FC CHAMPION HIGHT WANTS FIRST 2010 WIN IN PHOENIX

TEAM CASTROL/JFR25THANNIVERSARY SEASON ROBERT HIGHTPre-Race Package for the 26th annual NHRA Arizona NationalsFeb. 19-21, 2010Firebird International RacewayChandler, Ariz. (Phoenix)Second event in the Countdown to the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Championship * * * * Celebrate 25 years of JFR and Castrol at www.castrolforce.comFollow John Force Racing at www.twitter.com/jfr_racing * * * * FC CHAMPION HIGHT WANTS FIRST 2010 WIN IN PHOENIXPHOENIX --- Robert Hight received the last elements recognizing him as 2009 Full Throttle Funny Car champion on Sunday morning of the 50th Kragen O’Reilly NHRA Winternationals as NHRA President Tom Compton presented him with his champion’s ring and jacket during the opening ceremonies. Unfortunately for Hight, the events no. 1 qualifier, that was the highlight of his day. A surprising first round loss to no. 16 qualifier Cruz Pedregon had Hight moving into a supporting role at his first race as reigning champion. Immediately after Hight launched his Auto Club Ford Mustang he was cruising down the left lane and at mid-track his Mustang took an unceremonious right darting him across the centerline resulting in an immediate DQ.“(Crew chief) Jimmy (Prock) is still baffled that we smoked the tires. Even after looking at the data. The tires weren’t hot. I had it perfectly lined up in the center of the groove. I knew I left on it- the Christmas tree. I saw the amber. It felt awesome. I pedaled it, got back on it and it hooked. When it does that usually it goes. I stayed in it and then all of a sudden it turned sideways so I lifted,�?? said Hight.“When it does that the tires really start spinning. They slow down and then they really speed up and it shoots you. Unfortunately it shot me across the center line and I couldn’t bring it back. It wasn’t going to run 4.30 anyway after pedaling it out that far. It looked funny especially when Ashley goes out and runs 4.12 right behind us. It is just one of those deals and we’ll move on. We are still learning this clutch package. It is not like last year when we were struggling to figure it out. We just have to fine tune this Mustang to get it to react the way we need it to. We’ll get it.�??Both of his teammates – Ashley Force Hood and John Force - advanced to the second round and Hight’s team immediately began chipping in for a full day of support. Hight watched from the sidelines as team leader and mentor John Force ruled the day winning for the 127th time in his career.It was a special moment for Hight. As Force was beginning his celebration in the winner’s circle he was calling out for Hight to join him and the Castrol GTX High Mileage team. Force left the protective confines of the awards presentation area in front of the suite tower at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona to wade into the crowd of fans that were surrounding Hight. Force embraced Hight and the two champions shared an emotional moment before a cheering crowd pushing them back into the awards area. All day Hight had been receiving almost a hero’s welcome from the thousands of fans at the Winternationals.It was a fitting end to the first event of the season for Hight, one that saw him capture the no. 1 qualifying position for the 33rd time in his career, receive his first championship ring and then support the man that made it all possible.“I wasn’t around the fans all winter. We did a few shows like the LA Auto Show and our Holiday Car Show. When you get back to the race track and everywhere you go everybody is calling for you. They don’t call me Robert anymore they are saying “Hey champ!�?? and that is cool. I am looking forward to hearing that at 22 more events this season,�?? said a proud Hight.Heading into Firebird International Raceway Hight will hope to build on the performance momentum he developed during testing in late January. Over the course of nearly a week of testing Hight recorded times solid times including a blistering 4.05 second run with his new 2010 Mustang body."(Firebird) is very tricky. It was perfect timing for that run because it was the first run with the 2010 Mustang body. I knew it was a good run. It felt good the whole way. It was pretty awesome. It was cool to hear the excitement of the guys on the radio. It has been a while since we have had some excitement over the radio," said Hight. "(Crew chief) Jimmy (Prock) says if you hit it right could run 4.03 out here. Hitting it right is the trick. This track will produce huge ETs but you have to hit it right. Every little thing counts. After that run the engine ran fine and the clutch came together nice. "  Getting back into race mode less than three days after a disappointing first event is a welcome situation for Hight. The 50th annual NHRA Winternationals was a whirlwind for Hight.“Going to Phoenix next weekend is huge for me. I don’t have to think about this (his first round loss) for a week. I can get right back to work. We’ll get that work done and get ready to head to Phoenix and start over again. I am really looking forward to Phoenix. With this race being the 50th anniversary of the Winternationals it has been huge. It has been a crazy, crazy weekend. I’m back at my home track after winning the championship. I got my ring today and my champion’s jacket. There were just lots of things going on. