NHRA U.S. NATIONALS - SAME DAY COVERAGE
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MONDAY FINAL RESULTS - REIGNING TOP FUEL CHAMP SCHUMACHER OPENS PLAYOFFS WITH STATEMENT WIN Mike Ashley, Dave Connolly and Craig Treble round out winner’s circle
Reigning POWERade Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher surged into the NHRA playoff
points lead Monday with his sixth Mac Tools U.S. Nationals victory in the last
eight years.
Schumacher drove away from runner-up Larry Dixon to take
the stripe with a 4.575 at 331.94 mph to earn a spot in the winner's circle with
emotional Funny Car victor Mike Ashley, new Pro Stock points leader Dave
Connolly, and stunned Pro Stock Motorcycle winner Craig Treble.
The
three-time defending world champion is atop the points for the first time all
season and with a 31-point lead over second-place Dixon and a 102-point cushion
over fifth-place Bob Vandergriff -- the top four drivers after the four-race
playoff will advance to the championship round -- he is in excellent position to
move on to the two-race championship round at Las Vegas and Pomona.
"I
guess we're a really good pressure team," Schumacher said. "The guys know they
can rely on each other and it all comes together so well. Alan [Johnson, crew
chief of the U.S. Army dragster] is fantastic. We ran 4.50s all day except for
when it was just too hot there in the semis and we had to do what we needed to
do to get down the track.
The win was Schumacher's 40th, tying him
with Dixon for 10th place on the all-time NHRA POWERade Series wins list and
second on the all-time Top Fuel wins list (Joe Amato, 52).
Running a
special tribute body in memory of good friends Donnie and Holly Faulkner's baby
son Eric Blake Faulkner, who was still-born, Ashley was the emotional favorite
in the Funny Car final.
Fortunately for his supporters, which included
the Faulkner family on the starting line, they didn't have to wait long to see
who would win as Hight's Ford Mustang encountered trouble early in its run.
Ashley might have been tough to beat anyway as he posted a 4.894 at 323.74 mph
in his Torco Dodge Charger to Hight's coasting 8.072 at 104.08 mph.
"It was very, very emotional and I knew when I decided to do this tribute
car that it would add a bunch of pressure to the day," Ashley said. "I just
wouldn't allow myself to think about what it all meant too much. I just did the
best I could all weekend for Donnie and Holly.
"This is the Super Bowl
of drag racing. To win Indy is unreal but then you add to it the recognition we
can bring to the Eric Blake Faulkner Foundation and it makes it stratospheric.
This is a day I'll always remember and appreciate. I'm so proud of my team and
the generosity of Evan Knoll and Jim Jannard and all our other sponsors to step
aside for a race and let us banner this car. What a group I have behind me."
Hight did escape the day as the Countdown to Four points leader in
Funny Car. He's now 21 markers ahead of Ashley, who jumped up to second place --
after starting the day in sixth place -- with his third career win.
The Pro Stock final was the closest of the day as Connolly overcame a slight
.023- to .034-second starting line advantage by Anderson to take the biggest win
of his career by .0088 seconds. Connolly had caught Anderson by the 60-foot
timer and went on to post a 6.710 at 206.32 mph in his Torco Chevy Cobalt to
Anderson's 6.729 at 205.79 mph in his Summit Racing Pontiac.
"I can
never remember having a car that has the field covered by four hundredths of a
second," Connolly said. "It's a real tribute to [team owner] Victor Cagnazzi and
the organization he's put together. To win back-to-back races for the first time
it seems like we're peaking at the perfect place in the schedule, especially
with the Countdown starting. It's just an awesome feeling right now.
"I knew Greg had won 19 rounds in a row at this race going into the final
but I still felt pretty confident. That team has been the class of Pro Stock for
four years so it's remarkable to get in front of them for once. It really hasn't
sunk in yet."
Anderson and Connolly entered the race first and second
in the points with Anderson enjoying a slight 10-point edge. With his win and
superior qualifying effort here, Connolly moved ahead of Anderson by 14 points.
He doesn't have a sponsor, but Pro Stock Motorcycle winner Treble does
have his first U.S. Nationals trophy to go with a No. 2 ranking in the POWERade
points. Treble survived final-round opponent Matt Smith's stout 6.977 at 189.63
mph in the final when Smith fouled out by -.003 seconds on his Buell V-Twin.
Treble posted a game 7.037 at 190.83 mph to take the win.
"I'll take a
win here however I can get it," Treble said. "I was lucky three outta four
rounds today but all I know is that 20 years from now someone will look in the
record books and say, 'Hey, Craig Treble won in 2007.' It's there forever now."
Smith can take some solace in the fact he pumped his lead in the
Countdown to Four up to 51 points. Treble went from the bottom of the eight-car
championship group to the No. 2 position with his win.
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Monday's final results from the 53rd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis. The race is the 18th of 23 in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series:
Top Fuel -- Tony Schumacher, 4.575 seconds, 331.94 mph def. Larry Dixon, 4.748 seconds, 268.44 mph.
Funny Car -- Mike Ashley, Dodge Charger, 4.894, 323.74 def. Robert Hight, Ford Mustang, 8.072, 104.08.
Pro Stock -- Dave Connolly, Chevy Cobalt, 6.710, 206.32 def. Greg Anderson, Pontiac GTO, 6.729, 205.79.
Pro Stock Motorcycle --
Craig Treble, Suzuki, 7.037, 190.83 def. Matt Smith, Buell,
foul.
Top Alcohol Dragster -- Marty Thacker, 5.390, 264.91 def. Dave Hirata, 5.442, 260.81.
Top Alcohol Funny Car -- Frank Manzo, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.562, 263.15 def. Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 5.779, 248.43.
Competition Eliminator -- Jason Coan, Ford Bantam, 8.357, 153.47 def. Scott Richardson, Chevy Roadster, 7.932, 162.59.
Super Stock -- Brandon Wilkinson, Chevy Corvette, 9.114, 131.11 def. Michael Mans, Pontiac Formula, 10.912, 118.77.
Stock Eliminator -- Peter Biondo, Chevy Camaro, 10.688, 114.72 def. Matt Welker, Camaro, 11.022, 109.76.
Super Comp -- Pat Fitzpatrick, Dragster, 8.901, 153.47 def. Ron Erks, Dragster, 8.892, 177.74.
Super Gas -- Andrew Thomas,
Ford Roadster, 9.884, 149.63 def. Brian Forrester, Chevy Corvette, 9.871,
163.59.
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SUNDAY FINAL QUALIFYING - QUALIFYING ENDS AT
53rd MAC TOOLS U.S. NATIONALS WITH SOME SHOCKING RESULTS
Force, WJ miss field; Naylor, Arend nail down first career No. 1 qualifiers
Two first-timers outshined two of the biggest names in the sport as qualifying for the 53rd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals concluded Sunday evening in shocking style.
