THEY SAID IT

Quotes from Pomona

Compiled by Ian Tocher
3/3/04

Here, in their own words, are what NHRA's best had to say about the recently completed K&N Filters Winternationals at Pomona, CA.

TOP FUEL

"The most exciting thing that happened today was a thrilling game of three-card in the lounge of my Miller Lite transporter with the crew guys. I walked away with $26." -- Larry Dixon on how he still enjoyed a profitable day when rain postponed the season-opening Winternationals

"I was looking at blue skies and I saw the front wing up over my eyebrows."
-- David Baca on his huge wheelstand in the first round of qualifying on Saturday

"There's no denying we would have preferred to be number one, but we're happy with how we performed today." -- Tony Schumacher after Doug Kalitta bumped him at the last minute from the top qualifying spot

"It was a disappointing way to start the year." -- Doug Herbert on losing a pedaling contest to Dixon in round one

"I live for the exciting stuff, but that stuff should happen during qualifying, not race day." -- Cory McClenathan on his wheelie in the first round that led to a loss against Brandon Bernstein

"It feels like a weight has been lifted from our shoulders." -- Bernstein on putting his first round win behind him after coming back from injuries suffered in the car last year

"We have some catching up to do, but I like the direction that we're going."
-- Dixon after his second-round loss to Doug Kalitta

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"I could get spoiled driving this car." -- David Grubnic on his new Kalitta Motorsports ride after posting a career-best 4.492 in the second round, then falling to teammate D. Kalitta in the semis

"We will have to tear everything apart to be sure exactly what happened, but you can bet it will never happen again." -- Kalitta Motorsports team manager Jim Oberhofer after Kalitta's engine began spewing fluid and flame before he could line up for his final-round match against Schumacher

"We got one from the 'luck bank' today. We were running real well to half-track and then the engine just laid over. Knowing I was on a solo, I just shut it off so we wouldn't oil the track down and be penalized points." -- Schumacher after running an off-the-pace 4.659 secs at 243.55 mph in the final round

FUNNY CAR

"I can see tremendously better with the new Monte Carlo body. It's unbelievable how good the vision is out of this car." -- Tommy Johnson Jr. after his first qualifying pass at Pomona

"This new mold is a lot stronger than in years past and as hot as it got, it didn't ruin the body at all." -- Ron Capps after suffering a top-end engine fire after his first qualifying attempt