NHRA NEWS: O'REILLY NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS ADVANCE PACKAGE
O'REILLY NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS FACT SHEET WHAT: 10th annual O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Castrol, the 12th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Professional competitors in four categories earn points leading to 2006 NHRA POWERade Series world championships. Sportsman competitors in four categories earn points leading to 2006 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series world championships. WHERE: Gateway International Raceway, Madison, Ill. Gateway International Raceway is located five minutes from downtown St. Louis at the intersection of Interstates 55/70 and Ill. Route 203 (Exit 4). WHEN: Friday through Sunday, June 23-25. PURSE: Cash and contingency awards of more than $1.3 million. SCHEDULE: FRIDAY, June 23 - Sportsman qualifying and eliminations, begin at 11 a.m. PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. SATURDAY, June 24 - Sportsman eliminations begin at 11 a.m. PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. SUNDAY, June 25 - Pre-race ceremonies, 2 p.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 3 p.m. TELEVISION: Saturday, June 24, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 10 p.m. (ET). Sunday, June 25, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will telecast NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET). Sunday, June 25, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final round eliminations at 10 p.m. (ET). SATELLITE: Friday, June 23, 11-11:30 p.m. (ET) - SBS 6, Transponder 17 K (12117 MHz, horizontal) Saturday, June 24, No feed scheduled, please roll on ESPN2 show, 10 p.m. (ET) Sunday, June 25, 10:30-11 p.m. (ET) - SBS 6, Transponder 17 K (12117 MHz, horizontal) 2005 EVENT WINNERS: Brandon Bernstein, Top Fuel; Ron Capps, Funny Car; Kurt Johnson, Pro Stock; Angelle Sampey, Pro Stock Motorcycle. TRACK RECORDS: Top Fuel - 4.511 seconds by Darrell Russell, June '04; 328.94 mph by Scott Kalitta, June '04 Funny Car- 4.724 seconds by Gary Scelzi, June '04; 330.23 mph by Scelzi, June '04 Pro Stock- 6.702 seconds by Greg Anderson, June '04; 206.07 mph by Steve Johns, June '04 Pro Stock Motorcycle - 7.086 seconds by Antron Brown, June '04; 192.71 mph by Andrew Hines, June '05 NATIONAL RECORDS: Top Fuel - 4.437 sec. by Tony Schumacher, Sept. '05, Joliet, Ill.; 336.15 mph by Schumacher, May '05, Columbus, Ohio Funny Car - 4.665 sec., 333.58 mph by John Force, Oct. '04, Joliet, Ill. Pro Stock - 6.633 sec., 208.23 mph by Greg Anderson, March '05, Gainesville, Fla. Pro Stock Motorcycle - 6.968 sec. by Andrew Hines, July'05, Sonoma, Calif.; 197.45 mph by Hines, March '05, Gainesville, Fla. TICKETS: For tickets call Gateway International Raceway, (866) 35-SPEED (357-7333). Tickets also available at gatewayraceway.com RESERVED SEATS (includes pit pass) - Friday: Adult, $30-$40; Junior (12 years & under), $10-$15. Saturday: Adult, $40-$50; Junior (12 years & under), $10-$20. Sunday: Adult, $50-$60; Junior (12 years & under), $15-$25. CONTACT: NHRA Communications Department, (626) 914-4761. BERNSTEIN ENJOYS THE ENTHUSIASTIC FANS AND THRILLING NIGHT RACING IN ST. LOUIS MADISON, Ill. - It is almost like coming home for Brandon Bernstein, driver of the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster, when he competes at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis. "It feels great to come here since it is the home of Anheuser-Busch," said Bernstein. "Everybody seems to come out and welcome us here. The fans are great and they are very supportive of us and Budweiser." Bernstein would really like to give his Budweiser family a repeat win at the 10th annual O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Castrol, June 23-25 at Gateway International Raceway. The event, which will be televised on ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD, is the 12th of 23 races in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Bernstein, Ron Capps, Kurt Johnson, and Angelle Sampey are the defending winners of the $1.3 million race. Bernstein has had a successful 2006 season so far. He won most recently at the Pontiac Performance NHRA Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, and earlier in the year at the O'Reilly Spring Nationals in Houston. He also was the runner-up at the O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals in Topeka, Kan. His career final round record is an incredible 10-2. The O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals is unique on the POWERade Drag Racing Series since the event is one of two races run at night. This brings out the fans who want to see flames shooting out of the header pipes of the Top Fuel dragsters and the Funny Cars. The drivers seem to enjoy the night racing, also. "The night racing helps us out, because it is not so hot and humid," said Bernstein. "It is still hot, though. We have experience built up from racing on hot tracks so we use that data. Also, the track is top notch." While Bernstein is sitting third in Top Fuel point standings, he is looking to gain more ground on the series points leader, Melanie Troxel. He is currently behind Troxel and Doug Kalitta. Kalitta has won the St. Louis event three of the last five years and is coming into