While Funny Car's Jeff Arend and Pro Stock's Max Naylor secured the first career low qualifying awards of their careers, the two winningest drivers in NHRA POWERade Series history, John Force (125 career wins) and Warren Johnson (96 wins), failed to qualify for this all-important event.
It's a tough way to start the six-race POWERade Series playoff for Force and Johnson, as well as Top Fuel contenders Whit Bazemore and J.R. Todd, who also failed to make the cut here. It was the first time since 1984 that Force has failed to start at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals and for Warren Johnson it's the first time in 32 career trips to the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals that he has failed to qualify.
Meanwhile, in the Skoal Showdown, the $100,000 race-within-a-race bonus for Funny Car drivers, "Fast Jack" Beckman defeated Ron Capps in an all-Don Schumacher Racing final and the win-light went to Beckman by one-hundredth of a second, 4.950 to 4.976. Both Capps and Beckman, seeded first and fifth entering the playoffs, qualified safely into the field. Capps will open with Kenny Bernstein and Beckman opens against Scott Kalitta.
After what will long be remembered as one of the most eventful qualifying rounds in Mac Tools U.S. Nationals history, attention will now shift to the drivers who survived Indy's five rounds of qualifying, including Top Fuel leader Tony Schumacher and Pro Stock Motorcycle top qualifier Chip Ellis, who both have designs on the 2007 POWERade titles. The 16 drivers in each of the four POWERade Series classes who survived the turbulent three days of qualifying will race for the 2007 Mac Tools U.S. Nationals trophies beginning at 11 a.m. Monday at O'Reilly Raceway Park.
With five wins at this race in the last seven years, Schumacher and his U.S. Army team led by tuner Alan Johnson were probably the favorite to win Top Fuel before qualifying began and the tandem added to his U.S. Nationals mystique with his eighth low qualifying effort of the season, which came off a 4.477 at 333.66 mph.
"It's gonna be hot out there tomorrow but I really feel great about our chances," Schumacher said. "You know, everything happens for a reason. We lost in the first round at Reading and were able to load up and come over here to test for three straight days on this track, and it was really hot then also. Then they re-do the points and I gain 200 back on [Rod] Fuller. Talk about falling in a pile of manure and coming out smelling like a rose!"
The rest of the ladder stayed pretty much intact from Saturday. Countdown to Four participants Larry Dixon and Bob Vandergriff Jr. did the best job of staying close to Schumacher. Dixon was second in the SkyTel rail with a 4.481, while Vandergriff was third with a 4.513.
Points leader "Hot Rod" Fuller qualified his Caterpillar dragster sixth with a 4.524, which sets up a first-round date with final Countdown qualifier Doug Herbert, who qualified 11th with a 4.561. Herbert is coming off a win at the last event in Reading, Pa., in his Snap-on Tools dragster.
Back from a one-race hiatus brought on by kidney stones, Brandon Bernstein qualified 12th with a 4.568 in the Budweiser dragster.
It took Checker Schuck's Kragen racer Arend 79 tries to earn his first Funny Car low qualifier but considering he got it done at Indy with a 4.754 at 327.51 mph it was probably worth the wait. He'll now try to earn his second NHRA trophy from the top spot, something only two other racers have managed to do this year in the class.
"To get the first one at Indy is special," Arend said. "Posting that number in Round 1 and having to sweat it out literally was tough but once we got to today and I saw the conditions I figured it would hold.
"It's still kind of unbelievable. I mean, I know I have a great team but when you think about the fact you've just qualified No. 1 at Indy it blows you away."
Ashley Force equaled her best qualifying effort by taking the No. 2 slot with a 4.754 at 309.70 mph in the Castrol Mustang.
Among the Countdown to Four participants, Robert Hight, Mike Ashley, Tony Pedregon, Gary Scelzi, and Jim Head also earned spots in the field. Hight was fourth with a 4.764, Ashley sixth with a 4.779, Pedregon eighth with a 4.786, Scelzi 10th with a 4.799, and Head 13th with a 4.804.
John Force has overcome a lot this year, coming from 20th to the No. 3 spot in the Countdown field. Now he faces the challenge of overcoming a DNQ at the first Countdown to Four event. He ended up 17th with a 4.856, just his third DNQ at the U.S. Nationals.
After securing his first career low qualifier award, Pro Stock racer Naylor made sure he enjoyed the moment, walking back from the top end of the racetrack so he could shake hands with the fans packed along the fence line. As it turned out, Naylor's first-round pass of 6.655 at 206.39 mph in his Jagermeister Dodge Stratus R/T was his best of the weekend. He failed to get down the track in Sunday's two attempts.
"I'm really enjoying this moment and I wanted to share it with the fans," Naylor said. "I was just telling them thanks for coming out and supporting us and the companies that support what we do, like Jagermeister, because that's what it's all about. We're all here for the same reason -- because we love drag racing, and to be here as the No. 1 qualifier with a track record is something very few people can say they've done."
Some real drama unfolded as the final elimination ladder took shape when it became apparent that half of the eight racers in the Countdown to Four will square off in Round 1. Victor Cagnazzi teammates Dave Connolly and Jeg Coughlin will face main rivals Jason Line and Greg Anderson from Ken Black Racing in what might become the most pivotal first-round of the season. Connolly has lane choice over Line, qualifying third with a 6.659 to Line's 14th-bst 6.694, while Coughlin holds a slim edge over Anderson, qualifying eighth with a 6.675 to Anderson's ninth-best 6.677.
Other Countdown to Four contenders were Allen Johnson in fourth place with a 6.661, Kurt Johnson in fifth with a 6.662, and Larry Morgan in seventh with a 6.669.
Warren Johnson failed to qualify his GM Performance Parts Pontiac GTO and the six-time world champion, who entered the playoffs as the No. 7 seed, will go to Memphis no better than eighth place.
Ellis had to fight to keep the top spot after surging veteran Hector Arana shocked the field with a 6.954 at 190.83 mph on his Lucas Motorcycle Oil S&S Buell V-Twin to take control of the No. 1 position after Sunday's first session. But Ellis responded beautifully in the hotter final session by lowering the ORP record once again, this time to a stunning 6.948 at 192.00 mph on the Drag Specialties Buell. Arana ended up second.
"I was happy for Hector because he's a customer of S&S Cycles and I built his bike myself," Ellis said. "I was the first one to ever test it and it went 7.01 the first time ever down the track so I know it's a great bike. But we looked at the data from our first run today and saw that the bike had shut off twice for a total of three-tenths of a second so we would have run a 6.91 or a 6.92 that round. We knew we had a chance to get the pole back."
