Savoie Downplays Her March Toward Record

Drag racing record books will say that a victory for Angelle Savoie in tonight’s NHRA 50th Anniversary Nationals at Pomona Raceway will move the tiny Louisiana motorcycle rider into a tie with Shirley Muldowney as the sports’ winningest female racer.

The 5-foot-1, 105-pound Savoie, who was Angelle Seeling before she married 6-foot-6, 260-pound New Orleans Saint tight end, Nicky Savoie, has won 17 national events, one shy of the 18 won by Muldowney in top fuel dragsters.

“She’s a three-time world champion, regardless of how many wins she had,” Savoie said. “I haven’t reached her level. I need two more world championships first.

“People shouldn’t compare my record with Shirley’s anyway, because we are in two different worlds. The driver is more important on a bike, the tuneup is more important in a car.”

Savoie won her first NHRA pro stock motorcycle title on a Suzuki last year, outscoring three-time champion Matt Hines by 102 points. After seven of 17 events this season, she holds a 33-point margin over Antron Brown.

She moved closer to both an event victory and a second championship when she held on to the No. 1 qualifying spot with her 7.270 second elapsed time on Thursday. It’s the fourth time she has been fast qualifier at Pomona, but never has advanced past the second round of eliminations.

When darkness came Friday and conditions began to cool down, the nitro-burning funny car and top fuel cars put on a spectacular speed show.

Funny car driver Whit Bazemore, paired with 10-time champion John Force, not only brought his Firebird home ahead of Force’s Mustang, he also set a track record of 4.816 seconds. The old record was 4.830 by Tony Pedregon in 1999.

“Any time you can outrun Force is a great feeling, whether it’s a match race or just qualifying,” Bazemore said.

“It was really great to beat him in his hometown.”

Winston Cup champion Gary Scelzi, who is winless this year, unseated points leader Kenny Bernstein to take the No. 1 position in top fuel. The top fuel field was so tight that Scelzi’s time of 4.554 seconds was only .054 faster than fourth place Larry Dixon.

“We decided to go for it,” Scelzi said. “Alan [Johnson, car owner] changed things three times on the way to the starting line. After the slump we’ve been in, we need to make a move.

“We’ve been on the road seven weeks. Maybe it’s coming home to Pomona, but we feel rejuvenated.” Scelzi lives in Fresno, Johnson in Santa Maria.

Mike Edwards and Kurt Johnson, in a pair of Chevrolet Cavaliers, jumped to the top of the pro stock class. Edwards took the pole with a 6.928 run. Venerable old Warren Johnson, down in seventh position, still had top speed of 199.26 mph.

Edwards was co-rookie of the year in 1996 after winning three races, but sat out last year to be crew chief on Ron Krisher’s Eagle One Pontiac. This year he has one victory, at Joliet, Ill.

In the nostaglia division, Tim Gibson was low qualifier at 6.044 seconds. Gibson, who is aerodynamicist for Force’s team, also qualified 14th in the top fuel at 4.787. His speeds were 247.43 in the front-engine nostalgia dragster and 249.67 in his rear-engine car.

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Drag Racing Facts

* What: Pep Boys NHRA 50th Anniversary Nationals, No. 13 of 24-race, $50-million Winston Drag Racing series.

* Where: Pomona Raceway.

* When: Today, final eliminations, 4 p.m.

* Television: Today, ESPN2, 7 p.m.; Sunday, ESPN2, 12:30 p.m. (delayed).

* Ticket prices: Today, $48, juniors $10.