The latest update as of May 22, 2022

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.

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



(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.



(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.



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.



(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.
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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.