Shortline Express Team Experiences Bad Luck in Chicago

Shortline Express Team Experiences Bad Luck in Chicago

Chicago - Drag Racing can be a very humbling sport at times even for some of the sport’s most successful drivers. There is no end to the parade of problems or circumstances that can prevent some of the best teams from qualifying. Here’s a situation you probably have never heard of... how about a spider climbing into the lens and blocking the beam that determines a car’s ET?

That’s what happened to Duane Shields in the first round of the Allstar race which also doubled as the second round of qualifying during the O'Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 Nationals. Duane was on a good run that would have likely put him in the 13th position based on his incremental times except there was no quarter mile time recorded on the run. To make matters worse, Duane lost to Randy Meyer which eliminated him from further competition in the Allstar race.

Duane had earlier smoked the tires during the first session of qualifying but was confident he would qualify during the third and final session. So, he did not request a make up pass after learning the second run would not count. “They (track officials) told me a spider blocking the lens caused us not to get a time. We didn’t want to push the issue since we knew we would get another qualifying shot” Duane explained.

In the third session the Shortline Express team produced a 5.52 at 266 MPH but was not quick enough to qualify. “We smoked the tires in the first round of qualifying and that’s what put us behind. Stuff like this happens but it’s just part of racing. We are going to change our strategy and regroup” Duane said.

The Shortline Express team will have three weeks off before applying their new strategy in Epping, NH, July 20-22. Duane would like to thank his sponsors GRP Connecting Rods, Molinari Race Products and NGK Spark Plugs for their support.