NHRA NEWS: FINAL Story and Agate, 18th annual O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals

CONTACT: Michael Padian, 626-278-0312

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

FULLER  WINS FIRST CAREER POWERADE SERIES RACE AT 18TH ANNUAL O'REILLY
MID-SOUTH NATIONALS

Medlen wins second straight in Funny Car, Anderson extends lead in Pro
Stock and Hines regains lead in Pro Stock Motorcycle

 

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Tony Schumacher had the POWERade Series points lead
within his reach, just needing one more win Sunday against part-time
driver "Hot" Rod Fuller in the final round of the 18th annual O'Reilly
Mid-South Nationals.

 

What looked like a mismatch turned instead into an upset as Fuller and
his David Powers Motorsports dragster sped past Schumacher's U.S. Army
dragster to earn him his first career POWERade Series win.

 

 "I didn't see him or hear him so I knew it was going good," said
Fuller, who's hardly a fluke having advanced now to three final rounds
in the 10 events (out of 17) he's entered. "I think that was the first
time I ever drove down the track with a smile on my face. I'm not a real
excitable person but when the win light came on I started celebrating
like crazy."

 

The other winners at the $1.6 million event, the 17th of 23 on the NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Series, were Eric Medlen (Funny Car), Greg Anderson
(Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle). 

 

An incredibly wild and competitive season across all four categories in
the POWERade Series was center stage again Sunday as illustrated by the
fact that there was another lead change, bringing the total for the
season now to 24. There have also been a total of 15 different drivers
who have at one point this season led their respective category.

 

And defending POWERade Series Top Fuel champ Schumacher fell four points
short of passing Doug Kalitta and his Mac Tools dragster and running the
total of lead changes to 25.

 

Hines regained the Pro Stock Motorcycle lead by 15 points over GT
Tonglet with his final-round win over his Screamin' Eagle Vance & Hines
Harley-Davidson teammate; Anderson extended his lead in Pro Stock to 73
points over the man he defeated in the final round, Kurt Johnson; and
Robert Hight, who lost to Medlen in the semifinals, maintained a slim
30-point lead in Funny Car over runner-up Ron Capps. 

 

But the night belonged to Fuller, who has consistently had one of the
better dragsters when he's entered races in the first season of
competition for David Powers Motorsports. And he soaked in the victory,
taking a lonely but meaningful stroll, with his Wally in tow, all the
way down the quarter-mile at 10:15 p.m., a full two hours after his
first victory was secured.

 

"To be the man you have to beat the man and today we were able to do
that," said Fuller, who ran a 4.612-second final round against
Schumacher's 5.747. "I'd been stuck on 13 (career) wins for awhile and I
was starting to think it was a jinx so it was the perfect time to get my
first Top Fuel win and push that number to 14. We almost did it earlier
this year in Bristol but I lost on a holeshot. I caught a lot of ribbing
for that so I wanted to make sure I wasn't late today."

 

The win-light in Funny Car went to the resurgent Eric Medlen, who won
for the third time in the last four national events in his Castrol
Syntec Ford Mustang, beating team owner John Force's Castrol Startup GTX
Ford Mustang in the quarterfinals and teammate Robert Hight's AAA Ford
Mustang in the semifinals before taking out Ron Capps's Brut Dodge
Stratus with a 4.911-second run in the finals (against a 4.985).

 

"I don't know if there has ever been a team that has it totally
together," said Medlen, who remained in fifth place but pulled to within
71 points of Hight for the POWERade Series lead. "You like to think you
do but there's always something. But I bet these three teams work
together as best as three teams can. When John [Force] went out half his
guys went to help Robert [Hight] and half came to help us. Me and Robert
ran each other hard because whoever won needed to have lane choice. We
both staged real shallow and didn't worry about our lights. When I won
that race all three crews worked on my car. That's how it goes."

 

"You always want to win a race for yourself but I really wanted to win
this one for the entire team because we all share in the pain and we all
share the wins," Medlen said.

 

In Pro Stock, the points race came into clear focus as Kurt Johnson,
winner of three of the previous five events in his ACDelco Chevrolet
Cobalt, faced off against Greg Anderson and his Summit Racing Pontiac
GTO in the final with a chance to get to within 33 points of Anderson
with a win.Instead, after running a 6.834 to cross the line just behind
Anderson's 6.801, he now finds himself 73 points back of Anderson.

 

"If the fans aren't enjoying this points race this year they're not
paying attention," Anderson said. "This is like a toe-to-toe heavyweight
fight. Kurt has the best car right now. I can't seem to put any space
between us. He's been storming up behind us in the points. I had to win
just to hold him off."

