Keep up with this weekend's Funny Car action in Indianapolis by reading our behind-the-scenes event notebook. Tune in daily for the latest news from the pits. Bobby Bennett and Stan Creekmore will tag team to bring you the stories behind the numbers.

 

		EVENT NEWS & RESULTS TOP FUEL FUNNY CAR PRO STOCK CAR PRO STOCK BIKE PRO MODIFIED SPORTSMAN			WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY

 

MONDAY NOTEBOOK -TEMPERS FLARE, COMPETITION SOARS AND OH YEAH, ASHLEY WINS INDY

OH YEAH, ASHLEY WON INDY - Ashley Force Hood let a distractions pass her by as she cruised to her second Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, first as a professional, becoming the first female to win in the funny car category at the oldest and most prestigious drag race in the country. Force Hood defeated her brother-in-law Robert Hight in the final 4.170 to 4.217.

“I am really excited this has been a great weekend for Team Force. Winning the race couldn’t get any better for me. We have struggled in the summer and haven’t done as well as we’d hoped we would. Two weeks ago in Reading (PA) we really had a tough one. We came into this racing looking to get back into our groove. Let’s do what we know we can do. Let’s go rounds. Let’s get this car down the track. I can’t give (co-crew chiefs) Ron (Douglas) and Guido (Dean Antonelli) enough credit. They have had a lot on their shoulders this weekend. They were trying to figure out the track and working really hard. My team is the best bunch of guys out here. I couldn’t ask for any more from them. I am just so proud to have won the Mac Tools US Nationals again I just can’t believe it happened,” said Force Hood.

Force Hood joined Shirley Muldowney (Top Fuel) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) as the only female Mac Tools U. S. Nationals professional winners.

THE THROWDOWN IN THE SHUTDOWN - When Robert Hight beat John Force in the semifinals of the 55th annual U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park it vaulted Hight, over Matt Hagan and Cruz Pedregon, into the Countdown to 1 as the 10th place points finisher.

Hight’s victory also set off a firestorm between Tony Pedregon and Force because Hight’s win against his father-in-law and boss, knocked Cruz, Tony’s brother and defending NHRA Top Fuel Funny Car world champion, out of the Countdown. Force beat Cruz Pedregon in the second round.

Following Hight’s win, Force and Pedregon were shown getting into a verbal confrontation at the end of the track.

“He got in my face and I think he was trying to intimidate me, but I stand by what I say,” said Pedregon, who is leading the points chase. “I’m just a competitor out here and I’m trying to make a living. This is an emotional business that we’re in,” said Pedregon. “There are some ups and downs and there’s some adrenaline that takes place. Now, the bottom line is if I lay down for Cruz in Brainerd, he’s in the top 10. I race. I stand behind what really this sport is about. I made a comment and John wanted to know why I didn’t say anything to him. What good is that going to do me? That’s not going to accomplish anything. John knows what he does. John knows those decisions he makes. I don’t believe that everyone is that naive. I simply call it the way that I see it. I only say this, that it’s a shame that this sport that’s built on competition, I know that it has evolved into a business, but to me it’s still about the competition.”

If Force layed over to ensure Hight made the countdown, then Pedregon believes it strikes at the integrity of the sport.

“For a team owner to be able to make a call and say I got to allow my driver to win, I disagree with that, it’s that simple,” Pedregon said. “You guys need to go talk to John Force.”

Pedregon, however, continued his rant without hesitation.

“John wanted to know why I didn’t say anything to him about my comments that I make, because there’s no point in me saying anything to him,”  continued Pedregon, a two-time world champion. “I think that’s what he was getting at, but outside of that, the rest of it, I guess was just showboating or probably that frustration, It wasn’t about Ashley (Force-Hood) beating me. Ashley beat me. I’ve done this for a long time and they just overpowered it. Cruz smoked the tires against John and that’s not the point either. The point is that NHRA has a very, very tough job. I was asked earlier how do they fix it? I don’t know. I don’t claim to have an answer. I do know this and I leave it at this. This is a legitimate sport. When they’re making odds in Vegas. It’s a legitimate sport. This is not wrestling Okay? So if anybody wants to question how I know, just look back at where I come from.”

Tony Pedregon drove for John Force Racing from 1996-2003, winning the world championship in his final season with the team. Pedregon started his own team in 2004.

“I hope that Dan Olson is over looking at their data,” Pedregon said. “How does NHRA police it or track it? Man, they have a tough job. When they said that you could have four cars, they know that they were going to have this problem. They knew it. I realize that John and I are coming from two different places. John has the money. He’s got the cars. Thank goodness they don’t make me race two at a time. But, outside of that, I’m just trying to survive and be competitive.”

In fact, Olson, was over looking at the data.

“(Rich) Schreck looked at the car (at the top end), followed it back to the pits,” explained Graham, Light, Vice President of Operations. “Olsen, a former crew chief, understands these cars, looked at the tune up on the car and did not detect anything that would be conclusive evidence that they intentionally threw that race.

“We can't deal with the past,” said Light when asked to react to Pedregon's comments. “We can only deal with what we saw today. Obviously, this was a very critical race. It was whether or not (Hight) got into the Countdown and all we can do is look at the facts of that race. John got out of the groove. We see cars get out of the groove. John smoked the tires. We see cars smoke the tires. It's not proof positive that they intentionally did that. If you are going to overturn the results of a race you have to have absolute 100 percent positive proof.”

Pedregon, through his driving for Force, had inside knowledge of how decisions were made at JRF when he was there.

“I know what goes on over there, that’s it,” Pedregon said. “I’m just amazed that nobody has ever said it. Outside of that, John has been good to me. I love the man. I think that he’s just upset and might be a little frustrated that he knows that I know. I will stand my ground.”

When asked if he had conversations with Force about what to do when he had races with his JFR teammates, he responded honestly.

“(Those conversations) happened many times, but ask John,” Pedregon said. “John knows better than me. I could never figure out, why is everybody, and this is when I drove for Force, why is everybody asking me? Why don’t you go ask John because even when I was a driver for John, the media was my only hope. There were times I knew I didn’t have a chance. I had to make a few comments. I needed you guys (the media) to put the pressure on him because I worked for him, so you can imagine the position I was in.”

