Gateway: Chip King final report

MADISON, Ill. - Chip King may have lost first round in eliminations at the Sears Craftsman Nationals, but he was just happy to be invited to the dance. King, 38, of Semora, N.C., has become the only driver in the exhibitions to qualify for every NHRA event contested. Unfortunately for him, he ran into unforgiving tireshake that ended his bid for a victory against low qualifier Dan Rowe in the first round.

A disappointed King wanted the victory in a bad way.

"There's no doubt about that," explained King. "We tried some new stuff and as we've found out, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. You never can find anything new if you remain in conservative mode. We'll go home and prepare for Indy. We won't hold back there and we'll be going for broke."

King entered final eliminations as the eighth quickest qualifier with a 6.333, 221.23.

In his match against Rowe, King was the quicker of the two off of the line. At mid-track, the Mopar pilot had to lift and that allowed Rowe the victory with a 6.241, 220.80.

-HC