Carolinas cars and drivers doing well so far

So far so good for the local guys in qualifying for the Carolinas Nationals at zMax Dragway @ Concord.

Matt Smith, who is from King, N.C., topped the first round qualifying in Pro Stock Motorcycle while Greg Anderson, whose team is based in Mooresville, was quickest in Pro Stock.

Smith ran 6.952 seconds to top Chris Rivas, Eddie Krawiec, Andrew Hines and Steve Johnson in the top five.

Anderson, in the final pair of Pro Stock qualifying, ran 6.697 seconds to bump Dave Connolly off the pole. Connolly ran 6.698 seconds. Kurt Johnson, Justin Humphreys and Jason Line rounded out the top five.

Speedway Motorsports Inc. chairman Bruton Smith spoke to the crowd gathered for the first day of professional qualifying just after the top 10 drivers in Funny Car and Top Fuel were introduced to the crowd before their first run.

“Look at all these fans in the John Force Grandstand!” Smith said. “John, is it OK for these fans to sit in your grandstand?”

The West Grandstand at the new track are named for Force, the 14-time Funny Car champion.

“I hope I don’t have to make the payments on it,” Force said. “When we look at this stadium, we’re like little kids. Stadiums like this are the future of drag racing.”

Here are the first-round qualifying results for Pro Stock Motorcycle and Pro Stock.
at the Carolinas Nationals at zMax Dragway @ Concord

Pro stock motorcycle

Matt Smith, 6.952
Chris Rivas, 6.968
Eddie Krawiec, 6.981
Andrew Hines, 7.007
Steve Johnson, 7.032
Chip Ellis, 7.036
Craig Treble, 7.044
Karen Stoffer, 7.077
Matt Guidera, 7.102.
Junior Pippin, 7.114
Angelle Sampey, 7.123.
Hector Arana, 7.157.
Wes Wells, 7.182.
Valerie Thompson, 7.220
Joe Desantis, 7.246
Shawn Gann, 7.322.
Darin McCurdy, 7.397
Angie McBride, 9.201.

Pro stock
Greg Anderson, 6.697
Dave Connolly 6.698.
Kurt Johnson, 6.700
Justin Humphreys, 6.703.
Jason Line, 6.709
Jeg Coughlin Jr., 6.711
V. Gaines, 6.711
Greg Stanfield, 6.716.
Rob Mansfield, 6.723
Vinnie Deceglie, 6.723
Tom Hammonds, 6.724
Rickie Jones, 6.725
Warren Johnson, 6.732.
Jim Yates, 6.732
Johnny Gray, 6.732
Mike Edwards, 6.734.
Steve Spiess, 6.744
Richie Stevens, 6.747
John Nobile, 6.755
Max Naylor, 6.765
Larry Morgan, 6.769
Bob Danza, 6.858
Jim Cunningham, 6.902
John Gaydock, 6.945
Allen Johnson, 7.070
Ron Krisher, did not start.