 

"We somehow seem to rise to the occasion when we need to," Anderson
said. "We seem to do it just a little bit more than the others and
that's been the difference. All the glory should go to the crew because
they're the ones doing the work that makes me look good. The driver gets
on TV but the crew should get all the accolades."

 

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, the Harleys were once again the story as Hines
and Tonglet faced off in the final round for the second consecutive week
with Hines running a 7.161 (vs. a 7.239 for Tonglet) as they created
some separation from the rest of the pack in the class.

 

"We came in on a high note with (GT Tonglet) winning Brainerd last
weekend," Hines said. "They gave the Suzukis a 10-pound weight break and
we didn't know how that would change things. Then we start qualifying
and I blow up three motors in a row. I was at an all-time low for my
career. But dad [Byron Hines] and Scott Sceurman rebuilt our best motor
and fixed it and the crew gave me a perfect bike and I was able to go to
the No. 1 spot by two-thousandths over GT.

 

The other story all weekend was the weather, which reached record highs
in the Memphis area.

 

"I just tried to keep my head clear today. It was so hot and I tried to
stay cool up in the lounge," Hines said. "I knew I had a great bike and
I didn't want to give anything away. The race against Ryan Schnitz in
the quarterfinals was the tightest of my career. I was real glad to see
the win light and I started thinking I might get the breaks today."

 

*** AGATE  ***

MILLINGTON, Tenn. -- Final finish order (1-16) for professional
categories at the 18th annual O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals presented by
Pennzoil at Memphis Motorsports Park. The 1.6 million race is the 17th
of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL:

1. Rod Fuller; 2. Tony Schumacher; 3. Larry Dixon; 4. Cory McClenathan;
5. David Grubnic; 6. Morgan Lucas; 7. Melanie Troxel; 8. Scott Kalitta;
9. Doug Herbert; 10. Doug Kalitta; 11. John Smith; 12. Bobby Lagana Jr.;
13. Mitch King; 14. Clay Millican; 15. Scott Weis; 16. Brandon
Bernstein. 

FUNNY CAR:

1. Eric Medlen, Ford Mustang; 2. Ron Capps, Dodge Stratus; 3. Robert
Hight, Mustang; 4. Tommy Johnson Jr., Chevy Monte Carlo; 5. John Force,
Mustang; 6. Tim Wilkerson, Monte Carlo; 7. Gary Scelzi, Stratus; 8. Del
Worsham, Monte Carlo; 9. Whit Bazemore, Stratus; 10. Cruz Pedregon,
Monte Carlo; 11. Phil Burkart, Toyota Celica; 12. Tony Pedregon, Monte
Carlo; 13. Jack Wyatt, Pontiac Firebird; 14. Gary Densham, Monte Carlo;
15. Bob Gilbertson, Monte Carlo; 16. Tony Bartone, Monte Carlo. 

PRO STOCK:

1. Greg Anderson, Pontiac GTO; 2. Kurt Johnson, Chevy Cobalt; 3. Rickie
Smith, Chevy Cavalier; 4. Dave Howard, Cobalt; 5. Jason Line, Pontiac
Grand Am; 6. Ron Krisher, Cobalt; 7. Greg Stanfield, Cavalier; 8. Jeg
Coughlin, Dodge Stratus; 9. Warren Johnson, GTO; 10. Allen Johnson,
Stratus; 11. Larry Morgan, Stratus; 12. Ronnie Humphrey, Cavalier; 13.
Kenny Koretsky, Stratus; 14. Richie Stevens, Stratus; 15. Erica Enders,
Cobalt; 16. Jim Yates, Grand Am. 

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

1. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson; 2. GT Tonglet, Harley-Davidson; 3.
Shawn Gann, Suzuki; 4. Chris Rivas; 5. Ryan Schnitz; 6. Angelle Sampey,
Suzuki; 7. Michael Phillips, Suzuki; 8. Matt Guidera; 9. Antron Brown,
Suzuki; 10. Geno Scali, Suzuki; 11. Mike Berry, Suzuki; 12. Steve
Johnson, Suzuki; 13. Matt Smith, Suzuki; 14. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki; 15.
Chip Ellis; 16. Joe DeSantis, Suzuki. 

 

MILLINGTON, Tenn. -- Sunday's final results from the 18th annual
O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Memphis
Motorsports Park. The 1.6 million race is the 17th of 23 in the $50
million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series: 

Top Fuel -- Rod Fuller, 4.612 seconds, 313.07 mph def. Tony Schumacher,
5.747 seconds, 172.47 mph.

Funny Car -- Eric Medlen, Ford Mustang, 4.911, 300.13 def. Ron Capps,
Dodge Stratus, 4.985, 302.35. 

