Championship Drag Racing

O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals
Ennis, TX
(September 21-24)

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Driver Profile

Dave Connolly Industrial Distribution Group Chevrolet Cobalt

Dallas, Saturday: Dave Connolly saved his best run for the pressure-filled last qualifying session Saturday at the Texas Motorplex near Dallas, and it paid off with a 6.737-second elapsed time at 204.76 mph. It lifted him from the ranks of the non-qualified into the No. 11 starting berth for Sunday's O'Reilly Fall Nationals.

A welcome rain shower early in the afternoon lowered temperatures and improved elapsed times and racing conditions.  Connolly's previous best in the SKULL Gear Chevy Cobalt was 6.808 seconds that left him 16th after the third session.

"We waited until the last minute to make it but we were able to make a good run," said Connolly, of Elyria, Ohio.  "Our new motor ran well and it has a lot of torque.  We were spinning the tires on the runs. They spun on the last run, too, but we were able to stick it in the show.  I'm confident (crew chief) Tommy (Utt) will fix it in time for eliminations."

Connolly races Steve Schmidt (No. 6, 6.726 at 205.29) in the first round.

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