NHRA NEWS: HIGHT LEADS SKOAL SHOWDOWN QUALIFIERS IN PURSUIT OF $100,000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: NHRA Communications, (626) 914-4761

 

HIGHT LEADS SKOAL SHOWDOWN QUALIFIERS IN PURSUIT OF $100,000 PRIZE

      

      CLERMONT, Ind. - Sophomore Funny Car driver Robert Hight will
start from the No. 1 position in the Skoal Showdown on Sept. 3 at
O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, as he goes for his first victory
in the special bonus event for qualified Funny Car drivers. 

      The Skoal Showdown, a high-stakes, high-speed race featuring the
eight quickest and most consistent Funny Car teams from the last season,
is a lucrative race-within-a-race held during the 52nd annual Mac Tools
U.S. Nationals, the world's most prestigious drag race.

      The winner of the 25th annual Skoal Showdown will earn a $100,000
bonus from U.S. Tobacco. Any driver who can win the Skoal Showdown and
the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals will earn a $50,000 'Double-Up' bonus from
NHRA.

      A race day purse of $147,000 is available for the eight drivers
competing in the Skoal Showdown. The Showdown runner-up will earn
$15,000, while the two semifinalists will earn $6,000 each. The four
first round finishers will earn $5,000 apiece.

      Hight, from Anaheim Hills, Calif., was the No. 1 qualifier seven
times in his Auto Club Ford Mustang and posted top five qualifying
efforts at 17 of the 23 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series events that
comprise the 2006 Skoal Showdown. It is Hight's second career appearance
in the Skoal Showdown and his first as the No. 1 seed, and he will face
veteran Whit Bazemore in the opening round. Bazemore, who drives the
Matco Tools Dodge Charger, is making his 12th career start and is
looking for his first victory in the bonus event.

      John Force holds down the second position and will make a record
23rd career start in the Skoal Showdown. He'll face former teammate Tony
Pedregon in the opening round. Force is a five-time winner of the event,
while Pedregon's only Skoal Showdown victory came in 2003. 

      Eric Medlen and three-time Skoal Showdown winner Ron Capps will
battle in the first round and Gary Scelzi and Tommy Johnson Jr. also
will square off in the opening round.

      Drivers accumulated points for the Skoal Showdown at 23 NHRA
national events between last year's Mac Tools U.S. Nationals up to the
2006 O'Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals at Memphis (Tenn.) Motorsports
Park. A $4,000 bonus was awarded to the No. 1 qualifier at each of those
races.

      Last year Del Worsham raced to victory over Medlen in the final
round. Worsham will not be able to defend his title as he failed to
qualify for this year's Showdown.

      Skoal Showdown rounds are scheduled for 12:30 and 4 p.m. on Sept.
3.

 

2006 SKOAL SHOWDOWN FINAL STANDINGS

1. Robert Hight, Anaheim Hills, Calif., Auto Club Ford Mustang
3,495

2. John Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Castrol GTX Ford Mustang
3,415

3. Eric Medlen, Indianapolis, Castrol Syntec Ford Mustang
3,370

4. Gary Scelzi, Fresno, Calif., Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger
3,035

5. Tommy Johnson Jr., Avon, Ind., Skoal Chevy Monte Carlo
3,025

6. Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., Brut Dodge Charger
2,965

7. Tony Pedregon, Chino Hills, Calif., Q-Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2,920

8. Whit Bazemore, Indianapolis, Matco Tools Dodge Charger
2,850

      

2006 SKOAL SHOWDOWN ROUND PAIRINGS

 

FIRST ROUND

      Hight vs. Bazemore

      Force vs. Pedregon

      Medlen vs. Capps

      Scelzi vs. Johnson

 

SEMIFINALS

      Hight-Bazemore winner vs. Scelzi-Johnson winner

      Force-Pedregon winner vs. Medlen-Capps winner

 

FINAL (4 p.m., Sept. 3)

 

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