Pro Stock -- Greg Anderson, Pontiac GTO, 6.801, 201.49 def. Kurt
Johnson, Chevy Cobalt, 6.834, 201.88. 

Pro Stock Motorcycle -- Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 7.161, 180.52
def. GT Tonglet, Harley-Davidson, foul. 

Competition Eliminator -- Rodger Brogdon, Chevy Cavalier, 8.010, 169.00
def. David Rampy, Bantam Roadster, 7.418, 157.71. 

Super Stock -- Tom Sheehan, Chrysler Sebring, 10.412, 126.30 def. Dan
Fletcher, Chevy Camaro, 10.048, 128.46. 

Stock Eliminator -- James Paul, Plymouth Duster, 11.658, 111.86 def.
Kyle Riley, Pontiac LeMans, 12.623, 97.44. 

Super Comp -- Brad Plourd, Dragster, 8.909, 165.07 def. Doug Doll Jr.,
Dragster, 8.916, 159.55. 

 

MILLINGTON, Tenn. -- Final round-by-round results from the 18th annual
O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Memphis
Motorsports Park, the 17th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade
Drag Racing Series:

 

TOP FUEL: 

ROUND ONE -- Morgan Lucas, 4.985, 280.66 def. Brandon Bernstein, 5.968,
230.37; Melanie Troxel, 4.869, 294.82 def. Doug Kalitta, 4.914, 290.69;
David Grubnic, 4.818, 291.01 def. Clay Millican, 5.219, 225.82; Cory
McClenathan, 4.846, 299.46 def. Mitch King, 5.054, 272.78; Tony
Schumacher, 4.832, 296.37 def. Bobby Lagana Jr., 5.021, 283.61; Rod
Fuller, 4.806, 292.77 def. Scott Weis, 5.260, 214.93; Scott Kalitta,
4.803, 302.96 def. Doug Herbert, 4.862, 293.03; Larry Dixon, 4.885,
247.79 def. John Smith, 5.017, 270.37;

QUARTERFINALS -- Dixon, 4.770, 303.30 def. Troxel, 4.833, 301.47;
Schumacher, 4.806, 301.74 def. Lucas, 4.806, 297.29; Fuller, 4.745,
305.29 def. Grubnic, 4.795, 293.86; McClenathan, 4.836, 296.96 def. S.
Kalitta, 4.833, 296.44; SEMIFINALS -- Schumacher, 4.672, 308.78 def.
McClenathan, 4.816, 303.50; Fuller, 4.673, 302.21 def. Dixon, 4.679,
308.00;

FINAL -- Fuller, 4.612, 313.07 def. Schumacher, 5.747, 172.47. 

 

FUNNY CAR: 

ROUND ONE -- Tim Wilkerson, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.112, 287.47 def. Phil
Burkart, Toyota Celica, 6.138, 174.62; John Force, Ford Mustang, 5.192,
279.90 def. Cruz Pedregon, Monte Carlo, 5.427, 253.99; Ron Capps, Dodge
Stratus, 5.143, 280.78 def. Whit Bazemore, Stratus, 5.230, 272.56; Del
Worsham, Monte Carlo, 5.194, 288.33 def. Gary Densham, Monte Carlo,
7.880, 110.22; Eric Medlen, Mustang, 5.105, 284.21 def. Tony Pedregon,
Monte Carlo, 6.146, 172.98; Gary Scelzi, Stratus, 5.168, 279.56 def. Bob
Gilbertson, Monte Carlo, 8.361, 105.89; Tommy Johnson Jr., Monte Carlo,
5.199, 278.92 def. Tony Bartone, Monte Carlo, 8.451, 98.07; Robert
Hight, Mustang, 5.096, 291.13 def. Jack Wyatt, Pontiac Firebird, 6.703,
138.30; QUARTERFINALS -- Johnson Jr., 5.113, 284.93 def. Worsham, 5.157,
283.97; Capps, 5.139, 284.56 def. Scelzi, 5.153, 283.79; Medlen, 5.060,
293.92 def. Wilkerson, 5.139, 288.89; Hight, 5.056, 291.01 def. Force,
5.086, 280.31; SEMIFINALS -- Capps, 4.986, 295.59 def. Johnson Jr.,
5.010, 293.47; Medlen, 4.939, 296.05 def. Hight, 4.966, 298.01; FINAL --
Medlen, 4.911, 300.13 def. Capps, 4.985, 302.35. 