As to the verbal confrontation between Force and Pedregon at the top end, Light agreed the sport needs rivalries, but if action was needed based on the confrontation it would come later.

“We want them to show their emotion,” said Light. ?We want rivalries. We have it in all other sports. You need rivalries. We're dealing in a sport of emotion. Here we are at the U.S. Nationals, the biggest race of the year, the last race of the regular Countdown. We expect emotions are going to be high and I have no problem with that. If we get to a physical altercation (that's another issue).

For Light, the issue may well spill over into the final six races that make up the Countdown to 1 because Pedregon doesn’t believe the feud will stop once the teams leave Indy.

“It’s on to Charlotte,” Pedregon said. “This will continue, and unfortunately, I might make some more comments. I’m entitled to that. I called it before we went into that semifinal round. If I was a betting man, I would’ve put a lot of money on it. I don’t know how I can wire my bet into Vegas, because I would’ve taken whatever odds there where. It was going to happen one of these days. At some point, John had to know that this is going to come out because you can run, but you can not hide. Sorry man, John I love you. I love you. But, we’re competitive and I’m not saying anything that ain’t true.”

Pedregon also realizes that fans will have hard time grasping the fact that John Force has a chink in his armor.

“There are fans who are John Force fans and he can’t do anything wrong,” Pedregon said. “Who wants to protect that (the integrity of the sport)? Me, the little guy. The little guy is speaking out. Why these other guys ain’t saying nothin’, blows me away. It blows me away. I stand on my own. I’m the only one who says anything, and I’m the only one that’s ever said anything about that. So, if John wants to get in my face again, then I’m going to stand my ground. He got in my face. I didn’t get in his face."

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH - John Force has had enough of the murmurings and innuendos.

The 14-time NHRA Funny Car world champion described his shutdown area confrontation with former employee and driver Tony Pedregon as a matter of flared tempers.

“I’ve always tried to do what [publicists] Elon and Densmore have instructed me to do,” Force said. “I’ve listened to it for years … things that were just blatantly wrong. I’m not talking about what happened here today but over the last years. It’s over [Don] Schumacher, over Tony [Pedregon] and I had just had enough.”

Force said comments were directed towards him following his semi-final loss to teammate Robert Hight, a race that inevitably eliminated Pedregon’s brother Cruz Pedregon from championship contention.

“When someone walks by you and says something … his own brother at least shook my hand. He went by me and said it again and I asked him, ‘what did you say?’

“Then he said it and I couldn’t believe it. But, when they called me a cripple down there, that set me off! It just flared up.”

When Force called Pedregon out, telling him to say what he had to say loud enough so he could hear it, Force says Pedregon said, 'Just like old times. Nothing changes. I know the game I worked for you'.

The drivers had to be physically restrained from fisticuffs by shutdown personnel.

“If you’re going to say, say it to my face kid. I’ve always loved you, man. There’s just been things that are wrong. And, they need to come out.”

Force said he went over and confronted Schumacher.

“I told him how I felt,” Force explained. “I’m not living in this gray area where you say things behind me and think I am so stupid that I sit here and go along with it. A lot of s*** went down that you’re going to hear about in the next few days.

“I’ve had enough and I have my rights. You play the media and try to be a good guy and not get into that stuff. Tonight I’d had enough. My kid finally beats Tony, finally, and I want to enjoy it and then it goes to crap.”

Force admits there has been bad blood between himself and Pedregon since the two split, but that has never stopped Force from doing what is right for his competitors, including Tony, and for the sport.

“Two years ago when I raced Tony he blew up,” said Force. “They loaded him into the ambulance. I ran over to the ambulance and he was crying. I've never told this to anybody, except the NHRA. He yelled out to me, 'John, do something. You are the only one they'll listen to. Make them shorten the racetrack or slow these cars down.' I'd gone to the NHRA at that time. I went to PRO and PRO said 'we've got so many other problems we can't address it right now; we'll come back to it.' And, we went on down the road. Kalitta was killed, six months later, NHRA made the rule.”

Then Force broached the controversy of his four-car team.

“Those guys drove for me … they didn’t complain when they drove for me,” he said. “Then when they leave they want to complain. A while back they [NHRA] couldn’t even fill the field if I didn’t have my cars here. There were times I didn’t want more cars.”

Force explained that is was the insistence of Ford Racing that inspired his expanded team.

“Ford Motor Company said to me that General Motors has the field covered with Pontiacs, Oldsmobiles and Chevrolets … 20 of them. ‘We’ve got you and Tony Pedregon. If you don’t want any more cars, we will give it to someone else.”

Force explained he took on Gary Densham as a third car with funding that largely came out of his pocket.

“He had a couple of bucks with Auto Club … I am talking $250,000. They weren’t national about that time and not really spread around the country. I paid it out of my pocket. My endorsements fed that so I wouldn’t lose that … the team that I was trying to grow and put together.”

Force said the same issue came up with the fourth car and that Dan Davis approached Don Prudhomme about a fourth car.

“I took it,” Force said. “Now I get beat up for having too many cars.”

WAS THE FIX IN? - The semi-final round match between John Force and Robert Hight carried a lot of importance that transcended Hight reaching yet another NHRA U.S. Nationals final round. A Countdown to One championship berth hung in the balance for two drivers - Hight of John Force Racing and defending world champion Cruz Pedregon.

Hight beat Force in a race where the starting line reactions were far from indicative of a match bearing such magnitude. The murmurs of the fix being in, grew so loud, you could almost hear them echoing from the staging lanes into the grandstands.

Hight and Force were both extremely tardy leaving the starting line, .143 to .209, advantage Hight, and at half-track Force shook the tires and lifted. Hight won the semi-final round with a 4.261, his slowest elapsed time of the day.

“We were late because we both went shallow,” explained Force. “His light went to sh*t and so did mine. Because, there was not the deal to go A to B. We couldn't lose either way. Oh, did I want him in, you bet. But, I am still focused on going down that racetrack.”

