NHRA NEWS: TOPEKA ADVANCE PACKAGE
O'REILLY NHRA SUMMER NATIONALS presented by CASTROL GTX FACT SHEET
WHAT: 17th annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol
GTX, the ninth of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing
Series. Professional competitors in three categories earn points leading
to 2005 NHRA POWERade championships. Sportsman competitors in seven
categories earn points leading to 2005 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series
championships.
WHERE: Heartland Park Topeka, Topeka, Kan. From Kansas City, take the
Kansas Turnpike (I-70) to the Topeka Boulevard exit and travel south to
the track. From Wichita, take the Kansas Turnpike (I-335) to the Topeka
Boulevard exit and travel south to the track.
WHEN: Thursday through Sunday, May 26-29.
PURSE: Cash and contingency awards of more than $1.9 million.
SCHEDULE: THURSDAY, May 26 -Sportsman qualifying and time trials,
10 a.m.
FRIDAY, May 27 -Sportsman qualifying and eliminations begin at 9 a.m.
Sport Compact Qualifying Sessions at 10:30 a.m.
and 1:30 p.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 4:30 p.m.
and 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, May 28 -- Sportsman qualifying and eliminations begin at 8
a.m.
Sport Compact Qualifying at 9:30 a.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at noon and 3
p.m.
SUNDAY, May 29 -- Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION: Saturday, May 28, ESPN will televise one hour of
qualifying highlights at 8 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, May 29, ESPN2 will televise three hours of
eliminations at 8 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, May 29, ESPN2 will televise NHRA 2Day, a
30-minute magazine show at 11:30 a.m. (ET).
SATELLITE: Friday, May 27, 10:30-11 p.m. (ET) - SBS6/ Transponder
5K (14123 MHz, vertical)
Saturday, May 28, 9-9:30 p.m. (ET) - SBS6/ Transponder
5K (14123 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, May 29, 9-9:30 p.m. (ET) - SBS6/ Transponder 5K
(14123 MHz, vertical)
Feeds include action with natural sound of Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro
Stock, plus interviews with qualifying
leaders on Saturday and winners on Sunday.
2004 EVENT
WINNERS: Brandon Bernstein, Top Fuel; Whit Bazemore, Funny Car;
Greg Anderson, Pro Stock.
TRACK
RECORDS: Top Fuel-4.487 seconds by Doug Kalitta, May '04; 331.53
mph by Mike Dunn, May '01
Funny Car-- 4.739 seconds by Eric Medlen, May '04;
326.48 mph by Whit Bazemore, May '03
Pro Stock-- 6.808 seconds and 202.94 mph, May '03 by
Greg Anderson
NATIONAL Top Fuel -- 4.441 sec., Oct. '03, Reading, Pa. and 336.15
mph May '05, Hebron, Ohio, by Tony Schumacher
RECORDS: Funny Car -- 4.665 sec., 333.58 mph Oct. '04, Joliet,
Ill., by John Force
Pro Stock -- 6.633 sec., 208.23 mph March '05,
Gainesville, Fla., by Greg Anderson
TICKETS: For tickets call NHRA at (800) 884-NHRA (6472).
Tickets also available at ticketmaster.com.
GENERAL ADMISSION (includes pit pass) - Thursday: $10; Junior (6-17
years), free. Friday: Adult, $28; Junior (6-17 years), $10. Saturday:
Adult, $40; Junior (6-17 years), $10. Sunday: Adult, $43; Junior (6-15
years) $10; Child (5 years and under), free with paying adult in general
admission and pit areas each day.
RESERVED SEATS (includes pit pass) - Friday: Adult, $36-41; Junior
(6-15), $18-23; Child (5 years and younger), $8-13. Saturday: Adult,
$50-55; Junior (6-15 years), $20-25; Child (5 years and under), $10-15.
