NHRA NEWS: Auto Club Finals Press Luncheon, Nov. 8 at noon
NHRA Media, We’ve reached the end of the 2006 season and with that our final press luncheon of the year, featuring 13-time champ John Force and three-time and defending champ Tony Schumacher. Please RSVP if you will be attending and feel free to call as well if you need anything at all to assist in your coverage of our season-ending event, which will determine the outcome of three of the four POWERade Series world championships. Michael Padian NHRA POWERade Series Communications http://media.nhra.com <http://media.nhra.com/> O: 626-250-2217 C: 626-278-0312 * * M E D I A A D V I S O R Y * * NHRA AND AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INVITE YOU TO A LUNCHEON AT THE AUTO CLUB RACEWAY TOP ELIMINATOR CLUB WHAT: Media are invited to a luncheon featuring POWERade Series drivers, who will sit down and join media for a lunch that will include a formal Q&A session with the drivers. Media will have access to drivers for one-on-ones immediately thereafter. NHRA, POWERade and Auto Club VIPs will also be in attendance. WHEN: Wednesday, November 8, 2006, beginning at noon. WHERE: Top Eliminator Club at Auto Club Raceway (Parking available in media lot – Gate 15 off Arrow Hwy., lot on right) 2780 Fairplex Dr. / Pomona, CA 91768 WHO: �?? JOHN FORCE (YORBA LINDA, CALIF.), CASTROL GTX FORD MUSTANG (FUNNY CAR): The always on-the-go, always colorful NHRA icon, who is the star of A&E’s hit reality series “Driving Force,�?? is closing in on his record 14th NHRA POWERade Series world championship. Force, assuming everyone qualifies and no national records are set, needs to advance to the quarterfinals at the season’s final race to clinch that championship. Ron Capps is currently in second place, 71 points back and Force’s son-in-law Robert Hight is 73 points back. �?? TONY SCHUMACHER (CHICAGO), U.S. ARMY DRAGSTER (TOP FUEL): The three-time and defending POWERade Series champion was adrift at midseason and now is on the verge of the greatest comeback in NHRA POWERade Series history. At the low point, Schumacher was 336 points out of first place and in eighth place; he is currently just 45 points behind Doug Kalitta as he seeks to become just the second driver in POWERade Top Fuel history to win three consecutive world championships (Joe Amato). �?? ROBERT HIGHT (ANAHEIM HILLS, CALIF.), AUTO CLUB FORD MUSTANG (FUNNY CAR): The son-in-law of John Force is still in contention for the 2006 POWERade Series world championship. He needs to win the race and have Force eliminated in the first round of final eliminations (assuming no national records are set). Hight won the 2005 Auto Club Road to the Future award, has a category-leading nine No. 1 qualifiers in 2006, and won the last race at Pomona, the Carquest Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals in February. �?? ANDREW HINES (INDIANAPOLIS), SCREAMIN’ EAGLE VANCE & HINES HARLEY-DAVIDSON (PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE): The two-time defending champion closed in on a third straight championship with his win at Las Vegas. He went from 27 points down to Antron Brown to 37 points ahead. �?? ANTRON BROWN (INDIANAPOLIS), U.S. ARMY SUZUKI (PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE): Brown is seeking to become the first African-American to win a POWERade Series world championship and finds himself 37 points out of first place entering the season-ending race in Pomona. ** RSVP **: PLEASE CALL TO CONFIRM ATTENDANCE. CONTACT: Michael Padian at (626) 250-2217, (626) 278-0312 (cell). -30- * NOT FOR PUBLICATION, MEDIA INFORMATION ONLY *