Phoenix: Doug Herbert Saturday notes

Herbert Solidly in Field

CHANDLER, Ariz. (February 23, 2008) After consistent rain showers forced NHRA officials to cancel Friday's qualifying sessions of the Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals, Doug Herbert and the SnaponFranchise.com team would have only two attempts to qualify for the second race in Herbert's "For My Boys" Tour.

In his best pass of the day, Herbert piloted the SnaponFranchise.com Top Fuel dragster down the quarter-mile in 4.66 seconds at 312.06 mph, putting him solidly in the field in the No. 12 position.

"Only having two qualifying sessions really puts the pressure on," said Herbert. "Our main goal for the first pass was to get down the track, and that's exactly what we did.

"We had some problems in the second pass that kept us from going fast, but the bottom line is we are in the field and we will be racing tomorrow. We won last year from No. 14, so there is no reason we can't win from No. 12."

Herbert and the Snap-on team will face Antron Brown in a battle of the tool companies in the first round of racing action.

-credit: dhr