NHRA NEWS: POWERADE SERIES POST RACE NOTES FROM ST. LOUIS
NHRA POWERADE SERIES POST RACE NOTES: 10th annual O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Castrol June 23-25, Gateway International Raceway, Madison, Ill. TOP FUEL * Tony Schumacher, from Long Grove, Ill., powered his U.S. Army dragster to his first victory of the season, defeating Brandon Bernstein in the final round. Schumacher posted a 4.565 at 327.59 to take the win, while Bernstein's Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster lost traction at the start. * It was Schumacher's 31st career victory and his first at Gateway International Raceway. * Rod Fuller drove his Valvoline/David Powers Homes dragster to his first No. 1 qualifying effort of his career, clocking a category-leading 4.551-second run at 328.30 mph. * Doug Kalitta drove his Mac Tools dragster to a track record speed of 330.55 mph. His performance was the first 330 mph run in Top Fuel at Gateway International Raceway. * Cory McClenathan was not injured after his FRAM Boost dragster crashed during the final qualifying session. According to a team report, the right header pipe on McClenathan's dragster became detached and as a result the right rear tire went down from the combination of the debris and the intense heat of the headerless exhaust, sending McClenathan across the center line into the left retaining wall. He managed to bring the dragster to a stop on three wheels. * Snap-on Tools dragster driver Doug Herbert failed to qualify for Top Fuel eliminations, ending a 58-race streak that dated back to the 2003 Las Vegas 2 event. * Although she lost in the second round, Melanie Troxel maintained a 24 point lead in the series standings over second place Doug Kalitta. * Hillary Will's KB Racing team won the Full Throttle Pit Crew challenge award. FUNNY CAR * Tony Pedregon, from Chino Hills, Calif., raced to his third victory of the season in three finals, defeating his former boss John Force. Pedregon powered his Q Racing Chevy Monte Carlo to a winning run of 4.859 at 320.43 to pass Force's Castrol GTX Ford Mustang at the finish line, which lost power and posted a performance of 4.904 at 269.35. * It was Pedregon's 32nd career victory and his second win at this track. * Robert Hight raced to the No. 1 qualifying spot with a performance of 4.803 at 319.75 in his Auto Club Ford Mustang. It was Hight's fourth No. 1 position of the season, first at this track and 10th of his career. * Local favorite Tim Wilkerson, of nearby Springfield, Ill., failed to qualify in his Levi Ray & Shoup Chevy Monte Carlo. * Ron Capps, who lost in the first round, maintained a 44 point POWERade Series lead over Force. * Whit Bazemore's Matco Tools Dodge Charger team won the Full Throttle Pit Crew challenge award. PRO STOCK * Mike Edwards, from Broken Arrow, Okla., earned his second victory of the season, defeating Larry Morgan in the final. Edwards' Young Life Pontiac GTO posted a 6.717 second run at 205.76 mph to defeat Morgan's quicker, but losing performance of 6.715 at 205.82 in his zMax Dodge Stratus R/T. * It was Edwards' 13th career victory and his first at this track. * Greg Anderson claimed the No. 1 qualifying spot in his Summit Racing Pontiac GTO with a track record performance of 6.692 at 206.23 mph. It is Anderson's sixth No. 1 of the season and the 46th of his career. * Pro Stock legend Warren Johnson, a two-time winner of this event, failed to qualify for the first time this season in his GM Performance Parts Pontiac GTO. * Richie Stevens defeated Jim Yates by .0003-second margin of victory in the first round of eliminations to earn the $1,000 Motel 6 Who Got the Light? Award. * Top qualifier Anderson was upset in the first round but managed to stay in the POWERade Series points lead, holding a two-point advantage over his teammate Jason Line. * Anderson's Summit Racing team won the Full Throttle Pit Crew challenge award. PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE * Chip Ellis, from Americus, Ga., claimed his first victory of the season, defeating category veteran Michael Phillips. Ellis rode his Drag Specialties S&S Buell to a 7.153 at 183.84 in the final to hold off Phillips' Mini Rods Suzuki, which clocked a 7.298 at 184.83. * It was Ellis' fourth career victory and first at this track. * Tom Bradford claimed the No. 1 qualifying spot atop his Hal's Speed Shop Buell with a track record time of 7.083 seconds at 188.86 mph. It was Bradford's first No. 1 qualifying effort of his career and he is the 25th different rider to claim a top qualifying position in Pro Stock Motorcycle history. * Angelle Sampey finished the event with a 28 point lead over Andrew Hines. Sampey defeated Hines in the second round but lost to eventual winner Ellis in the semis. * Hines' Screamin' Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson team won the Full Throttle Pit Crew challenge award. POWERADE FAN NATIONALS * Darryl Osborn, 49, of Mountain Home, Ark., won the 12th round of the NHRA POWERade Fan Nationals. Osborn, a tile-setter and longtime drag racing fan, defeated hundreds of area fans to claim the POWERade Fan Nationals victory, driving realistic POWERade Funny Car simulators. With the victory, Osborn, will have the opportunity to race for the ultimate title of 2006 POWERade Fan Nationals Series champion in November at the 42nd Annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals.