NHRA NEWS -- Schumacher, Hight, Johnson and Schnitz win at
scenic Bandimere Speedway
SCHUMACHER, HIGHT, JOHNSON AND SCHNITZ WIN AT BANDIMERE;
THREE NEW POINTS LEADERS FOLLOWING MOPAR MILE-HIGH NHRA NATIONALS
MORRISON, Colo. - Funny Car rookie Robert Hight earned his second
victory of the season Sunday at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at
Bandimere Speedway and in the process moved atop the POWERade point
standings for the first time in his 13-race career.
Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel), Warren Johnson (Pro Stock) and Ryan Schnitz
(Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won their respective categories at the $1.8
million race, the 13th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade
Drag Racing Series.
The 35-year-old Hight covered the quarter-mile in his Auto Club Ford
Mustang in 4.897 seconds at 316.60 mph, easily outrunning Phil Burkart's
Checker Schuck's Kragen Toyota Celica, which rolled to the finish line
in 5.650 at 187.57 after losing traction. Hight's victory moved him 22
points ahead of his father-in-law, 13-time world champion John Force, in
the race towards the POWERade world championship. Gary Scelzi dropped to
third in the standings, 36 points behind Hight.
"This is unbelievable, and (crew chief) Jimmy Prock is just
unbelievable," Hight said. "We only run (at Denver) once a year, so
Jimmy said he's just going to put all these parts in a box and not pull
them out until we come here next season."
Bandimere Speedway has special meaning to Hight since it was the site of
his first race where he served as the clutch specialist for Force Racing
in 1995. Force went on to win that event and following the race he gave
Hight his 'Wally' trophy.
"I'm going to give this 'Wally' trophy to John. In 1995 he gave me my
first trophy when he won here and I was doing his clutch. Every time he
wins he gives the trophy to a crew guy and that was my first. Now I'm
going to give him my trophy. I don't know if anyone's ever done that,
but for all he's done for me it's the least I can do."
Schumacher outran Morgan Lucas in the final round for his 25th career
victory and a category-best fourth win this season, shutting the clocks
off in his U.S. Army dragster in 4.617 at a track record speed of
331.45. Schumacher's performance moved the defending NHRA POWERade world
champion back atop the POWERade standings, 20 points ahead of Doug
Kalitta. Lucas is now winless in five career final round appearances,
three coming this season, the last two consecutively. Lucas was the
runner-up to Brandon Bernstein at St. Louis three weeks ago.
"Morgan's a good driver and they've been running well over there,"
Schumacher said. "When the numbers start stacking up of final rounds
without a win, it makes you real nervous because you know it's going to
go their way at some point. I hope it happens against someone else."
Top qualifier Brandon Bernstein may have been the first driver ever to
eclipse the 330-mph mark at the thin aired mountain-side drag strip with
his 330.88 mph run during Friday qualifying, but he would rather forget
his first round matchup against Rob Passey, who didn't even show up for
the race. In what appeared to be an easy win for the unopposed
Bernstein, a freakish incident sidelined the Southern California native.
The engine in Bernstein's Budweiser dragster backfired after an odd
burnout attempt and he had to be pushed off the track, resulting in no
winner from the Bernstein-Passey matchup and a second round solo pass
for David Grubnic right into the semifinals.
"The track temperature was well above 130 degrees and I took it a little
bit too far out on the track out of the water box and it dried the tires
up," Bernstein said. "I hit the throttle and it just brought the motor
to its knees. It didn't turn the tires, it just backfired and quit."
The retiring 62-year-old Johnson was handed his 95th career Pro Stock
victory when Dave Connolly left the starting line early and was
disqualified. With his semifinal win over Jim Yates, Johnson moved 31
points ahead of two-time defending champion and fellow Pontiac driver
Greg Anderson in the POWERade standings. Connolly used a holeshot to
defeat Anderson in their second round matchup.
In the final round, Johnson and Connolly both refused to roll their
vehicles into the staging beams after both drivers had activated the
pre-stage bulbs on the Christmas Tree, a tactic Johnson has used
numerous times during his illustrious career. After a 90 second
'burndown' Johnson rolled in first, and after the 22-year-old Connolly
staged his Skull Gear Chevy Cobalt, the third-year Pro Stock driver left
the starting line early before the green light was lit and was
disqualified.
"Sometimes you have to teach a brat a lesson," Johnson said. "We knew he
was going to do that so we packed the engine with ice and filled the
fuel cell up all the way. They did that before (in the semifinals at
Bristol, Tenn.) and we sat there for almost two minutes. I'll go for the
record next time. We probably could have sat there four minutes before
worrying about being light at the scales."
