The 25 th Annual Torco Racing Fuels Northern
Nationals was a weekend of firsts for Illinois-based racer T.J. Zizzo. He
claimed his first career pole position when final qualifying was said and done
and, back where he made his first IHRA appearance last season, registered the
low ET of the meet and captured his first career national event victory at US
131 Motor sports Park.

Zizzo was the best Knoll Gas-Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro
Top Fuel car all weekend. After his Friday qualifying hit stood up he knocked
off J.R. Todd, a recent two-time NHRA national event winner, in the first round
of eliminations. He then handled Bruce Litton in the semifinals and Doug Foley
in the finals to take home his first Ironman.

“This is an all-volunteer team, and I mean all volunteer,” Zizzo said. “Not
even Dave Settles, the Crew Chief, gets paid a dime on this deal. US 131 is one
of my favorite race tracks and I’ve won here before in an alcohol dragster, so
this win really means a lot to us.”

Top Fuel rookie J.R. Todd upset three-time
NHRA POWERade world champion Tony Schumacher for the second time in three weeks
Sunday to earn the trophy of the $1.3 million Fram-Autolite NHRA
Nationals.

Just as he did in Denver 14 days ago, the 24-year-old Todd
simply outran Schumacher, earning this win in 4.619 seconds at 309.27 mph to
Schumacher's 4.679 at 316.01 mph.

Eric Medlen, Jason Line, and Chip Ellis
joined Todd in Infineon Raceway's winner's circle. Medlen took the Funny Car
crown against fellow Californian Tony Pedregon, 4.854 to 5.021. Pro Stock points
leader Line got a holeshot victory over veteran Vieri Gaines, and Ellis
benefited greatly from Pro Stock Motorcycle finalist Antron Brown's red-light
start for his second win of the year.

Team JEG'S driver Mike Coughlin was
among the seven champions crowned today at the second annual JEG'S NHRA Northern
SPORTSnationals at National Trail Raceway in Columbus. In just his third
competitive outing with his new Chevy Cobalt, Coughlin claimed the Top Sportsman
title with a final round victory over Tommy Turner. Coughlin ran a 7.41-second
elapsed time in the final round to earn his 10th career NHRA national event
victory and his third at National Trail Raceway.
 
“It’s taken me a
little while to get comfortable in this new car but this weekend, I was very
relaxed and focused,” said Coughlin. “Our crew also did a great job of preparing
the car, and making sure that it stayed consistent all weekend. Winning any race
is great, but winning a race at your home track, with all of your family and
friends with you, is the ultimate.”
 
Other winners from the sportsman only event were Bo Butner (Comp),
Chuck Gallagher (Super Stock), Donnie Beeler (Stock), David Tatum III (Super
Comp), Sherman Adcock Jr. (Super Gas) and Rex Davis (Super Street).

Reigning NHRA
POWERade Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher raced to his second victory in his
last three starts Sunday at Pacific Raceways to continue his rapid climb up the
points standings. The
three-time champ has gone from eighth place to fourth
in the last four races -- including three straight final round appearances --
and has closed to within 150 points of Doug Kalitta's series lead with his
win at the $1.4 million Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals presented
by Lucas Oil.

Whit Bazemore and Allen Johnson joined Schumacher in the
winner's circle as each ended long winless streaks with victories here.
Bazemore had gone 31 races without a win until beating points leader and
teammate Ron Capps in the Seattle finale, while Johnson ended a 34-race dry
spell by
downing surprise finalist Tom Martino, who was racing for just
the second time this year.

Schumacher had little trouble beating Dave
Grubnic in the Top Fuel final with a 4.690 at 321.96 mph in his U.S. Army
dragster to Grubnic's 4.761 at 316.75 in his StriVectin-SD dragster. It was
Schumacher's 32nd career victory and second at this track.