HIGHT CHASING TOP SPOT HEADING INTO GAINESVILLE

John Force RacingHight Pre-Race PackageEvent: 40th annual ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals, 3rd of 24 events in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.Site: Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Fla.Dates: Mar. 12-15, 2009* * * *HIGHT CHASING TOP SPOT HEADING INTO GAINESVILLE“Looking back to last year, I was right where Capps is right now. You have to give it to that team, they are working hard and it is paying off.  But after just two races, I know that the JFR Ford Mustangs will be tough competition throughout the season. My team is focused right now on just getting our Auto Club Ford Mustang to run like we know it can.�?? – Robert Hight* * * *Follow John Force Racing at www.twitter.com/jfr_racing****The DriverRobert Hight, 39, driver of the Auto Club of Southern California Ford Mustang, is entering 2009 following his fourth consecutive Full Throttle Top Five finish. He is the only Funny Car driver to have led the points each of the last four seasons.  The 2005 winner of the Auto Club’s Road to the Future award that identifies the Rookie of the Year, he owns the two quickest 1000 foot times in Funny Car history (4.056 and 4.005 seconds) and well as the quickest quarter mile times in Funny Car history (4.646 and 4.636 seconds).* * * *Robert Hight By the Numbers:0- Number of times Hight has reached the Gatornationals finals2 – Number of times Hight has been the No. 1 qualifier (2005 and 2007)2 – Hight’s points position. His lowest heading into the Gainesville in the past three seasons2 – Number of times Hight has faced friend and competitor Del Worsham in the first round of Gatornationals in the past two seasons, 1-1 record * * * *Full Throttle Point Standings (After two events of 24 Full Throttle events)Funny Car1. Ron Capps, 229; 2. Robert Hight, Auto Club Ford Mustang, 132; 2. Del Worsham, 132; 4. Mike Neff, Ford Drive One Mustang, 129; 5. Jim Head, 124; 6. Bob Tasca III, 107; 7. Jack Beckman, 105; 8. Gary Densham, 104; 9. Ashley Force Hood, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, 88; 10. Matt Hagan, 84. Also 12. John Force, Castrol EDGE Ford Mustang, 71.Top Fuel1. Antron Brown, 206; 2. Brandon Bernstein, 164; 3. Doug Kalitta, 163; 4. Tony Schumacher, 127; 5. Morgan Lucas, 124; 6. Spencer Massey, 85; 7. Shawn Langdon, 83; 8. Cory McClenathan, 82; 9. Mike Strasburg, 81; 10. Larry Dixon, 88.Pro Stock1. Jason Line, 171; 2. Jeg Coughlin, 169; 3. Greg Anderson,155; 4. Mike Edwards, 153; 5. Allen Johnson, 132; 6. Kurt Johnson, 127; 7. Greg Stanfield, 104; 8. Ron Krisher,103; 9. Jim Yates, 84; 10. Johnny Gray, 83.****Track Records:Top Fuel* - 4.481 seconds by Dave Grubnic, March ’05; 333.95 mph by Tony Schumacher, March ’05.Funny Car* - 4.686 seconds by Robert Hight, Auto Club Ford Mustang, March ’07; 331.94 mph by Hight, March ‘07.Pro Stock - 6.536 seconds by Greg Anderson, March ’07; 211.69 by Jason Line, March ’07.PS Motorcycle - 6.911 seconds by Angelle Sampey, March ’07; 197.45 mph by Andrew Hines, March ’05.(*performance records will not be officially recorded in Top Fuel and Funny Car at this event) ****Race Schedule:Friday – FC Qualifying:               12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Saturday – FC Qualifying:               12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.Sunday – Pre-race:                       10:00 a.m.Final eliminations:          11:00 a.m.* * * *Team PR and Marketing Contacts:Dave Densmore, PR                           Elon Werner, PR                                 
Denswood Sports                               John Force Racing, Inc.               214-244-0008                                    214-244-1184 denswood@aol.com                          Elon@johnforceracing.com       Chad Light                                            Kelly AntonelliJohn Force Racing, Inc.                      John Force Racing, Inc.714-921-8123                                      317-858-8900Chad@johnforceracing.com            Kelly@johnforceracing.comSponsor PR Contacts: Rick Lalor                              Lori Anne Gola                     Kevin KennedyAuto Club of SC                   BP Lubricants                       Ford Racing                