Sunday: Adult, $53-58; Junior (6-15 years), $20-25; Child (5 years and
under), $10-15.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: NHRA Communications Dept., (626) 914-4761
BRANDON BERNSTEIN LOOKING TO REGAIN TOP FORM AS POWERADE SERIES HEADS TO
HEARTLAND PARK TOPEKA
TOPEKA - One short year ago, Heartland Park Topeka represented the top
of the mountain for Brandon Bernstein and the Budweiser Racing team.
He had just won his third race in nine events and taken over the lead in
the NHRA POWERade point standings for the second time in his young
career. The 2003 Rookie of the Year was making a strong bid to follow
that up with a Driver of the Year award in 2004.
Things were looking pretty good.
"We were ecstatic," currently sixth in the Top Fuel point standings
after eight events. "We were the points leader, we were thinking we were
going to go on and win more races. The attitudes were tremendous. We
were on top. When you're on top, everything's great."
The good times, for Bernstein and Team Budweiser, did not roll. He
suffered first round ousters in each of the following two races and
didn't see another final round in 2004, although he did finish a
respectable third in the point standings.
"A year ago, it was a pretty awesome feeling to be No. 1," said
Bernstein, who talked about the added pressure that comes with wearing
the bull's-eye that comes with No. 1, but added that he believes he and
his team "handled (being No. 1) fine. I don't know if I'd change
anything."
And while he's had his moments in 2005---- - hitting the top speed in
Phoenix and again in Bristol, Tenn. where he was the top qualifier -
he's yet to find the winner's circle.
"Race day for some reason, we just can't get over the hump," Bernstein
said. "But we're close. We really think we're close. It's just one of
those seasons where we haven't had a little bit of a break. We're not
looking for a red-light, just a break, something to help us get over our
second-round hump."
Bernstein would obviously like to change that and perhaps a return to
Heartland Park Topeka May 26-29 for the 17th annual O'Reilly Summer
Nationals, the ninth of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag
Racing Series, will do the trick.
"Coming into Topeka, I hope we can throw it down, get four qualifying
runs down and be ready to go for eliminations (on Sunday)," Bernstein
said.
The event at Heartland Park will be the third of three consecutive race
weekends, positioned on the back end of a stretch that includes stops in
Atlanta and Columbus, Ohio.
While Bernstein will certainly be a driver to watch in Top Fuel, he is
not alone. Wichita's Cory McClenathan is solidly positioned in the Top
10 in the standings and he's won here twice (1994, 1998). Points leader
Doug Kalitta and No. 2 Tony Schumacher are always threats, while
emerging "Hot" Rod Fuller and youngster Morgan Lucas are still chasing
down their first Top Fuel victories.
Other defending race winners include Whit Bazemore in Funny Car and Greg
Anderson in Pro Stock.
Bazemore has already had an impressive 2005 with wins in Gainesville,
Fla. and Las Vegas and his Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge will certainly
be a car to watch. Also in Funny Car, John Force is the all-time wins
leader at the track, regardless of class with seven, but he hasn't won
here since 2000. He is leading the season's point standings with three
victories, most recently at Columbus.
Anderson, who has earned back-to-back wins at Atlanta and Columbus, has
begun to show signs of his dominant 2004 form and should be a threat
along with series points leader Warren Johnson and the 22-year old Dave
Connolly, who has been a threat all season long.
SCHEDULE: Pro qualifying sessions are scheduled for 4:30 p.m. and 7:30
p.m. on Friday, May 27. Qualifying continues at noon and 3 p.m. on
Saturday, May 28 and final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, May
29.
TICKETS: Tickets are available for the O'Reilly Summer Nationals. Call
Heartland Park Topeka at 800-43-RACES (800-437-2237) for ticket
information, or check online at hpt.com or tickets.com.
ON TV: ESPN2 will televise one hour of qualifying of the O'Reilly Summer
Nationals at 8 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, May 28. ESPN2 will televise NHRA
Today, a 30-minute weekly news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET) on
Sunday, May 29. ESPN2 will televise three hours of final eliminations
beginning at 8 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, May 29.
