Tuesday, August 30, 2011
NHRA Preview: Kalitta on the 'Verge of Something Good' This Weekend at Indy
(Doug Kalitta looks to avenge last year's first-round exit with a win at the US Nationals this weekend at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis. Photo by Brandon W. Mudd)
Veteran driver Doug Kalitta has raised several trophies in the winner’s circle on the sacred ground of Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.
However those trophies were earned a couple of decades ago when he was winning races and championships in the USAC Sprint Car Series. Kalitta raced to victories on the historic multi-purpose motorsports complex’s asphalt oval in 1992 and 1996. It is the same track where motorsports icons like A.J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones, Al Unser, Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon have also scored victories.
While Kalitta takes great pride in his many USAC accomplishments, his focus in motorsports has now changed. These days he wants to etch his name in a different record book, next to the biggest legends of NHRA drag racing who have won the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, the world’s most prestigious drag race: Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, Shirley Muldowney, “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, Bob Glidden and Tom “The Mongoose” McEwen.
Kalitta has raced to two runner-up finishes at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil during his career and hopes that this season will be the time when he finally breaks through and gets the job done over on the championship drag strip at Lucas Oil Raceway. The tradition-rich NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event will be held Aug. 31-Sept. 5 and will be showcased during more than 10 hours of coverage by ESPN2 HD. Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Ashley Force Hood (Funny Car), Greg Stanfield (Pro Stock) and LE Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are the defending winners of the Labor Day weekend classic.
“It would go to the top of my racing resume,” said Kalitta about earning a Mac Tools U.S. Nationals victory. “Winning Indy is every racer’s dream. I remember when Connie (Kalitta, uncle and team owner) won Indy in 1994. I know it’s his favorite trophy as a driver and he got his first NHRA trophy in 1967.”
When told that if he could win the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals he would be the only driver in history to win major races on both the drag strip and the oval at the legendary facility, the reserved Kalitta said in his laid-back style, “I hadn’t really thought about it, but that would be a cool statistic.”
Kalitta has compiled many cool statistics during his NHRA driving career, which started in 1998. He has earned 32 career victories in 64 final rounds and posted 30 No. 1 qualifying positions. He’s also advanced to at least one final round in every season that he’s competed. In every season but one – 2008 – he’s won at least one race.
As the three-time world championship runner-up heads to the last race of the regular season and prepares for the start of the six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs, which get underway in mid-September, he’s facing the prospect of ending his 13-year final round streak. He’s hoping to turn that around during the course of the last seven races this season. He’d like to finish the year with a few finals and at least one or two victories. And, if everything goes his way, perhaps even a world championship title.
To say he’s a bit frustrated with the way things have gone during the regular season would be an understatement. He has posted three semifinal efforts and nine quarterfinal finishes. He’s currently sixth in the standings and seemingly a win waiting to happen.
“I feel this year I have the team to win Indy so hopefully we can put our money where our mouth is,” said Kalitta, who will be driving a specially-designed dragster with sponsorship from Mac Tools. “We are on the verge of something good. I hope we can win at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals and carry that momentum through the Countdown.
“My team and I are up to the challenge and having the great folks from Mac Tools on our side at Indy is certainly an honor. There really is no extra pressure. We want to go out and run as hard as we can at every event, but it would be great if we could get the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster in the winner’s circle for them.”
Kalitta has been a No. 1 qualifier at the Big Go two times, his most recent coming in 2004. With five qualifying sessions and most often more than 25 dragsters trying to qualify for one of the 16 available starting positions at the marquee event, it is important for every team to get off to a good start the first three days.
“Qualifying No. 1 again would be a great start,” Kalitta said. “We do need to qualify well and put ourselves in a good spot on the eliminations ladder. The key is not beating yourself. We need to go out and run the numbers we can run and hopefully cross the finish line first in all four rounds. A little luck never hurts either.”
If Kalitta is going to end his season-long winless drought he’ll have to hold off a stout field of competitors including series points leader Del Worsham. The longtime Funny Car driver has invaded Top Fuel this season and raced to six victories behind the wheel of his Al-Anabi Racing dragster. Red-hot Antron Brown, who won at Sonoma and Brainerd in his Matco Tools dragster seems to be peaking at the right time. Seven-time world champ Tony Schumacher has dominated Indy during the last decade, winning the race eight times since the 2000 season in his U.S. Army dragster. Defending race winner Larry Dixon, who also won the championship last year, has won the race four times.
