NHRA: Second death at U.S. Nationals

• pgravel@mcs.com (Philip Gravel)
• MCSNet, Chicago, IL
• Mon Sep 2 22:30:22 EDT 1996

Clermont, IN -- Miscellaneous news and rumors from the 42nd running
of the NHRA U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park....

The cloud of tragedy that hung over the 42nd running of the NHRA
U.S. Nationals from the death Blaine Johnson had not cleared when
tragedy struck a second time in as many days.  Elmer Trett, 53
year old driver of a Top Fuel Motorcycle, had just completed an
exhibition run at over 232 mph when the bike began to wobble.  He
lost control and was thrown from the bike.  He tumbled across the
track and hit the Armco barrier hard.  He was transferred to
Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis where he was reported to have 
suffered severe head injuries which would prove to be fatal when 
he died later this day.

John Force, to the suprise of few, won the Big Bud Funny Car
Shootout which is run in conjunction with the U.S. Nationals.
Force defeated Cruz Pedregon in the final.

The U.S. Nationals have the quickest Top Fuel Funny Car field
in NHRA history.  This record comes follows the quickest alcohol
fields that were set yesterday.  It took better than a 5.18
second run to make this year's Funny Car field.  John Force holds
the No. 1 qualifying position with a run of 4.096.  Richard Hartman
sits in the 16th and last qualifying postion with a run of 5.0183.

Tony Bartone, this year's odds on favorite to win the Top Alcohol
Funny Car championship, announced yesterday that he would be moving
up to Top Fuel Funny Car next year.  Bartone set an NHRA record at
the beginning of the season with consecutive rounds of winning
runs in elminations.  These wins gave him a commanding lead in
the TAFC points chase.

The first round of alcohol eliminations were run today.  Most runs
went according to script with a couple notable execptions.  Kim
Fritts, a low budget Division 3 competitor, defeated Bernie
Harrington who had held the No. 1 qualifying position until the
last round when Bob Newberry charged to the pole.

Shawn Bowen, the first alternate in Top Alcohol Dragster, made the
show when No. 16 qualifier, Greg Parks, could not.  Bowen faced
No. 1 qualifier, Keith Stark who had made a pass of 5.51 seconds
to grab the pole.  In first round eliminations, Starks injected
nitro engine would not fire on all eight cylinders and he slowed
to a run of 6.37 seconds.  Bowen, who made four qualifying passes
of 5.83 and 5.84 seconds, made a run of 5.71 to defeat Stark.

In other qualifying action today, Dale Armstrong stepped up Kenny
Bernstein's dragster to a 4.62 second pass, just shy of Blaine
Johnson's track record 4.61 pass.  Shelly Anderson will be absent
from tomorrow's elimination as her team could not figure out the
track well enough to make a competitive qualifying run.  

-- 
Phil
_____________________________________________________________
Philip Gravel   Lisle, Illinois               pgravel@mcs.net