NHRA NEWS: SEATTLE ADVANCE PACKAGE
CARQUEST AUTO PARTS NHRA NATIONALS FACT SHEET
WHAT: 18th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals, the
14th 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: Pacific Raceways, Kent, Wash. The track is 10 miles
east of Interstate 5 on Highway 18. From I-5, use Exit 142A (Auburn
exit) and travel east 10 miles on Highway 18, following the signs to the
track. From other points, use Highway 18 and exit S.E. 304th St. or S.E.
312th St.
WHEN: Friday through Sunday, July 22-24.
PURSE: Cash and contingency awards of more than $1.4
million.
SCHEDULE: FRIDAY, July 22 -- Sportsman qualifying and eliminations
begin at 9:15 a.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 3:30 and
6:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, July 23 -- Sportsman eliminations
begin at 9:15 a.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 10:30 a.m. (Pro Stock), noon (TF,
FC); and 3 p.m. (all classes)
SUNDAY, July 24-- Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin
at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION: Saturday, July 23, ESPN HD will televise two hours of
qualifying highlights at 8 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 24, ESPN2 HD will televise
three hours of eliminations at 9 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 24, ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA
2Day, a 30-minute magazine show at 11:30 a.m. (ET).
SATELLITE: Friday, July 22, 11:30 p.m.-12 a.m. (ET) - Galaxy 10R
/ Transponder 24K (12184 MHz, horizontal)
Saturday, July 23, 10:30-11 p.m. (ET) -
Galaxy 10R / Transponder 24K (12184 MHz, horizontal)
Monday, July 25, 12:30 a.m.-1 a.m. (ET) -
Galaxy 10R / Transponder 24K (12184 MHz, horizontal)
2004 EVENT
WINNERS: Tony Schumacher, Top Fuel; John Force, Funny Car; Greg
Anderson, Pro Stock.
TRACK
RECORDS: Top Fuel -- 4.512 seconds by Gary Scelzi, July '01;
323.58 mph by Kenny Bernstein, July '02.
Funny Car -- 4.827 seconds by John Force,
July '01; 318.62 mph by Eric Medlen, July '04.
Pro Stock -- 6.699 seconds by Greg Anderson,
July '04; 206.10 mph by Anderson, July '04.
NATIONAL Top Fuel -- 4.441 sec. (Oct. '03, Reading, Pa.) by
Tony Schumacher; 336.15 mph (May '05, Columbus, Ohio) by Schumacher
RECORDS Funny Car -- 4.665 sec. (Oct. '04, Joliet, Ill.) by
John Force; 333.58 mph (Oct. '04, Joliet, Ill.) by Force
Pro Stock -- 6.633 sec. (March '05,
Gainesville, Fla.) by Greg Anderson; 208.23 mph (March '05, Gainesville,
Fla.) by Anderson
TICKETS: For tickets call (253) 639-5927. Tickets also are
available online at ticketmaster.com.
GENERAL ADMISSION (includes pit pass) - Friday: Adult, $33; Junior (6-12
years), $10; Saturday: Adult, $41; Junior (6-12 years), $10. Sunday:
Adult, $45; Junior (6-12 years), $10. Child (5 years and under), free in
general admission and pit areas each day.
RESERVED SEATS (includes pit pass) - Friday: Adult, $38; Junior (6-12
years), $15; Child (5 years and under), $5. Saturday: Adult, $51-53;
Junior (6-12 years), $20-22; Child (5 years and under), $12. Sunday:
Adult, $55-$58; Junior (6-12 years), $20-$22; Child (5 years and under),
$10-$12.
CONTACT: NHRA Communications Department, (626) 914-4761.
CONNOLLY PERSEVERES THROUGH TUMULTUOUS SEASON
22-YEAR OLD PRO STOCKER PRIMED FOR A SECOND-HALF RUN AFTER OVERCOMING
ADVERSITY IN SEASON'S FIRST 12 RACES
SEATTLE - Pro Stock driver Dave Connolly summed up his 2005 season best
when he said simply: "It's been quite a crazy year."
