Gunderson caps record weekend with win

National Dragster, Oct 24, 2003 by Waldron, Steve

Top Alcohol Dragster's fastest driver became its most recent winner at the rain-delayed Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, where Michael Gunderson recorded the class' first 280-mph run en route to his first national event win in more than a year and seventh of his career.

Gunderson, who at last month's Mac Tools U.S. Nationals made the then-fastest run in Top Alcohol Dragster history (278.35 mph), ran 280.54 mph in qualifying and backed it up for a new national record with a 278.52-mph run in round one.

"We put a smaller motor in the car in Indy, and [the car] seems to like it," said Gunderson, who defeated veteran Mike Kosky in the final for his first win since last year in Atlanta. "We ran 278 in the first round [in Indy], then had to shut off in the second round because one of the valve-cover gaskets was leaking, so we didn't get a chance to back it up. Then we went to Reading and ran 280 right out of the gate only to have it rain."

Three weeks later, Gunderson finally got his chance to back it up, and he didn't disappoint. After running 269.67 and 274.83 mph on his final two qualifying attempts, Gunderson successfully ran within the required one percent in round one to set the record.

"I was the first to run 260 in a blown alcohol dragster, and it didn't seem like that big of a deal, but running 280 is pretty awesome," said Gunderson. "I can remember when [Joe] Amato did it in Top Fuel [in 1987]. I never thought I'd go that fast, especially in an injected dragster."

Before returning to Reading, Gunderson went to Chicago for the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals and struggled. He qualified 16th and lost in round one, but he still set top speed at 277.89 mph.

"We started having mechanical problems in Chicago, and we went right from there to Reading, where the car never ran on eight cylinders the whole weekend, even on the 278," said Gunderson. "We thought it was a fuel problem, but we actually had a magneto that was going bad, and it was scattering the timing all over the map. We got lucky, but sometimes it takes that."

Gunderson, whose 280-mph run also was the quickest of his career (5.232) and good for the No. 1 qualifying position, ran 5.53 in his first-round victory over Bruce Insinger, who left before the Tree was activated. He followed with a 5.40 to 5.45 victory over Mark Albert in round two and got a huge break in the semifinals when apparent winner Richard Bourke was disqualified after his A/Fuel Dragster came up light at the scales. Gunderson wounded an engine and slowed to a 5.67 against Bourke and barely made it back for the final.

"We got help from Rich McPhillips' team, and it saved our bacon," said Gunderson. "We weren't sure what happened, and we really didn't have time to figure it out, so we just threw a new motor in it. I suited up at the trailer and got in the car and buckled in before we left our pit. We made it by the skin of our teeth."

Kosky, who ran an 18th-best 5.62 in qualifying, made the field as an alternate when No. 3 qualifier Tony Bartone, No. 8 qualifier Bill Reichert, and first alternate Jeff Bohr didn't return. He ran a 5.397 to beat No. 2 qualifier McPhillips' 5.395 in round one and defeated Daniel Mercier in round two, 5.41 to 5.50. In the semifinals, Kosky ran another 5.39 to stop a troubled Doug Foley but encountered problems of his own in the final and slowed to a 5.65 against Gunderson's 5.53.

"We weren't sure we had the timing right or anything else because we were in such a rush," said Gunderson. "He was driving away from me, then I started to reel him in, and right before the finish line a fuel line or something came off his car, and I was able to drive around him. I guess it was just meant to be."

In addition to co-crew chief Rob Wenland, Gunderson thanked wife Nancy, nephew Bryan Coffey, and brother-in-law Jeff VanderVoort. He also thanked Coffey's mother, Linda, and VanderVoot's wife, Jennifer, who "takes care of my business back home."

The key race: "It has to be the semifinal," said Gunderson. "We lost. We didn't run up to potential and got beat. [Bourke] said they forgot to refuel the car after the warmup, which makes perfect sense. Nitro weighs 11 pounds per gallon, and it wouldn't take but a couple of gallons to make you light. I feel bad for those guys, but that's racing."

The runner-up: Kosky has won eight national events and appeared in 22 finals since his runner-up finish in Pro Comp at the 1980 Sportsnationals. His final-round appearance was his first since his victory in Reading in 1999 and just his second since 1990. Prior to that, Kosky won seven national events in four years and finished in the top 10 every year from 1989 to 1993, including a second-place finish in 1990. He also won three straight Division 3 championships from 1989 to 1991 and won his last division title in 1993 in Division 1.

Fast facts: Among those drivers who didn't return for the event was Mac Tools U.S. Nationals and CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals winner Morgan Lucas, who was not qualified after breaking a fuel-pump shaft on his first attempt. ... With his 280- and 278-mph runs in Reading, Gunderson now has the four fastest runs in class history and five of the top six.