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The latest update as of May 22, 2022


Funny Car Chaos - Penwell Knights Raceway

FUNNY CAR CHAOS - PENWELL KNIGHTS RACEWAY - Odessa, TX

Qualifying Session #2

Since the FCC crew don't post the results of the first qualifying session, we can only report times, speeds and qualifying positions based on their best runs of the first day's two sessions. With 25 cars on hand, and everyone making at least one qualifying attempt, the standard - or what has become the standard - setup of three 8-car fields guaranteed almost everyone a spot in eliminations.

Danny Smith - 'Snafu'

Leading off the evening qualifying session was Danny Smith in his "Snafu" entry, seen here doing a tire heating burnout.

Chuck Loftin - 'Motivation' --- Chuck Loftin - 'Motivation' (near lane) vs 
Danny Smith - 'Snafu' (far lane)

(LEFT) Facing Smith in the first pair was long-time series regular Chuck Loftin in his ultra-familiar Mustang-bodied "Motivation".

(RIGHT) Barely seen in the far lane is the left-way-too-soon (note the red light) Danny Smith who ended the day with a best of 4.297 - 165.93, placing him in the #8 spot on the qualifying list and at the bottom of the "A" field. A more patient Chuck Loftin, in the near lane, had trouble early and failed to improve on his 4.841 - 142.72, leaving him in the "C" field and #18 on the list going into Saturday's final qualifier.

Smiley Cordero - 'Maximum Overdrive' --- Smiley Cordero - 'Maximum Overdrive' (near lane) 
vs Randy Meuller - 'Crazy Randy' (far lane)

(LEFT) Since making his Chaos debut at the end of the 2021 season, Smiley Cordero has rapidly moved up the ranks in his "Maximum Overdrive" Camaro. Coming off consecutive runner-up finishes at Baton Rouge and Lufkin (Pine Valley), he was looking for more winlights at Odessa.

(RIGHT) Leaving well in front in the near lane, Cordero ran away from "Crazy Randy" Mueller (far lane), finishing the day with a best of 4.385 - 167.29 to sit #12 on the list, while Mueller trailed with a 4.697 - 149.90 to place #16. Both racers were sitting - provisionally - in the "B" field going into Saturday.

Mitch Bowen - 'Northland Express' --- Mitch Bowen - 'Northland Express' (near lane) 
vs Scott Pareso - 'Turbonator' (far lane)

Seen in the left photo burning out, Mitch Bowen was behind the wheel of the "Northland Express". On the right, he leaves second against Scott Pareso (far lane) in the turbocharged "Turbonator". Neither driver got the result they were looking for, but Pareso finished the day in the #17 spot at 4.769 - 124.76, while Bowen was further back in #19 at 4.898 - 143.31, slotting both of them into the "C" field going into the final qualifying session.

Don Knoblauch - 'Atomic Punk' (near lane) vs 
Jordan Ballew - 'Ballew Thunder' (far lane) --- Steve Vang - 'Weekend Weekender' (near lane) vs 
Steve Griboski - 'Prairie Fire' (far lane)

(LEFT Leaving with the flames up in the near lane is Don Knoblauch in his "Atomic Punk", and he put down a number (4.274 - 166.48) good enough to grab a spot in the "A" field before the final qualifying session. In the far lane, Jordan Ballew in his "Ballew Thunder" was further down the charts, in the #14 position at 4.677 - 150.15, and a spot in the "B" field.

(RIGHT)

Kirk Williams - '200 Proof' --- Kirk Williams - '200 Proof' (near lane) vs 
Dustin Bradford - 'American Dream' (far lane)

Tom Furches - 'Made in America' --- Tom Furches - 'Made in America'

Jeff Cameron - 'Jake's Speed Shop' (near lane) 
vs Aaron Morrow - 'Nitro Relapse' (far lane) --- Chance Biffle - 'Bad Intentions'

(LEFT

(RIGHT)

Alan Bradshaw - 'Back Attack' --- Alan Bradshaw - 'Back Attack'

After a #2 qualifying effort in the first session (3.985 - 183.82), things didn't go nearly as well for Alan Bradshaw as the "Back Attack" went on a wild ride and took out the 330' timing blocks, negating his run and leaving him in the second spot on the ladder at the end of the evening.