2005 NHRA POWERADE POINT STANDINGS
(Following eight of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERADE Drag
Racing Series)
UPDATED 5/22/2005 (Victories in parentheses)
TOP FUEL
Place Driver
Points
1. Doug Kalitta, Ann Arbor, Mich., Mac Tools dragster (3)
684
2. Tony Schumacher, Long Grove, Ill., U.S. Army dragster (3)
641
3. Morgan Lucas, Riverside, Calif., Lucas Oil/Keystone dragster
502
4. Larry Dixon, Indianapolis, Miller Lite dragster (1)
497
5. Dave Grubnic, Ennis, Mont., Zantrex-3 dragster
479
6. Brandon Bernstein, Indianapolis, Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster
452
7. Cory McClenathan, Anaheim, Calif., FRAM AirHog dragster
429
8. Scott Kalitta, Snead Island, Fla., Mac Tools/Jesse James
dragster (1) 408
9. Doug Herbert, Cornelius, N.C., Snap-on Tools dragster
405
10. David Baca, Brentwood, Calif., D. Baca & Family dragster
310
FUNNY CAR
1. John Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Castrol GTX Start Up Ford
Mustang (3) 602
2. Gary Scelzi, Fresno, Calif., Mopar/Oakley Dodge Stratus R/T (1)
522
3. Robert Hight, Anaheim Hills, Calif., Auto Club of Southern
California Ford Mustang (1) 510
4. Cruz Pedregon, Camarillo, Calif., Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet
Monte Carlo 508
5. Whit Bazemore, Indianapolis, Matco Tools Dodge Stratus R/T (2)
503
6. Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., Brut Dodge Stratus R/T
443
7. Eric Medlen, Indianapolis, Castrol Syntec Ford Mustang
415
8. Tommy Johnson Jr., Avon, Ind., Skoal Racing Chevrolet Monte
Carlo (1) 407
9. Bob Gilbertson, Gastonia, N.C., Autolite XP Spark Plugs
Chevrolet Monte Carlo 354
10. Tony Pedregon, Chino Hills, Calif., Q Racing Chevrolet Monte
Carlo 353
PRO STOCK
1. Warren Johnson, Sugar Hill, Ga., GM Performance Parts Pontiac
(2) 672
2. Greg Anderson, Charlotte, N.C., Summit Racing Equipment Pontiac
(2) 593
3. Dave Connolly, Elyria, Ohio, Bullet Motorsports Chevrolet (2)
550
4. Jason Line, Terrell, N.C., KB Framers Pontiac (1)
548
5. Kurt Johnson, Sugar Hill, Ga., ACDelco Chevrolet Cobalt
474
6. Ron Krisher, Warren, Ohio, Valvoline Chevrolet
388
7. Richie Stevens, New Orleans, Team Mopar Dodge Stratus R/T
383
8. Jim Yates, Occoquan, Va., Yates Racing Pontiac
378
9. Greg Stanfield, Bossier City, La., PiranaZ Chevrolet
376
10. Jeg Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, Jeg's Mail Order Dodge Stratus
R/T 362
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
(Following four of 15 events)
1. GT Tonglet, New Orleans, Vance & Hines Screamin' Eagle
Harley-Davidson (1) 326
2. Karen Stoffer, Minden, Nev., Geico Motorcycle Suzuki (1)
268
3. Andrew Hines, Indianapolis, Vance & Hines Screamin' Eagle
Harley-Davidson 267
4. Steve Johnson, Birmingham, Ala., Steve Johnson Racing Suzuki
(1) 249
5. Craig Treble, Hensley, Ark., Matco Tools Suzuki
248
6. Ryan Schnitz, Decatur, Ind., Muzzys.com Buell V-Twin (1)
237
7. Geno Scali, Chicago, Trim-Tex Drywall Products Suzuki
217
8. Chip Ellis, Americus, Ga., G-Squared S&S Buell V-Twin
216
9. Antron Brown, Indianapolis, U.S. Army Suzuki
200
10. Angelle Sampey, New Orleans, U.S. Army Suzuki
197