The NHRA visited Force’s trailer, inspected run logs, and deemed the runs legit.

“We both went up there and the only thing we said to each other was, ‘Okay Robert, let’s don’t screw this up,” Force explained, “and have some red-light [make us] look like we did something stupid. Let’s put them in dead shallow because shallow wins you lane choice. Put them in shallow and let’s go. Robert even told me he hated doing that. 'When I change my routine it screws me up.' We did it and it threw us both off.

“I ain’t ever gonna make the world happy. I know that and I will go down the road and hope my sponsors understand. I’m doing what I do but to have a guy call me a name and a cheat. Like he thinks he knows? In front of cameras and everything … you’ve got no right. That’s court stuff. You can go to court over that stuff.”

OH CHUTE, IT’S YOU – One team lost their longtime crew chief. The other signed him in the days leading into the event. On Monday, they met in the first round.

Tony Pedregon parted with crew chief Dickie Venables in the days leading up to the NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd. Earlier in the week, Venables was announced as the new crew chief for Del Worsham.

Pedregon got the best of Worsham and his former tuner in the first round of eliminations. Worsham struck the tires at the hit and Pedregon blossomed a parachute early.

“It’s not how early you go to bed,” Pedregon said, immediately after the race. “It’s not when you wake up in the middle of the night thinking about Del Worsham. That’s not how it’s supposed to be. The Sheik can still keep rolling out all of these billions against this Quaker State/Herzog/Snap-on Tools.”

“That’s a big win for us.”

CRUZ’S DAY ENDS – Cruz Pedregon was in the driver’s seat for the final berth in the Funny Car portion of the Countdown to the 1 but handed over the proverbial keys to the car after losing a second round match against John Force.

“The Advance Auto Parts team has nothing to be ashamed of,” Cruz said. “This is good and all we have right now. I have to give credit to the Force team because they pressed us. The car ran good this weekend.”

Ironically, it was last season, when Force ended Tim Wilkerson’s championship aspiration at the NHRA Finals in Pomona, Ca., handing the 2008 Funny Car title to Pedregon.

STILL SECOND - Ron Capps held on to second place in the point standings despite an early eliminations exit.

Capps faced off against Cruz Pedregon in the opening stanza, with an opportunity to help his Don Schumacher Racing teammate Matt Hagan, who had just lost the first round, make it into the top 10 for the playoffs, which begin at the next event in Charlotte.

Without lane choice as the No. 13 qualifier, Capps was simply outrun in a straight side-by-side contest by No. 4 qualifier Pedregon. With that, and Robert Hight’s first-round victory, Hagan was out of the Countdown.

"Unfortunately, we had a fuel line that burst on Saturday night's qualifying run. We could easily have moved way up in the qualifying order if it hadn't happened. It wasn't an error by any of the guys on the crew or the way that the guys put the car together. Time and time again, the NAPA crew puts a great car underneath me and gives Ace (crew chief Ed McCulloch) a great car to go up and tune.

"For the conditions today, we thought we were going to be able to run a 4.10 or .11. Ace is looking at the computer trying to figure out why it slowed down.

"Right now a lot of teams are waking up a little bit before the Countdown starts, and just in time," he added. "And it's time for us to get back the form that we had earlier in the year and qualifying up front. And we will. It was just unfortunate that we got behind a little bit.”

MISSED IT ON THE LAST DAY - Matt Hagan, a contender for the 2009 Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award as an NHRA rookie-of-the-year front runner, missed the final opportunity to place himself in the playoffs, when he lost an agonizingly close Funny Car opening round match to Ashley Force Hood at the U.S. Nationals today.

"I'm really proud of all my guys," said the 26-year-old Angus Cattle farmer from Christiansburg, Va. "They really stepped up and they've been doing a fantastic job ever since the Western Swing. I know Tommy (DeLago, crew chief) has implemented some changes and they seem to really be working for this Valvoline/shelor.com team.

"We just had a really tough draw this morning. Ashley Force is tough to get around and, obviously, we didn't get around her. We have six more races left to go this year and I plan to get a Wally before the season ends. That's my goal now, to make sure we win a race. And I think that Tommy, (assistant crew chief) Glenn Huszar and this whole team can do that.

"Unfortunately, we're not in the Countdown. I'm very, very, disheartened about that. We left it all out there on the track. We did not hold back at all. We had some missed opportunities this year which put us in the position to have to fight for a place in the Countdown.

"We just have to keep our heads up and move on to the next six races. We have a winning team, we just have to prove ourselves out there. And it'll happen. Right now it seems is not the time for it to happen."

SAFETY SWITCH HELPS HIGHT, HURTS TASCA - After a long night of rebuilding the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Shelby Mustang, Tasca and team left the 55th Annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals two rounds too soon.

In the second explosion in two races, the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Shelby Mustang had severe damage to the supercharger, windshield and body. Hoping to a mirror the Reading race result, Tasca and the team put finishing touches on the Mustang early Monday morning.

In the first round, Tasca was on the winning end of the Mustang battle when Tim Wilkerson dropped a cylinder when he hit the throttle. Tasca would face Robert Hight in the second round.

At the 800 foot-marker, about 3.56 seconds into the run, Tasca experienced a mechanical failure in the automatic safety system. Hight’s margin of victory in the second round was 0.0491 seconds, approximately 20 feet.

“The switch that saved us on Sunday, failed us on today,” said Tasca. “It is the switch that in the event of an explosion, shuts the fuel pumps and ignition off and pulls the parachutes. It’s designed to activate under an explosion. The switch must have been damaged in the explosion or malfunctioned.”

Tasca was unaware of the mechanical failure until he exited the race car and surveyed the race car.

“The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Shelby Mustang was on a phenomenal run,” said Tasca. “I could feel it accelerate and it then felt like I hit a wall. I didn’t know what was happening, I kept my foot wide open and the race car was trying to accelerate.”

As the last race of the regular season, Tasca and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team are looking to the future. The points reset heading into the final six races of the season.

