Friday, Oct. 24, 2003 | 10:24 a.m.
Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at [email protected] or (702) 259-4089.
George Marnell is having the worst season of his 10-year NHRA Pro Stock career.
Marnell, who never has finished out of the top 20 in points since he started racing on a full-time basis in 1994, sits 23rd in Pro Stock points coming into this weekend's ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and has qualified at only six of the 21 national events this season.
But Marnell, a longtime Las Vegas resident who owns and operates Marnell Masonry, certainly isn't lacking confidence coming into his "home" race. After qualifying for final eliminations at only three of the first 16 races of the season, Marnell has qualified at three of the past five races, including a season-best seventh at Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, Pa., earlier this month.
"I'm optimistic about the way we have been running lately," said Marnell, who has two career Pro Stock victories. "I think that we had made quite a bit of process lately and I think we can do well (this weekend).
"There are a couple of guys out there who just have monster horsepower ... and that's going to be difficult to overcome. When you go up to the starting line and you the guy has three- or four-hundredths on you in the horsepower department, you know you've got to be there on the starting line and just take a shot at it."
Although underpowered compared to some of the top teams in the Pro Stock class, Marnell said his engine supplier, Reher-Morrison, recently has been providing him with more power. That, combined with some personnel changes on the team this summer, has Marnell feeling better about things as he prepares for the 2004 season.
"We've got a real good crew right now -- probably as good a crew as I've ever had," Marnell said. "Reher-Morrison has found us some extra power, so that has helped the situation a little bit, too. Of course, it's a little late in the season to make a big move so we'll just have to regroup and try again next year."
Two days before his most recent race, the O'Reilly Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis Oct. 10-12, Millican's mother, Martha, was shot in the head during a robbery at the family's store in his hometown of Drummonds, Texas. After spending a day in the hospital, Martha Millican was released and is expected to make a full recovery.
At his mother's insistence, Millican competed in the Fall Nationals where he qualified fifth and lost in the first round of eliminations.
"We started out so strong in Dallas but, unfortunately, didn't win when it counted," Millican said. "Hopefully we can stay consistent throughout the entire race this time. This team wants our first NHRA win so badly and Vegas would sure be a fun place to get it."
According to wire reports, IRL founder Tony George consulted with Renna's father and Chip Ganassi, Renna's team owner, and the three decided the banquet should go ahead as planned.
Renna, a former Las Vegas resident and instructor at the Derek Daly Performance Driving Academy at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, was making his first laps with Target/Chip Ganassi Racing when he crashed exiting Turn 3. The IRL has launched an investigation into the cause of the accident.
"I fractured my pelvis in three places," Unser said. "If I was still a kid, I'd probably have been OK but at age 41, I knew when I stood up that something wasn't quite right on my left side. I couldn't support myself with my left leg.
"Fortunately, none of the fractures went through the entire bone. The damage didn't warrant surgery, so assuming the next round of X-rays show everything is still properly aligned, I'll begin a six- to eight-week program of water aerobics to regain my strength.
"My goal is to be back in a racecar in seven weeks. The chances of that happening, and me racing next season, are very good."
"I'm starting to feel better each day," Brack said. "I feel good about going to the rehab center now. I know the rehab will be a long process but I plan to work hard and get back to my old self."
Brack, who suffered a fractured right thighbone, a fractured sternum, fractured lumbar vertebrae and fractures to both ankles in the crash, has not said if he would return to racing after he has recovered.
Riggs will replace Johnny Benson, who will finish out the 2003 season in the car. Riggs currently is fifth in the Busch Series standings but only 44 points behind series leader Brian Vickers with four races remaining.
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