NHRA NEWS: HOUSTON ADVANCE PACKAGE

O'REILLY NHRA SPRING NATIONALS PRESENTED BY PENNZOIL FACT SHEET

WHAT:	19th annual O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals presented by
Pennzoil, the fourth of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag
Racing Series. Professional competitors in four categories earn points
leading to 2006 NHRA POWERade Series world championships. Sportsman
competitors in six categories earn points leading to 2006 NHRA Lucas Oil
Drag Racing Series world championships.

WHERE: Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, Texas. From I-10, go south on Hwy.
146, or FM 3180. Then follow FM 565 to the facility. From the south,
follow Hwy. 146 to Spur 55, then east to FM 1405, then north to FM 565.
For additional information about directions please visit
houstonracewaypark.com.

WHEN:	Friday through Sunday, March 31-April 2.

PURSE: Cash and contingency awards of more than $1.7 million.

SCHEDULE:	
FRIDAY, March 31 -- Sportsman qualifying and eliminations begin at 8
a.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 3 and 6 p.m.

SATURDAY, April 1 -- Sportsman eliminations, 8 a.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

SUNDAY, April 2 -- Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.

TELEVISION:	
Saturday, April 1, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of
qualifying highlights at 8 p.m. (ET).
Sunday April 2, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will broadcast NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute
weekly news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, April 2, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final
eliminations at 4 p.m. (ET).

SATELLITE: 	
Friday, March 31, 10-10:30 p.m.  (ET) - Galaxy 11 / Transponder 13K
(downlink freq: 11960, MHz horizontal)
Saturday, April 1, 10:30-11 p.m.  (ET) - Galaxy 11 / Transponder 13K
(downlink freq: 11960, MHz horizontal)
Sunday, April 2, 8-8:30 p.m.  (ET) - SBS 6 / Transponder 17K (downlink
freq: 12117, MHz horizontal)

2005 EVENT
WINNERS: Tony Schumacher, Top Fuel; Robert Hight, Funny Car; Warren
Johnson, Pro Stock; Karen Stoffer, Pro Stock Motorcycle.

TRACK 
RECORDS:	
Top Fuel - 4.480 seconds by Gary Scelzi, Oct. '99; 335.32 mph by Tony
Schumacher, April '05
Funny Car -- 4.755 seconds by Gary Densham, April '03; 326.16 mph by
Robert Hight, April '05
Pro Stock - 6.693 seconds by Greg Anderson, April '04; 205.72 mph by
Anderson, April '04
Pro Stock Motorcycle - 7.055 seconds by Angelle Sampey, April '05;
195.73 mph by Andrew Hines, April '05

NATIONAL	
RECORDS:	
Top Fuel -- 4.437 sec. (Sept. '05, Joliet, Ill.) and 336.15 mph (May
'05, Columbus, Ohio) by Tony Schumacher.
Funny Car -- 4.665 sec. and 333.58 mph (Oct. '04, Joliet, Ill.) by John
Force.
Pro Stock -- 6.633 sec. and 208.23 mph (March '05, Gainesville, Fla.) by
Greg Anderson.
Pro Stock Motorcycle - 6.968 sec. (July '05, Sonoma, Calif.) and 197.45
mph (March '05, Gainesville, Fla.) by Andrew Hines.
	
TICKETS:	For tickets call Houston Raceway Park, (281) 383-RACE
(7223). Tickets also are available at Ticketmaster.

GENERAL ADMISSION (includes pit pass) - Friday: Adult, $34; Junior (6-12
years), $10. Saturday: Adult, $45; Junior (6-12 years), $12. Sunday:
Adult, $45; Junior (6-12 years), $12; Children 5 and under admitted free
in General Admission and pit areas each day.

RESERVED SEATS (includes pit pass) - Friday: Adult, $42; Junior (6-12
years), $20; Child (5 years and under), $10.
Saturday: Adult, $55; Junior (6-12 years), $22; Child (5 years and
under), $12. Sunday: Adult, $57; Junior (6-12 years), $22; Child (5
years and under), $12.

***

KAREN STOFFER MAKES INCREDIBLY QUICK RECOVERY FROM FREAK ACCIDENT IN
TIME TO DEFEND BACK-TO-BACK VICTORIES IN HOUSTON 

BAYTOWN, Texas - The evening of Oct. 23, 2005 seemed innocuous enough to
Karen Stoffer.