Andrew Hines, who won the Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle Saturday, will try to "double-up" from the No. 3 slot after a best of 6.968 at 191.40 mph on his Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson V-Rod. POWERade points leader Matt Smith is right behind on his Torco Buell, running a best of 6.977.
Other Countdown to Four racers include Craig Treble (sixth, 6.978), Peggy Llewellyn (eighth, 7.011), Karen Stoffer (10th, 7.018), Angelle Sampey (12th, 7.048), and Eddie Krawiec (14th, 7.069).
First-round pairings for professional eliminations Monday for the 53rd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, the 18th of 23 events in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Sunday.
Top Fuel -- 1. Tony Schumacher, 4.477 seconds, 333.66 mph vs. 16. Clay Millican, 4.595, 327.74; 2. Larry Dixon, 4.481, 327.74 vs. 15. Alan Bradshaw, 4.594, 314.61; 3. Bob Vandergriff, 4.513, 329.91 vs. 14. T.J. Zizzo, 4.578, 322.11; 4. Melanie Troxel, 4.520, 329.50 vs. 13. Bruce Litton, 4.575, 325.61; 5. David Grubnic, 4.523, 329.91 vs. 12. Brandon Bernstein, 4.568, 324.36; 6. Rod Fuller, 4.524, 325.85 vs. 11. Doug Herbert, 4.561, 317.94; 7. Doug Foley, 4.527, 324.20 vs. 10. Hillary Will, 4.553, 329.83; 8. Morgan Lucas, 4.537, 327.74 vs. 9. Cory McClenathan, 4.544, 281.54.
Funny Car -- 1. Jeff Arend, Chevy Impala, 4.754, 327.51 vs. 16. Jon Capps, Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 4.826, 318.47; 2. Ashley Force, Ford Mustang, 4.754, 309.70 vs. 15. Tim Wilkerson, Impala, 4.825, 319.52; 3. Jack Beckman, Dodge Charger, 4.759, 325.85 vs. 14. Scott Kalitta, Toyota Solara, 4.805, 319.75; 4. Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.764, 323.89 vs. 13. Jim Head, Dodge Stratus, 4.804, 324.12; 5. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.773, 324.98 vs. 12. Kenny Bernstein, Charger, 4.803, 320.28; 6. Mike Ashley, Charger, 4.779, 327.35 vs. 11. Gary Densham, Chevy MonteCarlo, 4.800, 320.28; 7. Del Worsham, Impala, 4.785, 323.66 vs. 10. Gary Scelzi, Charger, 4.799, 322.50; 8. Tony Pedregon, Impala, 4.786, 321.04 vs. 9. Jerry Toliver, Solara, 4.797, 320.81.
Pro Stock -- 1. Max Naylor, Dodge Stratus, 6.655, 206.39 vs. 16. Steve Schmidt, Chevy Cobalt, 6.705, 205.47; 2. Jim Yates, Pontiac GTO, 6.658, 206.42 vs. 15. Mike Edwards, GTO, 6.699, 205.54; 3. Dave Connolly, Cobalt, 6.659, 206.32 vs. 14. Jason Line, GTO, 6.694, 206.76; 4. Allen Johnson, Stratus, 6.661, 206.86 vs. 13. Craig Hankinson, GTO, 6.688, 206.07; 5. Kurt Johnson, Cobalt, 6.662, 207.30 vs. 12. Greg Stanfield, GTO, 6.684, 206.39; 6. Justin Humphreys, GTO, 6.669, 206.67 vs. 11. Richie Stevens, Stratus, 6.680, 205.91; 7. Larry Morgan, Stratus, 6.669, 206.57 vs. 10. Kenny Koretsky, Cobalt, 6.678, 206.29; 8. Jeg Coughlin, Cobalt, 6.675, 206.51 vs. 9. Greg Anderson, GTO, 6.677, 207.24.
Pro Stock Motorcycle -- 1. Chip Ellis, Buell, 6.948, 192.00 vs. 16. Michael Phillips, Suzuki, 7.082, 188.81; 2. Hector Arana, Buell, 6.954, 190.83 vs. 15. Mike Berry, Suzuki, 7.080, 186.82; 3. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.968, 192.58 vs. 14. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 7.069, 187.70; 4. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.977, 189.58 vs. 13. Barry Henson, Suzuki, 7.067, 189.07; 5. Chris Rivas, Buell, 6.977, 189.47 vs. 12. Angelle Sampey, Suzuki, 7.048, 190.16; 6. Craig Treble, Suzuki, 6.978, 192.11 vs. 11. Matt Guidera, Buell, 7.020, 188.23; 7. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.986, 191.08 vs. 10. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 7.018, 189.36; 8. Peggy Llewellyn, Buell, 7.011, 190.19 vs. 9. Antron Brown, Suzuki, 7.012, 190.19.
$100,000 SKOAL FUNNY CAR SHOWDOWN:
Final round-by-round results from the 26th annual Skoal Showdown at Indianapolis Raceway Park, a special race held during the 53rd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals:
ROUND ONE -- Tommy Johnson Jr., Chevy Impala, 4.888, 284.93 def. John Force, Ford Mustang, 4.898, 294.82; Mike Ashley, Dodge Charger, 4.880, 317.19 def. Tony Pedregon, Impala, 5.270, 209.65; Ron Capps, Charger, 4.880, 312.93 def. Gary Scelzi, Charger, 5.019, 303.78; Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.930, 314.46 def. Robert Hight, Mustang, 5.415, 194.24;
SEMIFINALS -- Beckman, 4.973, 314.02 def. Johnson Jr., 7.468, 120.68; Capps, 4.893, 318.77 def. Ashley, 4.943, 316.75;
FINAL -- Beckman, 4.950, 313.80 def. Capps, 4.976, 315.64.
SATURDAY QUALIFYING - FORCE ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN ENTERING FINAL DAY OF QUALIFYING AT FIRST RACE OF PLAYOFFS
Todd, Bazemore also need to race ways into field on Sunday
After marching all the way from 20th place to third to secure his playoff berth, NHRA icon John Force is on the verge of putting himself back in a hole.
With two rounds of qualifying remaining on Sunday at the 53rd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, the first leg of the six-race POWERade Series playoff, Force needs to run at least a 4.826 in the Castrol Syntec Ford Mustang tribute car or risk a DNQ that could be a devastating blow to his hopes of winning a second straight and 15th career world championship.
J.R. Todd and Whit Bazemore, the Nos. 5 and 7 seeds in Top Fuel, respectively, are also currently unqualified and needing at least a 4.595 to get in the field for Monday's race.
All four of Friday's provisional No. 1 qualifiers -- Tony Schumacher, Jeff Arend, Max Naylor, and Chip Ellis -- remained in control of their respective categories at the sport's longest-running event. Saturday's increased heat kept elapsed times and top speeds relatively in check.
For Naylor and Arend, the No. 1 qualifier would be the first of their respective careers.