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I am not complaining. It will be nice to get to a more normal race weekend. It is good to be back with the fans and all the sponsors. I have missed my team,�?? said Hight from his trailer after the race in Pomona. ****Castrol/JFR 25th Anniversary Flashback:After signing Castrol as an associate sponsor in 1986 – for $5,000 cash and oil – John Force was introduced a year later as the Funny Car member of the new Castrol GTX Super Team that also included Gary Ormsby (Top Fuel), Larry Morgan (Pro Stock), Bill Barney (Top Alcohol Dragster), Pat Austin (Top Alcohol Funny Car) and David Nickens (Competition Eliminator). In just his sixth race in the green, red and white Castrol GTX colors with which he would become synonymous, Force won the Molson Grandnational at Montreal, Quebec, Canada – June 28, 1987. It was the first of his record 127 victories, all with Castrol GTX sponsorship. Nevertheless, it was his only win in a year that ended in disappointment when he failed to qualify for the season-ending World Finals and slipped from second to fourth in the final Funny Car standings.           EVENT OVERVIEW:Coming off an unexpected victory in the season-opening Kragen O’Reilly Winternationals last week at Pomona, Calif., John Force tries to maintain momentum in his bid for an unprecedented 15th NHRA Funny Car championship on one of his favorite racetracks.Force has won eight of the last 16 races at Firebird International Raceway, the only John Force Racing driver to have won on the Arizona track.Force and crew chief Austin Coil, who are in their 26th season together, have raced together in every NHRA event at Firebird, never failing to put their car in the 16-car starting lineup. Force’s record at Firebird is a stellar 51-17 although he has been eliminated in the first round in each of his last three appearances.Although he has yet to win at Firebird, reigning series champion Robert “Top Gun�?? Hight has reached the finals two of the last three seasons and in 2007 recorded the quickest quarter mile time EVER for a Funny Car when he was clocked in 4.636 seconds.While Hight is seeking his first event victory at Firebird, teammate and sister-in-law Ashley Force Hood is seeking her first round win in a Castrol GTX Ford Mustang in which she failed to qualify for the 2008 race and failed to advance out of the first round in 2007 and 2009.* * * *JFR RACING HISTORY AT FIREBIRD RACEWAY:Wins – 8, all by John Force (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005),Last year – Seeing double duty as both crew chief and driver of the Ford Drive One Mustang in the absence of ailing crew chief John Medlen, Mike Neff qualified No. 2 and posted the quickest time of eliminations before a clutch malfunction on the final round burnout ended his day.Notable – Robert Hight recorded the quickest quarter mile time in Funny Car drag racing history at the 2007 race, stopping the timers in 4.636 seconds in the Auto Club Ford Mustang. * * * *PRO POINTS (Current 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Series point standings):Funny Car– 1. John Force, Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang, 121; 2. Ron Capps, NAPA Dodge Charger, 94; 3. Bob Tasca III, Quick Lane/Motorcraft Ford Mustang, 78; 4. Jack Beckman, MTS Dodge Charger, 74; 5. Del Worsham, Al Anabi Toyota Solara, 59; 6. Matt Hagan, Diehard Dodge Charger, 57; 7. Ashley Force Hood, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, 56; 8. Cruz Pedregon, Snap-on Tools Toyota Solara, 51; 9. Robert Hight, Auto Club Ford Mustang, 43; 10. Tie, Tony Pedregon, Quaker State Chevrolet Monte Carlo, and Jim Head, Toyota Solara, 33 each.Top Fuel – 1. Larry Dixon, 122; 2. Doug Kalitta, 96; 3. Cory McClenathan, 86; 4. Tony Schumacher, 81; 5. Shawn Langdon, 55; 6. Tie, Antron Brown, Brandon Bernstein, and Troy Buff, 52 each; 9. Morgan Lucas, 36; 10. Tie, Thomas Nataas and Steve Torrence, 34 each.Pro Stock – 1. Mike Edwards, Pontiac GXP, 130; 2. Greg Anderson, Pontiac GXP, 95; 3. Allen Johnson, Dodge Avenger, 78; 4. Larry Morgan, Lucas Oil Ford Mustang, 71; 5. Rodger Brogdon, Pontiac GXP, 54; 6. Greg Stanfield, Pontiac GXP, 53; 7. Ronnie Humphrey, Pontiac GXP, 52; 8. Shane Gray, Pontiac GXP, 51; 9. Jeg Coughlin Jr., Chevrolet Cobalt, 42; 10. Ron Krisher, Chevrolet Cobalt, 39. * * * * TELEVISION (all on ESPN2, all times Eastern Daylight):Qualifying – Sunday, Feb. 21, 2-4 am.NHRA RaceDay – Sunday, Feb. 21, 11 amRace Highlights – Sunday, Feb. 21, 7-10 pmRepeat race highlights – Wednesday, March 3, 3-5 am            * * * * NEXT EVENTS (2010 NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship):41st annual NHRA Gatornationals, March 11-14, Gainesville, Fla.Inaugural NHRA Charlotte Nationals, March 25-28, Charlotte, N.C.23rd annual O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals, April 9-11, Houston, Texas 11th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals, April 16-18, Las Vegas, Nev.14th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals, April 30-May 2, Madison, Ill.30th annual Summit Southern Nationals, May 14-16, Atlanta, Ga. * * * *CONTACTS: For John Force Racing, Inc.:Elon Werner                             Kelly Anontelli                             Chad Light214-244-1184                           317-858-8900                               714-921-8123elon@johnforceracing.com               kelly@johnforceracing.com      chad@johnforceracing.com For BP/Castrol:Dave Densmore                       Lori Anne Goladenswood@aol.com               lorianne.gola@bp.com214-244-0008                           973-633-2393 For Ford Racing:Kevin Kennedykkennedy@pcgcampbell.com313-203-7108 For the Auto Club of Southern California:Rick Lalorlalor.rick@aaa-calif.com714-885-2085 * * * * For additional information or photos, contact one of the representatives above or go to www.johnforceracing.com or www.nhra.com. * * * *