Schnitz became the first Pro Stock Motorcycle repeat winner of the 2005
season when he rode his Team Muzzy Buell to a winning pass of 7.513 at
184.37, defeating Antron Brown's U.S. Army Suzuki which recorded slower
numbers of 7.555 at 176.60. Brown's runner-up finish moved him within
one point of current leader GT Tonglet in the POWERade standings.
Schnitz moved to third, 48 points behind Brown after eight of 15 events
on the 2005 schedule.
"My focus right now is to win the POWERade championship," Schnitz said.
"When we started, I think we would have been ecstatic with a top-five
finish (in the POWERade point standings). But once we won at Houston,
and now with the way we ran this weekend, we'd be selling ourselves
short to not think about winning it all."
The 2005 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series continues next weekend with
the 18th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Pacific Raceways
outside Seattle.
MORRISON, Colo. -- Final finish order (1-16) for professional
categories at the 26th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at
Bandimere Speedway. The 1.8 million race is the 13th of 23 events in the
$50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
TOP FUEL:
1. Tony Schumacher; 2. Morgan Lucas; 3. David Grubnic; 4. Cory
McClenathan; 5. Larry Dixon; 6. Doug Kalitta; 7. Doug Herbert; 8. Scott
Weis; 9. Scott Kalitta; 10. Mitch King; 11. Mike Strasburg; 12. Melanie
Troxel; 13. Don Sosenka; 14. John Smith; 15. Brandon Bernstein; 16. Rob
Passey.
FUNNY CAR:
1. Robert Hight, Ford Mustang; 2. Phil Burkart, Toyota Celica; 3. Tim
Wilkerson, Chevy Monte Carlo; 4. Gary Scelzi, Dodge Stratus; 5. Tommy
Johnson Jr., Monte Carlo; 6. Ron Capps, Stratus; 7. Whit Bazemore,
Stratus; 8. Del Worsham, Monte Carlo; 9. Cruz Pedregon, Monte Carlo; 10.
John Force, Mustang; 11. Bob Gilbertson, Monte Carlo; 12. Tony Bartone,
Monte Carlo; 13. Jeff Arend, Monte Carlo; 14. Gary Densham, Monte Carlo;
15. Eric Medlen, Mustang; 16. Tony Pedregon, Monte Carlo.
PRO STOCK:
1. Warren Johnson, Pontiac Grand Am; 2. Dave Connolly, Chevy Cobalt; 3.
Kurt Johnson, Cobalt; 4. Jim Yates, Grand Am; 5. Greg Anderson, Pontiac
GTO; 6. Ron Krisher, Cobalt; 7. V. Gaines, Dodge Stratus; 8. Jeg
Coughlin, Stratus; 9. Greg Stanfield, Chevy Cavalier; 10. Jason Line,
Grand Am; 11. Allen Johnson, Stratus; 12. Richie Stevens, Stratus; 13.
Ben Watson, Cavalier; 14. Mike Thomas, Stratus; 15. Mike Edwards, Grand
Am; 16. Erica Enders, Cobalt.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:
1. Ryan Schnitz; 2. Antron Brown, Suzuki; 3. Craig Treble, Suzuki; 4.
Chip Ellis; 5. GT Tonglet, Harley-Davidson; 6. Matt Guidera; 7. Shawn
Gann, Suzuki; 8. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson; 9. Karen Stoffer,
Suzuki; 10. Angelle Sampey, Suzuki; 11. Geno Scali, Suzuki; 12. Mike
Berry, Suzuki; 13. Matt Smith, Suzuki; 14. Steve Johnson, Suzuki; 15.
Michael Phillips, Suzuki; 16. Chris Rivas.
MORRISON, Colo. -- Sunday's final results from the 26th annual
Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway. The 1.8 million
race is the 13th of 23 in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing
Series:
Top Fuel -- Tony Schumacher, 4.617 seconds, 331.45 mph def. Morgan
Lucas, 4.778 seconds, 309.91 mph.
Funny Car -- Robert Hight, Ford Mustang, 4.897, 316.60 def. Phil
Burkart, Toyota Celica, 5.650, 187.57.
Pro Stock -- Warren Johnson, Pontiac Grand Am, 7.131, 193.16 def. Dave
Connolly, Chevy Cobalt, foul.
