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Auto Racing in Las Vegas More Information George Marnell Las Vegan wins NHRA Pro Stock title in season opener in Pomona, Calif.

Monday, February 11, 2002
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Marnell captures NHRA's Pro Stock title at Winternationals

Las Vegan wins event with new crew chief

George Marnell came into the 2002 drag racing season with a smile despite losing his partner of six years and a crew chief.

Marnell has said the split with Las Vegan Ken Black and their team's crew chief and part-time driver, Greg Anderson, gave him an opportunity to promote Marcus Svenson to crew chief.

The 51-year-old Las Vegan didn't mention his driving remains sharp.

Marnell proved it Sunday when he drove his way to the NHRA Winternationals Pro Stock title in Pomona, Calif.

"I'm on top of the world right now," Marnell said in a telephone interview from Pomona. "It was a great day."

Actually there's no word to describe winning a 200-mph drag race by .0009 of a second and 3 inches. Those were Marnell's margins of victory over two-time Pro Stock world champion Jim Yates in the final round of eliminations.

"I didn't know I'd won until I saw the win light come on," he said.

Marnell's slower quarter-mile run in 6.880 seconds at 200.89 mph beat Yates despite Yates' 6.812-second, 202.61-mph effort.

Three of Marnell's four victories Sunday were on holeshots like the one against Yates that enabled him to overcome slightly quicker competitors. He also used three holeshots to win his first career title last year in Memphis, Tenn.

After Black started his own team and hired Anderson to drive, at the end of last season, Marnell promoted Svenson, a four-year veteran of the team.

"Marcus brought some good ideas with him when he stepped up to crew chief," Marnell said. "Now he can try to do some things that he wanted to try before. He's stepped up to the plate and fulfilled every expectation I could have had."

Marnell qualified in the 16th and final spot on the eliminations ladder. He upset low qualifier Ron Krisher in the first round by leaving the starting line .46 of a second quicker than Krisher.

In the second round, Marnell was faster than Mike Edwards, but he used his quickness on the starting line to eliminate Tom Hammonds in the semifinals.

In the other professional categories of the NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series, John Force won in Nitro Funny Car for his 99th career victory, and Larry Dixon defeated reigning champion Kenny Bernstein in the Top Fuel final.

• LVMS NOTE -- The Las Vegas Motor Speedway is offering 1,000 tickets to its March 2 Sam's Town 300 Busch race for any business that contributes $10,000 to a fund that will be divided equally between the track's Speedway Children's Charities and the city of Las Vegas' efforts to provide shelter for the homeless. Call 644-4444 for information.