Pennsylvania dentist sets NHRA National Record in Qualifying
Mohnton, Pa. — Jim Daniels left no doubt he is once again the driver to beat at the 2009 Mopar® HEMI® Challenge Race Series Dutch Classic event at Maple Grove Raceway, after setting a Super Stock/A-HEMI National Record to lead qualifying heading into Saturday’s scheduled eliminations.
The Bristol, Pa., dentist qualified at the top of the Dutch Classic field in his Ray Barton-built 1968 HEMI Dodge Dart with a record run of 8.331 seconds at 157.96 mph on his first pass Thursday, bettering the 8.38/157.08 mark set by Charlie Westcott Jr. of Parma, Mich. at this event in 2008. Daniels, who also led qualifying for last month’s Columbus, Ohio event, backed up the record with an 8.37-second pass later in the day.
Ray Barton’s son, David, of Robesonia, Pa., will begin eliminations from the second spot, trailing Daniels with a best of 8.445 seconds in qualifying. Annandale, N.J. driver Gary Wolkwitz is third, followed by Stephen Hebert of Westlakes, La., and Jim Pancake of Delaware, Ohio. A total of 14 SS/AH 1968 Dodge Dart and Plymouth Barracudas made qualifying runs.
Rain is expected throughout much of the eastern U.S. on Saturday. In the event race activities are washed out tomorrow, final HEMI Challenge eliminations will begin at 10:15 a.m. Sunday.
The Dutch Classic is the largest all-sportsman event on the east coast, with the Mopar HEMI Challenge taking Saturday’s center stage. Participants will vie for the $5,000 winner’s purse at the final Mopar HEMI Challenge event of the 2009 season.
Mohnton, Pa. — Jim Daniels left no doubt he is once again the driver to beat at the 2009 Mopar® HEMI® Challenge Race Series Dutch Classic event at Maple Grove Raceway, after setting a Super Stock/A-HEMI National Record to lead qualifying heading into Saturday’s scheduled eliminations.
The Bristol, Pa., dentist qualified at the top of the Dutch Classic field in his Ray Barton-built 1968 HEMI Dodge Dart with a record run of 8.331 seconds at 157.96 mph on his first pass Thursday, bettering the 8.38/157.08 mark set by Charlie Westcott Jr. of Parma, Mich. at this event in 2008. Daniels, who also led qualifying for last month’s Columbus, Ohio event, backed up the record with an 8.37-second pass later in the day.
Ray Barton’s son, David, of Robesonia, Pa., will begin eliminations from the second spot, trailing Daniels with a best of 8.445 seconds in qualifying. Annandale, N.J. driver Gary Wolkwitz is third, followed by Stephen Hebert of Westlakes, La., and Jim Pancake of Delaware, Ohio. A total of 14 SS/AH 1968 Dodge Dart and Plymouth Barracudas made qualifying runs.
Rain is expected throughout much of the eastern U.S. on Saturday. In the event race activities are washed out tomorrow, final HEMI Challenge eliminations will begin at 10:15 a.m. Sunday.
The Dutch Classic is the largest all-sportsman event on the east coast, with the Mopar HEMI Challenge taking Saturday’s center stage. Participants will vie for the $5,000 winner’s purse at the final Mopar HEMI Challenge event of the 2009 season.
