Reading: Herbert suffers from clutch problems again

MOHNTON, Pa., Oct. 7, 2001 - Doug Herbert and the Snap-on Racing Top Fuel crew chased problems during Friday and Saturday qualifying in the Pep Boys Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway and weren't able to cure them before Sunday's eliminations, either.

"All we did all weekend was chase different things (not working properly) in the ignition, blower and clutch areas," said a frustrated Herbert Sunday after he was eliminated in the opening round by Larry Dixon. "We had a clutch disc disintegrate and it welded the clutch together a half-second into the run. That doesn't happen very often. We haven't had that happen in a year or two."

Herbert slowed to a 5.322 at 182.13 while Dixon won with a 4.505 at 326.16.

While the top eight dragsters qualified from 4.494 to 4.589, Herbert's best was 4.662 and put him 10th overall. "We were having problems and weren't running like we wanted to," Herbert added. "The engine dropped a cylinder on the last qualifying session and the blower ate itself up. The conditions were the same as we had last week (when Herbert career bests of 4.542 seconds at 325.69 mph at Joliet, Ill.) but the car sure isn't running like it was then."

After racing for three straight weeks, Herbert and crew chief Larry Frazier have some time to check the parts and pieces before they resume NHRA Winston Series competition Oct. 19-21 at Ennis, Texas.

Herbert remained in seventh place with 1088 points.