Charlotte: Dave Connolly Friday notes

Connolly fifth on opening day at zMAX Dragway; Charter Communications/LifeLock Chevy Cobalt posts time of 6.698 seconds

CONCORD, N.C., Sept. 12-14, 2008 -- Dave Connolly's first competitive lap down zMax Dragway turned out to be his best of the day as the track's inaugural Carolina Nationals officially began Friday. He covered the quarter-mile in 6.698 seconds at 207.02 mph, putting him in second place.

But all that changed on the second run, along with atmospheric conditions, which worsened. That and a trip out of the racing groove slowed the Cagnazzi Racing Charter Communications/LifeLock Cobalt to a 6.724 and he slipped to fifth place.

"We started the day better than we finished it," Connolly said. ""We had a problem with the wheelie bar on the last run and it moved me left and out of the groove so it basically took me 400 feet to go 300 feet. All-in-all, it was a pretty good start for our hometown race.

"I think our first run tomorrow will be the best of qualifying. Tommy (Utt, crew chief) will do his job and we'll see what happens."

-credit: vcr