NHRA NEWS: SATURDAY QUALIFYING FROM READING

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CONTACT: NHRA Media Relations,(626) 914-4761

SCHUMACHER, JOHNSON, STANFIELD AND SAMPEY TOP QUALIFIERS IN READING

READING, Pa. - Reigning Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher used a
rocket-like 4.440-second pass down Maple Grove Raceway in Saturday's
lone session to lead the $1.5 million Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals into
Sunday's eliminations. 

Schumacher's run, the fourth quickest in history, placed him on a record
low qualifier podium next to Funny Car's Tommy Johnson Jr., Pro Stock's
Greg Stanfield, and Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Angelle Sampey. The
fourth round of professional qualifying was lost to rain.

There are three pending national records on the sheets. Stanfield stole
away the elapsed time mark in Pro Stock from Greg Anderson with his
6.621 in the third round. Anderson still has designs on the national
speed record after his 208.91 mph clocking. Sampey's 6.939 could be the
national E.T. record in her class. Records aren't official until the end
of the event.

Schumacher and points leader Doug Kalitta thrilled the fans with a
side-by-side finish to qualifying that would ultimately award the
quicker car a first-round bye. They both posted their best passes of the
weekend with Schumacher's 4.440 at 327.27 mph in the U.S. Army dragster
getting the job done against Kalitta's 4.488 at 321.88 mph in the Mac
rail. 

"It got a little outside the groove down there at the top end and spun
the tires just enough to cost us the national record," Schumacher said,
referring to the 4.437-second national mark. "Because we have that
single in the first round tomorrow I'm guessing Alan [Johnson, crew
chief] will take one more shot at it. To me it's 40 points on the line
because it's 20 for the record and 20 less someone else could get."

Just as it was one week ago in Dallas, someone edged Friday leader Mike
Ashley off the Funny Car pole. This time it was veteran Johnson, who
zipped to a 4.693 at 327.27 mph in his Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Ashley had
to settle for second place by just one thousandths of a second in his
Dodge Charger.

"We're still fighting for positions," Johnson said. "Our goal now is to
finish in the top five. We're just a few points behind fifth. The only
disappointment is that the new points system isn't in effect right now.
They way we're running lately we'd be in pretty good shape. I can't wait
for next year."

Championship contenders Ron Capps and John Force finished fifth and
ninth, respectively. Capps' Brut Revolution Dodge Charger R/T posted a
4.717, while Force's Ford went 4.761. They could meet in the semifinals.

Currently 10th in the points, Stanfield has already proclaimed that he'd
rather win the race then set a record. Summit Racing pro Anderson,
meanwhile, really needs the 20 bonus points that go with an E.T. record.

"He was pretty crushed down there at the end of the track," Stanfield
said of Anderson. "We were just fortunate they didn't hit on it that
session. The truth is there are four or five of us that could be
standing here as the No. 1 qualifier. We're just the lucky ones."

Mike Edwards and the Young Life GTO crew are next with a 6.632, while
points leader Jason Line is fourth with a 6.633.

Sampey is one day closer to the Pro Stock Motorcycle national elapsed
time record and the 20 bonus points it awards. Her 6.939 at 191.10 mph
on her Suzuki has already been backed up to make it official. Now it
just needs to survive race day.

"I think [points leader] Andrew Hines and that team will be doing
everything they can to get that record tomorrow," said Sampey, who is 97
points behind Hines in the standings. "They really need it more than
anyone to get some breathing room and this is the best place to do it. I
know they'll go for it."

Hines already has the back-up mark for a record with his 6.950 at 192.28
mph, which slotted his Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson V-Rod second on
the grid.

Eliminations begin at 11 a.m. ET.

MOHNTON, Pa. -- First-round pairings for professional eliminations
Sunday for the 22nd annual Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove
Raceway, the 20th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag
Racing Series.  Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended
Saturday.

