AREND BUMPS HIS WAY INTO HISTORIC FIELD, LANDING LUCKY 13th

Jeff Arend entered the final qualifying session in Las Vegas in the 17th position, outside the field. By the time he ran, the bumping had already begun, and Arend was faced with running at least a mid-4.80 to bust his way into the race field, which he did with a big 4.818. Once all the amazing drama was complete, Arend was sitting in the 13th spot, and John Force was not in the field for the first time since he DNQd at the final race of the season in 1987. Force's 395-race qualifying streak was Ripkenesque in stature, and will almost certainly never be matched.

Arend will face Ron Capps in round one.

"We've had quite a bit more last-session drama than I'd like this year," Arend said. "It's no fun going into the final run outside the field, knowing it's all on the line and you're going to either be a hero or, as we say, a zero. By the time we ran, the bump spot had gotten down low enough that you really needed a clean and strong run, you couldn't slip at all, so to go out there and not only get in, but get in 13th, was a big deal for us. The fact John didn't make the field is just amazing, because that's a streak you just never thought would end. It had to end someday, but it's been going on so long, and they've made so many heroic last chance charges, usually all the way up
to the top of the field, it just didn't seem like it would ever really happen. I was still in Toronto driving door slammer sportsman cars, dreaming of someday driving a Funny Car, back in 1987.

"The good news is we're in, and we'll be racing on Sunday, but the bad news is we'll be facing the points leader in the first round. We can't go up there trying to outrun Ron Capps when he makes a perfect run, but we do have to go up there intent upon making a good solid lap, and we'll see if they can beat us. The goal is not to beat ourselves, and not give anything away. We might just surprise some people."