NHRA (POMONA) - PRE-RACE ADVANCE FOR NHRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
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WHAT: 43nd annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, the final of 23 races in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, and the final of two races in the Countdown to 1 that will determine the 2007 NHRA POWERade Series world championships. Sportsman competitors in seven categories earn points leading to 2007 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series world championships.
WHERE: Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Pomona, Calif. Track is located off I-10 at Fairplex Drive. Go north on Fairplex drive.
WHEN: Thursday through Sunday, Nov. 1-4.
PURSE: Cash and contingency awards of approximately $1.7 million.
SCHEDULE: THURSDAY, Nov. 1 – Sportsman qualifying and time trials begin at 8:15 a.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 1:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, Nov. 2 – Sportsman qualifying and eliminations begin at 8:15 a.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 1:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Nov. 3 – Sportsman eliminations begin at 8:15 a.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Nov. 4 – Pre-race ceremonies begin at 10 a.m.
FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION: Saturday, Nov. 3, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 10 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 4, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 4, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA RaceDay, a 30-minute pre-race show, at 11 a.m. (ET).
2006 RACE
WINNERS: Tony Schumacher, Top Fuel; John Force, Funny Car; Greg Anderson, Pro Stock; Craig Treble, Pro Stock Motorcycle.
TRACK Top Fuel – 4.428 seconds by Tony Schumacher, Nov. 2006; 334.65 mph by Schumacher, Feb. 2005.
RECORDS: Funny Car – 4.646 seconds by Robert Hight, Feb. 2007; and 333.66 mph by Jack Beckman, Nov. 2006.
Pro Stock – 6.634 seconds by Jason Line, Nov. 2006; and 209.04 by Greg Anderson, Feb. 2007.
Pro Stock Motorcycle – 7.000 seconds by Matt Smith, Nov. 2005; 194.66 mph by GT Tonglet, Nov. 2004.
NATIONAL Top Fuel – 4.428 sec. by Tony Schumacher, Nov. ‘06, Pomona, Calif.; 336.15 mph by Schumacher, May ’05, Columbus, Ohio
RECORDS: Funny Car – 4.659 sec. by Tony Pedregon, Feb. ’07, Chandler, Ariz.; 333.66 mph by Jack Beckman, Nov. ‘06, Pomona, Calif.
Pro Stock – 6.536 sec. by Greg Anderson, March ’07, Gainesville, Fla.; 211.69 mph by Jason Line, March ‘07, Gainesville, Fla.
PS Motorcycle – 6.871 sec. by A. Sampey, June ’07, Englishtown, N.J.; 197.45 mph by A. Hines, March '05, Gainesville, Fla.
TICKETS: For tickets call (800) 884-NHRA (6472). Tickets also available online at ticketmaster.com or at nhra.com.
GENERAL ADMISSION (includes pit pass) – Thursday: Adult, $22; Junior (6-12 years), $10. Friday: Adult, $29; Junior (6-12 years), $10. Saturday: Adult, $49; Junior (6-12 years), $10. Sunday: Adult, $50; Junior (6-12 years) $12. Children (5 years & under), admitted free in general admission and pit access areas each day.
RESERVED SEATS (includes pit pass) – Friday: Adult, $39; Junior (6-12 years), $20; Child (5 years & under), $10. Saturday: Adult, $59; Junior (6-12 years), $22; Child (5 years & under), $12. Sunday: Adult, $62; Junior (6-12 years), $24; Child (5 years & under), $14.
ON THE WEB: For more information about NHRA, please check http://www.nhra.com.
CONTACT: NHRA Communications, (626) 914-4761; Michael Padian, (626) 250-2217; http://media.nhra.com
*** THE STAGE IS SET FOR CLIMACTIC END TO FIRST-EVER NHRA PLAYOFF, THE COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP AUTO CLUB RACEWAY HOSTS SECOND LEG OF TWO-RACE CHAMPIONSHIP
GLENDORA, Calif. (Oct. 28, 2007) – The inaugural season of the Countdown to the Championship has already had its share of “thrill-of-victory, agony-of-defeat” moments and there are sure to be at least a couple more next weekend at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, in Southern California, site of the second and final leg of the championship round of the NHRA Playoffs, the Countdown to 1.
The Countdown to the Championship consists of a 17-race regular season that reduces the field of eligible championship contenders to eight, a four-race playoff that halves the field of contenders to four, and finally a two-race championship that determines the POWERade Series world champions.
The new NHRA Playoff has already delivered some “Instant Classic” moments, including most notably:
· Doug Herbert ending a 65-race winless streak at Reading, the last of the 17 regular season races, to move around three drivers — Cory McClenathan, Melanie Troxel and Dave Grubnic — to secure the eighth and final berth in the TF Countdown to 4;
· Peggy Llewellyn winning her first career race at Dallas, the last of the three first-round playoff races in Pro Stock Motorcycle, to move around Angelle Sampey and Craig Treble to secure the fourth and final berth in the PSM Countdown to 1;
· Gary Scelzi winning two of the four races in the Coundown to 4 – after facing a championship-ending DNQ on his final qualifying pass at each race – to enter the final stage in second place.
And amid those individual achievements were some of the most exciting racing the NHRA POWERade Series has ever seen.
The first round at Richmond, site of the fourth and final race in the Countdown to 4, the first round of the NHRA Playoffs, was regarded as one of the best rounds of racing in POWERade Series history.
It began in Top Fuel with Brandon Bernstein’s Budweiser team locking up the final berth in the TF Countdown to 1 with its heads-up win over Bob Vandergriff’s fifth-place UPS team.
Then in Funny Car, Mike Ashley was eliminated by Tim Wilkerson, but Jack Beckman, Ron Capps and Scelzi all won to set the table for a sensational series of must-win passes for Scelzi and Capps during the quarters and semis.
