NHRA NEWS: TOYO TIRES NHRA NATIONALS ADVANCE PACKAGE
WHAT: 22nd annual Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals, the 19th 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 six categories earn points leading to 2006 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series world championships.
WHERE: Maple Grove Raceway, Mohnton, Pa. Track is located off the Pennsylvania Turnpike (Exit 298), 10 miles south of Reading, Pa.
WHEN: Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 14-17.
PURSE: Cash and contingency awards of more than $1.5 million.
SCHEDULE:
THURSDAY, Sept. 14 - Sportsman qualifying begins at 8:45 a.m.
FRIDAY, Sept. 15 - Sportsman qualifying begins at 8:45 a.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2 and 5 p.m.
SATURDAY, Sept. 16 - Sportsman qualifying and eliminations begin at 8:45 a.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. SUNDAY, Sept. 17 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION: Saturday, Sept. 16, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 4 p.m. (ET). Sunday, Sept. 17, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will broadcast NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute weekly news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET). Sunday, Sept. 17, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations coverage at 7 p.m. (ET). SATELLITE: Friday, Sept. 15, 8 - 8:30 p.m. (ET) - GALAXY 11 / Transponder 15K (12003 MHz, horizontal) analog Saturday, Sept. 16, 8 - 8:30 p.m. (ET) - GALAXY 11 / Transponder 15K (12003 MHz, horizontal) analog Sunday, Sept. 17, 9 - 9:30 p.m. (ET) - GALAXY 11 / Transponder 15K (12003 MHz, horizontal) analog 2005 EVENT WINNERS: Tony Schumacher, Top Fuel; Tony Pedregon, Funny Car; Greg Anderson, Pro Stock; and Angelle Sampey, Pro Stock Motorcycle. TRACK RECORDS: Top Fuel - 4.441 seconds by Tony Schumacher, Oct. 2003; 333.08 mph by Schumacher, Oct. 2001 Funny Car - 4.728 seconds by John Force, Oct. 2004; 327.82 mph by Force, Oct. 2004 Pro Stock - 6.669 seconds by Jason Line, Oct. 2004; 206.67 mph by Greg Anderson, Oct. 2004 Pro Stock Motorcycle - 7.018 seconds by Angelle Sampey, Oct. 2004; 194.77 mph by GT Tonglet, Oct. 2001 NATIONAL RECORDS: Top Fuel - 4.437 sec. (Sept. '05, Chicago) 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 call (610) 856-7200. Tickets also are available at maplegroveraceway.com. GENERAL ADMISSION (includes pit pass) - Thursday: Adult, $10; Junior (6-12 years), free. Friday: Adult, $33; Junior (6-12 years), $10. Saturday: Adult, $45; Junior (6-12 years), $10. Sunday: Adult, $47; Junior (6-12 years), $10. Child (5 years and under), free in general admission and pit areas each day. RESERVED SEATS (includes pit pass) - Saturday: Adult, $55; Junior (6-12 years), $20; Child (5 years and under), $10. Sunday: Adult, $60; Junior (6-12 years), $25; Child (5 years and under), $15. CONTACT: NHRA Communications Department, (626) 914-4761. CAPTAIN CHAOS, KENNY KORETSKY, IS BACK TO RACING AFTER ALMOST A ONE YEAR LAYOFF FROM DALLAS CRASH MOHNTON, Pa. - Richboro, Pa. native Kenny Koretsky, owner of Kenny Koretsky Racing and driver of the Nitro Fish/Werner Enterprises Dodge Stratus R/T, has returned to the NHRA POWERade series after an accident in Dallas last season put him on the sidelines. Koretsky was not sitting idly by as he nursed himself back to racing health from his accident with Bruce Allen in Dallas. He was running his team of racers under the flag of Kenny Koretsky Racing. Koretsky has a team of two pro stock cars driven by Dave Northrop and Mike Thomas, and one Top Fuel dragster driven by Clay Millican. In the accident Allen's car went on its side, crossed into Koretsky's lane, and Koretsky's car slammed into the underside of Allen's car. Amazingly, Koretsky was able to get out of the car on his own, and spent a few days in the hospital recovering. Allen suffered some minor injuries and left the hospital the following day. When Koretsky eventually returned to racing at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minn., Aug. 10-13, he not only was able to drive the car down the strip, but he qualified the car to race again on Sunday. He qualified 15th and then eventually lost in the first round to Pro Stock points leader Jason Line. "I was a little nervous on Friday with the burnout and screwed it up a little bit," said Koretsky. "But, I was able to become more focused on Friday night and Saturday. I was waiting for a daylight race to come back to racing." Koretsky had been mentally ready for racing, but physically he was still recovering. It took his friend Evan Knoll, who had been in an accident and got back to racing, to get him to realize that it was time to begin racing again. Koretsky has raced so much at Maple Grove Raceway, site of the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals, Sept. 14-17, that he considers it his home track. He is still looking for his first professional win and hopes to get it in the $1.5 million race, which will be televised on ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD, and is the 19th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. "Maple Grove is a great facility and George (Alan Case - track vice president and general manager) does a great job there," Koretsky said. Defending race winners include Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel); Tony Pedregon (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock), and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle). In Top Fuel, Doug Kalitta has been dominant most of the season. Kalitta, leading the points chase since Denver, has posted five victories in his Mac Tools dragster this