NHRA NEWS: MEMPHIS ADVANCE PACKAGE (Correction)
O'REILLY NHRA MID-SOUTH NATIONALS PRESENTED BY PENNZOIL FACT SHEET
WHAT: 19th annual O'Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals
presented by Pennzoil, the 17th of 23 events in the $50 million POWERade
Series. Professional competitors in four categories earn points leading
to 2006 NHRA POWERade championships.
Sportsman competitors in four categories
earn points leading to 2006 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series
championships.
WHERE: Memphis Motorsports Park, Millington, Tenn. Track is
located at 5500 Taylor Forge Road. From I-240, drive north on Highway
51. Turn right on Barrett Parkway, turn right on Raleigh-Millington
Road, turn right on Fite Road and then right on Taylor Forge Road.
WHEN: Friday through Sunday, Aug. 18-20.
PURSE: Cash and contingency awards of more than $1.6
million.
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Aug. 18 -- Sportsman qualifying and time trials begin at 9:30
a.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 4:30 and 7 p.m.
SATURDAY, Aug. 19 -- Sportsman qualifying and eliminations begin at 9
a.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2 and 6 p.m.
SUNDAY, Aug. 20 -- Pre-race ceremonies, 2 p.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin
at 3 p.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Aug. 19, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of
qualifying highlights at 8 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Aug. 20, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of
eliminations at 10 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Aug. 20, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will broadcast NHRA 2Day, a
30-minute weekly news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, Aug. 18, 11-11:30 p.m. (ET) - Galaxy 11 / 20 K (12100 MHz,
vertical)
Saturday, Aug. 19, 10:30-11 p.m. (ET) - Galaxy 11 / 20 K (12100 MHz,
vertical)
Sunday, Aug. 20, 10-10:30 p.m. (ET) - Galaxy 11 / 20 K (12100 MHz,
vertical)
2005 EVENT WINNERS: Rod Fuller, Top Fuel; Eric Medlen, Funny Car; Greg
Anderson, Pro Stock; and Andrew Hines, Pro Stock Motorcycle.
TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel - 4.533 sec. by David Baca, Sept. 2003; 327.90 mph by Doug
Kalitta, Sept. 2003
Funny Car -- 4.824 sec. by John Force, Sept. 2001; 322.42 mph by Gary
Scelzi, Sept. 2003
Pro Stock - 6.748 sec. by Jeg Coughlin, Sept. 2003; 204.23 mph by Greg
Anderson, Sept. 2003
Pro Stock Motorcycle - 7.096 sec. by Angelle Sampey, Sept. 2003; 188.46
mph by Reggie Showers, Sept. 2003
NATIONAL RECORDS:
Top Fuel -- 4.437 sec. (Sept. '05, Joliet, Ill.) and 336.15 mph (May
'05, Columbus, Ohio) by Tony Schumacher.
Funny Car -- 4.665 sec. (Oct. '04, Joliet, Ill.) and 333.58 mph (Oct.
'04, Joliet, Ill.) by John Force.
Pro Stock -- 6.631 sec. (July '06, Sonoma, Calif.,) and 208.23 mph
(March '05, Gainesville, Fla.) by Greg Anderson.
Pro Stock Motorcycle - 6.968 sec. (July '05, Sonoma, Calif.) and 197.45
mph (March '05, Gainesville, Fla.) by Andrew Hines.
TICKETS: For tickets or ticket information call (866)
40-SPEED. Tickets also are available at memphismotorsportspark.com.
FRIDAY ADMISSION (includes pit pass) - Adult, $27; Children 12 years and
under admitted free in general admission areas.
WEEKEND ADMISSION (includes pit pass) - SATURDAY: Adult reserved
(Spectator/Pit Side), $37/47; Youth (12-and-under) reserved
(Spectator/Pit side): $10/20. SUNDAY: Adult reserved (Spectator/Pit
Side), $40/50; Youth (12-and-under) reserved (Spectator/Pit side):
$10/20.
DEFENDING TOP FUEL CHAMPION GETS OFF THE DECK WITH A VENGEANCE
SCHUMACHER AWAKENS FROM DORMANT START; SUDDENLY IN CONTENTION TO WIN
THIRD STRAIGHT AND FOURTH OVERALL POWERADE SERIES TOP FUEL WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIP
MILLINGTON, Tenn. - They say you have to hit rock bottom before you can
get up. For three-time and defending POWERade Series Top Fuel world
champion Tony Schumacher, the bottoming out point unquestionably came at
about half past 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 11.
