Pomona - Duane Shields and the PEAK A/Fuel Dragster team continued in test mode at the NHRA Auto Club Finals in Pomona. They showed more progress as they qualified in a tough field and made their best pass of the weekend in round one. In addition, the team has not smoked the tires in the last three events. Traction has been an intermittent problem in the past so the team has made significant progress on that front.
Duane qualified 12th with a respectable 5.44 at 262 MPH after hanging around the bump spot for much of qualifying. “In the second round of qualifying we got too aggressive and I had to pedal it. So we tried a different approach in the final session and moved up to twelfth” Duane said.
In round one, Duane raced Chris Demke who is utilizing a blown alcohol combination. At the hit, Demke was out first and never relinquished the lead as he beat Duane to the other end of the historic track with a 5.29 at 271 MPH to Duane’s 5.43 at 264 MPH. “The blown cars are getting consistently quicker so we have to raise our game up a few notches to stay with them. But as far as the A/Fuel cars go, other than Garrett Batemen, who ran in the .20’s, most of the A/fuel cars are in the .40’s so we’re right with them. Lately, it's been the match ups as someone seems to always make their best run of the weekend against us” Duane said.
When asked what the PEAK team’s plans are over the winter, Duane said they will freshen everything up and continue to work on getting the car faster. “We’re making progress on getting the car consistently faster but it’s taking a little longer than we had hoped. But we’re looking forward to a better season in 2014” he said.
Duane would like to thank all of his sponsors who were a big help to him this season including PEAK Motor Oil, PEAK Antifreeze, Herculiner Truck Bed Liners, Blue DEF Diesel Exhaust Fluid and FINAL Charge Heavy Duty Truck Antifreeze, GRP Connecting Rods, NGK Spark Plugs, Molinari Race Products and Shortline Markets
Duane qualified 12th with a respectable 5.44 at 262 MPH after hanging around the bump spot for much of qualifying. “In the second round of qualifying we got too aggressive and I had to pedal it. So we tried a different approach in the final session and moved up to twelfth” Duane said.
In round one, Duane raced Chris Demke who is utilizing a blown alcohol combination. At the hit, Demke was out first and never relinquished the lead as he beat Duane to the other end of the historic track with a 5.29 at 271 MPH to Duane’s 5.43 at 264 MPH. “The blown cars are getting consistently quicker so we have to raise our game up a few notches to stay with them. But as far as the A/Fuel cars go, other than Garrett Batemen, who ran in the .20’s, most of the A/fuel cars are in the .40’s so we’re right with them. Lately, it's been the match ups as someone seems to always make their best run of the weekend against us” Duane said.
When asked what the PEAK team’s plans are over the winter, Duane said they will freshen everything up and continue to work on getting the car faster. “We’re making progress on getting the car consistently faster but it’s taking a little longer than we had hoped. But we’re looking forward to a better season in 2014” he said.
Duane would like to thank all of his sponsors who were a big help to him this season including PEAK Motor Oil, PEAK Antifreeze, Herculiner Truck Bed Liners, Blue DEF Diesel Exhaust Fluid and FINAL Charge Heavy Duty Truck Antifreeze, GRP Connecting Rods, NGK Spark Plugs, Molinari Race Products and Shortline Markets
