Phoenix three-day preseason test summary

GRUBNIC AND FORCE TOPS IN PHOENIX TESTING

CHANDLER, Ariz. -- Dave Grubnic and John Force were tops in their respective categories following four days of pre-season testing at Firebird International Raceway near Phoenix. NHRA race teams are preparing for the 2006 POWERade Drag Racing Series season-opener, the 46th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts Winternationals, Feb. 9-12 at historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Southern California.

Grubnic drove his StriVectin-SD dragster to a quick time of 4.454 seconds at 328.62 mph to lead all Top Fuel entries. Defending and three-time POWERade Series world champion Tony Schumacher was close by with a 4.482 at 326.79 in his U.S. Army dragster. Doug Kalitta also dipped into the 4.4-second zone in his Mac Tools dragster, clocking a 4.490 at 324.98. Rod Fuller powered his Valvoline dragster to a 4.503 at 328.78 performance.

Force continued to go low in his Castrol GTX Ford Mustang. After clocking three runs in the 4.6-second zone last week during testing in Las Vegas, the 13-time champ blasted to a 4.678 at 330.31 to lead the Funny Car contingent at FIR. Defending world champion Gary Scelzi was second in his Mopar/Oakley Dodge, recording a 4.704 at 330.72. Auto Club Road to the Future award winner Robert Hight was third overall in his Auto Club Ford Mustang with a 4.751 at 276.58. Scelzi teammates Whit Bazemore (4.764, 323.27) and Ron Capps (4.773, 315.34) were fourth and fifth in their Don Schumacher-owned Dodges.

Matt Guidera was the only Pro Stock Motorcycle competitor attending the test and produced a weekend best performance of 7.094 at 186.85 on a Buell.

The final weekend of pre-season testing starts Friday with the Last Chance Test Session at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Feb. 3-5. The inaugural Pontiac Pro Stock Showdown will be held at The Strip on Saturday, Feb. 4. The 18th annual Pro Stock SuperBowl will be held at Houston Raceway Park on Saturday, Feb. 4.

-nhra-