That morning certainly favored an opening-round win for the three-time
POWERade Series champion. He was the No. 1 qualifier at the CARQUEST
Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway near Chicago and was lined
up against No. 16 qualifier Alan Bradshaw, whom he was almost two full
tenths quicker and 15 mph faster than in qualifying.
But in a season of bitter Sunday disappointments, June 11 proved to be
the exclamation point as Schumacher stumbled to a 4.603 with a .108
reaction time (to Bradshaw's 4.545 with a .066). It was his fifth
first-round loss of 2006 and his fourth as No. 1 qualifier.
"I certainly didn't like the position we were in, that's for sure," said
Schumacher, who exited Chicago in eighth place, 336 points behind
teammate and then-POWERade Series points leader Melanie Troxel.
If that weren't bad enough news for Schumacher, the season was turning
to the steamy summer months which, even in his championship seasons, had
provided the only kryptonite to the otherwise unstoppable tandem of
Schumacher and (crew chief) Alan Johnson.
But as it has turned out, rumors of Schumacher's demise were greatly
exaggerated.
Schumacher has turned the tables on history with a torrid stretch of
drag racing - advancing to five consecutive final rounds with wins at
St. Louis and Seattle - to move up from eighth to a tie for second in
the standings, and more importantly to within a very manageable 81
points of first place.
"We didn't leave any room for error in the summer heat since we started
the first half of the season so slowly," Schumacher said. "Winning St.
Louis was obviously a big plus and that got us kick-started. We've just
been continually working on the car and, finally, we are where we want
to be, challenging for another POWERade Series world championship."
Over the course of his three championship seasons, Schumacher has come
from off the pace in the summer months with blistering finishes to put
away the likes of Doug Kalitta, Larry Dixon and Mike Dunn and he will be
in the same position again in 2006 as he heads to Memphis Motorsports
Park on Aug. 18-20 for the 19th annual O'Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals
presented by Pennzoil, the 17th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA
POWERade Series.
Following the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minn., Schumacher
posted a runner-up effort to Brandon Bernstein to continue stalking the
series lead. Doug Kalitta leads the way with 1,158 points and Schumacher
is tied at second with Troxel at 1,077 points. Meanwhile, Bernstein has
put the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster back in title contention as well,
as he sits in fourth, 116 points back.
"We've got to make sure we take care of our own business and then we can
look at what the other teams are doing," Schumacher said. "The points
have a way of taking care of themselves when you take that approach.
We're clearly excited to be back in contention."
The O'Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals mark the beginning of the home
stretch as drivers in all four categories enter the final third of the
23-event season and time becomes a definite factor in their respective
pursuits of POWERade Series world championships.
While 116 points separate the top four drivers in Top Fuel, only 48
points separate Ron Capps from John Force in Funny Car, 108 points
separate the top three drivers in Pro Stock and in Pro Stock Motorcycle,
leader Antron Brown is 15 points ahead of two-time defending champ
Andrew Hines. Chip Ellis and Angelle Sampey, third and fourth
respectively, are well within striking range of the lead.
The defending champion at the O'Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals in Funny
Car, Eric Medlen, also won at Sonoma. The tour's most recent winner -
Tommy Johnson Jr. - has won in both Funny Car and Top Fuel at Memphis.
But the spotlight in the class will likely be shining on Capps and Force
as that season-long two-man race between the man looking for his first
championship (Capps) and the 13-time champ (Force) begins the turn for
home.
In Pro Stock, 2005 Memphis winner Greg Anderson enters in a rare
position - second place. The winner of three straight POWERade Series
world championships is 83 points behind teammate Jason Line and he will
be a driver to watch along with Warren Johnson, the winningest Pro Stock
driver in NHRA history who is looking for his second win of the 2006
season.
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Hines is the defending event champion on his
Screamin' Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson. Other drivers to watch
will be U POWERade Series points leader Brown and his U.S. Army Suzuki
teammate Sampey as well as Brainerd runner-up Steve Johnson and Buell
riders Ellis and Ryan Schnitz.
SCHEDULE: Pro qualifying sessions are scheduled for 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
on Friday, Aug. 18. Qualifying continues at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on
Saturday, Aug. 19 and final eliminations begin at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Aug.
20.
