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Dave Connolly is playing a numbers game as the NHRA POWERade Series season dwindles to four races.
Now the most important digits remaining are: 2, 62, 1, 140 and 16.
And here's how it shapes up:
Connolly, driving the SKULL Gear Pro Stock Chevy Cobalt, is third the standings with 1219 points, 62 behind No. 2 Greg Anderson (1280). Jason Line is No. 1 with 1358, 140 ahead of Connolly with stops at Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, Pa., Sept. 29-Oct. 1; Richmond, Va., Oct. 6-8; Las Vegas, Oct. 27-29; and Pomona, Calif., Nov. 9-12, still to come.
Connolly plans to make up some of that ground when the rain-delayed Toyo Tires Nationals unfolds at Maple Grove Raceway. Meanwhile, crew chief Tommy Utt 's challenge is to return the race car to competitive form by the time qualifying begins Friday.
"Tommy should get things squared around by the time we get to Reading," Connolly said. "We didn't have a very good weekend in Dallas. I wasn't driving good and the car wasn't good, either. It was just an off weekend.
"Maple Grove could be a fast track. It will be an interesting couple of weeks here and next week at Richmond. We need to pick up as many round wins as we can. We don't realistically have much of a shot at Jason and first place, but I think second place is definitely within reach."
Connolly, a four-time winner this year, was disappointed he didn't get past second round at Dallas. "We had an opportunity to make up some ground on Greg (upset in the opening round) and Jason (ousted in the second round) Sunday but couldn't get the job done. We'll see if we can improve this time around."
The driver from Elyria, Ohio, finished third and fifth in his first two full seasons on the drag racing circuit. His four wins is tops for the category thus far in 2006.
Qualifying is on tap Friday at 1 and 4 p.m. and 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday. Eliminations begin Sunday at 11 a.m.
Connolly Takes Aim on Second Place in Pro Stock
Dave Connolly is playing a numbers game as the NHRA POWERade Series season dwindles to four races.
Now the most important digits remaining are: 2, 62, 1, 140 and 16.
And here's how it shapes up:
Connolly, driving the SKULL Gear Pro Stock Chevy Cobalt, is third the standings with 1219 points, 62 behind No. 2 Greg Anderson (1280). Jason Line is No. 1 with 1358, 140 ahead of Connolly with stops at Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, Pa., Sept. 29-Oct. 1; Richmond, Va., Oct. 6-8; Las Vegas, Oct. 27-29; and Pomona, Calif., Nov. 9-12, still to come.
Connolly plans to make up some of that ground when the rain-delayed Toyo Tires Nationals unfolds at Maple Grove Raceway. Meanwhile, crew chief Tommy Utt 's challenge is to return the race car to competitive form by the time qualifying begins Friday.
"Tommy should get things squared around by the time we get to Reading," Connolly said. "We didn't have a very good weekend in Dallas. I wasn't driving good and the car wasn't good, either. It was just an off weekend.
"Maple Grove could be a fast track. It will be an interesting couple of weeks here and next week at Richmond. We need to pick up as many round wins as we can. We don't realistically have much of a shot at Jason and first place, but I think second place is definitely within reach."
Connolly, a four-time winner this year, was disappointed he didn't get past second round at Dallas. "We had an opportunity to make up some ground on Greg (upset in the opening round) and Jason (ousted in the second round) Sunday but couldn't get the job done. We'll see if we can improve this time around."
The driver from Elyria, Ohio, finished third and fifth in his first two full seasons on the drag racing circuit. His four wins is tops for the category thus far in 2006.
Qualifying is on tap Friday at 1 and 4 p.m. and 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday. Eliminations begin Sunday at 11 a.m.