714-885-2085                      973-633-2393                      313-203-7108lalor.rick@aaa-calif.com    lorianne.gola@bp.com      kkennedy@pcgcampbell.comROBERT HIGHTHIGHT CHASING TOP SPOT HEADING INTO GAINESVILLEGainesville, FL (March 9, 2009) --- Robert Hight is currently sitting in second place in the Full Throttle point standings heading into Gainesville for the 40th annual ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals and the perennial championship contender wants a better view. For the past two seasons Hight has entered the “Gators�?? sitting in the top spot coming off final round appearances in the season opening events.Hight opened the 2009 Full Throttle season with a No. 1 qualifying effort in a rain shortened Winternationals in Pomona but did not advance to the finals for the first time in three years. In Phoenix he dropped a second round match-up to friend and competitor Del Worsham. Still Hight is in second place (tied with Worsham) but the former world-class trap shooter is focused on improving his team’s performance“My team is focused right now on just getting our Auto Club Ford Mustang to run like we know it can.  We just have to get out there and make runs and do it.  We’ll work together as a team.  That will pay off in the end,�?? said Hight. “We maintained every crew guy from last year and that makes all the difference.  Because we’re the same team we focus on fine-tuning, as opposed to changing, what was already a darn good car from last year.  Most of my guys understand all aspects of the car, and they work well together to help each other out when needed.  Having multi talented guys really make servicing the car between rounds easier, even more impressive and crucial is that they do it without making mistakes.�??Hight has talked in the past about the significance of getting a win at historic Gainesville Raceway but for 2009 he is taking a more pragmatic approach.“Going to Gainesville is the same for everybody. You have to make your move some time. It is the same for everyone. You just have to do better than the rest of them. I think I have the team that can do that,�?? said Hight.The lull between events has both sharpened Hight’s eagerness to get to a race track and offered his team the chance to spend some much needed time in the shop.“We had two weeks off so we just kept learning. We weren’t able to test but we ran the dyno in Indy. We spent the past two weeks trying to figure out a better clutch application for leaving the starting line,�?? said an excited Hight. “I got a small fix of racing when I went to the March Meet the weekend of March 7th on behalf of the Auto Club of Southern California.  This is my third time attending for the Auto Club and it is always exciting. It got me back to a race again which is what I needed.  I see all those nostalgia funny cars and I’d love to jump in one someday.  It is fun to attend but at the same time it is hard to just sit and watch.�??Hight thinks heading into this year’s Gatornationals the entire John Force Racing team is on the same page like never before. Teamwork has never been in short supply at JFR but following an emotional weekend in Phoenix where everyone throughout the organization had to step up the camaraderie factor in their camp is at an all time high. “When I look back at Phoenix for sure it was a special weekend.  Ever since Mike Neff came over my crew chief Jimmy Prock has been calling him a smart cookie.  I think that Neff really proved his worth in Phoenix, being able to tune and drive, and more importantly win rounds really showed me something.  But he’d be the first to tell you that it was a team effort, amongst all the crew chiefs and teams.
That’s what sets us apart, at the end of the day we all win together, or we all lose together…but regardless we do it as a team.“In the absence of John Medlen, who is recovering at home in Indianapolis from a short hospital stay to treat some heart discomfort, the John Force Racing team led by Hight will be racing with a common goal. It is one that Hight is eager to experience again but for the first time in Gainesville.
“I think we have a strong car coming out of Phoenix and should turn some heads at Gainesville,�?? concluded Hight.####Did you know…-          In Phoenix Hight shot a behind the scenes segment for Full Throttle TV at Ben Avery Clay Target Center in Phoenix to show off his trapshooting skills-          Over the off-season Hight built a full size practice tree simulator at the John Force Racing Yorba Linda shop. The simulator allows JFR drivers to sit in a full size funny car and visually and physically experience reacting to the Christmas Tree-          Hight is the only funny car driver to have led the points the past four seasons. He is currently in 2nd  place 97 points behind Ron Capps for the points lead Follow John Force Racing at www.twitter.com/jfr_racing