NHRA NEWS: POWERADE SERIES POST RACE NOTES

NHRA POWERADE SERIES POST RACE NOTES:
42nd annual Auto Club NHRA Finals
Nov. 9-12, Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Pomona, Calif. 

TOP FUEL
*Tony Schumacher, from Chicago, raced to a national record time and won
the race to clinch his third consecutive NHRA POWERade Series world
championship in dramatic fashion. He defeated Melanie Troxel in the
final round race and defeated season-long rival Doug Kalitta for the
championship.  
*Schumacher's championship title marks the greatest comeback in NHRA
history. After the 10th race of the season, Schumacher trailed the
series leader by 336 points, or a little more than 16 rounds.
*It is Schumacher's fifth victory of the season. It is his third
consecutive victory at the Auto Club NHRA Finals and his fourth win at
this track.
*With his 35th career victory, Schumacher ties "Big Daddy" Don Garlits
for third on the all-time Top Fuel wins list.
*Kalitta drove his Mac Tools dragster to his second No. 1 qualifying
award of the season and the 28th of his career. It is his second No. 1
at this event and fourth at this track.
*Schumacher's national record time of 4.428 seconds, worth the 20 bonus
points that he needed to secure the championship title, is tied for the
second-quickest run in NHRA history and also the Auto Club Raceway at
Pomona track record.
*Schumacher joins Joe Amato as the only Top Fuel drivers to win three
consecutive world championships in NHRA history; He earned a $400,000
bonus for winning the title. It was Schumacher's fourth championship
title overall.
*Schumacher was fined $20,000 by NHRA officials for failing to follow
the commands of NHRA Chief Starter Rick Stewart during Saturday's final
qualifying attempt. 
*Morgan Lucas was docked 15 points for oiling the racing surface in the
first round.
*Rod Fuller's David Powers Homes/Valvoline dragster crew won the Full
Throttle Pit Crew challenge award. Doug Kalitta won the season award,
worth $25,000.

FUNNY CAR
* John Force, from Yorba Linda, Calif., earned a record 14th Funny Car
world championship title with his 122nd career victory. He defeated
upstart Jack Beckman for the race victory, and held off Ron Capps and
teammate Robert Hight for the POWERade Series crown. 
*Force claimed the championship title with his second round victory over
Ron Capps. It is his third victory this season, 12th at this track and
seventh at this event.
* Jack Beckman raced to his first career No. 1 qualifier award in his
Matco Tools Dodge Charger.
*Beckman clocked both ends of the national performance record with a
time of 4.662 seconds and a speed of 333.66 mph.
*Force earned the championship, his first since 2004, by a final tally
of 112 points. Force earns a $400,000 bonus from NHRA and POWERade for
the title.
*Del Worsham was involved in a spectacular crash during Friday's round
of qualifying. His Checker Schuck's Kragen Chevy Monte Carlo suffered an
engine explosion and went out of control as Worsham tried to stop the
car without the aid of parachutes. His car dug into the sand traps at
the end of the shutdown area and tumbled two times before coming to a
stop in the catch fence. Worsham walked away from the wreckage and was
transported to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center where he was found
to have a cracked tailbone but no other injuries. Worsham's team brought
out a back-up car and he lost in the first round of eliminations.
*John Force defeated Jack Beckman by .0108-second in the final round to
claim the $1,000 Motel 6 Who Got the Light Award.
*Robert Hight's Auto Club Ford Mustang team won the Full Throttle Pit
Crew challenge award. Force's Castrol GTX Mustang team claimed the
$25,000 season award.

PRO STOCK
*Greg Anderson, from Charlotte, N.C., raced to his fourth victory of the
season and the 43rd of his career by defeating teammate Jason Line in
the final round.  
*It was Anderson's fourth victory at this track and his third at this
event.
*Line raced to his seventh No. 1 qualifying award of the season and 11th
of his career in his Summit Racing Pontiac GTO. It is his second
straight No. 1 at this event.
*Jason Line clocked a track record performance of 6.634 seconds at
208.68 mph in his Summit Racing Equipment Pontiac GTO.
*Jason Line's Summit Racing Pontiac GTO team won the Full Throttle Pit
Crew challenge award. His teammate, Greg Anderson, earned the season
award, worth $15,000.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
*Craig Treble, from Hensley, Ark., ended a two-year winless drought by
outrunning first-time finalist Tom Bradford in the final round. Treble
rode his Team Tigue Suzuki to the win over Bradford's Hal's Speed Shop
Buell.
*It was Treble's ninth career victory and his second victory at this
event and his third final round appearance here. 
*Andrew Hines earned his second No. 1 qualifying position of the season
and the 19th of his career. He rode his Screamin' Eagle Vance & Hines
Harley-Davidson to a 7.202 second run at 191.00 mph to claim the top
spot. It was his first No. 1 effort at this track.
*Hines earned his third consecutive NHRA POWERade Series world
championship title, joining his brother Matt and Angelle Sampey as the
only riders to win three consecutive crowns. For the title Hines earns a
$50,000 bonus. He claimed the title when rival Antron Brown lost in the
second round. Hines' margin of victory over Brown for the series title
was 23 points.
*Craig Treble's Team Tigue Suzuki crew won the Full Throttle Pit Crew
challenge award. The season-long award, worth $5,000, was awarded to
Chip Ellis' Drag Specialties S&S Buell team.

POWERADE FAN NATIONALS
*Matt Sackman, from Channahon, Ill., won the NHRA POWERade Fan Nationals
world championship title. Sackman, a 13-year-old NHRA O'Reilly Auto
Parts Jr. Drag Racing League competitor and NHRA POWERade Series fan,
defeated 22 other finalists from around the country to claim the
POWERade Fan Nationals world championship title, driving realistic
POWERade Funny Car simulators. As part of his championship winnings,
Sackman will join today's pro champion drivers at the Winner's Circle
where he will experience the feel of winning his first championship
series. He'll also receive a replica winner's leather jacket, complete
with his own monogrammed signature, as well as a one-of-a-kind POWERade
Fan Nationals trophy. Additionally, Sackman is guaranteed a trip to next
year's finals for a chance to defend his title.

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