READING - Qualifying Recap (rev.)
by Larry Sullivan
  
  
READING, Pa. - SUMMIT FastNews - By the time qualifying for the 14th annual 
NHRA Pioneer Keystone Nationals was complete Saturday, only one of the four 
first-day leaders was able to hold on to their perch atop their Professional 
category ladder.  Gary Scelzi, John Force, Warren Johnson, and Matt Hines all 
qualified number-one to lead their respective Professional categories into 
Sunday's eliminations, which are scheduled to start at 11:00 AM EST.   
  
Scelzi's track-record 4.558 second elapsed time at 310.66 miles per hour, run 
Friday night, was not seriously challenged during Saturday's Top Fuel 
qualifying sessions.  Both Scelzi and second-qualifier Cristen Powell were 
able to hold on to the topmost rungs of the ladder through two more sessions 
that saw much of the rest of the ladder shuffled and reshuffled as the day 
went on.  Bob Vandergriff ended up on the Top Fuel bubble with a 4.748, 
barely slower than the quickest bump time ever, a 4.737 at the U.S. Nationals 
this year.   
  
In Funny Car, Force saved the best for last, electing to gamble and go for it 
on his final qualifying attempt.  The last car down the track during 
Professional qualifying, Force nailed down the top spot by running 4.938 -- a 
track record -- at 300.30 mph.  Force's last-ditch run edged out Whit 
Bazemore's 4.990 at 282.84, run during the first qualifying session Saturday. 
 Dean Skuza, who led qualifying Friday, fell to third when he failed to 
improve on his 5.008 second elapsed time.  Jack Wyatt ended up on the Funny 
Car bubble with a 5.338   
  
In Pro Stock, Johnson assumed his usual spot atop the ladder with a 6.940 at 
198.36, resetting both ends of the track record in today's first session.  
His son Kurt was second at 6.950 at 197.67.  Mark Osborne ended up third, his 
6.950 tying Kurt's elapsed time but his speed was slower than Kurt's.  
Friday-night polesitter Richie Stevens fell to fourth, at 6.951.  John Nobile 
ended up on the Pro Stock bubble with a 6.999 under weather conditions that 
saw the field shuffled during three of the four qualifying sessions, 
including both sessions Saturday.   
  
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Matt Hines retook the number-one spot in the first 
session Saturday, running 7.400 at 180.83, then locked himself into the top 
spot by resetting both ends of the track record on a stunning 7.273 at 187.53 
in the final qualifying session.  Friday night leader Angelle Seeling was 
also passed by Greg Underdahl in the first session Saturday, but the distaff 
racer retook second place by a thousandth of a second in the final session, 
where she was clocked at 7.335 at 184.08; Underdahl ran 7.336 at 179.21.  
Horace Wright survived the final round on the bubble with a 7.917.   
  
Chip Ippolito was uninjured when he crashed his 1995 Olds Cutlass in the 
first round of Competition eliminations today.  The Laconia, N.H. racer lost 
control, crossed the centerline, struck the retaining wall, then 
barrel-rolled before coming to a stop in an upright position.  He was 
examined and released by NHRA medical officials; the car suffered extensive 
damage.   
  
 
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