Connolly opened the 2005 season with a win at the CARQUEST Auto Parts
Winternationals and he backed that up with a runner-up finish at the
season's fourth event (O'Reilly Spring Nationals) and a win at the fifth
event (SummitRacing.com Nationals).
After the SummitRacing.com Nationals, Connolly led the POWERade Series
point standings for the third week in 2005.
"The beginning of the year, we looked pretty steady," Connolly said. "We
went to the Pro Stock Superbowl in Houston (and) we won that. It looked
promising. We went to the finals in Houston, won Las Vegas (and took
over the lead in the Pro Stock standings) ..."
"And then we went to Columbus and we lost our sponsorship. We were left
high and dry," Connolly said.
The dream season for the 22-year old racer from Elyria, Ohio had turned
into a nightmare.
Fortunately for Connolly, Carrier Boyz Racing stepped in with a one-week
life support sponsorship to keep him on the track at Topeka and then
Torco Gear took the baton and signed Connolly for the balance of the
2005 season.
"It definitely helps (your psyche) a lot," Connolly said of the security
of the sponsorship with Torco Gear. "As a driver, and for the crew, it
makes it a lot easier to get in the car when you know you have a ride
the next weekend."
Connolly has already got off to a good start on the Western Swing,
posting a runner-up finish at Denver. The second leg of the grueling
trio of races is the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals, July 22-24,
just outside Seattle. It is the 14th of 23 events on the $50 million
NHRA POWERade Series. With the final round appearance in Denver,
Connolly enters the event in fourth place. He has 899 points; Warren
Johnson leads the Pro Stock class with 1,030 points, Greg Anderson is
second with 999 and Jason Line is third with 962.
"Oh definitely," said Connolly when asked if he could once again
threaten for the championship by season's end. "It's just midseason. As
tough as it is to get seven rounds on Greg, we can do it if we can get
the horsepower back where it needs to be."
Connolly was the runner-up to Anderson in Seattle in 2004 and both
should be in the mix again in 2005. Throw in Anderson's teammate, Jason
Line, along with Kurt and Warren Johnson and from among that group of
five you will almost certainly have your Pro Stock champion come Sunday,
July 24.
"Everyone has their ups and downs," Connolly said. "But we'll get it
back together."
The defending champion at the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals in
Funny Car is also the all-time winningest driver at Pacific Raceways,
John Force. Gary Scelzi has had a steady 2005 with three No. 1
qualifiers (Las Vegas 1, Atlanta and St. Louis) and two wins (Bristol,
Chicago) and his Mopar/Oakley Dodge Stratus will certainly be a car to
watch along with the Castrol GTX Start Up Ford Mustang of Force. Rookie
driver Robert Hight, who claimed his second win of the season at Denver,
also took over the series points lead for the first time in his career.
In Top Fuel, it was defending POWERade Series champion Tony Schumacher
who reigned supreme in 2004. He holds a 20-point lead over Doug Kalitta
entering the event at Pacific Raceways this season. Other Top Fuel
drivers to watch include Larry Dixon (Miller Lite dragster), Dave
Grubnic (Zantrex-3 dragster) and the young guns, Morgan Lucas (Lucas Oil
dragster) and Brandon Bernstein (Budweiser dragster).
SCHEDULE: Pro qualifying sessions are scheduled for 3:30 p.m. and 6:30
p.m. on Friday, July 22. Qualifying continues at 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.
on Saturday, July 23 and final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday,
July 24.
TICKETS: Tickets are available for the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA
Nationals. Call Pacific Raceways at 253-639-5927 for ticket information,
or check online at pacificraceways.com or ticketmaster.com.
ON TV: ESPN2 will televise two hours of qualifying of the CARQUEST Auto
Parts NHRA Nationals at 8 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, July 23. ESPN2 will
televise NHRA Today, a 30-minute weekly news magazine show, at 11:30
a.m. (ET) on Sunday, July 24. ESPN2 will televise three hours of final
eliminations beginning at 9 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, July 24.
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.