There will also be some action around the bubble of the top 10, as 10th place David Grubnic will try to hold off a last minute playoff charge from 11th place Terry McMillen and 12th place Bob Vandergriff. McMillen trails Grubnic by 19 points, while Vandergriff is 40 points out of the final Countdown position.
* * *
FUNNY CAR FAVORITE CAPPS HOPES THIS IS THE YEAR HIS NAPA AUTO PARTS TEAM TAKES HOME THE MAC TOOLS U.S. NATIONALS WALLY
CLERMONT, Ind. – Funny Car pilot Ron Capps has accomplished a lot in his 16-year NHRA career. He has raced in both Top Fuel and Funny Car and is one of 15 drivers who have collected wins in both categories. Capps has made 66 final round appearances and won 32 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events.
Of all of those 32 wins and 66 finals, not one of them has come at the world’s most prestigious drag race, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil.
Winning the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals is one of the most sought-after goals for any driver in the NHRA, from sportsman racers to the nitro classes, and Capps is no exception. Capps has had a very lucrative driving career, but the Funny Car pilot’s desire to put his NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger into the winner’s circle at the ‘Big Go’ is stronger than ever this season.
“Indy still is looked at as the biggest race we have and it still carries the weight of being called the U.S. Nationals, or as the locals call it, the Nationals,” Capps said. “It is for sure a race that I feel like if I don’t ever win, something would be missing from my career.”
Crew chief Tim Richards joined the NAPA team in late April as crew chief and has made an extremely positive impact on Capps’ Dodge. Working together, the duo has won in Sonoma and posted runner-up finishes in Norwalk and Brainerd to move from ninth place in the standings, to within three points of fifth, and seems to have figured out the combination just in time for the beginning of the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship.
Capps is hoping that 2011 will be the season he can collect not only his first Wally at the tradition-rich event in Indy, but also win his first Funny Car world championship title.
“I have had the luxury of getting to be around some great minds and personalities in our sport and work right alongside some of the biggest names,” Capps said. “When I was with Ace (Ed McCulloch) we came so close that I can still almost taste it. You look at the championships that Tim has won in the past, the races he has guided his team and drivers through and I think that my chances are pretty good that we will at least have a chance to run for a championship when we get to Pomona.”
In 2007, Capps finished the regular season with the points lead but did not end up winning the championship. Capps is confident in his team heading into the Countdown this season, as they are making strides at just the right time.
“I have been on and seen both sides of the Countdown, and this year it is going help us,” Capps said. “Although we are more than capable of moving all the way up to fourth at Indy if we have a good race and (Matt) Hagan and Cruz (Pedregon) stumble at all. So I feel that even if the points were like they were before to the Countdown, we would have a fun time trying to move up the ladder.”
Capps is just three points behind teammate Hagan, who sits fifth in the championship points battle in his DieHard Dodge Charger, and their teammate, Jack Beckman, sits third in his Aaron’s/Valvoline Dodge. John Force Racing drivers Mike Neff and Robert Hight are one and two in the standings, while their boss and team owner, John Force is in seventh. The 1992 and 2008 Full Throttle champion, Cruz Pedregon, is secure in fourth while the drivers in eighth, ninth and 10th are yet to secure those coveted spots within the top 10.
Tim Wilkerson sits eighth, Jeff Arend is currently ninth, Bob Tasca III is 10th and Johnny Gray is just outside the bubble in 11th. All four drivers are fighting for the final three spots in the Countdown. Between qualifying points, round wins and record-setting potential, any of the four drivers have a shot at filling the three final spots.
* * *
THREE NHRA PRO STOCK DRIVERS BRING THREE SEPARATE GOALS TO MAC TOOLS U.S. NATIONALS AT INDIANAPOLIS
CLERMONT, Ind. – One driver wants to claim the top seed for the Countdown playoffs. Another wants to score her first career victory. Yet another driver just wants to perform well enough to make the playoffs.
There are hundreds of different stories floating around the Pro Stock pits prior to the 57th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil, the world’s most prestigious drag race. The magical feeling of great anticipation is one of the things that makes this tradition-rich event so special. Each driver rolls into Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis with many different specific goals and very high hopes. Yet for every racer who hits the legendary drag strip where so much NHRA history has been made, the primary goal is always the same – to win the sport’s most coveted trophy.
Among the top Pro Stock storylines heading into the Big Go this year, defending world champion Greg Anderson, a five-time Mac Tools U.S. Nationals winner, is looking to hold off teammate Jason Line to earn the top seed for the six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs. At the other end of the pits, Erica Enders, the 200 mph category’s most prolific female driver, is hoping to claim a history-making first victory. Meanwhile, veteran driver Larry Morgan is looking for a strong run at Indy in his Lucas Oil Ford Mustang so that he can break into the top 10 and qualify for the Countdown playoffs.