“We’re leaving here fourth in the points going to Charlotte,” said Tasca. “We’ll make this momentum and we’ll take it all in stride. The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Shelby Mustang was on a great run, definitely capable of winning that round and that’s satisfying.”

 

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SUNDAY NOTEBOOK -

TALL ORDER - Robert Hight had better get plenty of sleep Sunday night because he’s got a big day ahead of him on Monday. The Funny Car No. 1 qualifier must last one round longer than Matt Hagan on Sunday and two more than Cruz Pedregon to cement the final available spot in the Countdown to the One playoffs for Funny Car.

“We did what we needed to do in qualifying,” said Hight, who is three spots better than Pedregon and 14 ahead of Hagan.

“Ashley [Force Hood] has Hagan in the first round and that’s good for us. Basically if we can win the race tomorrow, we are in. We would have to race him before the semis. Those are the two rounds I need.”

Hight’s theory looks promising on paper. In reality, Pedregon is going to be no pushover. During the final qualifying session, the defending world champion broke up total John Force Racing qualifying domination with a 4.098 elapsed time at 305.36 miles per hour.

“I’m guessing he’s second to me in overall run average in qualifying,” Hight predicted. “He’s gonna be tough to beat tomorrow. He’s a world champion for a reason.”

Hight admits that he has to focus on the task at hand or first round opponent Grant Downing will have his number. Hight’s performance over the course of the weekend have been nothing short of amazing.

“That was four pretty impressive runs,”  “It’s just hard to run like that with one of these nitro cars, especially a Funny Car, that many times down the track.”

The AAA car, dating back to the last event in Reading with John Force driving, has made nine nearly flawless runs in a row. No tire smoke. No dropped cylinders.

“That’s very stout for a Funny Car,” Hight emphasized. “It’s better late than never because we have struggled all year long. We’ve never been that messed up. We’ve always felt as if we’ve been very close. I know we’ve said it a lot and I’m sure people are tired of hearing it. But it’s the truth.”

So how did Hight and tuner Jimmy Prock rediscover their groove? It’s a matter of getting back to the basics.

“We just took a step back,” Hight said. “We’re trying not to over-think things and keep them basic and just race. When things are going well, it’s so easy but when you struggle then you mess it up by over-thinking.”

Indy marked his second No. 1 of the season. He’s won the event two of the last three seasons. 

COIL ON THE LOOSE – Austin Coil was released from an unnamed Indianapolis hospital today, according to Hight. He will spend

tomorrow in his Brownsburg, Ind., hotel room under doctor’s orders to remain away from ORP.

“It’s going to be tough for him since he hasn’t missed a national event since the early 1980s,” Hight added.

THAT OLD CAGEY FORCE – Today marked the first time Robert Hight has qualified No. 1 at the NHRA U.S. Nationals.

Several years ago, He nearly nailed the honor on the strength of the track’s first 4.6-second run at ORP.

He and Prock were going to turn up the wick on the next run but elected to follow the counsel of his father-in-law Force.

“Force told us, we don’t need to do that,” Hight recalled. “I asked him if he was kidding and he assured us that no one was going to go around us.”

Force even bet him $20 that his number would hold.

That session Force took the top spot by one thousandth of a second.

“You know, I never got that $20,” Hight said, laughing.

DOING IT DESPITE THE RAIN - Tim Wilkerson didn’t let a lengthy rain delay deter his efforts as his 4.131 was just a click behind his 4.128 from Saturday night. Only Jerry Toliver's big move from outside the field into the No. 7 spot knocked him back a position, setting up a race with teammate Bob Tasca in round one.

Tasca's Shelby detonated a motor one pair later, and earlier in the session Bob Bode banged the blower and shredded the body off his car.

"That was a pretty thrilling round, and we're fortunate everybody is alright," Wilkerson said.  "Before the run, as hot and sticky as it was, you had a hard time imagining just how good it would be out there, but boy the conditions came around and it was pretty strong.  We saw some of those runs ahead of us, and turned all the dials we could find, but we weren't exactly set up for a 4.09 or anything like that, so it was a good lap on our part.”

Wilkerson and Tasca are teammates and because they meet in the first round, one of the two will lose the opportunity to gain momentum headed into the playoffs.

"It'll be a huge test for us, and a big round for both teams,” Wilkerson said. “We both want to be on a roll going into the Countdown in Charlotte, but unfortunately one of us is going back on the trailer after round one.  That's what stinks about having to run each other in the first round."

 

LAST MINUTE HEROICS - Entering today's single run, Ron Capps was not qualified.

"What a day," said Capps, who can claim a U.S. Nationals win among his 30 career national event victories. "You talk about excitement. It's only natural. It's Indianapolis and it's the U.S. Nationals. The skies cleared up and we had basically one shot, and it was do or die to get into the show.

"We were the first pair out and for Ace (crew chief Ed McCulloch) to throw down a 4.15 (elapsed time) was just a great call by him and the NAPA guys. We did see some guys behind us who were able to run back and make some changes once they saw that we went down the track.

"It would have been nice to have been back of the pack a little bit, but we did it in the lane we're probably going to have tomorrow (right) in eliminations. We have a tough match-up against Cruz Pedregon in the opening round. He's been running great all weekend. We’re looking to help out our teammate Hagan." 

 

 

 

 

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SATURDAY NOTEBOOK - HEADS FIRES BACK FOR THE NITRO COMMUNITY

HEAD: WJ’S COMMENTS WERE MISGUIDED - Jim Head and Warren Johnson have little in common with the race cars they drive. But, when it comes to speaking their minds, they’re very much alike.

Two weekends ago, on the NHRA’s ESPN2 broadcast of the NHRA Toyo Tires Nationals from Reading, Pa., Johnson was interviewed following a run where it was apparent water was on the track.

Johnson blasted the NHRA for what he felt were misguided priorities. His comments were chronicled in an article on CompetitionPlus.com recently. Johnson basically stated that if the NHRA didn't waste so much time and money on the Top Fuel classes other issues could receive the attention and funding they need.