season. Melanie Troxel has raced to two victories in seven final rounds and led the standings for most of the season in her Skull Shine/Torco Race Fuels dragster. Three-time winner Brandon Bernstein and Rod Fuller, who has earned two wins, are certainly threats to win. Three-time and defending world champ Tony Schumacher earned his first victory of the season in June at St. Louis, posted a runner-up finish to rookie first time winner J.R. Todd at Denver and recently won the prestigious Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, looks to be primed for a late season championship run in his U.S. Army dragster. Funny Car has seen a change in leadership two times since Memphis, but following the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, Ron Capps holds a 19 point lead over rival John Force. Capps has been dominant in his quest for his first championship with five wins, but other winners include three-time winner Pedregon, and a multitude of single-event winners, such as defending world champion Gary Scelzi, and U.S. Nationals winner Robert Hight. Three-time world champ Greg Anderson had led the way in Pro Stock in his Summit Racing Pontiac GTO until Denver when his teammate and three-time winner Jason Line. Four-time 2006 winner Dave Connolly is making a strong move late in the season. Kurt Johnson, Mike Edwards, and former two-time series champ Jim Yates are all ones to watch. Last year's Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion, Andrew Hines, is sitting atop familiar territory after winning at Denver and Memphis. Other winners this year have included, Angelle Sampey, Antron Brown, Chip Ellis, Ryan Schnitz, and Matt Smith. SCHEDULE: Professional qualifying sessions are scheduled for 2 and 5 p.m. on Sept. 15, and 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Sept. 16. Eliminations start at 11 a.m. on Sept. 17. TICKETS: For tickets, call (610) 856-7200 or www.maplegroveraceway.com. Tickets also are available at Ticketmaster.com. ON TV: ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying at 4 p.m. (ET) on Sept. 16. ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will air NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute weekly news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET), and three hours of eliminations coverage at 7 p.m. (ET) on Sept. 17. 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. 2006 NHRA POWERADE POINT STANDINGS (Following 18 of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERADE Drag Racing Series) UPDATED 9/4/2006 (Victories in parentheses) TOP FUEL Place Driver Points 1. Doug Kalitta, Ann Arbor, Mich., Mac Tools dragster (5) 1,306 2. Tony Schumacher, Long Grove, Ill., U.S. Army dragster (3) 1,252 3. Brandon Bernstein, Lake Forest, Calif., Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster (3) 1,210 4. Melanie Troxel, Avon, Ind., Skull Gear/Torco Race Fuels dragster (2) 1,166 5. Dave Grubnic, Ennis, Mont., StriVectin-SD dragster (1) 1,019 6. Rod Fuller, Las Vegas, David Powers Homes/Valvoline dragster (2) 1,012 7. Larry Dixon, Indianapolis, Miller Lite dragster 968 8. Morgan Lucas, Riverside, Calif., Lucas Oil dragster 862 9. Hillary Will, Ypsilanti, Mich., KB Racing dragster 834 10. Cory McClenathan, Anaheim, Calif., FRAM Boost dragster 815 FUNNY CAR 1. Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., Brut Dodge Charger R/T (5) 1,300 2. John Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Castrol GTX Ford Mustang (2) 1,281 3. Robert Hight, Anaheim Hills, Calif., Auto Club of So. Calif. Ford Mustang (2) 1,141 4. Tony Pedregon, Chino Hills, Calif., Q Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo (3) 1,112 5. Eric Medlen, Indianapolis, Castrol Syntec Ford Mustang (1) 1,069 6. Tommy Johnson Jr., Avon, Ind., Skoal Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo (2) 1,008 7. Gary Scelzi, Fresno, Calif., Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger (1) 1,001 8. Whit Bazemore, Indianapolis, Matco Tools Dodge Charger (1) 956 9. Cruz Pedregon, Santa Rosa Valley, Calif., Advance Auto Parts Chevy Monte Carlo (1) 759 10. Phil Burkart, Yorkville, N.Y., Checker Schuck's Kragen Chevrolet Monte Carlo 756 PRO STOCK 1. Jason Line, Terrell, N.C., Summit Racing Pontiac GTO (3) 1,301 2. Greg Anderson, Charlotte, N.C., Summit Racing Pontiac GTO (2) 1,242 3. Dave Connolly, Elyria, Ohio, Skull Gear Chevrolet Cobalt (4) 1,166 4. Kurt Johnson, Sugar Hill, Ga., ACDelco Chevrolet Cobalt (3) 1,005 5. Allen Johnson, Greeneville, Tenn., J&J Racing/Team Mopar Dodge Stratus R/T (1) 987 6. Mike Edwards, Coweta, Okla., Young Life Pontiac GTO (2) 960 7. Jim Yates, Alexandria, Va., SeaRay Boats Pontiac GTO (1) 938 8. Vieri Gaines, Lakewood, Colo., Kendall Synthetic Blend Dodge Stratus R/T 875 9. Larry Morgan, Newark, Ohio, zMax Micro Lubricants Dodge Stratus R/T 846 10. Greg Stanfield, Bossier City, La., PiranaZ Pontiac GTO 798 PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE (Following 12 of 15 events) 1. Andrew Hines, Indianapolis, Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson (2) 907 2. Antron Brown, Indianapolis, U.S. Army Suzuki (2) 899 3. Angelle Sampey, New Orleans, U.S. Army Suzuki (3) 809 4. Chip Ellis, Americus, Ga., Drag Specialties S&S Buell V-Twin (2) 794 5. Matt Smith, King, N.C., Torco/Skull Gear S&S Buell V-Twin (2) 697 6. Karen Stoffer, Minden, Nev., Geico Motorcycle Suzuki 637 7. Ryan Schnitz, Decatur, Ind., Trim-Tex Drywall Products Buell V-Twin (1) 634 8. Tom Bradford, Eagle, Wis., Hal's Speed Shop/Flying Doc Buell V-Twin 568 9. Matt Guidera, Rocklin, Calif., Rocklin Motorsports Buell V-Twin 525 10. Geno Scali, Lake in the Hills, Ill., Performance Machine Suzuki 488 -30-