Schumacher didn't go any quicker than Friday's Round 1 pass of 4.477 at 333.66 mph in his U.S. Army dragster, but he was quickest of Round 3 with a 4.494 at 330.23 mph and second quickest of Round 2 with a 4.598 at 318.92 mph to show he has the car to beat this weekend.
"It's great to qualify No. 1, 'Yeah' for getting the points and all that, but I'm way more impressed with the run we made today when it was 90 degrees outside because that's how it's gonna be on Monday," Schumacher said. "That run meant more to this team than the 4.47 did."
The pride of nearby Avon, Ind., Larry Dixon remained second on the qualifying sheets with a 4.481 at 327.74 mph in his SkyTel dragster. Bob Vandergriff, who was quickest of Round 2 with a 4.596 in his UPS rail, is third on the ladder with a best of 4.513 at 329.91 mph.
The smile on Arend's face seems impossible to remove as he took another big step toward his first Funny Car pole. If anyone was going to unseat the driver of the CSK Chevy from the top slot it most likely would have happened Saturday evening when the Funny Cars ran last, but no one beat Arend's 4.754 at 327.51 mph from Friday.
"I was pretty surprised it held up until I saw some of the big teams running right in front of us and they were topping out at 4.79, 4.80," Arend said. "That just told me the conditions and the track weren't quite there today. I wasn't complaining; believe me, I'm happy to stay No. 1."
Ashley Force kept her No. 2 position with a 4.754 at 309.70 mph in her Castrol/Auto Club Ford Mustang. Jack Beckman was the big mover of the day in his Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T, jumping up to third place with an impressive 4.759 at 325.85 mph.
Naylor proved Friday night's run of 6.655 at 206.39 mph in his Dodge Stratus R/T wasn't a fluke, backing it up with Saturday's first-session best pass of 6.659. It wasn't enough to lower his previous mark but he remained on top anyway in his Jagermeister Dodge Stratus.
"They've done a real good job with the track," Naylor said. "We were back in the left lane for the first round today and ran another 6.65 so that was great. As competitive as this class is these days; if you're in the field you can win the race. We haven't had the best of luck on race day this year but maybe this is turning into our weekend. Maybe we're due."
Greg Anderson got a little bit better Saturday as he moved into the 16-car field with an eighth-best 6.677 at 207.24 mph in his Summit Racing Pontiac GTO. Teammate Jason Line is 12th overall with a 6.694.
Ellis' opening pass of 6.970 was mostly unchallenged in Saturday's heat so the S&S Buell V-Twin rider maintained his top ranking in Pro Stock Motorcycle for another day. His mood was tempered somewhat, however, by his loss in the final of Saturday's 17th annual Ringers Gloves $25,000 Pro Bike Battle, which went to Andrew Hines.
"I thought I made a pretty good run in the final of the Ringers deal but it just wasn't enough," Ellis said. "This is still a good payday and I know there are six other riders who would gladly trade places with me. We've got a good bike and we've made some good runs so I know we'll be in good shape for Monday."
Hines made the biggest charge at Ellis on the qualifying sheet, coming from out of contention to the No. 2 slot with a 7.007 at 189.18 mph on his Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson V-Rod. Hines also won $25,000 in the Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle late Saturday evening and stands to make an additional $10,000 from NHRA should he "double-up" and win the event Monday.
Results Saturday after qualifying for the 53rd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, 18th of 23 events in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Sunday for Monday's final eliminations.
Top Fuel -- 1. Tony Schumacher, 4.477 seconds, 333.66 mph; 2. Larry Dixon, 4.481, 327.74; 3. Bob Vandergriff, 4.513, 329.91; 4. Melanie Troxel, 4.520, 329.50; 5. David Grubnic, 4.523, 329.91; 6. Rod Fuller, 4.524, 325.85; 7. Doug Foley, 4.527, 324.20; 8. Morgan Lucas, 4.537, 327.74; 9. Cory McClenathan, 4.544, 281.54; 10. Hillary Will, 4.553, 329.83; 11. Doug Herbert, 4.561, 315.19; 12. Brandon Bernstein, 4.568, 324.36; 13. Bruce Litton, 4.575, 325.61; 14. T.J. Zizzo, 4.578, 322.11; 15. Alan Bradshaw, 4.594, 314.61; 16. Clay Millican, 4.595, 327.74.
Funny Car -- 1. Jeff Arend, Chevy Impala, 4.754, 327.51; 2. Ashley Force, Ford Mustang, 4.754, 309.70; 3. Jack Beckman, Dodge Charger, 4.759, 325.85; 4. Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.764, 323.89; 5. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.773, 324.98; 6. Mike Ashley, Charger, 4.779, 327.35; 7. Del Worsham, Impala, 4.785, 323.66; 8. Tony Pedregon, Impala, 4.786, 321.04; 9. Jerry Toliver, Toyota Solara, 4.797, 320.81; 10. Gary Scelzi, Charger, 4.799, 322.50; 11. Gary Densham, Chevy MonteCarlo, 4.800, 320.28; 12. Kenny Bernstein, Charger, 4.803, 320.28; 13. Jim Head, Dodge Stratus, 4.804, 324.12; 14. Scott Kalitta, Solara, 4.805, 319.75; 15. Tim Wilkerson, Impala, 4.825, 319.52; 16. Jon Capps, Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 4.826, 318.47.
Pro Stock -- 1. Max Naylor, Dodge Stratus, 6.655, 206.39; 2. Jim Yates, Pontiac GTO, 6.658, 206.42; 3. Allen Johnson, Stratus, 6.661, 206.57; 4. Dave Connolly, Chevy Cobalt, 6.662, 205.88; 5. Kurt Johnson, Cobalt, 6.663, 207.27; 6. Larry Morgan, Stratus, 6.669, 206.39; 7. Jeg Coughlin, Cobalt, 6.675, 206.01; 8. Greg Anderson, GTO, 6.677, 207.24; 9. Kenny Koretsky, Cobalt, 6.678, 206.29; 10. Greg Stanfield, GTO, 6.684, 206.39; 11. Craig Hankinson, GTO, 6.688, 206.07; 12. Jason Line, GTO, 6.694, 206.76; 13. Justin Humphreys, GTO, 6.696, 206.42; 14. Mike Edwards, GTO, 6.699, 205.54; 15. Steve Schmidt, Cobalt, 6.705, 205.47; 16. Warren Johnson, GTO, 6.706, 206.45.