TICKETS: Tickets are available for the O'Reilly NHRA Mid-South
Nationals. Call Memphis Motorsports Park at (800) 40-SPEED for ticket
information, or check online at memphismotorsportspark.com or
ticketmaster.com.
ON TV: ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying of the
O'Reilly Mid-South NHRA Nationals at 8 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, Aug. 19.
ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute weekly news
magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET) on Sunday, Aug. 20. ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD
will televise three hours of final eliminations beginning at 10 p.m.
(ET) on Sunday, Aug. 20.
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.
2006 NHRA POWERADE SERIES POINT STANDINGS
Following 16 of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing
Series
(updated Aug. 13, 2006, victories in parentheses)
TOP FUEL
1. Doug Kalitta, Ann Arbor, Mich., Mac Tools dragster (4)
1158
2. Tony Schumacher, Chicago, U.S. Army dragster (2)
1077
Melanie Troxel, Avon, Ind., Skull Gear/Torco Race Fuel dragster (2)
1077
4. Brandon Bernstein, Lake Forest, Calif., Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster
(3) 1042
5. Dave Grubnic, Ennis, Mont., StriVectin-SD dragster (1)
934
6. Rod Fuller, Las Vegas, David Powers Homes/Valvoline dragster (2)
909
7. Larry Dixon, Indianapolis, Miller Lite dragster
859
8. Morgan Lucas, Riverside, Calif., Lucas Oil dragster
758
9. Hillary Will, Ypsilanti, Mich., KB Racing dragster
710
10. Cory McClenathan, Anaheim, Calif., FRAM Boost dragster
708
FUNNY CAR
1. Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., Brut Dodge Charger (5)
1175
2. John Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Castrol GTX Ford Mustang (1)
1127
3. Tony Pedregon, Chino Hills, Calif., Q Racing Chevy Monte Carlo (3)
985
4. Eric Medlen, Indianapolis, Castrol Syntec Ford Mustang (1)
983
5. Robert Hight, Anaheim, Calif., Auto Club Ford Mustang (1)
946
6. Tommy Johnson Jr., Avon, Ind., Skoal Racing Chevy Monte Carlo (2)
938
7. Gary Scelzi, Fresno, Calif., Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger (1)
935
8. Whit Bazemore, Indianapolis, Matco Tools Dodge Charger (1)
819
9. Del Worsham, Chino Hills, Calif., Checker Schuck's Kragen Monte Carlo
707
10. Cruz Pedregon, Camarillo, Calif., Advance Auto Parts Monte Carlo (1)
672
PRO STOCK
1. Jason Line, Terrell, N.C., Summit Racing Pontiac GTO (3)
1149
2. Greg Anderson, Charlotte, N.C., Summit Racing Pontiac GTO (1)
1066
3. Dave Connolly, Elyria, Ohio, Skull Gear Chevy Cobalt (4)
1041
4. Jim Yates, Alexandria, Va., SeaRay Boats Pontiac GTO (1)
896
5. Kurt Johnson, Lawrenceville, Ga., ACDelco Chevy Cobalt (2)
853
6. Mike Edwards, Coweta, Okla., Young Life Pontiac GTO (2)
849
7. Allen Johnson, Greeneville, Tenn., J&J Racing/ Mopar Dodge Stratus
(1) 841
8. Larry Morgan, Newark, Ohio, zMax Micro Lubricants Dodge Stratus
760
9. V Gaines, Lakewood, Colo., Kendall Dodge Stratus
746
10. Greg Stanfield, Bossier City, La., PiranaZ Pontiac GTO
714
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE (following 10 of 15 events)
1. Antron Brown, Indianapolis, U.S. Army Suzuki (2)
730
2. Andrew Hines, Indianapolis, Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson (1)
715
3. Chip Ellis, Americus, Ga., Drag Specialties S&S Buell (2)
685
4. Angelle Sampey, New Orleans, U.S. Army Suzuki (3)
679
5. Ryan Schnitz, Decatur, Ind., Trim-Tex Buell (1)
548
6. Matt Smith, King, N.C., Torco/Skull Gear S&S Buell (1)
521
7. Karen Stoffer, Minden, Nev., Geico Suzuki
509
8. Tom Bradford, Eagle, Wis., Hal's Speed Shop Buell
503
9. Matt Guidera, Rocklin, Calif., Rocklin Motorsports Buell
482
10. Craig Treble, Hensley, Ark., Team Tigue Suzuki
429
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