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News
Releases CMKXtreme Machine forced out in the
ENGLISHTOWN, Sunday: Jeff Arend, driver of the CMKXtreme Machine Corvette Funny Car, was eliminated in the opening round of the K&N Filters NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in New Jersey. Arend shook the tires in his first round race with John Force but still moved up a notch in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series point’s standings, despite the early exit. Arend entered Sunday’s eliminations in the No. 10 spot after posting a 4.974 at 301.33 mph during his final qualifying run. The CMKXtreme Machine pounded out the quickest 60-foot and 330-foot incremental times of the final session as veteran crew chief Paul Smith started to get a handle on the tricky Englishtown quarter-mile. The run gave Arend the unenviable task of facing 12-time POWERade Funny Car champion John Force in the first round. The weather was beautiful on race day at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park. The skies were clear and the temperatures comfortably in the 70-degree range. Arend and Force were the last pair of fuel cars to go down the track in the first round. Both drivers had identical .085 reaction times and Arend reached the 60-foot timers first, but then the CMKXtreme Machine starting shaking the tires. Arend pedaled the throttle and tried to recover but the CMKX car started smoking the tires and Force drove on to victory with a 4.922 at 316.60 mph, the second quickest run of the first round. Arend rolled through the finish line clocks with 6.967 at 124.86 mph. “It look liked the conditions were coming to us,” said Arend. “Several of the cars before us were having trouble in the left lane so I think lane choice was definitely a factor. John and I both had decent reaction times and we were a little faster to the 60-foot but the car just didn’t stick. The drive shaft speed was the same as it was when we ran the 4.97 in qualifying but today the track wouldn’t hold it. We’re continuing to refine our hot weather tune up and we’ll take what we learned here with us to St. Louis next weekend.” CONTACT | |
