NHRA NEWS: Post Notes from O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: NHRA Communications, (626) 914-4761 POST RACE NOTES: 17th annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX May 26-29, Heartland Park Topeka, Topeka, Kan. TOP FUEL * Dave Grubnic, of Brisbane, Australia, raced to his first career victory in his eighth career appearance in a Top Fuel championship round. Grubnic became the first non-North American to win an NHRA Top Fuel race. * Grubnic sped his Zantrex-3 dragster down the quarter-mile in 4.600 seconds at 320.28 mph in the final round to defeat the Miller Lite dragster of Larry Dixon, who spun his wheels down the quarter mile, needing 10.051 seconds at 101.08 mph. * Grubnic pulled into a tie for third place with Dixon (593 points each) in the NHRA POWERade point standings. Doug Kalitta (722) maintained his lead over Tony Schumacher (696), who remained 1-2 in the standings in spite of first and second round eliminations respectively. * Doug Kalitta qualified No. 1 for the second time this season in his Mac Tools dragster, but exited after a first-round loss to Scott Palmer. It was Kalitta's 25th No. 1 effort in his career. * Grubnic's crew earned the Full Throttle Pit Crew Championship award. * Larry Dixon set a track speed record at 331.61 mph in his Miller Lite dragster. FUNNY CAR * John Force, of Yorba Linda, Calif., earned his NHRA-record 118th career win, his third in a row in 2004 and his fourth overall in 2004 with a 4.809 effort at 320.97 in his Castrol GTX Start Up Ford Mustang. It was his NHRA-record eighth career win at Heartland Park Topeka. * The 13-time and defending Funny Car world champion left the Skoal Racing Chevy Monte Carlo of Tommy Johnson Jr. in the dust. Johnson, whose car lost traction, clocked an 8.167 at 107.62 in the final round. * With the win, Force (715) extended his lead in the Series standings to 127 points over teammate and son-in-law Robert Hight (588) who was eliminated by Johnson in the semifinals. * Hight was the No. 1 qualifier in his Auto Club Ford Mustang and he set a Funny Car elapsed time track record in the process by crossing the line in 4.729 seconds (at 322.50). * It was the third No. 1 qualifier for the rookie Hight in just his first nine NHRA starts. * Johnson's Skoal Monte Carlo crew earned the Full Throttle Pit Crew Championship award. PRO STOCK * Reigning Driver of the Year Greg Anderson, of Charlotte, N.C., defeated Dave Connolly for his third consecutive win and the 34th of his career. It also was his third straight victory at Heartland Park Topeka. * Anderson drove his Summit Racing Equipment Pontiac to a 6.768 finish at 203.65 to top Connolly's 8.167 (107.62). Connolly was driving in a one-event deal for Carrier Boyz Racing after his race team, Bullett Motorsports, ceased operations. * Anderson broke his own track record for elapsed time on consecutive qualifying runs; his pass of 6.716 seconds on the first pass Saturday was the quickest for the weekend. * Kurt Johnson set a track speed record in his ACDelco Chevy Cobalt, reaching 205.10 mph on his Friday night pass. * Warren Johnson, who was eliminated by Connolly in the quarterfinals, narrowly maintained his series points lead over Anderson. Johnson (724) will enter the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals June 9-12 outside Chicago with a 13-point lead over Anderson (711). * Anderson earned his second No. 1 qualifying award and his second of the season. * Ron Krisher claimed the Motel 6 Who Got the Light award after defeating V. Gaines by a .0013-second margin in the first round of eliminations. * Connolly's Carrier Boyz Chevy Cobalt crew earned the Full Throttle Pit Crew Championship award. -30-