The rider of the Geico Suzuki was packing up her trailer after a
first-round loss at the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals, a routine task
she's done many, many times before.

In one terrible instant, however, her life was turned upside-down.

While raising the loading ramp on the back of her trailer to allow
another truck to exit, the ramp suddenly and inexplicably gave way,
crashing down on her with devastating force.

As she reached up to stop it, the ramp crashed down across her hand,
head and face, and then her hip as she fell to the ground under its
weight.

When the dust had settled, in addition to a pretty bad headache, Stoffer
had suffered multiple injuries, including fractures to her pelvis and
left hand and a laceration to her face.:

In short, this was a time to reflect on things like being alive or
simply walking again. Riding a motorcycle, much less riding one
competitively, was pie-in-the-sky stuff.

But with a torrent of support from every direction - and the sensational
work of her doctors - Stoffer proceeded to make a miraculously quick
recovery.

Just three-and-a-half months after the accident, Stoffer was cleared to
race with one final note from her doctor: "He said, 'You're fine to race
... just try not to fall off (the motorcycle) ... "

So on Feb. 8, 2006, Stoffer was back on her Geico Suzuki, preparing for
Pro Stock Motorcycle season. This week she'll try to earn her third
consecutive victory at the O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals presented by
Pennzoil at Houston Raceway Park. The $1.7 million race is the fourth of
23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

"I was really fortunate," said Stoffer, a two-time defending champion at
the O'Reilly Spring Nationals. "I had so much support from family and
friends and fans, I couldn't do anything but get better. It was really
pretty mind-blowing."

Joining Stoffer in the winners' circle at the 2005 O'Reilly Spring
Nationals was a star-studded cast that included two-time defending
POWERade Series Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher, 2005 Rookie of the
Year Robert Hight in Funny Car and six-time POWERade Series world
champion Warren Johnson in Pro Stock.

Through the first three events in 2006, Schumacher has three No. 1
qualifiers in his U.S. Army dragster, but he's yet to find the winners'
circle. Still, he's a favorite at any race he enters. He'll receive
stiff competition from Don Schumacher Racing teammate and series points
leader Melanie Troxel (Skull Gear/Torco Race Fuels dragster) as well as
Hot Rod Fuller, who drives the Valvoline dragster for Houston-based
homebuilder David Powers.

In Funny Car, Hight already has one win in 2006 in his Auto Club Ford
Mustang and he'll be a driver to watch along with three-time Houston
champ Tony Pedregon (Q Racing Chevy Monte Carlo) and Hight's team owner,
John Force (Castrol Syntec Ford Mustang), who counts among his NHRA
record 119 career victories a track-record seven wins in Houston.

This race has produced a different Pro Stock winner in each of the last
four seasons and with the way the year has begun for the 200 mph
doorslammers, that pattern may hold true. Through three events in 2006,
there have been three different winners: The current Pro Stock dynasty
(three-time defending world champ Greg Anderson) won the opener at
Pomona; the former Pro Stock dynasty (six-time champ Warren Johnson) won
at Phoenix; and Tom Martino won at Gainesville. Look out too for Houston
native Erica Enders, who has qualified No. 2 at the first two events and
is coming off of a runner-up finish to Martino at Gainesville.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, the threat to Stoffer's dominance in Houston
will likely come from the hard-charging Screamin' Eagle Vance & Hines
Harley-Davidsons of Andrew Hines and GT Tonglet. Other top contenders
will be looking for their first win of the season, including three-time
POWERade Series world champion and 2006 points leader Angelle Sampey
(U.S. Army Suzuki) and Ryan Schnitz (Team Muzzy Buell), who led the
category in 2005 with three victories.

SCHEDULE: Pro qualifying sessions are scheduled for 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on
March 31. Qualifying continues at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. on April 1.
Final eliminations start at 11 a.m. on April 2. 

TICKETS: Tickets are available for the 19th annual O'Reilly NHRA Spring
Nationals presented by Pennzoil. Call Houston Raceway Park at (281)
383-RACE (7223) for ticket information, or check online at
Ticketmaster.com.

ON TV: ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage
of the O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals at 8 p.m. (ET) on April 1. ESPN2
and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final eliminations coverage at
4 p.m. (ET) on April 2.

ON THE WEB: Quick access to NHRA media relations department press
releases, electronic images and other information is available on the
Internet at media.nhra.com.

