Championship Drag Racing

O’Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals
Bristol, Tenn.
(May 16-18)

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Driver Profile

Dave Connolly Industrial Distribution Group Chevrolet Cobalt

Bristol, Friday:  Dave Connolly did something Friday he's never done in his Pro Stock driving career. He crossed the centerline and hit two timing cones near the finish line on his second qualifying run for Sunday's O'Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway.

In his third race back on the NHRA POWERade Series tour, Connolly didn't get the Charter Communications Chevy down the track on either run.  Two more attempts are on the Saturday docket.

"We've had back luck at Bristol on Friday nights," Connolly said. "We blew a motor on Friday night last year and then we came out (Friday) and blew the tires off on the first and shook the tires.  On the second run, the car kept going left, going left and I kept trying to fight it back and just couldn't get it done.  Once it got completely out of the groove, the rear end made a move to the centerline and we knocked down the cones.

"I probably drove it a little farther, but it was Friday night and we were ready to go. We probably would've been third or fourth if we'd gone straight down the track."

The impact with the cones damaged the car's front end and Cagnazzi Racing teammates were busy repairing the damage to the fiberglass before Saturday's qualifying.

The good news, added Connolly, was "that we found the problem we had on the first run and we got good data on our second run.  So we should be ready to go Saturday.  We should be in good shape to get in the field and make a good run like we know we can.  We tested last week and made 12 runs and never aborted one and then we come out and go oh-for-two.  It's just disappointing right now."

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