NHRA to Award National Records in Top Fuel and Funny Car Categories; Bonus Points during Qualifying Sessions 
      
Today, the NHRA confirmed Competitionplus.com's stories as they announced that with the start of the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship at the NHRA Carolinas Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C., it will recognize national records in Top Fuel and Funny Car and create a new bonus point system for pro qualifying sessions. Both programs will instantly make the battle for the NHRA Full Throttle world championships just a little more interesting for professional competitors on the eve of the start of the Countdown to 1, NHRA's six-race championship playoffs.

NHRA to Award National Records in Top Fuel and Funny Car Categories; Bonus Points during Qualifying Sessions 
      
Today, the NHRA confirmed Competitionplus.com's stories as they announced that with the start of the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship at the NHRA Carolinas Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C., it will recognize national records in Top Fuel and Funny Car and create a new bonus point system for pro qualifying sessions. Both programs will instantly make the battle for the NHRA Full Throttle world championships just a little more interesting for professional competitors on the eve of the start of the Countdown to 1, NHRA's six-race championship playoffs.    

NHRA will recognize official national elapsed time and speed records to 1,000 feet for both Top Fuel and Funny Car. Teams that set a national record for elapsed time (E.T.) will be awarded 20 points.  Speed records are not eligible for bonus points. The starting point for the national record will be established using the quickest times and fastest speeds to 1,000-feet that were backed up by another performance within 1 percent during the course of a single event weekend, occurring since 1,000-foot racing started at the midway point of 2008.  Those drivers who currently hold the national records in each category will not retroactively receive the 20 point bonus.  
     
In order for performances to be certified as NHRA national records, the eligible performance must be backed up by another performance within 1 percent during the course of a single event weekend. Only one 20 point bonus will be awarded in each category per event.
     
The current 1,000-foot E.T. and speed records in Top Fuel and Funny Car are as follows:
     
Top Fuel
E.T. -- Tony Schumacher, 3.771 sec., Richmond, Va. (Oct. 2008)
Speed -- Tony Schumacher, 318.92 mph, Las Vegas (Nov. 2008) 
     
Funny Car   
E.T. -- Ron Capps, 4.023 sec., Phoenix (Feb. 2009)
Speed -- Ashley Force Hood, 312.13 mph, Atlanta (April 2009)
     
In addition, NHRA announced a new bonus points structure that will offer teams opportunities to score critical points during qualifying sessions in all four professional categories: Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle.   The team in each category with the quickest elapsed time during each qualifying session will receive three bonus points.   In all, a team that records the lowest E.T. in all four sessions could receive a total of 12 bonus points during qualifying.  Teams with the second and third quickest elapsed times during each qualifying session will receive 2 and 1 bonus points, respectively.
     
These changes are designed to enhance the qualifying sessions by encouraging more side-by-side racing and providing an opportunity for all competitors to earn additional points toward their standing in the top 10, as well as their pursuit of NHRA Full Throttle Series world championship titles.
     
Although records will be recorded to 1,000 feet in the two nitromethane categories, NHRA continues to evaluate and test combinations to reduce power in the Top Fuel and Funny Car categories.  Only after testing and analysis is concluded will a decision be made on whether to remain at 1,000 feet or return to quarter-mile racing in the two classes.

 

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