***

2006 NHRA POWERADE POINT STANDINGS
(Following three of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERADE Drag
Racing Series)

UPDATED 3/19/2006 (Victories in parentheses)

TOP FUEL
Place	Driver	Points
1.	Melanie Troxel, Avon, Ind., Skull Gear/Torco Race Fuels dragster
(1)	275
2.	Rod Fuller, Las Vegas, David Powers Homes/Valvoline dragster (1)
202
3.	Dave Grubnic, Ennis, Mont., StriVectin-SD dragster 91)	201
4.	Larry Dixon, Indianapolis, Miller Lite dragster	188
5.	Morgan Lucas, Riverside, Calif., Lucas Oil dragster	178
6.	Tony Schumacher, Long Grove, Ill., U.S. Army dragster	174
7.	Doug Herbert, Lincolnton, N.C., Snap-on Tools dragster 	173
8.	Doug Kalitta, Ann Arbor, Mich., Mac Tools dragster	163
9.	David Baca, Brentwood, Calif., Mach 1 Air Services dragster
156
10.	Hillary Will, Ypsilanti, Mich., KB Racing dragster	121

FUNNY CAR
1.	Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., Brut Dodge Stratus R/T (1)	280
2.	John Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Castrol GTX Ford Mustang
249
3.	Robert Hight, Anaheim Hills, Calif., Auto Club of Southern
Calif. Ford Mustang (1)	221
4.	Phil Burkart Jr., Yorkville, N.Y., Checker Schuck's Kragen
Chevrolet Monte Carlo	196
5.	Tommy Johnson Jr., Avon, Ind., Skoal Racing Chevrolet Monte
Carlo (1)	180
6.	Del Worsham, Chino Hills, Calif., Checker Schuck's Kragen
Chevrolet Monte Carlo	159
7.	Eric Medlen, Indianapolis, Castrol Syntec Ford Mustang	145
8.	Cruz Pedregon, Santa Rosa Valley, Calif., Advance Auto Parts
Chevrolet Monte Carlo	139
9.	Gary Scelzi, Fresno, Calif., Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger	122
10.	Tony Pedregon, Chino Hills, Calif., Q Racing Chevrolet Monte
Carlo	121

PRO STOCK
1.	Greg Anderson, Charlotte, N.C., Summit Racing Pontiac GTO (1)
274
2.	Warren Johnson, Sugar Hill, Ga., GM Performance Parts Pontiac
GTO (1)	199
3.	Erica Enders, Houston, Slammers Ultimate Milk Chevrolet Cobalt
185
4.	Mike Edwards, Coweta, Okla., Young Life Pontiac GTO	182
5.	Greg Stanfield, Bossier City, La., PiranaZ Pontiac GTO	179
6.	Rickie Smith, King, N.C., Skull Gear Chevrolet Cobalt	176
7.	Larry Morgan, Newark, Ohio, zMax Micro Lubricants Dodge Stratus
R/T	163
8.	Jason Line, Terrell, N.C., Summit Racing Pontiac GTO	147
9.	Ron Krisher, Warren, Ohio, Valvoline Chevrolet Cobalt	138
10.	Richie Stevens Jr., New Orleans, Team Mopar Dodge Stratus R/T
122

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
(Following one of 15 events)
1.	Angelle Sampey, New Orleans, U.S. Army Suzuki (1)	114
2.	Antron Brown, Indianapolis, U.S. Army Suzuki	97
3.	Andrew Hines, Indianapolis, Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson
76
4.	Geno Scali, Chicago, Performance Machine Suzuki	73
5.	Ryan Schnitz, Decatur, Ind., Muzzys.com Buell V-Twin	58
6.	Chip Ellis, Americus, Ga., Drag Specialties S&S Buell V-Twin
55
7.	Karen Stoffer, Minden, Nev., Geico Motorcycle Suzuki	54
8.	Shawn Gann, Stoneville, N.C., Race Girl/Gann Speed Suzuki
52
9.	Tom Bradford, Eagle, Wis., Hal's Speed Shop/Flying Doc Buell
V-Twin	33
10.	GT Tonglet, New Orleans, Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson
32
	Craig Treble, Hensley, Ark., Team Tigue Suzuki	32
	Matt Smith, King, N.C., Torco/Skull Gear Buell V-Twin	32