The Chevrolet Performance NHRA U.S. Nationals

The Chevrolet Performance NHRA U.S. Nationals

- John McGann

Lots of media buzz and spectator eyes were trained on the NHRA Chevrolet Performance U. S. Nationals this year, especially after it was announced that Street Outlaws star Justin Shearer had entered h is Pontiac-powered “Crow Mod” to compete in the Pro Modified class. The weather was ideal throughout the weekend, an d the cool temperature and low humidity translated into fast passes on the drag strip.

Both Funny Car and Top Fuel Dragster classes set track records in their first round of qualifying. Matt Hagan’s 3.858-second pass in Funny Car was a low elapsed time for the track, while Jack Beckman’s 333.08-mph pass set the fastest mph record. As of Friday night, Hagan and Beckman were the Nos. 1 and 2 qualifiers in Funny Car. Steve Torrance was the No. 1 qualifier in Top Fuel Dragster, with his low E.T.. record-setting 3.702-second pas s at 328.06 mph, with Tony Schumacher and Antron Brown a very close second and third.

The level of competition is so fierce at this level of racing that just fractions of a second separated some of the remaining competitors in the Pro classes. In Pro Stock, for example, just 0.055 second separated the No. 1 qualifier from the No. 10 qualifier.