IHRA: Tony Gillig First GM Car to Hit the 6.60 Zone in Pro Stock
1 October 1998
Friday night qualifying Tony Gillig & the Gillig Motosports team entered = the history books as the FIRST OFFICIAL GM POWERED PRO STOCK CAR IN THE = WORLD TO RUN IN THE 6.60 ZONE. Gillig in his US Bancorp Financial - Shanahan Dry = Wall Services - Wayne's Pizza Olds Cutlass ran a career best 6.699. That run placed Gillig in the #4 qualifying position in IHRA's quickest Pro Stock = field in history.Race day was smoldering hot conditions were a challenge. Gillig the #4 qualifier was matched up against Steve Williford the # 13 qualifier. = Gillig & Williford left together but Gillig's 6.79 was no much for Willifords = 6.82. Round two paired Gillig with John Montecalvo, Gillig having lane choice. Gillig's brother-in-law and crew chief for Montecalvo Billy Wagner and = the Gillig crew thrashed between rounds to face each other in the lanes. = "This is never an easy match...John is a good driver and my brother-in-law Billy = is an excellent crew chief...we enjoy the competition we have between the two = teams. I always look forward to staging side by side with John."
The last pair of Alcohol Funny cars oiled the right lane of choice. = Gillig & crew made the decision to change lanes. Gillig left on Montecalvo and unfortunately encountered sever tire shake in second gear forcing Tony = to lift and advancing Montecalvo to the semi finals. "We apparently = miscalculated something. I'm not happy with this run we had higher expectations. We thought we had the right combination for this pass=85I really expected = to do better. We were rushed between first and second round and the heat was starting to get to us, my crew really gave it their best shot."
October 16th Shreveport Louisiana will host the IHRA Snap-on series = finals. This event is twofold for the Pro Stock category. The drivers will = compete for the World Championship title of Pro 1, as well as competing in the = Sunoco Race Fuels Showdown. Points for the Showdown are accumulated during the = last round of qualifying throughout the season. Only the top eight point's = leaders from the 4th session of qualifying are eligible to compete for the hefty $20,000.00 purse. The Showdown is run during the qualifying rounds. The = 8 competitors run first proceeded by the rest of the field. All the gas = is drained out of the cars; with track officials presiding Sunoco Race Fuel = is put into the car and sealed. If the seal is broken you are = disqualified. Gillig is #6 in the Showdown points. "This is a fantastic opportunity = for us. Qualifying for the Showdown is always one of my goals during the season. = We ran in the Showdown last year & went out in the second round. I'm = confident we will do better this year=85believe me, we are really putting our = heads together for this event!"
-Gillig Motorsports Racing-=20
