300 Club Isn’t That Exclusive

The faster and quicker they are in the National Hot Rod Assn.’s premier classes, the less likely they are to finish.

On a cool afternoon ideal for speed Friday at the Pomona Raceway, it was either 300 or bust.

After two days of qualifying for Sunday’s 32nd annual Winston Finals, 17 drivers have bettered 300 mph--10 in top-fuel dragsters and seven in funny cars--but 23 others never made it to the finish line, a quarter of a mile away, under power.

Larry Dixon, who ran a track-record 319.37 mph Thursday, came back Friday with a career-best 4.596 seconds elapsed time to hold the No. 1 qualifying spot in top fuel.

“We were a little more aggressive on the first half of the race track today,” Dixon said. “I did a wheelie for about the first 200 feet, but it kept going straight. I just hope we can run another one like that Saturday in the first round against [Joe] Amato. We’ll need it.”

Dixon and Amato will meet in the opening race of the Budweiser Classic today, a race within a race that pays $100,000 to the winner. The first two rounds of the Classic also act as qualifying runs to establish Sunday’s 16-car field.

The 1,320-foot strip was full of broken dreams as one car after another suffered wheel spin, tire shake, exploding blowers, broken belts and even an old-fashioned flat tire. During one stretch of funny car qualifying, six cars failed to run faster than 124 mph and two more broke at the starting line.

Among those still unqualified is Kenny Bernstein, 1996 Winston top-fuel champion, whose best effort was a 126.70 in 6.481 seconds.

He now must race defending Classic champion Scott Kalitta in the first round of an event sponsored by his car sponsor, and still make sure he qualifies for Sunday.

Little changed in the funny car standings as Chuck Etchells held the No. 1 position after the top three failed to better their Thursday times.

Two spectacular incidents spiced the funny cars, however.

Seven-time champion John Force was in the middle of a quick run when his Ford Mustang became skittish. He cut the engine, which caused a wild explosion that broke the body at the front fenders.

Moments later, the engine in Greg Daebelliehn’s ’94 Dodge Daytona erupted in fire. Daebelliehn, a part-time racer from Bakersfield, his vision obscured by flames and smoke, drifted across the center line, tagging the wall on the opposite side of the track in an effort to scrub off speed after one braking parachute had burned off.

Dean Scuza, in the adjacent lane, was long gone, but after crossing the finish line, his Dodge Avenger was nearly hit by Daebelliehn’s burning, out-of-control Daytona.

Both Force and Daebelliehn’s cars were ruined, but neither driver was hurt.

Warren Johnson, who has been the fast pro stock qualifier at the Winston Finals for four successive years, assumed his customary position with a 7.016-second run, but it wasn’t easy. Johnson and Mark Pawuk posted identical times in their Pontiac Firebirds, but Johnson got the edge with the faster speed, 196.85 to 196.54.

“This was just practice,” said the veteran from Duluth, Ga. “Without a doubt, the session tomorrow morning will set the field. I predict the low E.T. will be 6.95.”

Whatever it is, the pro stock field is incredibly close. Only 34 thousandths of a second separate Johnson from No. 16 qualifier Ray Franks.