Championship Drag Racing

Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 NHRA Nationals
Chicago, Ill.
(June 5-8)

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Driver Profile

Dave Connolly Industrial Distribution Group Chevrolet Cobalt

Chicago, Saturday: Dave Connolly saved his best qualifying attempt for his final run Saturday at Route 66 Raceway, posting a time 6.731 seconds at 204.79 to leap from 15th to eighth in the starting lineup for Sunday's Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway. 

He watched as ominous rain clouds moved overhead on another hot, windy, cloudy and humid Illinois afternoon.  Connolly was able to secure the last coveted position in the top eight and will have his choice of lanes against Greg Stanfield (No. 9, 6.372 at 203.74 mph) in the first round of eliminations.  The last time they met, Connolly defeated Stanfield in the finals of the rain-delayed Summer Nationals (May 18) at Bristol, Tenn.

And he beat the rain Saturday, which came soon after the Pro Stock session was completed.

"We wanted to get in the show before it rained and we did it with our best run of the weekend," said Connolly. "It's going to be a tough round against Stanfield and a close race all day.  We made some progress Saturday and (crew chief) Tommy Utt will be trying to get the car headed in the right direction before eliminations."

Connolly said the car spun the tires hard on his first run Saturday of 6.765 seconds at 204.45 mph.

"We have little issues to deal with. We just aren't making many good runs right now."

The object remains the same: Win rounds and pick up POWERade Series points in his quest to finish in the top 10 to be among the drivers involved in the final six-race championship Countdown.

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