All three drivers will be in the spotlight when the factory hot rods take to the track Aug. 31-Sept. 5 at the multipurpose motorsports facility. Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Ashley Force Hood (Funny Car), Greg Stanfield (Pro Stock) and LE Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are the defending winners of the final regular season race in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. The annual Labor Day weekend classic will be televised during more than 10 hours of coverage on ESPN2 HD.
Defending world champ Anderson and the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals have quite a bit of history. Anderson’s first final round came at this event in 1999. Even though he lost to former employer Warren Johnson, a new NHRA Pro Stock star was born that day. This year Anderson will try to tie Johnson’s six Indy wins mark, and in the process, secure the top seed for the Countdown playoffs, which includes a 30-point bonus.
“I feel great about heading to Indy,” said Anderson, who drives the Summit Racing Pontiac GXP and has won three of the last five races this season (Chicago, Sonoma and Brainerd). “I love racing at that racetrack. I love that race. It means the world to me, and a little bit of the pressure is off. It does look like Jason and myself are kind of duking it out for first and second place as far as seeding goes for the Countdown, and that's a pretty good position to be in. It looks like the worst I'll be is second heading into the Countdown, so I can kind of relax a little bit on the points scenario and go just try to win Indy, which Indy means the world to me. I think I've won it (five) times now, and there's no other race more important to me than that one. I've got a lot of big ones on the schedule with the Summit races and races in Las Vegas where Ken Black is and racing in Charlotte, my new hometown, and racing in Brainerd where I grew up, but none of them quite stack up to Indy. I think it means the most to me.”
At the same time, a driver who Anderson has defeated in two of his victories in the last five races (Chicago and Brainerd), Enders is picking up steam and looks like she and her ZaZa Energy Chevy Cobalt team are getting closer to that historic first Wally in the Pro Stock class. With a win she would become the first female to win in Pro Stock and only the 12th different woman to win a Full Throttle Series race in NHRA history. To do it at Indy with all eyes in the drag racing world upon her would be even more special.
“All the stars are lined up for us,” Enders said. “We’ve just got to go win one more round and continue to execute the way we have been. It’s getting to that point in the year where every thousandth of a second is going to matter. We’ve got our stuff together.”
While Anderson and Enders have both secured berths into the Countdown playoffs, veteran driver Morgan is still trying to punch his ticket to have the opportunity to race for world championship glory. Morgan currently trails 10th place Ron Krisher in the series standings by 32 points. He will need to go at least two rounds more than Krisher at Indy to overcome the deficit.
“Every point counts for us right now,” said Morgan, who won the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in 1989 and has posted four runner-up finishes at Indy, his most recent coming in 2008. “We’ve got to get ourselves around one guy. But we’re making good power right now and we’ve been running well, so I’m excited to see what happens. The key is to get this car up in the top half in qualifying. That will give us a big boost when Monday rolls around. Then we need to win some rounds.”
Other drivers to watch in Pro Stock include defending winner Stanfield, talented rookie Vincent Nobile, 1998 Indy winner Mike Edwards and Allen Johnson, who has been making big horsepower in his Team Mopar Dodge Avenger.
* * *
TONGLET PLANS A REPEAT OF CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON STARTING AT THE 57TH ANNUAL MAC TOOLS U.S. NATIONALS
CLERMONT, Ind. – Winning the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil, the most prestigious drag race in the world, is something that NHRA drivers dream about their entire racing careers.
According to many in the sport, winning the tradition-rich race is just as big of a deal as winning a Full Throttle world championship. Many drivers go years, decades, and even entire careers without winning either, but LE Tonglet is not one of them. The sophomore Pro Stock Motorcycle rider stunned everyone last year when he won both the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals and the Full Throttle championship in his rookie season.
“Indy is the biggest race of the year and it’s cool to be a part of,” Tonglet said. “It’s really cool because there are so many people and different things going on there and it’s certainly fun to be a part of. It is the Superbowl of drag racing.”
Last season, Tonglet and his family-owned team were just about to throw in the towel just prior to Indy due to lack of funding and parts, but luckily Nitro Fish owner Kenny Koretsky stepped up and backed the team financially. It turned out to be a great investment as Tonglet rode his Nitro Fish Suzuki to the winner’s circle at Indy, Charlotte, Dallas and Las Vegas, which paved the way to his winning the 2010 Full Throttle world championship.