Head is a firm believer that one should take the sanctioning body to task. That tendency to tell it as he sees it has often put him at odds with the NHRA.

“When you have that adrenaline pumping through your veins and you jump out of the car you can say some stupid things. I know I have,” Head said. “I get mad and I’m aggravated. There’s always an issue at the end of the track when you interview a driver. I have a lot of empathy for guys who get out of the car at the finish line and say some really stupid things.”

Head just happened to be listening to the ESPN2 broadcast, an episode he’d saved on his digital video recorder, when Johnson decided to criticize the NHRA and nitro racing.

“In my whole life I have never heard something that was as ignorant … as the comments to blame us…my class Funny Car and Top Fuel for all the ills of the sport just because he ran over a puddle of water. I would hope the old man would have come to his senses, if he hasn’t, he’s now officially senile.”

Head believes the NHRA and the national event facilities should be commended for what he describes as tireless labor since the death of Scott Kalitta in a run-off area accident at Englishtown just over a year ago. His assessment is that those efforts are solely responsible for saving the life of Alexis De Joria, a Top Alcohol Funny Car driver who hit the Englishtown sand trap when she suffered a parachute malfunction.

“We just saved a girl’s life,” exclaimed Head. “because we fixed the finish line at Englishtown after we took Scotty’s life. What the hell would this sport look like if we had killed that girl. It wasn’t a fuel car, Warren. It was an alcohol Funny Car. We have a lot of things going on at the top end of these tracks that are entirely too short and were designed for cars to go 200 miles per hour. She was only going 260.

“Anyone who would fault NHRA and the track operators for the wonderful jobs they have done at the end of these tracks is worse than senile. That borders on evil. We’re talking about people’s lives.

“There’s been water weeping up through these race tracks for a long time,’ Head said. “It’s my pet peeve too. I’m a paving contractor. I know how to fix it. They won’t listen to me. But don’t say if we didn’t have to fix the end of these race tracks that we’d be able to fix the race tracks from weeping water. Are you crazy?”

PAPA IN LAW FIXED IT - Robert Hight knows the window for his 2009 NHRA Full Throttle championship aspirations is quickly closing. The pressure is on because he must not only out-qualify the defending world champion Cruz Pedregon but must also gather 39 points more.

He’s done his homework enough to know what will help as well as what will hurt. Maintaining Friday’s top spot through Saturday only helped his chances.

“Had I not been number four qualifier and Cruz not number one, well that changes everything,” Hight explained. “Then we have to make up three rounds on Sunday, and that is big. But at the same time, you know, you risk smoking the tires. All my other team mates, had we not stepped up tonight would have bumped me. John already had, by speed. And Neff and Ashley...and had Cruz stepped up and gone to number one, well, that would have made it 40 some points, 40 and some change, which would have made it three rounds on Sunday.”

Going into Sunday, behind the eight ball, wouldn’t have been good for Hight either. He throws caution to the wind when counting his provisional spot as unbeatable.

“It's still not over yet because they're calling for some clouds tomorrow, and if we have cloud cover, it could even shuffle again, the top spots,” Hight warned. “And that's unusual for this time of year at this race.”

Then there was his exchange with father-in-law John Force, who gave Hight his car and then took it back when crew chief Austin Coil encountered medical issues serious enough to remove him from the event. Force felt the return to his original car provided more stability.

That didn’t stop Force from seeking credit for getting his son-in-law back on track.

“John joked with me last night, you know, first he said he wanted to switch cars again, but then he said that ... he said aren't you gonna thank me for fixing your car? I'm like yeah, how'd you fix my car. You know, he doesn't know how to turn a spark plug, so how did he fix my car?”

Maybe shaking up the system for a race was how Force fixed it.

“Maybe the shakeup did do something,” Hight pondered. “Maybe Jimmy is doing something a little different, maybe his mindset's different, because it went down the track all five runs in Reading and it's gone down the track here three runs. And two of those three runs it's been low ET, and the other one, second low ET. So something is different.. We haven't changed any parts.

“So maybe John did fix my car, in his own little way.”

CHANGE OKAY WITH US - Ron Capps and Bob Tasca have something in common. They both don't have any issues with the NHRA awarding points to the top three qualifiers in each qualifying session and the honoring of records based on the current 1000 foot mark racing.

“I like it,” said Capps. Whether it's good timing or not, there are a lot of guys who are really iffy about it. To be honest, I have always hoped and been excited about when NHRA has made any change. For instance, the extra 20 points for being the points leader going into the Countdown, I love that. I would love to add race wins, like NASCAR had done to their Chase. This excites me.”

Tasca went a little farther with comments. He's here to race and he acknowledges while he races, the NHRA runs the show.

“It's not our decision, it's not our decision,” said Tasca, echoing his words to make a point. “It's not any racer's decision. We have an opinion. NHRA feels that they worry about quality of show, they want to see some more aggression during qualifying, to get to the 1 2 3 position, and they make the rules. Do I disagree with it? No, I don't disagree with it.”

Like Capps, Tasca questions the timing.

“I feel that, me, I wouldn't have just thought of it in the middle of the season, Bob Tasca, I wouldn't have just thought of it. But again, it's not Bob Tasca drag racing association. It's NHRA racing association. Did I know about it before it was announced? Yes, I talked to NHRA. They asked me my opinion. I gave them some opinions. I know some teams gave them some opinions. They made some changes, it's different than what the original proposal was going to be. I think it's much better than what the original proposal was gonna be. I don't see any issue why it makes a difference. I mean we're all gonna go into Charlotte, we're all gonna have an opportunity to be 1, 2 or 3. So that's my feeling.”

The show, as it is too often called, has clearly lacked the excitement typically found at an NHRA event during Saturday qualifying. Capps believes the changes will be a catalyst for both drivers and crew chiefs.

