NHRA

Pomona: Rod Fuller Saturday summary

'Hot Rod' Fuller fires final qualifying salvo POMONA, Calif.(Feb 11) -- "Hot Rod" Fuller fans were jubilant after the final round of qualifying for the 46th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals at the famed Auto Club Raceway at ...

Published: Feb 13, 2006, 6:23 PM

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'Hot Rod' Fuller fires final qualifying salvo

POMONA, Calif.(Feb 11) -- "Hot Rod" Fuller fans were jubilant after the final round of qualifying for the 46th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals at the famed Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.

After four treks down the sun-soaked quarter-mile in three days, the Valvoline Top Fuel dragster blasted to fifth place in the 16-car final elimination lineup for Sunday. Clicking the timers at 4.518 seconds and 327 mph, Fuller was flawless in his quest to vault into the top five.

"We had our backs against the wall after dropping some cylinders in earlier runs," Fuller said. "We just had the car set up too soft. After running in the 4.60s all weekend, that 4.51 is about as impressive as it gets. I knew right when we left the line and it got about 200 or 300 feet down the track that we were gonna make it and it was gonna be fast."

Crew chief Lee Beard was feeling a lot better too. "We should have run like that right out of the trailer but we kind of chased our tails a little bit on the first few runs," he said. "Once we looked though the forest and saw the trees and put the car back like it was during testing, it ran just like it did before."

"We haven't showed our hand yet so if we have to run one of the big guns, I think we still have a little bit left in the car."

Fuller echoed Beard's sentiments. "It's all about focusing on Sunday," he said. "I need to get a good night's sleep and get myself right for tomorrow."

Weather forecasts call for continued sunshine and warm temperatures Sunday to greet the thousands of race fans clicking the turnstiles for what is turning out to be a great start to the 2006 NHRA Drag Racing season. If the past three days are any indicator, the Valvoline Top Fuel dragster out of the David Powers Motorsports camp should be a serious contender.

-dpm

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