Even though funding isn’t an issue, the 2011 season has been a bit of a roller coaster for the reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle champ. After winning Atlanta the team struggled the next two races, failing to qualify for Norwalk, but stunned the crowd when they won the following event at Chicago. The Nitro Fish Suzuki has been to the winner’s circle four times this season and is currently one point out of second place, which is quite a feat considering the early season struggles. Even though he is the reigning Full Throttle champ, he has managed to fly under the radar most of the season, slowly moving toward the top of the points standings.
“The plan was just to run strong all year,” Tonglet said. “We had a lot of bad luck and just wrong tuning calls on our part throughout the year. Now, we are just trying to get back into the old routine, and it seems to be working. We really don’t dwell on the past too much and I don’t really feel the pressure.”
As the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads to Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis for the 57th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, Aug. 31-Sept. 5, the final race of the regular season, Tonglet hopes he can repeat the success he had last season in the Countdown starting at this track. Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Ashley Force Hood (Funny Car) and Greg Stanfield (Pro Stock) also were winners of the event, which will once again be showcased in more than 10 hours of coverage on ESPN2 HD.
“Last year we were under the radar until after this race, but this year all of the fans will be coming by,” Tonglet said. “It’s going to be really cool and exciting to show back up there as defending event champ and hopefully reach our goal to just to stay in the top three or maybe move up to second.”
While Tonglet is sneaking up toward the top of the point standings, Eddie Krawiec had a semifinal finish at Brainerd and recently took the points lead from Karen Stoffer, who had led the series for the majority of the season. The regular season points champ will be decided at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, and whichever rider earns the spot will get a 30-point bonus as they head into the six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Andrew Hines, Matt Smith and Hector Arana Sr. have also secured berths in the Countdown.
“The competition is getting really tough out there,” Tonglet said. “You have two Harleys that are flying – Eddie (Krawiec) and Andrew (Hines) are really hauling. And then you have Hector Arana and Hector Jr., who has really come a long way; they’re going to be tough in the Countdown. There are so many bad bikes out there and it makes it difficult to win and it’s going to make it good for all the fans.”
As exciting as the battle for number one is, the battle for the final spots in the Countdown will be just as thrilling. Michael Phillips, Hector Arana, Jr., Jerry Savioe and Jim Underdahl are yet to secure spots in the playoffs and all hope to finish the regular season in the top 10 with a strong performance at Indy. On the outside looking in is Chip Ellis, who still has a mathematical possibility to make the Countdown. Ellis is hoping to play spoiler and steal that last spot in the Countdown from Underdahl. No matter who ends up in the caboose in the Pro Stock Motorcycle top 10, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals will be an exciting place to set the field.
• SCHEDULE: The first of five qualifying sessions are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 2. Two sessions will be held on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 3 and 6 p.m., and the final two qualifying sessions will take place on Sunday, Sept. 4 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 5.
• TICKETS: Tickets are available for the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil. Tickets are available by calling (800) 884-NHRA (6472), or online at www.NHRATIX.com.
• ON TV: ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise more than 10 hours of coverage of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil. Three hours of qualifying coverage will air at 11 a.m. (ET) on Sunday, Sept. 4. Two additional hours of qualifying coverage will also air on Sunday, Sept. 4 at 5 p.m. (ET). Eliminations for the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil will be featured during six hours of coverage on Monday, Sept. 5, starting at noon (ET).
• LUCAS OIL SERIES: The Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil also will feature competition in all categories of the NHRA Lucas Oil Series, where the future stars of the NHRA Full Throttle Series are born. Lucas Oil Series qualifying begins at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 31 and eliminations begin at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 1 and continue through Monday, Sept. 5.
• GET SCREENED AMERICA PRO MOD SERIES: NHRA’s popular Pro Mod touring series will make its eighth start of the 10-race 2011 season at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil. The series features some of the world’s fastest and most unique doorslammer cars, with an eclectic mix of vintage and late-model body styles, in quarter-mile competition. The first qualifying session will be Friday, Sept. 2 at 4:30 p.m. Qualifying will continue on Saturday, Sept. 3 with sessions at 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. The final qualifying session will be Sunday, Sept. 4 at 1:30 p.m. and the first round of eliminations begins Sunday, Sept. 4 at 4:30 p.m. and will continue on Monday, Sept. 5 at approximately 2:30 p.m.