Pro Stock Motorcycle -- 1. Chip Ellis, Buell, 6.970, 188.78; 2. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 7.007, 189.18; 3. Chris Rivas, Buell, 7.016, 187.39; 4. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 7.018, 188.31; 5. Peggy Llewellyn, Buell, 7.029, 187.34; 6. Matt Smith, Buell, 7.030, 187.70; 7. Hector Arana, Buell, 7.044, 188.83; 8. Angelle Sampey, Suzuki, 7.048, 187.13; 9. Antron Brown, Suzuki, 7.070, 186.51; 10. Craig Treble, Suzuki, 7.076, 189.52; 11. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 7.078, 185.95; 12. Matt Guidera, Buell, 7.079, 186.00; 13. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.091, 187.83; 14. Tom Bradford, Buell, 7.140, 181.96; 15. Shawn Gann, Suzuki, 7.147, 186.48; 16. Geno Scali, Suzuki, 7.151, 186.59.
Final round-by-round results from the 17th annual Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle at Indianapolis Raceway Park, the of 23 events in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series:
ROUND ONE -- Chip Ellis, Buell, 7.068, 188.28 def. Craig Treble, Suzuki, 7.158, 189.52; Matt Smith, Buell, 7.030, 186.79 def. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, foul; Angelle Sampey, Suzuki, 7.048, 184.17 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.117, 182.77; Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 7.007, 189.18 def. Antron Brown, Suzuki, 7.075, 185.82;
SEMIFINALS -- Ellis, 7.020, 186.12 def. Sampey, 7.056, 185.74; Hines, 7.037, 187.60 def. Smith, 7.118, 182.53;
FINAL -- Hines, 7.005, 189.31 def. Ellis, 7.069, 186.64.
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FRIDAY QUALIFYING - SCHUMACHER WOWS INDY CROWD AGAIN
Arend, Naylor and Ellis round out provisional No. 1s
Tony Schumacher's dominance of the world's greatest drag race continued Friday as the five-time Mac Tool U.S. Nationals winner closed out the opening qualifying session with a 4.477-second blast at 333.66 mph to claim the provisional No. 1 in Top Fuel.
In the other categories, Funny Car qualifying leader Jeff Arend (4.754 at 327.51 mph) and Pro Stock front man Max Naylor (6.655 at 206.39 mph) were mostly overwhelmed by their accomplishments, while Chip Ellis's provisional top qualifying pass of 6.970 at 188.78 mph in Pro Stock Motorcycle kept his recent hot streak alive.
The Mac Tools U.S. Nationals marks the beginning of the POWERade Series playoffs, the Countdown to the Championship, and there were some notable non-qualifiers on Day 1, including four drivers in the playoffs: Whit Bazemore in Top Fuel, Tony Pedregon in Funny Car, Greg Anderson and Jason 
Line in Pro Stock, and Andrew Hines in Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Schumacher, who entered the playoffs as the No. 2 seed, has won this race five times in the last seven years and trails only "Big Daddy" Don Garlits (eight wins) in the all-time wins list at the NHRA's longest-running race.
"It took us a long time to win a race from the No. 1 qualifying position last year but we finally got it done right here at this track," said Schumacher, who pilots the U.S. Army dragster. "It was perfect. Now we're in the exact same position again. It's not over yet by any stretch. We've got four more rounds of qualifying to go and what is sure to be a brutal race day but we're up for the challenge."
Transplanted local Larry Dixon, the No. 3 seed in Top Fuel, matched his career-best elapsed time of 4.481 seconds during a 327.74 mph pass in his SkyTel dragster to claim second place behind Schumacher.
Arend tied Rookie of the Year favorite Ashley Force with an identical 4.754 elapsed time in the day's lone session but takes the No. 1 spot on the ladder on the strength of his superior top speed of 327.51 mph in his Checker, Schuck's, Kragen Chevrolet Impala SS. Force topped out at 309.70 mph in her Castrol GTX/Auto Club Ford Mustang.
"It's more than a dream come true," Arend said. "To be No. 1 qualifier at Indy is just flat-out awesome. K.B. [Kenny Bernstein] had one of his patented stellar lights in the other lane and he was way out on me. It threw me off because I figured I was just not that fast. But they told me I ran a 4.75 at the other end and I was happy to hear that. I'm a little surprised no one ran quicker but we'll take it."
Pro Stock leader Naylor, a 54-year-old pro racing in his second season on tour, is a big surprise at the top of the Day 1 grid. Naylor bettered Greg Anderson's one-year-old track elapsed time record with a 6.655 at 206.39 mph in his Jagermeister Dodge Stratus R/T. It's his best qualifying start ever.
"This weekend is the highlight of any drag racers career," Naylor said. "It's a big deal for our team and I told the guys that no matter what happens for the rest of our lives or this weekend, we can always say we were No. 1 at Indy. It's a major accomplishment. Our entire team is very pleased and very excited."
Anderson, the top seed in Pro Stock, had trouble with his Summit Racing Pontiac GTO and clicked it off early, as did his teammate, reigning series champion Jason Line, the No. 5 seed.
Ellis, the No. 5 seed in Pro Stock Motorcycle, continues his recent string of very impressive qualifying efforts with a huge 6.970 at 188.78 mph on his Drag Specialties S&S Buell V-Twin. Ellis' elapsed time set an O'Reilly Raceway Park track record and was the only Pro Stock Motorcycle run in the six-second range. Ellis hasn't qualified lower than seventh all year.
"We always guess at what we think we'll run before every pass and we were all guessing around 6.99 or 7-flat," Ellis said, "so for us to go up there and run a 6.97, especially with a 12-15 mph headwind, was pretty good. If the wind had been blowing the other way we'd have run a 6.89.
Karen Stoffer (No. 4 seed) and Peggy Llewellyn (No. 8 seed) are second and third on the grid, Stoffer with a 7.018 at 188.31 mph on her Geico Motorcycle Suzuki and Llewellyn a 7.029 at 187.34 mph on the Klement Racing Buell.
Results Friday after qualifying for the 53rd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, 18th of 23 events in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday and Sunday for Monday's final eliminations.
Top Fuel -- 1. Tony Schumacher, 4.477 seconds, 333.66 mph; 2. Larry Dixon, 4.481, 327.74; 3. Bob Vandergriff, 4.513, 329.91; 4. Melanie Troxel, 4.520, 329.18; 5. David Grubnic, 4.523, 329.91; 6. Rod Fuller, 4.524, 325.85; 7. Doug Foley, 4.527, 324.20; 8. Morgan Lucas, 4.554, 327.74; 9. Doug Herbert, 4.565, 315.19; 10. Hillary Will, 4.587, 322.65; 11. Alan Bradshaw, 4.594, 314.61; 12. Doug Kalitta, 4.597, 307.02; 13. Bruce Litton, 4.604, 325.61; 14. Clay Millican, 4.647, 327.74; 15. Scotty Cannon, 4.657, 318.09; 16. Brandon Bernstein, 4.823, 222.95.