the event red hot with four victories in the last six races. Others to watch in the category include last year's world champion Tony Schumacher and last season's Gateway runner-up Morgan Lucas. In Funny Car, defending event winner Capps is off to a great start with five victories in seven final round appearances in the Brut Dodge. Teammates John Force, Robert Hight and Eric Medlen are sitting behind Capps in positions 2-4 and are ready to make a move. Greg Anderson leads the Pro Stock point standings in his Summit Racing Pontiac GTO and defending winner Johnson is currently fifth overall with two victories this season in his ACDelco Chevy Cobalt. Dave Connolly, who is also a repeat winner in Pro Stock in 2006, and Erica Enders are other drivers to watch at Gateway in the 200 mph category. Sampey, a three time winner this year and current points leader in Pro Stock Motorcycle, is trying to repeat her winning performance from last year in St. Louis. She currently leads last season's world champ Andrew Hines. Other to watch are recent winners Matt Smith and Ryan Schnitz, Antron Brown, recent six-second club performer Chip Ellis and Geico Suzuki rider Karen Stoffer, who posted a runner-up finish last weekend in Englishtown, N.J. * SCHEDULE: Professional qualifying sessions are scheduled for 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. on June 23 and 2 and 7 p.m. on June 24. Final eliminations start at 3 p.m. on June 25. * TICKETS: For tickets, call Gateway International Raceway at (866) 35-SPEED. Tickets are also available at Ticketmaster or online at gatewayraceway.com. * ON TV: ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 10 p.m. (ET) on June 24. ESPN2 also will telecast NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute weekly news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET) on June 25. ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations coverage at 10 p.m. (ET) on June 25. * ON THE WEB: Quick access to NHRA media relations department press releases, electronic images and other information is available on the Internet at http://media.nhra.com <http://media.nhra.com/> . 2006 NHRA POWERADE POINT STANDINGS (Following 11 of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERADE Drag Racing Series) UPDATED 6/18/2006 (Victories in parentheses) TOP FUEL Place Driver Points 1. Melanie Troxel, Avon, Ind., Skull Gear/Torco Race Fuels dragster (2) 872 2. Doug Kalitta, Ann Arbor, Mich., Mac Tools dragster (4) 824 3. Brandon Bernstein, Lake Forest, Calif., Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster (2) 717 4. Rod Fuller, Las Vegas, David Powers Homes/Valvoline dragster (2) 651 5. Larry Dixon, Indianapolis, Miller Lite dragster 635 6. Dave Grubnic, Ennis, Mont., StriVectin-SD dragster (1) 623 7. Morgan Lucas, Riverside, Calif., Lucas Oil dragster 560 Tony Schumacher, Long Grove, Ill., U.S. Army dragster 560 9. Cory McClenathan, Anaheim, Calif., FRAM Boost dragster 547 10. Doug Herbert, Lincolnton, N.C., Snap-on Tools dragster 487 FUNNY CAR 1. Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., Brut Dodge Stratus R/T (5) 944 2. John Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Castrol GTX Ford Mustang (1) 838 3. Robert Hight, Anaheim Hills, Calif., Auto Club of Southern Calif. Ford Mustang (1) 684 4. Eric Medlen, Indianapolis, Castrol Syntec Ford Mustang 638 5. Tony Pedregon, Chino Hills, Calif., Q Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo (2) 616 6. Tommy Johnson Jr., Avon, Ind., Skoal Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo (1) 608 7. Gary Scelzi, Fresno, Calif., Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger 568 8. Whit Bazemore, Indianapolis, Matco Tools Dodge Charger 535 9. Del Worsham, Chino Hills, Calif., Checker Schuck's Kragen Chevrolet Monte Carlo 502 10. Cruz Pedregon, Santa Rosa Valley, Calif., Advance Auto Parts Chevy Monte Carlo (1) 498 PRO STOCK 1. Greg Anderson, Charlotte, N.C., Summit Racing Pontiac GTO (1) 763 2. Jason Line, Terrell, N.C., Summit Racing Pontiac GTO (2) 726 3. Jim Yates, Alexandria, Va., SeaRay Boats Pontiac GTO (1) 672 4. Dave Connolly, Elyria, Ohio, Skull Gear Chevrolet Cobalt (2) 657 5. Kurt Johnson, Sugar Hill, Ga., ACDelco Chevrolet Cobalt (2) 639 6. Mike Edwards, Coweta, Okla., Young Life Pontiac GTO (1) 569 7. Erica Enders, Houston, Slammers Ultimate Milk Chevrolet Cobalt 560 8. Allen Johnson, Greeneville, Tenn., J&J Racing/Team Mopar Dodge Stratus R/T 506 9. Warren Johnson, Sugar Hill, Ga., GM Performance Parts Pontiac GTO (1) 503 10. Larry Morgan, Newark, Ohio, zMax Micro Lubricants Dodge Stratus R/T 498 PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE (Following six of 15 events) 1. Angelle Sampey, New Orleans, U.S. Army Suzuki (3) 463 2. Andrew Hines, Indianapolis, Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson 451 3. Antron Brown, Indianapolis, U.S. Army Suzuki (1) 412 4. Karen Stoffer, Minden, Nev., Geico Motorcycle Suzuki 358 5. Matt Smith, King, N.C., Torco/Skull Gear S&S Buell V-Twin (1) 346 6. Chip Ellis, Americus, Ga., Drag Specialties S&S Buell V-Twin 338 Ryan Schnitz, Decatur, Ind., Trim-Tex Drywall Products Buell V-Twin (1) 338 8. Matt Guidera, Folsom, Calif. Rocklin Motorsports Buell V-Twin 275 9. Craig Treble, Hensley, Ark., Team Tigue Suzuki 262 10. Tom Bradford, Eagle, Wis., Hal's Speed Shop Buell V-Twin 256 -30-