 

PRO STOCK: 

ROUND ONE -- Greg Stanfield, Chevy Cavalier, 6.862, 200.26 def. Warren
Johnson, Pontiac GTO, 6.859, 201.40; Jeg Coughlin, Dodge Stratus, 6.906,
200.53 def. Richie Stevens, Stratus, 6.929, 200.83; Jason Line, Pontiac
Grand Am, 6.830, 201.04 def. Erica Enders, Chevy Cobalt, 8.430, 116.25;
Dave Howard, Cobalt, 6.875, 200.47 def. Larry Morgan, Stratus, 6.881,
200.47; Greg Anderson, GTO, 6.823, 201.61 def. Ronnie Humphrey,
Cavalier, 6.881, 200.56; Kurt Johnson, Cobalt, 6.830, 201.88 def. Kenny
Koretsky, Stratus, 6.893, 200.89; Rickie Smith, Cavalier, 6.823, 201.76
def. Jim Yates, Grand Am, broke; Ron Krisher, Cobalt, 6.844, 201.10 def.
Allen Johnson, Stratus, 6.879, 200.92; QUARTERFINALS -- Howard, 6.861,
200.68 def. Krisher, foul; K. Johnson, 6.853, 201.19 def. Stanfield,
6.869, 200.53; Anderson, 6.805, 201.79 def. Line, 6.849, 200.95; Smith,
6.843, 201.28 def. Coughlin, 15.179, 54.51; SEMIFINALS -- K. Johnson,
6.817, 201.79 def. Howard, foul; Anderson, 6.785, 201.79 def. Smith,
6.831, 201.82; FINAL -- Anderson, 6.801, 201.49 def. K. Johnson, 6.834,
201.88. 

 

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: 

ROUND ONE -- Ryan Schnitz, 7.299, 180.26 def. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki,
foul; Michael Phillips, Suzuki, 7.303, 182.50 def. Mike Berry, Suzuki,
foul; Shawn Gann, Suzuki, 7.336, 180.02 def. Chip Ellis, 8.439, 110.94;
Chris Rivas, 7.365, 182.90 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, foul; Matt
Guidera, 7.297, 179.64 def. Antron Brown, Suzuki, 7.260, 179.18; GT
Tonglet, Harley-Davidson, 7.263, 181.59 def. Geno Scali, Suzuki, foul;
Angelle Sampey, Suzuki, 7.254, 177.98 def. Joe DeSantis, Suzuki, broke;
Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 7.202, 179.18 def. Matt Smith, Suzuki,
7.341, 179.64; QUARTERFINALS -- Rivas, 7.267, 175.46 def. Guidera,
7.375, 177.88; Tonglet, 7.263, 181.13 def. Phillips, foul; Gann, 7.362,
179.85 def. Sampey, 7.287, 177.14; Hines, 7.226, 181.79 def. Schnitz,
7.230, 183.02; SEMIFINALS -- Tonglet, 7.233, 183.49 def. Gann, 7.476,
175.14; Hines, 7.207, 180.14 def. Rivas, broke; FINAL -- Hines, 7.161,
180.52 def. Tonglet, foul. 

 

MILLINGTON, Tenn. -- Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional
categories following the 18th annual O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals
presented by Pennzoil at Memphis Motorsports Park, the 17th of 23 events
in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series - 

Top Fuel

1. Doug Kalitta, 1,280; 2. Tony Schumacher, 1,276; 3. Larry Dixon,
1,181; 4. David Grubnic, 1,057; 5. Brandon Bernstein, 1,041; 6. Morgan
Lucas, 1,032; 7. Doug Herbert, 900; 8. Scott Kalitta, 870; 9. Cory
McClenathan, 852; 10. Scott Weis, 613.

Funny Car

1. Robert Hight, 1,134; 2. Ron Capps, 1,104; 3. Gary Scelzi, 1,099; 4.
John Force, 1,087; 5. Eric Medlen, 1,063; 6. Tommy Johnson Jr., 990; 7.
Whit Bazemore, 896; 8. Cruz Pedregon, 863; 9. Del Worsham, 831; 10. Tony
Pedregon, 792.

Pro Stock

1. Greg Anderson, 1,340; 2. Kurt Johnson, 1,267; 3. Warren Johnson,
1,208; 4. Jason Line, 1,139; 5. Dave Connolly, 1,043; 6. Greg Stanfield,
867; 7. Ron Krisher, 862; 8. Jeg Coughlin, 810; 9. Richie Stevens, 781;
10. Jim Yates, 764. 

Pro Stock Motorcycle

1. Andrew Hines, 850; 2. GT Tonglet, 835; 3. Antron Brown, 746; 4. Ryan
Schnitz, 638; 5. Angelle Sampey, 628; 6. Chip Ellis, 621; 7. Karen
Stoffer, 612; 8. Geno Scali, 604; 9. Craig Treble, 559; 10. Steve
Johnson, 513.