Funny Car -- 1. Jeff Arend, Chevy Impala, 4.754, 327.51; 2. Ashley Force, Ford Mustang, 4.754, 309.70; 3. Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.764, 323.89; 4. Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 4.773, 324.98; 5. Del Worsham, Impala, 4.785, 323.66; 6. Jerry Toliver, Toyota Solara, 4.797, 320.81; 7. Gary Scelzi, Charger, 4.799, 322.50; 8. Jim Head, Dodge Stratus, 4.804, 324.12; 9. Mike Ashley, Charger, 4.805, 324.67; 10. Scott Kalitta, Solara, 4.805, 319.75; 11. Kenny Bernstein, Charger, 4.809, 314.17; 12. Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.810, 321.27; 13. Gary Densham, Chevy MonteCarlo, 4.818, 316.90; 14. Jon Capps, Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 4.826, 311.49; 15. John Force, Mustang, 4.882, 264.23; 16. Tim Wilkerson, Impala, 5.202, 289.20.
Pro Stock -- 1. Max Naylor, Dodge Stratus, 6.655, 206.39; 2. Allen Johnson, Stratus, 6.661, 206.57; 3. Kurt Johnson, Chevy Cobalt, 6.663, 206.76; 4. Larry Morgan, Stratus, 6.669, 206.35; 5. Jeg Coughlin, Cobalt, 6.675, 206.01; 6. Jim Yates, Pontiac GTO, 6.677, 206.42; 7. Kenny Koretsky, Cobalt, 6.678, 206.29; 8. Greg Stanfield, GTO, 6.684, 206.04; 9. Dave Connolly, Cobalt, 6.684, 205.66; 10. Craig Hankinson, GTO, 6.688, 206.07; 11. Mike Edwards, GTO, 6.699, 205.19; 12. V. Gaines, Stratus, 6.708, 205.91; 13. Warren Johnson, GTO, 6.719, 206.45; 14. Richie Stevens, Stratus, 6.725, 205.69; 15. Matt Scranton, GTO, 6.732, 205.26; 16. Bob Panella, Stratus, 6.734, 205.51.
Pro Stock Motorcycle -- 1. Chip Ellis, Buell, 6.970, 188.78; 2. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 7.018, 188.31; 3. Peggy Llewellyn, Buell, 7.029, 187.34; 4. Chris Rivas, Buell, 7.035, 187.05; 5. Hector Arana, Buell, 7.044, 188.83; 6. Matt Smith, Buell, 7.067, 187.70; 7. Antron Brown, Suzuki, 7.070, 186.51; 8. Matt Guidera, Buell, 7.079, 186.00; 9. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.091, 187.83; 10. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 7.115, 183.47; 11. Angelle Sampey, Suzuki, 7.124, 187.13; 12. Craig Treble, Suzuki, 7.144, 189.26; 13. Shawn Gann, Suzuki, 7.147, 186.10; 14. Barry Henson, Suzuki, 7.161, 184.52; 15. Mike Berry, Suzuki, 7.167, 184.62; 16. Joe DeSantis, Suzuki, 7.180, 187.13.
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FRIDAY - DRIVERS VISIT INDY HOSPITAL
Drivers from the NHRA and GM Racing made their annual stop at the world-renowned
James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children on Thursday. The GM Racing program
has made the yearly visit to Riley Hospital a part of its Mac Tools U.S.
Nationals weekend since 1999. It is the second time this season that a GM Racing
contingent of drivers has spread good cheer at a children's hospital in
conjunction with a locally held national event. Earlier this year, a group of
drivers made a visit to the Pediatric Specialty Clinic at Shands Hospital in
Gainesville, Fla., and later this fall a similar children's hospital visit is
planned for Las Vegas.
Signing autographs, and visiting with the kids and
their families on Thursday were Kurt Johnson, Melanie Troxel, Marty Ladwig, Greg
Anderson, Jason Line, Cory McClenathan and Hillary Will.
The children
who participated in the visit received a goody bag from GM Racing that contained
hats, stuffed animals, NHRA and NASCAR posters supplied by Goodyear, coloring
books and stickers from Summit Racing, boxes of crayons, and motorsports
stickers provided by Lucas Oil, and each child received signed Polaroid photos
taken with the drivers. Kurt Johnson's ACDelco Chevy Cobalt was on display in
front of the hospital's outpatient entrance giving visitors an opportunity to
get up close to an NHRA Pro Stock Car.
"The drivers did a great job just
like they do every year," said Fred Simmonds, GM drag racing marketing manager.
"We saw a lot of kids, passed out a lot of goody bags and everyone had a great
time. Over the years we've made some good friends at Riley, and this visit has
become a special part of our U.S. Nationals race weekend."
Riley Hospital
for Children is Indiana's only comprehensive children's hospital, with pediatric
specialists in every field of medicine and surgery. Riley is committed to
providing the highest quality care to children in a compassionate,
family-centered environment. Riley is a national leader in cutting edge research
and medical education, ensuring health care excellence for children for
generations to come. Riley provides medical care to all Indiana children,
regardless of their family's ability to pay.
WATCH VIDEO - Drivers from
the NHRA and GM Racing Visit Riley Hospital in Indianapolis; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-9QBqE2DTQ
FRIDAY - NHRA DRIVERS REACT TO DIVING MEMO
Many Say The Gesture Is Noble,
But Enforcement Is Unlikely
NHRA POWERade competitors
received a memo on Monday afternoon from the NHRA’s Graham Light addressing the
issue of team orders and influencing the outcome of a race based on point
standings.
Light took an aggressive
stance on the issue in his memo, which
our sources report he had help in composing.
To All NHRA
Professional Teams:
With the growth of the
sport, NHRA has seen the development of multi-car teams in each of the four
professional categories in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
We know that every
driver and team’s mission is to win. With that said, NHRA does not
condone or approve of any team not competing at the highest level as a result
of “team orders” handed down to advance one driver over another driver at any
national event. Actions of this nature are not in the best interest
of the sport.
NHRA POWERade Drag
Racing provides the highest level of competition in the sport of drag racing
worldwide. NHRA intends to provide and preserve a level playing field and
to require good sportsmanship from all participants. Team actions that do
not meet this standard, or that might negatively affect the integrity of the
sport, will not be tolerated. Such actions will be met with significant
penalties that may include, but are not limited to, point deductions, fines,
disqualification, and suspension.
We are confident that
every participant in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series understands the
unacceptable nature and severe consequences of such actions and will respect
the sport and the integrity of the competition.
Sincerely,
Graham Light
Senior Vice President
Racing Operations
NHRA
Many of the racers that Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com contacted felt the letter was a noble gesture but largely unenforceable. Others pondered the reasoning for issuing the letter when, as they put it, enforcement appears to be a joke.
Gary Scelzi said he couldn’t believe his eyes when the letter turned up in his e-mail in-box.
