Reading: Dave Connolly final report

Connolly goes to finals again, now in sixth place in points

Dave Connolly continued his impressive march up the NHRA POWERade series Pro Stock standings Sunday with his third straight final-round appearance that boosted him into sixth place in NHRA's Countdown to 10.

The runner-up finish gave him 868 points with only one more race to go in the Countdown to 10 regular season.

It was an all-Victor Cagnazzi Racing finale as Connolly's Charter Communications/LifeLock Chevy Cobalt sat opposite Jeg Coughlin's JEGS.com Cobalt for the second time in three races. But this time it was Coughlin who got the win. Connolly won at Sonoma, Calif. (July 27) and didn't get the opportunity to compete due to a minus .005 foul start.

Connolly began eliminations with a win over Warren Johnson (6.668 seconds at 207.02 mph to 6.683 at 208.30) and scored an impressive decision over series point leader Greg Anderson (6.654 at 207.11 to 6.651 at 208.01). He advanced to the title round by eliminating Allen Johnson (6.688 at 207.18 to 6.699 at 207.30).

"It was an awesome weekend for us," Connolly said. "It was good we were able to pull farther ahead of Ron Krisher and Greg Stanfield in the standings and as long as we can go as many rounds at (the next race in) Indianapolis as (seventh-place Mike) Edwards and (eighth-place) V Gaines we should stay in sixth place. (Gaines has 864 points and Edwards 865).

"We've exceeded my expectations this year. I didn't think we'd be able to get this high in the countdown after starting the season five races after everyone else."

In order to accomplish the feat, Connolly reached the finals in six of his 12 races. He won at Bristol, Tenn., and Sonoma, Calif. and finished second at St. Louis, Englishtown, N.J., Brainerd, Minn., and Reading.

"Everything seems to be clicking right now," he added.

-credit: vcr