THEY SAID IT

NHRA Quotes from Pomona

Compiled by Ian Tocher
11/13/03

he 2003 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing season came to an end Nov. 6-10, and here's what the competitors had to say in press conferences and releases about Pomona Raceway's 39th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals.

TOP FUEL

"There was no question that earlier this season I had turned up the wick to search for a sponsor so that we could field a second car for me. Now it really doesn't matter. If somebody came up with the money to sponsor a second car, I'd have to think about it."
-- Kenny Bernstein, who came out of retirement to sub for his injured son, Brandon, on his plans for the future before qualifying began

"I could hear a funny noise; then, before I could click it off -- BOOM! -- the engine explodes like an atom bomb." -- Scott Weis on the problems he experienced at the top end of his second qualifying attempt

"I knew this season would be a learning experience, competing in 23 NHRA national events, and I expected to be more competitive, but overall I'm happy with the year I've had." -- Paul Romine before qualifying third with a personal-best 4.509, then narrowly losing to Shirley Muldowney in round one

"This weekend is all about setting the table for next year. We're going for broke in '04."
-- Tony Schumacher before earning his fourth- straight number-one qualifying position with a track record ET of 4.455 seconds at 332.10 mph

"We'd much rather qualify first round than fourth, but we'll take it anyway we can get it."
-- Howard Weis, crew chief for Scott Weis, on getting in the show at 13th after running 4.623 at 317.72 mph in their final attempt

"It has totally sunk in that this is the last race. I don't know if my last pass will be in the first round or the last but I know it will be some time tomorrow." -- Shirley Muldowney on her plan to retire from driving after the race, and after qualifying 14th with a 4.628 in the quickest T/F qualifying field ever

ADVERTISEMENT

"What a race. It's hard to complain; he just beat me that time. My wife called and said she still loves me, so everything is okay." -- Schumacher on Doug Kalitta's 4.479 at 330.88 beating his quicker 4.471 at 329.58 mph pass in the Budweiser Shootout final -- the quickest side-by-side race in NHRA history

"When I saw the win light come on in my lane I couldn't believe that we had pulled it off."
-- Doug Kalitta after his .016-secs holeshot win over Schumacher earned his team a cool $100 grand

"This season was a lot of fun. We beat a lot of the big names throughout the season, and I'm looking forward to coming back out in February and hopefully beating a whole bunch of them in one day." -- Clay Millican on his record of 20 wins in 42 rounds of NHRA competition this year, after his first-round loss to Kenny Bernstein