Cayuga Saturday qualifying summary

London's Rob Atchison No. 1 Funny Car Qualifier at ACDelco Canadian Nationals

Cayuga, Ontario (July 31, 2004) - Rob Atchison claimed the No. 1 Funny Car qualifying position Saturday during the Third Annual ACDelco Canadian Nationals at Toronto Motorsports Park. Atchison, of London, Ontario, covered the quarter-mile in 5.862 seconds at 240.29 mph to claim the top spot for the second consecutive season.

Other No. 1 qualifiers include Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., (Top Fuel); Billy Harper, Paducah, Ky., (Pro Modified); and Brian Gahm, Lucasville, Ohio, (Sunoco Race Fuels Pro Stock).

In Funny Car, Atchison, who started the day in the fifth spot, jumped to No. 1 with a 5.862, 240.29. The reigning world champion is followed by Welland, Ontario's Larry Dobbs. Fred Tigges is third and Neal Parker fourth. Atchison was the No. 1 qualifier in 2003, as well as the defending event winner. Mike Etter qualified on the bump spot with a 6.121.

Top Fuel points leader Millican used his Friday night 4.633-second run to hold his No. 1 qualifying position. The three-time reigning world champion is followed by Tim Cullinan, Bruce Litton and Doug Foley. Paris, Ontario-native Todd Paton qualified eighth with a 5.170.

In Pro Modified, Harper took the top spot with a 6.165, 229.00 to break the track ET record. He is trailed by Rick DiStefano, Mike Janis and defending event winner Mike Castellana. Mike Stawicki is qualified sixteenth with a 6.324 ET.

Gahm qualified No. 1 with a 6.525, 213.50, resetting the track ET record. John Montecalvo, of Center Moriches, N.Y., is second, running a track speed record 213.64. Rick Jones is third and Tony Gillig fourth. Carl Baker, qualified No. 16, covered the quartermile in 6.633 seconds. Ontario's Larry O'Brien qualified twelfth and John Konigshofer missed the cut.

Eliminations begin Sunday at 11 a.m. for the ACDelco Canadian Nationals at Toronto Motorsports Park. Final round is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.

-ihra-