The IHRA has only twelve races in their countdown for a championship and their format seems to work well. For the second year in a row, more than half of their Knoll Gas Nitro Jam championships could come down to the wire this weekend. When you add in scenarios such as the IHRA’s Last Man Standing and oildown penalties, it makes for a lot of added drama.

The tightest of the championship battles is in the Torco’s CompetitionPlus Pro Stock division where only seven points separate defending champion Pete Berner and Robert Patrick.

The point lead in the class has been a seesaw battle between the two for much of the season, with a brief interruption from John Montecalvo, who is no longer in contention.

Frank Gugliotta has an outside chance of wrestling the title away but it’s a slim one.

A ten-point Last Man Standing Award (2 possible in a weekend) or a better qualifying effort by Patrick could spell the difference between the two drivers. Based on the last event where the record was set and re-set as many as four times, an additional twenty points could be on the line as well.

Neither driver will admit to counting points headed into this weekend.

“Whatever happens is going to happen, I’m just going out to do the best job I can,” Berner said. “We have a really good team that is really capable of making good runs but there are two other teams in the running that can do the same thing. I really don’t put a lot of pressure on myself nor do I allow others to do that. We’ll go out there and do the best we can. We are ahead and all we have to do is maintain that pace.”

The IHRA has only twelve races in their countdown for a championship and their format seems to work well. For the second year in a row, more than half of their Knoll Gas Nitro Jam championships could come down to the wire this weekend. When you add in scenarios such as the IHRA’s Last Man Standing and oildown penalties, it makes for a lot of added drama.

The tightest of the championship battles is in the Torco’s CompetitionPlus Pro Stock division where only seven points separate defending champion Pete Berner and Robert Patrick.

The point lead in the class has been a seesaw battle between the two for much of the season, with a brief interruption from John Montecalvo, who is no longer in contention.

Frank Gugliotta has an outside chance of wrestling the title away but it’s a slim one.

A ten-point Last Man Standing Award (2 possible in a weekend) or a better qualifying effort by Patrick could spell the difference between the two drivers. Based on the last event where the record was set and re-set as many as four times, an additional twenty points could be on the line as well.

Neither driver will admit to counting points headed into this weekend.

“Whatever happens is going to happen, I’m just going out to do the best job I can,” Berner said. “We have a really good team that is really capable of making good runs but there are two other teams in the running that can do the same thing. I really don’t put a lot of pressure on myself nor do I allow others to do that. We’ll go out there and do the best we can. We are ahead and all we have to do is maintain that pace.”

Berner should know the potential a driver has of coming from behind to win a title. After all, he won the 2006 championship from third place at the last event.

“My crew keeps track of that [the points] but I’ve never really raced that way,” Berner said. “I think the most pressure I’ve even been under was trying to win for that lady in Maryland.”

Berner was referring to a spectator who requested he win for her because she is terminally ill with cancer.

“I’m typically better when the pressure is on,” Berner said. “That’s when I usually do my best driving. I’ll keep myself focused. I’ve been working out hard and dialed in on the simulator.”

Patrick had the point lead until the last race when he lost in the first round of Sunday’s final eliminations.

“I’m not even thinking about the points, nor am I worried about them,” Patrick said. “It hasn’t even crossed my mind. All I know is I am headed to Rockingham with the objective of setting the record and winning the race. Whatever happens beyond that point – happens. If we win it, we win it.”

Patrick said he hasn’t had a hard time blocking out this weekend’s challenge.

“To be honest, I am so ticked off at losing in the first round of the Showdown and then first round on Sunday that I am focused in on doing well to make up for that,” Patrick said. “As much as everyone would love to hear me say I am tensed up over it – I haven’t thought much of it.

“We have a new engine coming in that has a lot of power and we’ll test it in the days leading up to the event.”

Patrick feels the potential is there in Rockingham this weekend for a new elapsed time record assault.

“We set the record during the last race in 2005,” Patrick said. “We went a 6.32 there last year. I think with the power that we are making and if the air is there, you will see some runs. If it’s there, I am going for it.”

The Alcohol Funny Car division is not as close, but like Pro Stock it has three drivers battling for the crown – two with a good chance and a third with a mathematical shot.

Mark Thomas leads Rob Atchison by 37 points and he’s hoping there isn’t a chance of déjà vu. Only two years ago, Thomas came into the final event with the points lead and ended up losing to a last minute Atchison championship surge.

Atchison has momentum on his side by advancing to the finals in four of the last six races. The wildcard in the scenario is Terry Munroe, who has won two out of three final rounds. He’s 14 points behind Atchison.

“I can’t wait, I think about it every day,” Thomas said. “This is a three-horse race, but you really can’t worry about anyone but yourself. You just have to go out there and qualify as best you can, then see what happens.

"Every point is critical and every run will be huge. I think this is going to come down to a very exciting race in Rockingham. I always love going to that track…love everything about it. I hope I still love it as much when we leave.”

The Top Fuel division has come down to a battle between T.J. Zizzo and Bruce Litton for the championship. Zizzo holds a 24-point lead over Litton, and Scotty Cannon still holds onto a slim chance that could dissipate after qualifying.

Litton’s deficit is a round behind Zizzo.

After this weekend, there could be another Cannon championship headed to Lyman, South Carolina, but it’s not adding to the five already accrued by Scotty; it’s the first one for Scott Jr.

The big factor is the 41 bonus points awarded to those drivers who travel to all IHRA events. Second-place driver Mike Janis sacrificed his bonus points by sitting out the event in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

With 34 points separating Cannon from Janis, all he needs to do is show up and qualify and the championship could be decided. Pat Stoken and Ed Hoover have a chance, but only if Cannon DNQs.

Newly appointed IHRA PR director Mike Perry says that these last-race championship battles is proof positive that the old gather points as you go format still works in drag racing.

“We like to reward consistency throughout the season, where it is always possible for someone to catch fire during the season and for them to have a hot-streak for a number of races,” Perry said. “Our champion is usually the driver that is the most consistent from the start until the finish of the season.”