Force bags Arizona triumph

CHANDLER, Ariz. -- John Force recorded his 93rd career Funny Car victory Sunday at the 17th annual Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals at Firebird Raceway.

Doug Kalitta and Warren Johnson also were winners of their respective categories at the $1.8 million race, the second of 24 races in the $50 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series.

Force's first victory of the season came when be blasted down the track in his Castrol GTX Ford Mustang in 4.929 seconds at 285.77 mph as final-round opponent Bruce Sarver had parts fail in his e-moola.com Pontiac Firebird and rolled to a 6.956 at 121.91. Force's win also gave Austin Coil 100 victories as a crew chief.

Force drove past Sarver, Al Hofmann, Chuck Etchells and Ron Capps for the win.

This event also marked the fastest Funny Car field in NHRA history, and the first all four-second Funny Car field. Dean Skuza was the No. 1 qualifier with a 4.805 pass while No. 16 qualifier Gary Densham anchored the category with his 4.961 pass.

Kalitta won his sixth career national event as he covered the distance in 4.628 at 309.84 in his Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster. He defeated rookie Darrell Russell, who slowed to a 7.416 at 111.94. Kalitta, who became a father earlier in the week, drove past David Grubnic, Larry Dixon, Kenny Bernstein and Russell on his way to the victory.

Johnson earned his 82nd career Pro Stock victory with his pass of 6.924 at 199.20, edging out fellow Pontiac Grand Am driver Brad Jeter and his pass of 6.967 at 198.23.

TOP FUEL

ROUND ONE -- Doug Kalitta, 4.609, 313.66 def. David Grubnic, 7.498, 92.75; Darrell Russell, 4.658, 309.34 def. Andrew Cowin, 4.774, 306.40; Tony Schumacher, 4.628, 315.49 def. Robert Reehl, 4.994, 238.47; Doug Herbert, 4.955, 287.72 def. Paul Romine, 5.815, 154.76; Mike Dunn, 9.332, 87.79 was unopposed; Larry Dixon, 5.407, 286.07 def. Bobby Baldwin, 6.516, 130.54; Gary Scelzi, 4.640, 313.51 def. Rhonda Hartman-Smith, 5.177, 202.12; Kenny Bernstein, 4.651, 313.15 def. Tim Gibson, 7.120, 109.56.

QUARTERFINALS -- Russell, 4.634, 311.85 def. Dunn, 6.070, 158.09; Bernstein, 4.647, 309.84 def. Herbert, 7.337, 112.67; Schumacher, 4.620, 314.31 def. Scelzi, 4.656, 313.66; Kalitta, 4.672, 310.41 def. Dixon, 4.703, 312.13;

SEMIFINALS -- Kalitta, 4.631, 313.15 def. Bernstein, 11.279, 91.97; Russell, 4.622, 312.28 def. Schumacher, 4.844, 289.57;

FINAL -- Kalitta, 4.628, 309.84 def. Russell, 7.416, 111.94.

FUNNY CAR

ROUND ONE -- Gary Densham, Chevy Camaro, 5.041, 295.21 def. Dean Skuza, Dodge R/T, 6.752, 138.40; Bruce Sarver, Pontiac Firebird, 4.932, 304.53 def. Jerry Toliver, Firebird, foul; John Force, Ford Mustang, 4.911, 311.34 def. Al Hofmann, Firebird, 6.317, 142.34; Scotty Cannon, Firebird, 4.902, 309.34 def. Bob Gilbertson, Camaro, 4.958, 304.67; Del Worsham, Firebird, 4.927, 306.81 def. Whit Bazemore, Firebird, 4.877, 313.73; Ron Capps, Camaro, 4.841, 314.24 def. Tony Pedregon, Mustang, 4.906, 306.33; Chuck Etchells, Camaro, 9.414, 87.78 def. Jim Epler, Camaro, broke; Tommy Johnson Jr., Chevy Camaro, 4.881, 310.05 def. Frank Pedregon, Firebird, 7.225, 114.02;

QUARTERFINALS -- Force, 5.057, 284.56 def. Etchells, 8.008, 103.95; Capps, 4.863, 309.06 def. Worsham, foul; Sarver, 4.869, 309.84 def. Cannon, 4.925, 310.20; Densham, 5.045, 279.21 def. Johnson Jr., 6.715, 128.54;

SEMIFINALS -- Sarver, 4.938, 305.01 def. Densham, 5.276, 221.82; Force, 4.926, 306.05 def. Capps, 6.023, 164.13;

FINAL -- Force, 4.929, 285.77 def. Sarver, 6.956, 121.91.

PRO STOCK

ROUND ONE -- Brad Jeter, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.922, 198.88 def. Darrell Alderman, Dodge R/T, 6.930, 198.90; Mark Pawuk, Grand Am, 6.914, 198.73 def. Robert Patrick, Ford Mustang, 8.188, 122.70; Jeg Coughlin, Oldsmobile Cutlass, 6.931, 198.93 def. Richie Stevens, Grand Am, 6.961, 197.83; Jim Yates, Grand Am, 6.927, 199.26 def. Mark Osborne, R/T, 6.975, 198.96; Ron Krisher, Pontiac Firebird, 6.888, 200.08 def. Larry Morgan, R/T, 6.936, 198.30; Warren Johnson, Grand Am, 6.922, 200.56 def. Bruce Allen, Grand Am, 8.997, 106.60; Mike Edwards, Firebird, 6.915, 199.46 def. John Nobile, Cutlass, 6.916, 198.29; Kurt Johnson, Chevy Cavalier, 6.919, 200.50 def. George Marnell, Grand Am, 7.085, 198.44;

QUARTERFINALS -- W. Johnson, 6.959, 199.26 def. J. Coughlin, foul; Jeter, 6.939, 198.64 def. Edwards, 6.972, 197.83; Pawuk, 6.945, 198.79 def. K. Johnson, 8.435, 116.83; Yates, 6.943, 198.20 def. Krisher, 9.588, 96.37;

SEMIFINALS -- W. Johnson, 6.929, 199.08 def. Pawuk, 6.965, 198.26; Jeter, 6.949, 197.94 def. Yates, 6.936, 198.76;

FINAL -- W. Johnson, 6.924, 199.20 def. Jeter, 6.967, 198.23.

Point Standings

TOP FUEL

1. Darrell Russell, 205; 2. Doug Kalitta, 170; 3. Mike Dunn, 155; 4. Larry Dixon, 133; 5. Gary Scelzi, 108; 6. Tony Schumacher, 107; 7. Kenny Bernstein, 106; 8. Bobby Baldwin, 102; 9. Doug Herbert, 91; 10. David Grubnic, 87.

FUNNY CAR

1. Bruce Sarver, 208; 2. John Force, 150; 3. Ron Capps, 129; 4. (tie) Tony Pedregon, 126; Chuck Etchells, 126; 6. Tommy Johnson Jr., 110; 7. Whit Bazemore, 108; 8. Gary Densham, 102; 9. Frank Pedregon, 90; 10. Scotty Cannon, 87.

PRO STOCK

1. Warren Johnson, 193; 2. Kurt Johnson, 171; 3. Darrell Alderman, 126; 4. Brad Jeter, 124; 5. Mike Edwards, 113; 6. Bruce Allen, 109; 7. Jim Yates, 107; 8. Jeg Coughlin, 106; 9. Mark Pawuk, 105; 10. Ron Krisher, 91.