“I think a lot of times you try to find that edge on a Saturday or midday qualifying run and a lot of cars smoke the tires because they're trying to find what the track will hold for the next day given the same conditions. So, I believe that you are going to see better racing because teams are going to go down the track the quickest that they can but you are also going to have to make it to the finish line. So, I think it's going to be a little bit better show for the fans. It's a much better incentive for the teams. I can see where guys have a lot of problems problems with it, but to be honest with you I think it is going to spice things up.”

Just thinking of the possible extra points he can earn, sent Capps back to 2005 when he lost the Funny Car title to Gary Scelzi by eight points.

“Any chance you can gain little points here or lose little points here or there, I think is a good think. I am all for it,” said Capps.

As for honoring 1000 foot records, both Capps and Tasca love the idea. Capps went a little further in his assessment of the situation, wondering just what would be the baseline for the new records.

The problem I have with it, in talking with a lot of other teams, drivers and crew chiefs, were a couple of those runs. Are they using the four flat by Robert Hight and Antron's 3.77, or whatever? A couple of the runs that were made, Top Fuel and Funny weren't as quick as they were. The clocks weren't exactly right. So given that, I am not sure which runs they are picking. For instance, Antron's night run, I think they ran a 3.77, but it was admitted by their guys and the clocks with the strange incremental numbers, the run probably wasn't exactly (that fast). From what I heard it was admitted by Brian and Mark Oswald as well. So, the trick lies, which run are you picking to be a National record run for it to be broken and gained by twenty points. Again, I heard that the four flat that Robert ran in Virginia, the clocks were also very strange – incremental wise. From what I also heard, Jimmie Prock had said it probably didn't run that number that day.

“Which numbers do you pick as far as picking a number for Funny Car to be broken. I guarantee you when we get to Virginia again and the weather is cool and Dallas when the weather is kewl, for sure Vegas and Pomona, the chances are the record could fall, but which record are you going to pick. I am all for the extra 20 points. The fans have been wanting it. The chat rooms have been wanting it and the message boards have shone that people want the records. And, the racers, it gives you something to shoot at. I am all for that idea, I just wonder what they are going to use.”

The reasons behind the changes, racing one two or three for the title?

“It doesn't matter because you are stressed out anyway. Maybe it's bad timing, I'll give it that, but why not have more ways to score points. I don't say, 'Oh my god! We're dead, this is more ways we're going to lose points'. What kind of attitude is that? This is a chance for me to gain three more points per round and 20 points for breaking a record. It's going to make me strive harder and my crew to strive harder to gain those points every round and to gain a national record.

Tasca, who was far less analytical in his comments just welcomes the opportunity being able to set a record presents.

“I think it's good. I mean I think the fans...it gives them...it brings back an element of the sport that we took away, going to 1,000 feet. And as hard as it has been for some fans to go back to 1,000 feet, this gives that little element back. So I have no problem with it at all.

There was a third matter Tasca and Capps agreed upon. Simply put, there are more important issues drivers should concentrate on instead of wringing their hands over qualifying points and 1000 foot records.

 

 

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FRIDAY NOTEBOOK - HIGHT THUNDERS TO THE TOP; FORCE ADJUSTS TO WEEKEND WITHOUT COIL

THERE IS NO FAIL – Robert Hight, driver of the AAA Ford owned by John Force racing, his back in a corner and honor on the line, was pumped full of confidence after posting the fastest lap in first round qualifying for the NHRA U.S. Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park Friday night.

Hight's 4.107 second, 305.36 mph, lap was the best of the field and the best of the four John Force cars. Mike Neff was second quickest, Ashley Force Hood fourth and John Force seventh.

“I don't know if it will hold up throughout the whole weekend, but it's definitely going to stay in the top five,” said Hight, looking around the press room and reacquainting himself with faces he hadn't seen in a long time. “The season we've had, that's a good feeling for me.”

Hight is used to contending for the championship, not running for his life. He's 38 points out of the tenth and final transfer spot. Being the top qualifier after the final session on Sunday is worth a very important eight points.

After one race in John Force's Castrol GTX team, Hight is back with crew chief Jimmy Prock in his own familiar race car.

“I had a great time running with Austin Coil and Bernie Fedderly in Redding. We went a couple rounds, but this car that I'm driving with Jimmy Prock is like, your couch. It just feels right. It's home. When I got in there tonight and they strapped me in, it just felt, that's my car.

“But, this is definitely a big weekend for the Auto Club team. We've dug ourselves a huge hole. What's amazing is we are still within striking distance, two rounds. It's going to be important to out qualify Cruz (Pedregon) and (Matt) Hagan.”

Besides getting back into the car he's struggled with throughout the season, which does bring him a level of comfort, Hight is thinking he might just be really lucky at O'Reilly Raceway Park.

“I sometimes don't believe in luck at certain tracks, but I am starting to,” admitted Hight. “We've been in the final here the last three years and won it twice. I think we could have won it three times. We had a parts breakage in '07.”

Hight knows he has to get to the finals, a win being the best medicine, to challenge for the championship this year and this is the best possible start.

FORCE WITHOUT COIL - John Force hates racing without Austin Coil.

The 14-time NHRA Funny Car champion from Yorba Linda, Ca., said that was the best way to describe how it felt to race without his longtime crew chief and tuner during the first day of the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, he hated it.

“Me and Coil have been partners, this is our 25th year,” said a physically drained Force following the single session of qualifying. “It’s hard for him to be in that hospital bed. I don’t like it.”

Force said he and Coil made the decision heading into the weekend for the brain-trust to handle his team’s tuning during the U.S. Nationals. He’s also leaning on the kin folk.

“My son-in-law Danny [Hood] was there backing me up [from the burnout] making sure everything was okay,” Force said. “We’ll be okay.”

Hood has been working under the tutelage of Coil and Bernie Fedderly.

“He’s learning, it’s just going to take some time,” Force said of Hood.

For this weekend, Force is in the capable hands of Fedderly, a veteran tuner who first tasted Indy success winning the 1980 Top Fuel crown with the unlikeliest of winners in Terry Capps. He and Ed McCulloch later teamed up for multiple Indy wins.

Force remembers what it was like to be on the receiving end of the Fedderly/McCulloch combination.

