MEDIA ADVISORY -- MOPAR MILE HIGH NHRA NATIONALS
(http://www.moparspeed.com/) (http://www.moparspeed.com/) * * M E D I A A D V I S O R Y * * MOPAR MILE-HIGH NHRA NATIONALS: MEDIA DINNER AND BLOCK PARTY WHAT: NHRA/MOPAR MEDIA DINNER: Media are invited to meet drivers from the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series who will compete in the 27th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, the 13th of 23 events in the $50 million POWERade Series, at Bandimere Speedway. MEDIA ACCESS:Media are invited to chat with some of the best drivers in professional drag racing. Each driver will be introduced and asked questions in front of a step-and-repeat banner during the press conference and will be available for formal one-on-one interviews as well. After the dinner, media will exit the hotel into the Mopar Block Party that will be in full-swing outside in the streets of scenic downtown Golden. There, POWERade drivers and fans will be available for additional interviews. WHEN: 5 p.m., Thurs., July 13, 2006 WHERE: Golden Hotel 800 Eleventh St. Golden, Co. 80401 (303) 279-0100 WHO: �?? WHIT BAZEMORE, Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Charger: Bazemore has posted a runner-up finish in Columbus and two semifinal exits (Las Vegas 1, Bristol), but has yet to win this season. Bazemore, who is married to a former professional cyclist and shares that passion himself, recently inspired Funny Car driver Tommy Johnson Jr. to join him in cycling for cross-training. �?? RON CAPPS, Brut Dodge Charger: Capps finished second in the POWERade Series world championship hunt last season despite never leading the point standings. This year Capps changed his “always a bridesmaid�?? luck and has led the points since Phoenix with five victories to date in 2006. �?? SHAUN CARLSON, Team Mopar/SRT Dodge Stratus: Teammate of Don Schumacher Racing’s Richie Stevens Jr., Carlson made the jump from NHRA’s SportCompact Series to the POWERade Series this year and brought a new edge with him. �?? ERICA ENDERS, Dodge Stratus R/T: Recently announced that she will pilot a privateer effort in the POWERade Pro Stock Series under the Don Schumacher Racing umbrella for the remainder of 2006. Enders is only the fifth woman to have competed in the factory hot rod class. In only 24 events, she has captured all of the records for a female competitor in the Pro Stock class. Heading into the Mopar Mile High NHRA Nationals event, Enders is ranked seventh in the series points chase and has one final round appearance and 10 round wins this season. �?? ANDREW HINES, Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson: Hines became the youngest driver in NHRA history to win a world championship when he earned his first Pro Stock Motorcycle crown at the age of 21. He defended his title in 2005 and is after his third consecutive world championship title this season – but the rest of the ultra-competitive field will not make it easy for him. �?? ALLEN JOHNSON, Mopar Dodge Stratus: Johnson qualified No. 1 in Columbus – the first No. 1 qualifier of his 10-year career – then topped the field again in Englishtown. �?? GARY SCELZI, Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger: Scelzi won the tightest Funny Car world championship chase in NHRA history in 2005, when he joined Kenny Bernstein as the only two drivers in NHRA history to win championships in Funny Car and Top Fuel. Although he struggled early in the season, Scelzi began his rebound with a runner-up finish in Englishtown and a semifinal run in St. Louis. �?? RICHIE STEVENS JR., Team Mopar/Valspar Dodge Stratus R/T: This New Orleans native earned a runner-up finish in Indianapolis last year even while wondering how his home had faired after Hurricane Katrina’s arrival. Stevens recorded his journey home on his NHRA weblog at _www.nhra.com_ (http://www.nhra.com/) . Stevens has struggled in 2006 but posted a semifinal finish in Chicago. �?? MELANIE TROXEL, Skull Shine/Torco Race Fuels Top Fuel dragster: Denver marks the one-year anniversary of Troxel’s return to fulltime POWERade Series competition, and what a year it’s been for the 33-year-old Denver native. In 2006, this quickest and fastest female in motorsports set an NHRA record for the most consecutive final round appearances (five) to open a season in Top Fuel and she’s led the point standings since the beginning of the year in a serious charge for the world championship title. She was named first quarter DRIVER OF THE YEAR by a panel of journalists and was recently nominated for two ESPY’s – the first professional drag racer to do so. CONTACTS: Mopar Motorsports Program Manager, Misha Geisert: Cell (317) 432-4110. NHRA Media Relations Manager Lachelle Seymour: Office (626) 250-2230; Cell (626) 253-6337. * NOT FOR PUBLICATION, MEDIA INFORMATION ONLY *