Scelzi: Scelzi out in first round against teammate Bazemore
Jeff Arend: Arend happy with performance
John Force: Force takes over points lead
Phil Burkart: Fairy-tale weekend .. almost
Robert Hight: Hight wins first race
Robert Hight: Hight wins first race; Force takes over points lead
Ron Capps: Capps dismissed in first round
Tim Wilkerson: Wilkerson behind the race track
Tommy Johnson: Johnson Jr. races to second-round performance
Tony Bartone: Bartone exits early
Tony Pedregon: Pedregon races to second round
Whit Bazemore: Bazemore advances to quarterfinals

Saturday
Cruz Pedregon: Cruz qualifies 14th, faces Capps in round one
Del Worsham: Worsham finds valuable consistency
Gary Scelzi: Scelzi No. 5 in qualifying
Jeff Arend: Arend qualifies for the third time this season
Phil Burkart: Burkart bounces back from DNQ with career best No. 2
Ron Capps: Capps qualifies third, hits the sand
Tim Wilkerson: Wilkerson stays put
Tommy Johnson: Johnson Jr. finishes qualifying in No. 8 position
Tony Bartone: Bartone enjoys strong qualifying effort
Tony Pedregon: Pedregon races to No. 15, ready for finals
Whit Bazemore: Bazemore toughs it out, qualifies 12th

Friday
Cruz Pedregon: Cruz qualifies 14th
Del Worsham: Worsham slides into No. 7 spot
Phil Burkart: Burkart's new Toyota grabs second spot
Tim Wilkerson: Wilkerson's combination is back
Tommy Johnson: Johnson Jr. powers to 4.852-second pass
Tony Pedregon: After electrical failure, Pedregon looks ahead to Saturday

Pre-race
Bob Gilbertson: Will extra work pay off for Gilbertson?
Cruz Pedregon: Houston marks milestones in Cruz’s career
Del Worsham: Positive points move on Worsham's Houston menu
Eric Medlen: Medlen trying to move up
Gary Densham: Densham already in Houston, ready to work first, race second
Gary Scelzi: Scelzi looks to add to his Houston Raceway Park record
Jack Wyatt: Jack’s back with RaceGirl sponsorship
Jeff Arend: Arend headed in the right direction
John Force: Force focuses on points lead
Phil Burkart: Burkart to Mission Control: 'All systems go'
Robert Hight: Rookie Hight on a roll as series moves to Houston
Ron Capps: Capps still excited about new team, new season
Tim Wilkerson: Wilkerson is on his way up
Tommy Johnson: T.J. looks to be on the right side of win No. 100 this time around
Whit Bazemore: Funny Car points leader Bazemore heading back to earth

Sunday
Dave Connolly: Connolly earns semifinal finish in gritty performance
Erica Enders: Enders wraps up homecoming weekend in Houston
Jeg Coughlin: Steady Coughlin continues to go rounds
Jim Yates: Yates continues making progress
Richie Stevens: Stevens red-lights in first round
Warren Johnson: Johnson scores dominant win in Houston
Warren Johnson: Johnson scores dominant win

Saturday
Dave Connolly: It's Connolly vs. Edwards in first round
Erica Enders: Enders qualifies for home race in Houston
Jeg Coughlin: One in, one out for Jeg's Mail Order team
Jim Yates: Good final qualifying run gets Yates ready for eliminations
Ken Koretsky: Five-thousandths of a second separate Koretsky from Sunday
Kurt Johnson: KJ will start seventh
Richie Stevens: Despite problems, Stevens makes it into field
Warren Johnson: WJ qualifies No. 1

Friday
Jeg Coughlin: Opening day leaves Coughlin wanting more
Kurt Johnson: Kurt sits sixth on Friday
Warren Johnson: WJ blasts to No. 1 position

Pre-race
Dave Connolly: Connolly working to extend Pro Stock lead
Erica Enders: Enders ready for homecoming
Jeg Coughlin: Jeg's team has the right stuff for Houston
Jim Yates: Yates climbs to third in POWERade points
Ken Koretsky: Koretsky wants to start showing winning potential
Kurt Johnson: Johnson looks for a clutch performance in Houston
Larry Morgan: Larry Morgan Racing salutes Houston native A.J. Foyt
Mike Edwards: Houston stop has fond memories
Richie Stevens: Stevens set for 'hometown' advantage in Houston
Warren Johnson: So far, 2005 season has followed 'The Professor’s' curriculum


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