topeka: Mopar final eliminations report

TOPEKA, Kan. (May 28, 2001) - Mark Osborne, driver of the Mopar Parts Dodge R/T Pro Stocker advanced to the second round of eliminations before losing to Mark Pawuk in the second round of this weekend's NHRA national event at Heartland Park Topeka.

"We had a good weekend," Osborne said. "We shook the tires in second gear and jumped out of the groove a little bit."

Osborne knocked out Warren Johnson in the first round of eliminations.

Osborne's teammate Darrell Alderman, driver of the Mopar Parts-sponsored Pro Stock machine, lost on a holeshot to V. Gaines in the first round of eliminations. The three-time Winston Pro Stock World Champion's Dodge R/T ran low elapsed time and top speed of the round with a 6.946/198.85 combination.

"We just got beat," Alderman said. "I hate it for all the guys that work so hard on this team. I was hoping to have a good weekend, but it didn't happen."

Skuza Falls in Round One

The Mopar Parts Dodge R/T Nitro Funny Car of Dean Skuza fell in the first round of eliminations to upstart driver Johnny Gray.

The Brecksville, Ohio resident, who qualified seventh, smoked the tires and cruised across the line behind Gray's 4.917-second elapsed time at 300.60 mph.

"We had the same set up we had during our last qualifying run," said Skuza, who clocked a solid 4.95 during the last session. "We didn't change a thing, but wore the clutch that run. It's pretty disappointing to lose this one."

Patterson Out Early

It was a frustrating first round for hometown hero and Dodge Motorsports Dakota R/T driver Todd Patterson. Mike Coughlin took a starting line advantage and ran a 7.613-second elapsed time at 177.09 to outdistance Patterson's 7.592/179.21 combination.

"We got out of the groove on that run," said Patterson, who lives in nearby Augusta, Kan., "I really wanted to run well here because its in front of all my family and friends. We'll just go back and get ready for Chicago."

-Mopar