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SOMONA, Calif.(July 29) -- On the outside hoping to be in going into Saturday's final qualifying session for Sunday's FRAM Autolite Nationals at Infineon Raceway, Dave Connolly and the SKULL Gear Chevy Cobalt Pro Stock team rallied.
After changing the engine and "just about everything else", according to crew chief Tommy Utt, Connolly registered his quickest run of the weekend, 6.689 seconds at 206.48 mph, to claim the 14th starting position.
"We needed that run," said Connolly. "Sitting in the lanes before we ran I was confident we could get into the field. We made an awesome run when we needed it. It's not something you want to do every weekend, though. It's important we are playing on Sunday.
"The motor was the same one we won with in Topeka (in May). It was weird weekend for us because we broke our good motor in the first run and I shut off on the second run. Then after the third run we decided the horsepower wasn't up to snuff and we changed motors.
"It's important for us to be racing on Sunday because it gives us another shot at progressing up the standings."
Connolly, who races No. 3 Warren Johnson (6.644 at 207.40 mph) in the opening round. It marks the second straight race the two have squared off in the first round.
He is third in POWERade Series points with 879 behind leader Jason Line (935) and runner-up Greg Anderson (910).
Dave Connolly Makes Sonoma Starting Field on Last Run
SOMONA, Calif.(July 29) -- On the outside hoping to be in going into Saturday's final qualifying session for Sunday's FRAM Autolite Nationals at Infineon Raceway, Dave Connolly and the SKULL Gear Chevy Cobalt Pro Stock team rallied.
After changing the engine and "just about everything else", according to crew chief Tommy Utt, Connolly registered his quickest run of the weekend, 6.689 seconds at 206.48 mph, to claim the 14th starting position.
"We needed that run," said Connolly. "Sitting in the lanes before we ran I was confident we could get into the field. We made an awesome run when we needed it. It's not something you want to do every weekend, though. It's important we are playing on Sunday.
"The motor was the same one we won with in Topeka (in May). It was weird weekend for us because we broke our good motor in the first run and I shut off on the second run. Then after the third run we decided the horsepower wasn't up to snuff and we changed motors.
"It's important for us to be racing on Sunday because it gives us another shot at progressing up the standings."
Connolly, who races No. 3 Warren Johnson (6.644 at 207.40 mph) in the opening round. It marks the second straight race the two have squared off in the first round.
He is third in POWERade Series points with 879 behind leader Jason Line (935) and runner-up Greg Anderson (910).
