St. Louis: Dave Connolly Saturday notes

Connolly Improves to No. 3 Qualifier for Sunday's Midwest Nationals

Madison, Ill., May 3, 2008  -- Dave Connolly and the Charter Communications
Pro Stock Chevy Cobalt team were  ready for the excellent qualifying conditions
Saturday at Gateway International  Raceway.

Cold weather and a fast track helped get Connolly  through the quarter-mile
in 6.595 seconds at 208.36 mph on his afternoon run and  it put him third in
the starting line-up for Sunday's O'Reilly Midwest  Nationals.

"I felt we could definitely go out and run a 6.59,"  Connolly said after the
run.  "We wanted to make a conservative run the  first time (Saturday), just
get down the track and make sure we stay in the  show and race on Sunday --
especially when your new sponsor comes out to see you  for the first time.

"That run showed us we were going in the right  direction.  The car responded
to the changes (crew chief) Tommy Utt made  and it seemed to like it. I feel
comfortable in the car.  We took our Chevy  Cobalt to the winner's circle last
year and that's what we want to do for  Charter on Sunday."

Charter Communication's headquarters is in St. Louis and a large number of employees and guests got acquainted with the team Saturday and another large group is expected Sunday.

Connolly's first run of 6.610 seconds (208.49 mph) Saturday put him fifth overall and set the stage for the good closing effort.

He races Ron Krisher in the  first round. Krisher, like Connolly, is a member
of Victor Cagnazzi  Racing.  He qualified 14th, 6.639 seconds at 207.75  mph.

-credit: vcr