“Bernie is just the best,” Force said. “He knows what Coil did. I just think a lot of him.”

As for Coil, Force said they talked once on Friday.

“He wanted me to get out there and stay focused,” Force said. “I called him right before I ran and said, ‘Let’s pray for you. I told him I loved him. The first thing he asked was where was his big screen.”

THE SHORTALL UPDATE - Life has been a blur for Tony Pedregon's interim crew chief, Tony Shortall. Since he was given the last minute

assignment of joining the two-time Funny Car world champion, the racing has been pretty fast.

Through it all, Shortall has been having a good time.

“Yes. Yes, and then some,” Shortall said when asked if he was adjusting quickly to his new position. “It's been good and it's been fun. Working with these guys has been simple and obviously you don't have to worry. The driver does a great job. The crew does a great job.”

Shortall’s assignment might be defined as temporary but two races into the swing he’s feeling right at home.

Are you starting to feel like you are home?

“It is,” Shortall pointed out. “I've been spending some time at the shop during the week. It's a nice easy fit.”

After two weeks of racing and one off week, Shortall feels far more comfortable this weekend then he did in Brainerd.

“Well, going to Brainerd just happened so quickly,” Shortall said. “It was just a matter of going there and going racing and talking about all the other things later. Coming here, definitely a little more time to prepare and use the runs that we've acquired and go back and look at some more data from previous in the year when Dickie was here. A little more comfortable.”

As for his status next year, that’s not really on the radar screen at this point.

“We're just talking about this race, that is where my focus is,” Shortall said. “Just as going into Brainerd, focusing on Brainerd and Reading the same way. Right now we're just looking at coming here, being competitive and trying to win.”

DRUG TESTING AT U.S. NATIONALS – Three drivers quoted in a story posted on CompetitionPlus.com this week, Drag Racing and Drug Testing, were on the random list of drivers to be tested under the NHRA Substance Abuse Policy – Karen Stoffer, Tony Pedregon and Bob Tasca.

Stoffer went directly to the testing facility on the premises upon receiving her notice. She immediately passed the breathe test, but will have to wait until next week to receive the results of the other tests. This is the second time Stoffer has been tested this year.

Tasca, because he was told the facility was slammed with other drivers being tested did not immediately go. This is also Tasca's second round of testing this year. He was previously tested at Gainesville, prior to winning his first career Funny Car race.

Pedregon presented himself for testing and like Stoffer will await the results.

Neither of the three drivers were the list bit concerned about the results and all clearly stated they were clean, but also welcomed the testing because of the affect it has on keeping the sport clean.

 

 

 

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THURSDAY NOTEBOOK - COIL TO MISS INDY

COIL OUT OF ACTION - Veteran John Force Racing crew chief Austin Coil will miss this weekend's NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis due to health reasons. A media representative from John Force Racing confirmed that Coil checked himself into the hospital recently when he didn't feel well. Coil is expected to spend a few days in the hospital undergoing tests to determine the reason for not feeling well.

As it stands now, Robert Hight will be rejoined with Jimmy Prock in the AAA Car. This provides the team with the most stable opportunity to contend for a Countdown berth.

John Force will return to the Castrol High Mileage team with Bernie Fedderly assuming the lead tuner role and assisted as needed by Dean Antonelli and Mike Neff.

The team issued a press release on Thursday.

“I wanted Robert to go into the biggest race of the year with confidence and I decided that putting him back with Jimmy Prock was best,” Force said. “That’s the team he’s been with and I showed at Reading that Jimmy’s car is starting to come around.

“I’m going back with Bernie,” Force said. “He’ll run my car with help from ‘Guido’ (Dean Antonelli, crew chief on daughter Ashley Force Hood’s Castrol GTX Mustang) and the rest of my brain trust. That’s why we’ve trained back-ups at every position, so that when someone goes down, we don’t miss a step.

“Even though he’s in the hospital, Coil will be involved in all the decisions. He told me he’s going to be fine. At the end of the day, the best medicine for Coil is for us to go out and win a drag race.”

THE ACE AND INDY - The tuner has won the event six times. The driver is still seeking his first.

Ed "Ace" McCulloch has won the U.S. Nationals six times as a driver in Funny Car and Top Fuel, Ron Capps, the pilot of the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Funny Car he now tunes for Don Schumacher Racing, has yet to see the winner's circle at this prestigious event, the 55th running of which will take place this weekend.

Since turning pro in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series in 1995, Capps has collected 30 victories in 61 final rounds, while McCulloch since 1971 has earned 27 trophies as a crew chief and 22 as a driver. Despite their distinguished success in this dynamic sport, neither has been crowned a world champion.

As the pair enters this weekend's U.S. Nationals, each has a common goal of not only winning this event but of earning together the coveted Funny Car world championship which has eluded them both. The Countdown to 1 playoffs for the top 10 in points begin following this weekend's event for the final six races.

Capps, second in the standings, has an opportunity to regain the lead he had held throughout most of the season and garner the 20 bonus points awarded to the points leader entering the playoffs.

"Coming into this weekend our focus is actually off the Countdown," said Capps, who is 73 markers behind leader Tony Pedregon. "There's a chance we can take the points lead back, but probably not a chance that we can lose second place." Ashley Force Hood, in third, trails Capps by 91 points.

"We know where we're going to stand going into the Countdown, so we can go into this week's events and enjoy all the hype that precedes the U.S. Nationals and not worry about the Countdown and, in a way, be more relaxed.

"The other thing that will help is not having a bonus event to compete in this year," added Capps, who triumphed in three bonus events in his career at the U.S. Nationals, in 1988, '99 and '02. "That will change the approach for a lot of teams of how they use the five qualifying sessions. We will use the two runs on Sunday to prepare for the conditions during Monday's eliminations. Because of that, this weekend is going to be quite different for me than it has been in years past.

"It's nice to have Ed McCulloch as a mentor and crew chief. When you have a guy on your side who has won this race six times, you can't put a price on the amount of knowledge he has or the amount of experience he's had approaching this race and knowing how to get through what can be a long and grueling weekend.