Pro Stock Motorcycle -- Ryan Schnitz, Buell, 7.513, 184.37 def. Antron
Brown, Suzuki, 7.555, 176.60.
Super Stock -- Kevin Helms, Olds Achieva, 10.236, 132.01 def. Max Tafoya
Jr, Chevy S-10, 10.233, 132.91.
Stock Eliminator -- Kevin Helms, Chevy Camaro, 11.025, 119.81 def. Aaron
Koppien, Camaro, 11.336, 117.40.
Super Comp -- Dale Maher, Dragster, 9.445, 166.31 def. Craig Anderson,
Dragster, 9.441, 162.78.
Super Gas -- Michael Miller, '27-T Ford, 10.528, 126.77 def. James
Jones, Ford Maverick, 10.528, 136.30.
Super Street -- Frank Nichols Jr., Chevy Camaro, 11.602, 122.37 def.
Troy Grant, Chevy II, 11.610, 123.64.
MORRISON, Colo. -- Final round-by-round results from the 26th
annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway, the 13th of
23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series:
TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE -- David Grubnic, 4.940, 287.47 def. Scott Kalitta, 5.022,
276.41; Doug Herbert, 4.792, 306.81 def. Melanie Troxel, 5.826, 192.85;
Cory McClenathan, 4.988, 294.95 def. John Smith, 8.042, 100.36; Doug
Kalitta, 4.789, 312.57 def. Mike Strasburg, 5.251, 222.51; Morgan Lucas,
4.702, 314.68 def. Scott Weis, 4.938, 291.51; Larry Dixon, 4.753, 306.53
def. Mitch King, 5.215, 236.51; Tony Schumacher, 4.762, 323.04 def. Don
Sosenka, 6.465, 157.36; No winner Rob Passey, broke and Brandon
Bernstein, broke;
QUARTERFINALS -- Grubnic, 5.117, 209.20 was unopposed; Schumacher,
4.770, 315.86 def. Herbert, 5.098, 268.97; McClenathan, 4.742, 315.49
def. Dixon, 4.796, 308.85; Lucas, 4.894, 294.31 def. D. Kalitta, 4.924,
298.80;
SEMIFINALS -- Lucas, 4.712, 316.90 def. Grubnic, 4.759, 313.29;
Schumacher, 4.712, 325.85 def. McClenathan, 4.761, 312.78;
FINAL -- Schumacher, 4.617, 331.45 def. Lucas, 4.778, 309.91.
FUNNY CAR:
ROUND ONE -- Tim Wilkerson, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.138, 303.16 def. Eric
Medlen, Ford Mustang, 6.850, 139.20; Tommy Johnson Jr., Monte Carlo,
5.192, 294.37 def. Tony Bartone, Monte Carlo, 5.792, 181.72; Del
Worsham, Monte Carlo, 5.227, 292.52 def. Tony Pedregon, Monte Carlo,
foul; Ron Capps, Dodge Stratus, 5.204, 273.50 def. Gary Densham, Monte
Carlo, 6.652, 138.70; Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.952, 312.64 def. Jeff
Arend, Monte Carlo, 5.986, 158.22; Whit Bazemore, Stratus, 5.164, 284.03
def. Bob Gilbertson, Monte Carlo, 5.484, 206.73; Gary Scelzi, Stratus,
5.023, 297.22 def. Cruz Pedregon, Monte Carlo, 5.142, 286.13; Phil
Burkart, Toyota Celica, 5.100, 299.60 def. John Force, Mustang, 5.262,
287.60;
QUARTERFINALS -- Wilkerson, 5.195, 268.06 def. Bazemore, 5.759, 245.09;
Burkart, 5.397, 281.71 def. Capps, 5.747, 254.04; Scelzi, 5.050, 301.60
def. Worsham, 6.774, 143.86; Hight, 5.017, 311.27 def. Johnson Jr.,
5.190, 293.66;
SEMIFINALS -- Burkart, 5.153, 292.84 def. Wilkerson, 5.209, 293.60;
Hight, 4.964, 316.75 def. Scelzi, 11.255, 78.82;
FINAL -- Hight, 4.897, 316.60 def. Burkart, 5.650, 187.57.
