Langdon Paces Gatornationals Top Fuel Qualifying

Shawn Langdon led Top Fuel qualifying on Saturday for the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, FL. Photo courtesy NHRA Media

Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), Chris McGaha (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith were the top qualifiers in Saturday’s qualifying sessions for Sunday’s NHRA Mello Yello Series Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals at Auto-Plus Raceway in Gainesville, FL.

Langdon’s hot streak continued as he collected his second No. 1 qualifier of the season with a 3.765 at 325.45 mph in Saturday’s opening session to knock Tony Schumacher off the top spot.

Spencer Massey also beat out Schumacher, running 3.793, 329.02 to take second, while Schumacher held onto third with a time of 3.796, 323.43. Brittany Force (3.817, 318.09) and Steve Torrence (3.843, 320.81) rounded out the top five.

Langdon’s no. 1 qualifier was the 18th of his career and his second straight at the Gatornationals, although he’s yet to record a victory in the event.

“We wanted to come out and make a strong run in that early session,” said Langdon. “We knew it was going to heat up for the later session today. We really felt that was the run to go after. Luckily it held and it was basically what we were trying to run.”

Saturday’s opening session was marred by a terrifying crash when Larry Dixon’s dragster broke apart and went airborne just before the start-finish line. The cockpit section of the broken machine came down hard on its wheels and then slammed into the outside retaining wall before coming to a stop.

Dixon was immediately attended to by the Safety Safari and walked to the ambulance under his own power. He was later treated and released by medical officials.
Dixon had his time disallowed after debris from his dragster took out the finish-line cones but still qualified 11th for Sunday’s event. His Bob Vandergriff-owned team has a back-up car available but has opted to withdraw from the event.

In Funny Car, Pedregon earned his fourth-straight Gatornationals No.1 qualifier and bested his own track record with a qualifying pass of 4.022 seconds at 312.13 mph set on Friday that went untouched in both of Saturday’s sessions to earn him his 58th-career pole.

Del Worsham was second at 4.057, 312.57, followed by John Force (4.068, 315.19), Tim Wilkerson (4.080, 312.64) and Jack Beckman (4.081, 309.56)

Pedregon’s run was his best qualifying effort of the season and beat out the previous track record of 4.026 seconds he himself set in 2012.

“Conditions were very similar to when we ran Friday,” said Pedregon. “We were trying to be steady today and not really try to improve the time. We figured if it was there, it was there.”

Chris McGaha held onto the top spot on the Pro Stock division with a low ET of 6.507 at 212.73 mph from Friday’s sessions to post his first No. 1 qualifier of the season and third of his career.

“The Number one position is good,” McGaha said. “Those little points do get addicting after awhile. You can make up a round here or there. I’ve still got to win a race, I can’t lose focus here. It’s one round at a time.”

Besides, women can take the help of herbal http://www.slovak-republic.org/folk/dance/ buy levitra canada pills for leucorrhea for optimum result. It does not cause viagra canada deliver weight gain. The most active ingredient in Kamagra viagra without side effects is Sildenafil Citrate. This chemical causes relaxation of smooth muscles of http://www.slovak-republic.org/hiking/ india tadalafil the penis and maintain an erection. Jason Line was the only driver in the top five to improve his position on Saturday, moving from fifth to second after posting a 6.522, 213.13 in the opening session to knock points leader Rodger Brogdon (6.526, 213.10) down to third. Shane Gray (6.526, 212.93) and Greg Anderson (6.529, 213.03) rounded out the top five.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Matt Smith took to the track as the final qualifier of the day and raced to the No.1 qualifier position over Angelle Sampey with a pass of 6.867 seconds at 194.02 mph to pick up his third Gatornationals pole and 23rd of his career.

Sampey, who held the provisional pole through the first three rounds, raced alongside Smith as the final qualifying pair and saw her chance for her first top qualifier since 2008 slip away by just .005 seconds, running 6.872, 194.74 to hold onto the second spot.

Eddie Krawiec (6.873, 195.48), Andrew Hines (6.877, 195.11) and Jim Underdahl (6.883, 196.76) made up the rest of the top five qualifiers.

NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series
Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville – Gainesville, FL
AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals – March 14, 2015

Sunday’s First-Round Pairings

Top Fuel — 1. Shawn Langdon, 3.765 seconds, 325.45 mph vs. 16. Morgan Lucas, 3.963, 300.40; 2. Spencer Massey, 3.793, 329.02 vs. 15. Chris Karamesines, 3.904, 313.51; 3. Doug Kalitta, 3.796, 323.58 vs. 14. J.R. Todd, 3.891, 312.86; 4. Tony Schumacher, 3.796, 323.43 vs. 13. Terry McMillen, 3.874, 319.29; 5. Leah Pritchett, 3.809, 321.81 vs. 12. Clay Millican, 3.867, 310.34; 6. Antron Brown, 3.811, 314.09 vs. 11. Larry Dixon, 3.851, 319.52; 7. Brittany Force, 3.817, 318.09 vs. 10. Dave Connolly, 3.850, 316.38; 8. Richie Crampton, 3.829, 319.14 vs. 9. Steve Torrence, 3.843, 320.81.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Pat Dakin, 3.967, 298.54; 18. Shawn Reed, 4.015, 311.05; 19. Ike Maier, 4.137, 243.06; 20. Cory McClenathan, 4.666, 162.06.

Funny Car — 1. Cruz Pedregon, Toyota Camry, 4.022, 312.13 vs. 16. Dave Richards, Toyota Solara, 4.464, 227.84; 2. Del Worsham, Camry, 4.057, 312.57 vs. 15. Blake Alexander, Dodge Charger, 4.349, 223.69; 3. John Force, Chevy Camaro, 4.068, 315.19 vs. 14. John Hale, Charger, 4.304, 234.04; 4. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 4.080, 312.64 vs. 13. Tony Pedregon, Camry, 4.194, 297.88; 5. Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.081, 309.56 vs. 12. Chad Head, Camry, 4.126, 303.30; 6. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.083, 314.17 vs. 11. Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 4.116, 308.14; 7. Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 4.088, 311.63 vs. 10. Robert Hight, Chevrolet Camaro, 4.113, 310.05; 8. Courtney Force, Camaro, 4.104, 312.13 vs. 9. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.108, 313.29.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Jeff Diehl, 10.394, 85.32.

Pro Stock — 1. Chris McGaha, Chevy Camaro, 6.507, 212.76 vs. Bye; 2. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.522, 213.13 vs. 15. Alan Prusiensky, Dodge Avenger, 6.662, 208.94; 3. Rodger Brogdon, Camaro, 6.526, 213.10 vs. 14. John Gaydosh Jr, Pontiac GXP, 6.636, 209.52; 4. Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.526, 212.93 vs. 13. V. Gaines, Dodge Dart, 6.603, 211.36; 5. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.529, 213.03 vs. 12. Larry Morgan, Camaro, 6.583, 212.53; 6. Allen Johnson, Dart, 6.530, 212.90 vs. 11. Drew Skillman, Camaro, 6.562, 212.19; 7. Erica Enders-Stevens, Camaro, 6.551, 212.36 vs. 10. Jimmy Alund, GXP, 6.561, 212.06; 8. Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.553, 212.26 vs. 9. Jonathan Gray, Camaro, 6.555, 211.76.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Matt Smith, Victory, 6.867, 194.02 vs. 16. Angie Smith, Victory, 6.992, 189.20; 2. Angelle Sampey, Buell, 6.872, 194.74 vs. 15. Chaz Kennedy, Buell, 6.985, 190.27; 3. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.873, 195.48 vs. 14. Mike Berry, Buell, 6.984, 190.62; 4. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.877, 195.11 vs. 13. Scotty Pollacheck, Buell, 6.976, 190.40; 5. Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, 6.883, 196.76 vs. 12. Shawn Gann, Buell, 6.965, 191.92; 6. Hector Arana, Buell, 6.887, 196.10 vs. 11. Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.957, 191.59; 7. Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.891, 194.88 vs. 10. LE Tonglet, Suzuki, 6.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Fredrik Fredlund, 7.015, 191.08; 18. Eddie Reed, 7.015, 190.27; 19. Brian Pretzel, 7.047, 188.81; 20. Redell Harris, 7.178, 190.92; 21. Joe DeSantis, 7.391, 142.26; 22. Roy Olsen, 7.541, 180.02; 23. Lance Bonham, 8.358, 177.25.