And in Pro Stock, Kurt Johnson beat Allen Johnson heads-up in the first round to give himself a chance to get around the Mopar driver for the fourth Countdown to 1 berth only to have Allen Johnson’s Mopar teammate, Richie Stevens Jr., eliminate him in the second round.
All of which sets the table now for the two-race championship round at Las Vegas (Oct. 28) and Pomona (Nov. 4) with both races being shown at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2HD.
The top four drivers entering the Countdown to 1 in each category have had their points reset in 10-point increments from 3,030 for first place to 3,000 for fourth place (points below reflect Las Vegas results).
[NOTE: Drivers earn 10 points for attempting to qualify, 1-8 points based on qualifying position and each round achieved in Sunday final eliminations is worth 20 points with a minimum of 20 going to first-round losers and a maximum of 100 going to the winner.]
TOP FUEL Points
1. Rod Fuller, Las Vegas, Caterpillar dragster (3 wins) 3,135
2. Larry Dixon, Indianapolis, SkyTel dragster (3) 3,083 (-52)
3. Brandon Bernstein, Lake Forest, Calif., Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster (5) 3,074 (-61)
4. Tony Schumacher, Chicago, U.S. Army dragster (5) 3,068 (-67) FUNNY CAR
1. Tony Pedregon, Detroit, Q Horsepower Chevy Impala (3) 3,147
2. Gary Scelzi, Fresno, Calif., Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger (4) 3,056 (-91)
3. Robert Hight, Anaheim Hills, Calif., Auto Club Ford Mustang (2) 3,048 (-99)
4. Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., Brut Dodge Charger R/T (3) 3,034 (-113) PRO STOCK
1. Greg Anderson, Charlotte, N.C. Summit Racing Pontiac GTO (8) 3,136
2. Jeg Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, JEGS.com Chevy Cobalt (3) 3,102 (-34)
3. Dave Connolly, Elyria, Ohio, Torco Chevy Cobalt (8) 3,088 (-48)
4. Allen Johnson, Greeneville, Tenn., Mopar Dodge Stratus (1) 3,033 (-103) PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
1. Andrew Hines, Elyria, Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson (4) 3,147
2. Chip Ellis, Drag Specialties S&S Buell (0) 3,108 (-39)
3. Matt Smith, Torco Racing Fuels Buell (3) 3,096 (-51)
4. Peggy Llewellyn, Rush Racing Buell (1) 3,054 (-93)
Some interesting items worth noting as the POWERade Series turns for home are the performance histories of the drivers at these last two races.
Tony Schumacher (TF) and Greg Anderson (PS) are the two most accomplished with a combined five wins apiece, Jeg Coughlin (PS) has won these two races a combined four times and Tony Pedregon (FC) has three career wins; no other racer in the Countdown to 1 has won more than twice at these two races.
At the other end of the spectrum, there are seven remaining drivers – Rod Fuller and Brandon Bernstein in Top Fuel, Robert Hight in Funny Car, Dave Connolly and Allen Johnson in Pro Stock, and Matt Smith and Peggy Llewellyn in Pro Stock Motorcycle – who have never even reached a final round at the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals or the Auto Club NHRA Finals.
SCHEDULE: Pro qualifying sessions are scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 1 and 2. Qualifying continues at 11 and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3 and final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 4.
TICKETS: Tickets are available for the Auto Club NHRA Finals. Call Auto Club Raceway at (800) 884-NHRA (6472) or check online at ticketmaster.com.
ON TV: ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise qualifying highlights at 10 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, Nov. 3. ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA Raceday, a 30-minute pre-race show, at 11 a.m. (ET) on Sunday, Nov. 4. ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final eliminations beginning at 7 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, Nov. 4.
ON THE WEB: Quick access to NHRA media relations department press releases, electronic images and other information is available on the Internet at media.nhra.com.
*** 2007 COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS
Following 22 of 23 events in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Updated 10/28/2007 (Season victories)
TOP FUEL
Place Driver Points
5. Rod Fuller, Las Vegas, Caterpillar dragster (3) 3,135
6. Larry Dixon, Indianapolis, SkyTel dragster (3) 3,083
7. Brandon Bernstein, Lake Forest, Calif., Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster (5) 3,074
8. Tony Schumacher, Long Grove, Ill., U.S. Army dragster (5) 3,068
FUNNY CAR
1. Tony Pedregon, Chino Hills, Calif., Q Horsepower Chevrolet Impala (3) 3,147
2. Gary Scelzi, Fresno, Calif., Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger (4) 3,056
3. Robert Hight, Anaheim Hills, Calif., Auto Club of So. Calif. Ford Mustang (2) 3,048
4. Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., Brut Revolution Dodge Charger R/T (3) 3,034
PRO STOCK
1. Greg Anderson, Charlotte, N.C., Summit Racing Pontiac GTO (8) 3,136
2. Jeg Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, JEGS.com Chevrolet Cobalt (3) 3,102
3. Dave Connolly, Elyria, Ohio, Torco/Seelye Wright Chevrolet Cobalt (8) 3,088
4. Allen Johnson, Greeneville, Tenn., J&J Racing Dodge Stratus R/T (1) 3,033
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
(Following 15 of 16 events)
1. Andrew Hines, Indianapolis, Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson V-Rod (5) 3,147
2. Chip Ellis, Salisbury, N.C., Drag Specialties S&S Buell V-Twin 3,108
3. Matt Smith, King, N.C., Torco/Skull Gear S&S Buell V-Twin (3) 3,096
4. Peggy Llewellyn, San Antonio, Texas, Rush Racing Products Buell V-Twin (1) 3,054