Qualifying completed at JEGS Pacific SPORTSnationals

FONTANA, Calif. – Following two days of qualifying, the fields are set for the sixth annual JEGS NHRA Pacific SPORTSnationals presented by K&N. The special event, which is a showcase for competitors in the by the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racer Series, has attracted several hundred racers to Auto Club Dragway at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana. Heading into Sunday’s final eliminations, the qualifying leaders include John Edwards (Comp Eliminator), Brian McClanahan (Super Stock), and Brian Tait (Stock). Lyle Burnham and Chip Rumis are also qualifying leaders in Top Dragster and Top Sportsman, respectively.

Edwards, of Claremont, Calif., drove his Dodge Neon to a 7.386 to lead the way in the Comp Eliminator class. Edwards tops a field that includes former national champion Dean Carter and past NHRA national event champions Jim Cowan, Tom Mettler, and Mike DePalma.

Local racer McClanahan, of Alta Loma, Calif., tops the chart in Super Stock after driving his Chevy Camaro to a 9.685 run. The Super Stock field also has several noteworthy competitors including former national champion Jimmy DeFrank, and defending SPORTSnationals winner Mark Faul and Jody Lang, who is coming off an historic double victory at the recent NHRA national event in Las Vegas where he won the Super Stock and Stock titles.

Tait, of Frazier Park, Calif., took over the qualifying lead in Stock on Friday when he drove his ’66 Impala to a 13.490-second run. There are nearly 60 cars in Stock eliminator including DeFrank and Faul, who are both racing multiple entries at this event.

Some of the fastest cars in Fontana are in the Top Dragster class, where 10 of the 39 entries are in the six-second zone and several have cracked the 200-mph mark. Burnam, of Henderson, Nev., will start from the top spot after driving his dragster to a 6.587 run on Saturday. Burnham is slightly ahead of Chip Rumis, who ran a 6.695 for the No. 2 qualifying position.

The Top Sportsman class also features several fast entries including the ’04 Chevy Cavalier of low qualifier Silva, who hails from Upland, Calif. Silva posted a 6.726-second run to lead all qualifiers including Robert Broguiere, who is second with a 6.885 in his 09 Pontiac GTO.

A new edition to this year’s event is the Sportsman Motorcycle class, presented by Harley-Davidson. After two days of qualifying, Lance Samson of Tucson, Ariz., has claimed the top spot aboard his ’98 Suzuki.

The JEGS NHRA Pacific SPORTSnationals also includes racing in Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, and the popular Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley-Davidson class. Final eliminations are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. on Sunday, April 19.

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