PRO STOCK:
ROUND ONE -- Dave Connolly, Chevy Cobalt, 7.197, 192.38 def. Mike
Thomas, Dodge Stratus, 7.232, 192.11; V. Gaines, Stratus, 7.186, 192.91
def. Allen Johnson, Stratus, 7.191, 191.54; Jeg Coughlin, Stratus,
7.196, 192.22 def. Richie Stevens, Stratus, 7.197, 192.44; Kurt Johnson,
Cobalt, 7.162, 192.82 def. Ben Watson, Chevy Cavalier, 7.208, 190.89;
Jim Yates, Pontiac Grand Am, 7.211, 191.32 def. Jason Line, Grand Am,
7.181, 192.19; Warren Johnson, Grand Am, 7.151, 193.07 def. Erica
Enders, Cobalt, 7.248, 191.65; Greg Anderson, Pontiac GTO, 7.155, 193.29
def. Mike Edwards, Grand Am, 7.246, 190.27; Ron Krisher, Cobalt, 7.168,
192.74 def. Greg Stanfield, Cavalier, 7.151, 193.46;
QUARTERFINALS -- Yates, 7.214, 191.00 def. Gaines, 7.207, 192.85; K.
Johnson, 7.168, 192.77 def. Coughlin, 7.207, 192.06; Connolly, 7.213,
191.43 def. Anderson, 7.188, 192.71; W. Johnson, 7.165, 193.05 def.
Krisher, foul;
SEMIFINALS -- Connolly, 7.199, 191.67 def. K. Johnson, 7.184, 192.14; W.
Johnson, 7.134, 192.91 def. Yates, 7.223, 191.19;
FINAL -- W. Johnson, 7.131, 193.16 def. Connolly, foul.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:
ROUND ONE -- Antron Brown, Suzuki, 7.545, 178.19 def. Karen Stoffer,
Suzuki, foul; Matt Guidera, 7.513, 170.90 def. Mike Berry, Suzuki,
7.636, 174.48; Shawn Gann, Suzuki, 7.635, 172.85 def. Chris Rivas,
broke; Chip Ellis, 7.491, 174.66 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.672,
175.23; Ryan Schnitz, 7.479, 181.30 def. Michael Phillips, Suzuki, foul;
Craig Treble, Suzuki, 7.503, 179.09 def. Geno Scali, Suzuki, foul; GT
Tonglet, Harley-Davidson, 7.481, 180.26 def. Angelle Sampey, Suzuki,
7.553, 177.00; Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 7.515, 179.09 def. Matt
Smith, Suzuki, 7.666, 173.52;
QUARTERFINALS -- Brown, 7.599, 172.65 def. Hines, 7.631, 175.98; Treble,
7.539, 178.45 def. Gann, foul; Ellis, 7.473, 174.44 def. Guidera, 7.539,
179.33; Schnitz, 7.487, 184.60 def. Tonglet, 7.507, 178.59;
SEMIFINALS -- Brown, 7.561, 176.42 def. Treble, 7.529, 178.14; Schnitz,
7.504, 177.70 def. Ellis, 7.563, 170.36;
FINAL -- Schnitz, 7.513, 184.37 def. Brown, 7.555, 176.60.
MORRISON, Colo. -- Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional
categories following the 26th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at
Bandimere Speedway, the 13th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Series -
TOP FUEL
1. Tony Schumacher, 965; 2. Doug Kalitta, 945; 3. Larry Dixon, 876; 4.
David Grubnic, 864; 5. Morgan Lucas, 826; 6. Brandon Bernstein, 748; 7.
Scott Kalitta, 676; 8. Doug Herbert, 668; 9. Cory McClenathan, 654; 10.
Scott Weis, 488.
FUNNY CAR
1. Robert Hight, 893; 2. John Force, 871; 3. Gary Scelzi, 857; 4. Ron
Capps, 812; 5. Tommy Johnson Jr., 731; 6. Cruz Pedregon, 695; 7. Whit
Bazemore, 689; 8. Eric Medlen, 656; 9. Del Worsham, 633; 10. Tony
Pedregon, 596.
PRO STOCK
1. Warren Johnson, 1,030; 2. Greg Anderson, 999; 3. Jason Line, 962; 4.
Dave Connolly, 899; 5. Kurt Johnson, 838; 6. Richie Stevens, 630; 7. Jeg
Coughlin, 622; 8. Ron Krisher, 611; 9. Jim Yates, 599; 10. Greg
Stanfield, 595.
Pro Stock Motorcycle
1. GT Tonglet, 565; 2. Antron Brown, 564; 3. Ryan Schnitz, 516; 4.
Andrew Hines, 497; 5. Angelle Sampey, 487; 6. Chip Ellis, 479; 7. Craig
Treble, 461; 8. Karen Stoffer, 454; 9. Geno Scali, 425; 10. Steve
Johnson, 418.
