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NHRA NEWS: Newsmakers, Jan. 8, 2007

Your inside glimpse at the world's fastest motorsport

NEWS NUGGETS

* WHAT IS THE "COUNTDOWN?": It is NHRA's new and improved system for determining its four POWERade Series world champions and it officially gets underway a month from now at the season-opening CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals (Feb. 8-11 at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona), the first of 17 regular-season events in the 23-event schedule. The top eight drivers from each class after the 17-event regular season will advance to the playoffs and remain in contention for the 2007 POWERade Series world championship (see "Inside the Numbers" below for details on the Countdown to the Championship playoff and championship rounds).

Media will be kept abreast of the Countdown throughout the inaugural season via a Countdown-specific post-event wrap-up, identifying the most significant moves up and down in the POWERade Series standings, who's in and who's out, and what to look for as we move through the regular season, playoffs and championship rounds. Look for these updates via email and on the Media Web site, which will be re-launched in February with a page dedicated to educating media about the Countdown and answering any and all questions related to the Countdown.

* TESTING IS IN SESSION: If the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals are only a month away, that must mean that drivers and teams are making final preparations to begin the season. And final preparations in NHRA terms means test sessions in Las Vegas (Jan. 19-21 and Feb. 2-4) and Phoenix (Jan 26-28). Teams are working feverishly to assimilate new parts and new crew members (and in some cases, new drivers) and the final dress rehearsal will come at the test sessions. Among the highlights will be the return of six-time world champion Kenny Bernstein, who will be renewing his license at the first Las Vegas test session. For more on this story, click here <http://www.nhra.com/content/news.asp?articleid=17756&zoneid=8> .

* NHRA RECOGNIZED FOR DIVERSITY: The NHRA POWERade Series has had a deep and talented pool of diverse competitors for years, providing opportunity rather than programs, and Tuesday night (Jan. 9) it will be recognized for its leadership position. NHRA is one of two finalists - along with the Urban Youth Racing School - for the Diversity in Motorsports Award at the 11th annual Urban Wheels Awards ceremony in Detroit. The event is the only one honoring African-Americans, Latinos and Asians during the North American International Auto Show. The NHRA party attending the event will include president Tom Compton, vice presidents Gary Darcy and Graham Light, and three-time winners during the 2006 POWERade Series season J.R. Todd and Tony Pedregon. For more information on the award, please click here <http://www.nhra.com/content/news.asp?articleid=17724&zoneid=8> .

COMING ATTRACTIONS

* NITRO BLAST OFF, LAS VEGAS, THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY, JAN. 19-21: The elite teams of the NHRA POWERade Series will have the first opportunity to begin preparing for the 2007 season at this first of three optional showcase pre-season test sessions. Media are invited. Please contact NHRA Media Relations at (626) 914-4761 for more information.

* NATIONAL TIME TRIALS, PHOENIX, FIREBIRD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY, JAN. 26-28: Pre-season action moves from Nevada to Arizona as the professional teams continue to tweak off-season changes at this second of three optional test sessions. Open to media. Please contact NHRA Media Relations at (626) 914-4761 for more information.

* LAST CHANCE TEST SESSION, LAS VEGAS, THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY, FEB. 2-4: This aptly named test session is the final of three optional events that allow professional drivers the chance to test their rides before the 2007 NHRA POWERade Series Countdown to the Championship gets underway. Open to media. Please contact NHRA Media Relations at (626) 914-4761 for more information.

* CARQUEST AUTO PARTS NHRA WINTERNATIONALS, POMONA, CALIF., AUTO CLUB RACEWAY AT POMONA, FEB. 8-11: Get a front seat as defending world champs Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel), John Force (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) begin the 2007 NHRA POWERade Series Countdown to the Championship.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

17-4-2: This is the simple breakdown of the 23-event, $50 million POWERade Series in the inaugural Countdown to the Championship season. There will be 17 regular season events, with the top 8 drivers in each class advancing to the first round of playoffs (Sunday race formats will remain the same throughout the playoffs with full 16-car fields); there will be 4 first-round playoff events, with the top four drivers in each class advancing to the championship round; and there will be 2 championship round events with the top driver in each class earning the title of 2007 POWERade Series world champion.

DRIVERS TELL ALL

OLYMPIC HEROES?: Morgan Lucas and J.R. Todd participated in Geoff Bodine's Bobsled Challenge at Lake Placid, N.Y. this past weekend with Lucas taking the Silver Medal: "It's a great feeling and the whole thing is that I (wanted) to make if from A to B without wrecking and ending up on my head. It's a blast and you can't keep the smile off my face." For the complete story on NHRA.com, click here <http://www.nhra.com/content/news.asp?articleid=17774&zoneid=8> .