2005 NHRA POWERADE POINT STANDINGS
(Following 13 of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERADE Drag Racing
Series)
TOP FUEL
Place Driver
Points
1. Tony Schumacher, Long Grove, Ill., U.S. Army dragster (4)
965
2. Doug Kalitta, Ann Arbor, Mich., Mac Tools dragster (3)
945
3. Larry Dixon, Indianapolis, Miller Lite/Ameriquest dragster
(2) 876
4. Dave Grubnic, Ennis, Mont., Zantrex-3 dragster (1)
864
5. Morgan Lucas, Riverside, Calif., Lucas Oil/Keystone dragster
826
6. Brandon Bernstein, Indianapolis, Budweiser/Lucas Oil
dragster (1) 748
7. Scott Kalitta, Snead Island, Fla., Mac Tools/Jesse James
dragster (2) 676
8. Doug Herbert, Cornelius, N.C., Snap-on Tools dragster
668
9. Cory McClenathan, Anaheim, Calif., FRAM AirHog dragster
654
10. Scott Weis, Ashland, Va., Barrett Enterprises dragster
488
FUNNY CAR
1. Robert Hight, Anaheim Hills, Calif., Auto Club of Southern
Calif. Ford Mustang (2) 893
2. John Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Castrol GTX Start Up Ford
Mustang (4) 871
3. Gary Scelzi, Fresno, Calif., Mopar/Oakley Dodge Stratus R/T
(2) 857
4. Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., Brut Dodge Stratus R/T (1)
812
5. Tommy Johnson Jr., Avon, Ind., Skoal Racing Chevrolet Monte
Carlo (1) 731
6. Cruz Pedregon, Camarillo, Calif., Advance Auto Parts
Chevrolet Monte Carlo 695
7. Whit Bazemore, Indianapolis, Matco Tools Dodge Stratus R/T
(2) 689
8. Eric Medlen, Indianapolis, Castrol Syntec Ford Mustang
656
9. Del Worsham, Chino Hills, Calif., Checker Schuck's Kragen
Chevrolet Monte Carlo (1) 633
10. Tony Pedregon, Chino Hills, Calif., Q Racing Chevrolet Monte
Carlo 596
PRO STOCK
1. Warren Johnson, Sugar Hill, Ga., GM Performance Parts
Pontiac (3) 1,030
2. Greg Anderson, Charlotte, N.C., Summit Racing Equipment
Pontiac GTO (3) 999
3. Jason Line, Terrell, N.C., Summit Racing Equipment Pontiac
(3) 962
4. Dave Connolly, Elyria, Ohio, Skull Gear Chevrolet Cobalt (2)
899
5. Kurt Johnson, Sugar Hill, Ga., ACDelco Chevrolet Cobalt (1)
838
6. Richie Stevens, New Orleans, Team Mopar Dodge Stratus R/T
630
7. Jeg Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, Jeg's Mail Order Dodge Stratus
R/T 622
8. Ron Krisher, Warren, Ohio, Valvoline Chevrolet
611
9. Jim Yates, Occoquan, Va., Yates Racing Pontiac
599
10. Greg Stanfield, Bossier City, La., PiranaZ Chevrolet
595
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
(Following eight of 15 events)
1. GT Tonglet, New Orleans, Vance & Hines Screamin' Eagle
Harley-Davidson (1) 565
2. Antron Brown, Indianapolis, U.S. Army Suzuki (1)
564
3. Ryan Schnitz, Decatur, Ind., Muzzys.com Buell V-Twin (2)
516
4. Andrew Hines, Indianapolis, Vance & Hines Screamin' Eagle
Harley-Davidson 497
5. Angelle Sampey, New Orleans, U.S. Army Suzuki (1)
487
6. Chip Ellis, Americus, Ga., G-Squared S&S Buell V-Twin (1)
479
7. Craig Treble, Hensley, Ark., Matco Tools Suzuki
461
8. Karen Stoffer, Minden, Nev., Geico Motorcycle Suzuki (1)
454
9. Geno Scali, Chicago, Trim-Tex Drywall Products Suzuki
425
10. Steve Johnson, Birmingham, Ala., Steve Johnson Racing Suzuki
(1) 418
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