“I think it is pretty comical,” Scelzi said. “Your team car is going to magically smoke the tires or break on the starting line. Let’s get real here. How are they going to know what is legit? I think they hurt themselves by sending a letter like that.”
Whit Bazemore, a former teammate of Scelzi’s, said the practice of team orders is nothing new to this sport. Bazemore said he’s curious to see how the NHRA can determine what is real and what is staged.
“I don’t know how they will enforce it because it’s unenforceable,” Bazemore said. “It has been going on for a long time already in the modern era. One team in particular in the modern era has never admitted they did it. There has always been the big cover-up thing. They still don’t like to admit it.”
“You take a situation like we had in Denver where either Hot Rod [Fuller] or myself could have easily smoked the tires and it could have looked like team orders. It wouldn’t have been. I just don’t see how you could enforce this.
“In this class you smoke the tires, cross the center-line and hit cones. How can you discern? It’s not enforceable.”
Jim Head was one of the few drivers that took the memo seriously and looks forward to the NHRA policing what he deems “an unethical practice.”
Some might say enforcement is impossible, but I don’t think anything is impossible,” Head said.
Head admits that he
sometimes takes situations to the extreme to prove a point. This situation is
no different. His assessment is if the big teams can do it, what’s to stop him?
“Yeah, let’s create a situation,” Head said. “Let’s say the 9th
qualifier is another independent racer like I am and I qualify 8th
in Indy. What if I walk over to that low budget privateer team with decals and
money and tell them I want them to be my teammate and I get the desired result?
“You can’t do that. If I do, then what’s the point of the points chase? If teams are going to buy out others, what is the difference between one team being aligned for 24 hours or 24 months? It presents the same end result.”
Multi-team owner Don Schumacher has been on both sides of the tracks when it comes to team orders. He’s levied allegations and he himself, has been the target of a few. When it comes down to it, Schumacher said his teams will race to the finish line.
“I agree and support the NHRA and Graham Light on the letter because we owe the fans and sponsors a true race every time we pull to the starting line,” Schumacher said. “I understand what they are trying to accomplish. I hope all of the teams and owners out there respond to it and every time their cars pull to the starting line, they race.
“There will always be allegations out there. Everyone will have to deal with it the best way they can. I applaud the NHRA for being the one to make the tough decision. They can either accept it or not accept it.”
Schumacher said the NHRA’s enforcement shouldn’t be impossible. He said he feels the racers will do the best job of policing themselves.
“There’s not many secrets out here,” Schumacher said. “Ultimately, I tend to feel if (a race) is thrown, someone will talk somewhere down the road. NHRA put it out there that they will make the decision. I support that – even if it is against me or one of my teams. They make the decisions. They have put themselves in the position of being judge, jury and executioner in this situation.”
Head has largely been critical of the NHRA’s management for years, but he said this is something that he applauds them for.
“I think it is one of the more positive moves they’ve made in a long time,” Head said. “I think Graham recognized a problem and dealt with it rapidly, which is to his credit. I see it as a huge problem in the NHRA.”
Head said he was initially a huge proponent of the Countdown to the Championship, but quickly realized that it would only increase the likelihood of team orders.
“I realized that instead of one opportunity to dive, it actually gave them three,” Head said. “You have eight to four to one. The multi-car teams have a ridiculous advantage if it is taken to an extreme. There’s no chance that we can have fair and open competition. In my opinion, it’s no championship if someone dove for you once, let alone two or three times.
“I felt really strong against the practice, but it never affected me because I hadn’t chased after the points since 1998. This new format came along in January and I really felt like giving it a try. We did and made it. I’m proud of that fact.
“Suddenly I realized the repercussions of teams laying down for one another. I tend to take everything to extremes. What bothered me is not that it happened and could have adversely affected me, what bothered me is that most of my peers in the sport thought it was okay. That’s my biggest issue. It has never been okay and will never be, either.”
Many of those drivers we spoke to are non-committal about how they will handle team orders if the situation presented itself. Others say they will race in the spirit of the sport or not race at all.
Sources indicate it was the comments following Jeff Arend’s first round match against team owner Del Worsham in Reading that prompted the memo. Worsham was still in the running for a spot in the playoffs and Arend had already been eliminated.
Worsham denied any
knowledge of a plan to throw the race, although Arend said he and the crew
[without Worsham’s final approval] made the decision. This was prompted by the
early elimination of Head.
Head would have been the only driver affected by Arend’s decision to leave the starting line a full two seconds behind Worsham.
Arend’s comments were blatant in content.
"Personally, I think we'd have to be the dumbest people in the world to let one Checker, Schuck's, Kragen car, that has absolutely no chance of making the post-season, take out the one that still has a chance," Arend said. "We are one big team here, all representing CSK and all of our great sponsors, so we made the decision on our side of the pit. Del never asked, never even brought it up, but Marc Denner, Chris Cunningham, and I talked about what we thought was the best thing to do, for the team and for our sponsors.”
In one instance at Reading, the team of Morgan Lucas and Melanie Troxel raced heads up even though two points separated her from the eighth spot. Lucas defeated Troxel and effectively eliminated her from contention.
Bazemore has always been an outspoken critic of team orders and said, even though he has a teammate, he couldn’t fathom the idea of throwing the final outcome of a race.
“I wouldn’t want to,” Bazemore said. “You go to the races to win. There are ethics and morals involved. It’s a sport. Too many sports have negatives. We don’t need that in drag racing. It is a positive sport. The idea of team orders in drag racing is not healthy. It’s robbing the public from a true sport. It’s not a real contest. It becomes more about the end result, not getting there.
“Part of winning the U.S. Nationals is not the end result, it’s the journey. It’s the effort you go through. The testing and even before that – putting together the budget just to go there. It’s building a career. You compete and you win the trophy. You look in the mirror and realize, I won Indy.”
“No one can take that away from you and that’s why I can’t understand a team that wins championships by laying down. Why would anyone want that? Who would want a trophy like that? I wouldn’t lay down for a teammate and likewise, I wouldn’t want a teammate to lay down for me either although it would be tempting and convenient.”
Bazemore isn’t so naïve that he misses the point that drag racing is a sport that has a business side to it.
“You just have to find the level between business and sport. Business and sport don’t always go hand in hand. That’s the toughest thing. You have to find that balance.”
“Would a sponsor want to be in the Showdown? Absolutely. If a teammate could lose a round here and there, would it benefit from a business standpoint? Absolutely. But, as a driver would I want that? No. Would I want to cost myself a chance at winning the race to help my teammate? Not really.
“People say that I’m not a team player if I say that. If that’s what it takes to be considered a team player then I am not interested in being one. This is not a team sport like soccer. It’s an individual sport. People try to make drag racing a team sport. In the true sense of the word, it is not a team sport. It’s not a team, you just have different cars to help one another and share information.
