Seattle: Dave Connolly Saturday notes

Connolly Claims No. 1 in Rain-shortened Qualifying Torco Chevy Runs 6.664 Seconds in Lone Attempt KENT, Wash., July 21, 2007 -- Dave Connolly turned his only qualifying run for the rain-plagued Schuck's Auto Supply Nationals Saturday into ...

Connolly Claims No. 1 in Rain-shortened Qualifying
Torco Chevy Runs 6.664 Seconds in Lone Attempt

KENT, Wash., July 21, 2007 -- Dave Connolly turned his only qualifying run for the rain-plagued Schuck's Auto Supply Nationals Saturday into his third career No. 1 starting position at Pacific Raceways.

The fourth-year Pro Stock driver drove Evan Knoll's Torco Racing Fuels Chevy Cobalt to an elapsed time of 6.664 seconds at 206.42 mph in the only dry run of the day. A persistent rain that canceled Friday's action returned to wipe out the day's second session, and that was alright as far as Connolly was concerned.

"We changed our combination from Denver to Seattle Thursday and picked up where we left off," said the Elyria, Ohio, native. "Tommy Utt, our crew chief, set the car up to do down the track in a fashionable manor," which it did.

"This race was just like the one in Bristol (2005) when we had one qualifying run and I was No. 1. We would've liked one more run Saturday, but we'll take it. Our team picked up $3000 as the low qualifier and $1500 from the Full Throttle Pit Crew Challenge, so it already has been a good weekend."

He races Erica Enders (16th, 6.733 seconds at 205.57 mph) in Sunday's opening round.

Connolly has been to the finals once here. His other low qualifier came at Memphis in 1992."