 
        Top Fuel -- 1. Tony Schumacher, 4.440 seconds, 331.85 mph  vs.
Bye; 2. Doug Kalitta, 4.488,
330.39  vs. 15. Luigi Novelli, 4.837, 285.95; 3. Rod Fuller, 4.518,
328.78  vs. 14. Doug Herbert, 4.701, 291.82; 4. Brandon Bernstein,
4.528, 329.50  vs. 13. David Baca, 4.674, 312.28; 5. David Grubnic,
4.533, 326.95  vs. 12. Morgan Lucas, 4.662, 299.26; 6. Larry Dixon,
4.541, 328.54  vs. 11.
Melanie Troxel, 4.566, 327.74; 7. Bob Vandergriff, 4.547, 323.50  vs.
10. Hillary Will, 4.560, 322.88; 8. J.R. Todd, 4.549, 328.06  vs. 9.
Cory McClenathan, 4.550, 317.64. 

 
        Funny Car -- 1. Tommy Johnson Jr., Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.693,
327.27  vs. 16. Jim Head, Dodge Stratus, 4.854, 308.99; 2. Mike Ashley,
Dodge Charger, 4.694, 330.96  vs. 15. Del Worsham, Monte Carlo, 4.843,
321.19; 3. Eric Medlen, Ford Mustang, 4.705, 325.69  vs. 14. Scott
Kalitta, Toyota Solara, 4.840, 320.97; 4. Gary Scelzi, Charger, 4.709,
328.62  vs. 13. Gary Densham, Monte Carlo, 4.829, 321.50; 5. Ron Capps,
Charger, 4.717, 323.97  vs. 12. Phil Burkart, Monte Carlo, 4.794,
324.44; 6. Tony Pedregon, Monte Carlo, 4.723, 321.12  vs. 11. Cruz
Pedregon, Monte Carlo, 4.792, 308.99; 7. Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.739,
325.69  vs. 10. Tim Wilkerson, Monte Carlo, 4.777, 319.98; 8. Jack
Beckman, Charger, 4.756, 325.45  vs. 9. John Force, Mustang, 4.761,
323.58. 

 
        Pro Stock -- 1. Greg Stanfield, Pontiac GTO, 6.621, 208.04  vs.
16. Dave Northrop, Dodge Stratus, 6.664, 206.57; 2. Greg Anderson, GTO,
6.626, 208.91  vs. 15. Max Naylor, Stratus, 6.662, 206.89; 3. Mike
Edwards, GTO, 6.632, 208.36  vs. 14. Warren Johnson, GTO, 6.659, 206.83;
4. Jason Line, GTO, 6.633, 208.14  vs. 13. Larry Morgan, Stratus, 6.653,
207.40; 5. Tommy Lee, Chevy Cobalt, 6.634, 207.62  vs. 12. Dave
Connolly, Cobalt, 6.651, 207.66; 6. Tom Martino, GTO, 6.637, 208.07 vs.
11. Dave Howard, Cobalt, 6.649, 207.43; 7. Richie Stevens, Stratus,
6.640, 207.40  vs. 10. Kurt Johnson, Cobalt, 6.649, 207.66; 8. Allen
Johnson, Stratus, 6.645, 207.72  vs. 9. Jim Yates, GTO, 6.648, 206.95. 

 
        Pro Stock Motorcycle -- 1. Angelle Sampey, Suzuki, 6.939, 191.10
vs. 16. Tom Bradford, Buell, 7.050, 189.52; 2. Andrew Hines,
Harley-Davidson, 6.950, 193.16  vs. 15. GT Tonglet, Harley-Davidson,
7.049, 189.07; 3. Shawn Gann, Suzuki, 6.952, 190.65  vs. 14. Michael
Phillips, Suzuki, 7.049, 193.18; 4. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 6.970, 193.10
vs. 13. Chip Ellis, Buell, 7.047, 187.81; 5. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.975,
190.78  vs. 12. Paul Gast, Suzuki, 7.046, 186.82; 6. Steve Johnson,
Suzuki, 7.001, 188.73  vs. 11. Antron Brown, Suzuki, 7.025, 191.05; 7.
Geno Scali, Suzuki, 7.009, 192.00  vs. 10. Matt Guidera, Buell, 7.011,
187.83; 8. Craig Treble, Suzuki, 7.009, 191.05 vs. 9. Ryan Schnitz,
Buell, 7.011, 189.04.