"I've said it before: No matter where we end up qualifying, I always feel like we have a race car that can win on race-day morning, thanks to Ace.

"The longer my career goes the more I want to win the U.S. Nationals. You don't want to end your career without winning the U.S. Nationals. My mantle has a spot right in the middle waiting for that trophy."

Said Ed McCulloch: "The U.S Nationals at Indy is the biggest, oldest, most prestigious race. There's a lot of the newer generation who don't really know or understand the sentiments or what the race really, really is. They look it as just another race. But it’s history makes it a very, very important race to anybody who has been around for a while.

"I've been really successful at Indy, just not recently," added McCulloch, who's not won the U.S. Nationals as a crew chief. "And I would like to change that. Neither Ron nor I has ever won a championship, period. I can say one thing, if you have won a championship and you haven't won Indy, you haven't done it all.

"On the other hand, we still strive to win the championship. That’s first and foremost. But, if we could come out of Indy with the victory going into the Countdown, it would be a huge boost to our momentum. And it would be huge to be able to win Indy with Ron and as a crew chief.

"I've won it in a Funny Car, I've won it in a dragster. I would love to win it as Ron's crew chief in a Funny Car."

NEW CREW CHIEF, SAME OLD GOALS - Del Worsham has already qualified for the Countdown to 1 Playoffs and that bodes well for the Alan Johnson/Al Anabi driver as he enters the weekend with a new crew chief.

Worsham will be working his first race with new crew chief Dickie Venables this weekend.  Venables served as a consultant during last week’s test session at O’Reilly Raceway Park and joined the team on a fulltime basis shortly thereafter.

“A lot has happened since our last race, and it’s all positive. Dickie (new crew chief Dickie Venables) will be a great addition to our team, but that doesn’t take anything away from what Aaron (former crew chief Aaron Brooks) did for us.  He was with us from the very beginning; he built this team and got us into the Countdown.  We appreciate all he has done for us, and I’m glad he’ll be staying at Alan Johnson Racing.

“Dickie started with us kind of as a consultant when we tested last week so he’s already figuring out what we need to work on.  We all want a consistent car we can count on to go down the track every time.  That’s Dickie’s goal for Indy.  We want to find the consistency so we can be competitive in the playoffs.”

Worsham has two wins this season; he visited victory circle in Madison, Ill. and Bristol, Tenn. Last month in Reading, Pa., Worsham was the No. 10 qualifier; he defeated Cruz Pedregon before losing to Tony Pedregon in the second round of eliminations.

Winning the NHRA Full Throttle Funny Car is a matter of coming alive at the right time and with Venables, Worsham has experience in winning under the current playoff format. Venables and Tony Pedregon won the 2007 title.

“Fortunately, we’ve already qualified for the Countdown, and after Indy, the points will be reset.  When we start the playoffs, all 10 teams will be pretty close in points so everyone will have a shot at the championship.  For us, it all starts this weekend – our first job is to make the car consistent so we can do everything we can do to make a solid run for the championship.”

INDY: DUNN DEAL - Drag racing Hall of Famer Jim Dunn can reach in his memory bank and pull from more than a few successful appearances at O'Reilly Raceway Park as he prepares his CANIDAE/Lucas Oil Funny Car for driver Jerry Toliver at this weekend's 55th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at ORP. Unlike most, though, those successes at NHRA's most prestigious race have come as both a driver and then as a team owner/crew chief.

At the 1981 U.S. Nationals Dunn drove his Dodge Omni all the way to the Funny Car finals before losing to Raymond Beadle. Dunn matched that effort as a team owner and crew chief in 1994 when driver K.C. Spurlock advanced to the final round of Funny Car before losing to Cruz Pedregon.

"When I drove I raced against the best and the worst, and I've been classified as both," Dunn quipped. "But I loved the driving. The working-on-it part you had to do if you wanted to run because you didn't have a bunch of mechanics. We just did it in our garages. I enjoyed working on them but I enjoyed winning better. A win's a win, no matter if it's the U.S. Nationals or just a local dragstrip."

Dunn did himself one round-win better at the '99 U.S. Nationals when he wrenched his own Pontiac Firebird with driver Frank Pedregon past Jim Epler for the Funny Car crown. Ironically, Epler was driving a second WWF-sponsored car for team owner/driver Jerry Toliver. Dunn even found success in the now-defunct Big Bud Shootout, a special event held on U.S. Nationals weekend where the top-eight drivers who earned points through qualifying throughout the previous year battled for the $100,000 winner's check. In 1997 Kenji Okazaki won the Shootout in a Dunn-tuned Dodge Avenger when he defeated Tony Pedregon in the finals with a 4.972 elapsed time at 308.32 mph.

"The U.S. Nationals win in '99 with Frank Pedregon when he beat Jim Epler was a big one," Dunn said, "but they are all big. The one I'm probably the most proud of was when we won the Big Bud Shootout with Kenji Okazaki in 1997. The last round he ran in the 'fours' and at that time there were only about five guys that had run in the 'fours,' so I think I enjoyed that one the most."

THEY WEREN'T THERE FOR THE BIG MACS - Fans of the Golden Arches and NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing converged yesterday at the McDonald’s in Greenwood, Indiana. They were there to see Castrol GTX Funny Car driver Ashley Force Hood and pick-up a variety of discounts for the 55th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil. Force Hood was featured on 1.5 million cups available since mid-August at McDonald’s across the state of Indiana in advance of the largest NHRA race of the season.

“It was great to see so many fans today in Greenwood. I love McDonald’s and I really appreciate Full Throttle including me in this statewide promotion. It is a little weird to see people drinking Cokes or Diet Cokes out of a cup with my face on it. My crew guys have been joking with me about being on the cup but it is a tremendous opportunity to promote our sport,” said Force Hood.

“The folks today were so friendly and this McDonald’s was packed. All the employees were wearing NHRA caps and it was like a festival of speed during our appearance. There was a radio station here that had a racing game for the kids and they were giving away tickets and some autographed items. It was really a fun time.”

 

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