“From a business standpoint, it’s better to have a few more cars on a team. You have more income and your cost per car gets smaller. It’s good in that regard. When it all comes down to it, it is an individual sport.”
Regardless of the opinions formed, Schumacher said his teams will race straight up.
“My teams will always race, no matter how much it may affect the outcome ultimately,” Schumacher said. “I have different sponsors on each of my cars except for the US Army bikes. I guarantee you if the Army felt I was advancing a team under improper means, they would be very angry. That’s not how they operate. That’s not how I operate.”
Scelzi has already formed his opinion on it regardless of the official statement offered by Schumacher.
“I wouldn’t do that,” Scelzi said in a sarcastic tone. “Neither would John Force or Don Schumacher do that -- right?
“I absolutely wouldn’t take a dive. If it meant [teammates] Ron Capps or Jack Beckman over John Force and one of his teammates, I wouldn’t think so much. I would do everything in my power to help the other team win.”
Head said the sponsors could have the final say so. But one thing is for certain, as Head points out, honor and integrity should make the final decision. His assessment is that the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow just isn’t rich enough to sacrifice those attributes.“You are committed to race and if you have sponsors with any pride, they won’t tolerate it. It’s a slippery slope and once you do it once, where do you stop? You win in the name of what? As far as I am concerned, (the money) is chicken feed at the end of the season. We don’t race for a lot of money and it’s just not enough to swap your integrity.
“You can say a lot of things about me, I might not be the best racer out there but I’m a good businessman. I make business decisions every day and they do not include fraud.”
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THURSDAY - A FITTING TRIBUTE TO A CHAMPION
Very few epitomized a peaceful spirit better than Eric Medlen and the releasing of doves in honor of the Eric Medlen Project was a special tribute.
In a special ceremony at John Force Racing's Brownsburg, Indiana-based shop, plans the Eric Medlen Project, a 48,000-square foot building adjacent to the team's race facility were.
The Eric Medlen Project ultimately will house a chassis shop, paint shop, and engine shop providing proprietary parts for JFR's Ford Mustang Funny Cars and A/Fuel Dragsters.
As incredible as the plans for the Eric Medlen Project are, it was the bronze statue of Medlen's likeness that stole the show.
Visit our special ERIC MEDLEN PROJECT Photo Gallery .
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EVENT PREVIEW - MOMENTUM STRONG WITH FORCE AS POWERADE COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFF SERIES BEGINS AT MAC TOOLS U.S. NATIONALS
With seven first round losses, and his first DNQ in more than 20 years listed as the highlights of John Force’s first half of the 2007 season, even he looked like he was ready to throw in the towel and start hoping for a better day.
With the added stresses of watching his rookie daughter Ashley earn her competitive stripes in the 7,000 horsepower Funny Car category, and dealing with the tragic loss of longtime teammate Eric Medlen in a testing accident in March, Force appeared to be destined for his worst points finish since his dominance in the category began in the early 1990s.
But with all that going on, who could blame him?
He was as low as 20th in points early on, and following the season’s 11th race – a first round loss at Norwalk, Ohio – Force was in 15th place and time was running out on his opportunity to make the Top 8 in the inaugural POWERade Countdown to the Championship.
Everyone – fellow competitors, fans and the media -- had written off the 14-time world champion’s chances of making a miracle run.
But Force has proven over his amazing career that includes an NHRA record 125 career victories, that miracles can happen.
Starting at Bristol in early July, Force began his comeback run that included a five-race stretch with three victories, one runner-up finish and a semifinal appearance. He secured his top-eight spot in the Countdown and has moved up to third in the standings following his runner-up finish in Reading.
Now he’s in position to earn another POWERade Series world championship and that run will start this weekend in NHRA’s first-ever playoff series, the Countdown to the Championship at the world’s most prestigious drag race, the 53rd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, Aug. 31-Sept. 3. The event, contested at historic O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, is the 18th of 23 races this season and will be televised by ESPN2 with more than 10 hours of coverage.
“I didn't wake up one morning and not know how to drive,” said Force, who pilots the familiar Castrol GTX High-Mileage Ford Mustang, “and (crew chief Austin) Coil and Bernie (Fedderly, co-crew chief) didn't wake up not knowing how to tune a hot rod. We just had some issues.”
Exactly what those issues were is still a mystery to the team. However, he said a chassis change at Bristol seemed to make a huge difference. Since then his car has returned to its high-performing self.
“This season has been something,” Force said. “Early on I couldn't beat anyone, including that girl named Force, and I remember a while back telling Coil we were pathetic. Something just had us snake-bit, and we never did find what it was. Heading into Bristol, John Medlen got into me and said I needed to start being the leader of this team. Eric [Medlen's] gone, and it was time to get up and do our job. It was hard to get up for the fight, but then the car came around and we got on a roll.”
Force says he’s more determined than ever to win this championship. Along the way to earning his three victories this season he’s dedicated every trophy to the Medlen family and Eric’s memory. He would love to dedicate a POWERade Series world championship trophy to the young racer’s memory as well.
“We’ll just have to see what happens now that we’re in the Countdown,” said Force, a four-time winner of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals and six-time winner of the Skoal Showdown, a special bonus race for Funny Car drivers held during the running of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.
Other Funny Car racers who have qualified for the Countdown to the Championship include season long points leader Ron Capps, who earned three victories in six final rounds in his Brut Dodge Charger, Force teammate Robert Hight, fast-talking and fast-driving New Yorker Mike Ashley, Jack Beckman, Tony Pedregon, Gary Scelzi and category journeyman Jim Head.
In Top Fuel, five-time U.S. Nationals winner Tony Schumacher hopes to turn his past Indy success into a momentum-builder in the Countdown to the Championship. Brandon Bernstein has had an impressive season racing to five victories in his Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster and may be primed to win his first world championship. Gritty Rod Fuller has kept the points lead for most of the season and veteran Larry Dixon has emerged as a top contender this season in his SkyTel dragster.
Greg Anderson has won the last four U.S. Nationals titles in Pro Stock (five overall) and leads the standings in the Countdown to the Championship. He has won seven times this season in his Summit Racing Pontiac GTO. He’ll receive his biggest challenge from three-time season winners Jeg Coughlin and Dave Connolly. Coughlin, who drives the JEGS.com Chevy Cobalt, is a past two-time world champ and two-time Indy winner as well.
Matt Smith will try to keep his season-long momentum going after racing to three victories on his Torco Buell. Smith is the defending winner at Indy and was runner-up at the event in 2005. He will open the Countdown to the Championship as the leader and will be challenged by three-time defending POWERade Series champ Andrew Hines, who is looking for his first Indy win on his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson, and two-time Indy winner and three-time world champ Angelle Sampey, who rides the U.S. Army Suzuki.