• ON THE WEB: Get live timing, scoring, multimedia and the latest news updates from every NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event on the Internet at www.nhra.com. Visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
* * *
57th ANNUAL MAC TOOLS U.S. NATIONALS presented by Lucas Oil FACT SHEET
WHAT: 57th Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil, 16th of 22 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series and the last race in the NHRA Full Throttle Series regular season. At the conclusion of this event, the top 10 drivers in four categories - Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle – will be locked in to begin the six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs, leading to 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series world championships. NHRA is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2011 and is paying tribute to the evolution of the hot rod and honoring its legendary racers as well as the sport’s current stars.
WHERE: Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, Clermont, Ind. From I-465, exit Crawfordsville Road (Hwy. 136). Head west for four miles past downtown Clermont. The facility’s main entrance is on the left, one-half mile past Raceway Road.
COURSE: Championship drag strip; Track elevation is 700 feet above sea level; Track direction is south to north.
WHEN: Wednesday, Aug. 31 through Monday, Sept. 5.
PURSE: Cash and contingency awards of more than $2 million.
SCHEDULE:
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 31 - LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying, 8:30 a.m.
THURSDAY, Sept. 1 - LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying and eliminations, 8 a.m.
FRIDAY, Sept. 2 - LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations, 7:30 a.m.
GET SCREENED AMERICA PRO MOD SERIES qualifying at 4:30 p.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 5:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Sept. 3 - LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying and eliminations, 7:30 a.m.
GET SCREENED AMERICA PRO MOD SERIES qualifying at 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 3 and 6 p.m.
SUNDAY, Sept. 4 - LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations, 7:30 a.m.
GET SCREENED AMERICA PRO MOD SERIES qualifying at 1:30 p.m.; first round of eliminations at 4:30 p.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
MONDAY, Sept. 5 - Pre-race ceremonies, 9:30 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Sunday, Sept. 4, ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of qualifying coverage at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Sept. 4, ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 5 p.m. (ET).
Monday, Sept. 5, ESPN2 HD will televise six hours of eliminations coverage at noon (ET).
2010 EVENT WINNERS: Larry Dixon, Top Fuel; Ashley Force Hood, Funny Car; Greg Stanfield, Pro Stock; LE Tonglet, Pro Stock Motorcycle;
MOST VICTORIES: Bob Glidden, Pro Stock, 9; Don Garlits, Top Fuel, 8; Tony Schumacher, Top Fuel, 8; Don Prudhomme, Top Fuel and Funny Car, 7; Warren Johnson, Pro Stock, 6; Dave Schultz, Pro Stock Motorcycle, 6; Ed McCulloch, Funny Car and Top Fuel, 6; Greg Anderson, Pro Stock, 5; John Force, Funny Car, 4; Larry Dixon, Top Fuel, 4.
EVENT HISTORY: The most historic and prestigious event in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil has been contested annually since 1955. Originally known as “The Nationals” and first held at an abandoned airstrip in Great Bend, Kan., the event made stops at Kansas City, Mo., Oklahoma City and Detroit before eventually moving to Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis in 1961. Past winners include “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, an eight-time winner in Top Fuel; Shirley Muldowney, 1982 Top Fuel winner; Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, a seven-time winner and one of a handful of drivers to win the event in both Top Fuel and Funny Car; and Bob Glidden, the legendary Pro Stock driver who dominated the race by advancing to the final round in 13 consecutive seasons from 1977-’89. The Indiana native won the event a record nine times. It is the only major motorsports event to be contested on Labor Day. In 2004 the event celebrated its 50th anniversary in memorable fashion with spectacular racing witnessed by one of the biggest crowds in NHRA history. This year during the NHRA’s 60th anniversary celebration, there promises to be major drama as the event will be the last race during the NHRA Full Throttle Series regular season, and the top 10 drivers in each of the four classes will be determined for the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
FAST FACTS: The Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil is the final of 16 regular season Full Throttle Series races. At the conclusion of this event the top 10 drivers in each Full Throttle Series category will qualify for the Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s six-race playoffs that begin Sept. 15-18 at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte, N.C. … Tony Schumacher is a 10-time U.S. Nationals finalist in Top Fuel (winning eight)… Schumacher’s first career NHRA start came at the U.S. Nationals in 1996 and the then rookie posted a runner-up finish to Cory McClenathan… Pro Stock dominator Greg Anderson has won the race five times in the past 10 seasons… Six female drivers representing three professional categories are pre-entered for the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil… John Force, 15-time NHRA Full Throttle Series world champion and winner of a record 133 events, has won the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil four times, his last coming in 2002… Last season track performance records for E.T. and speed were set in all four Full Throttle Series categories… Pro Stock’s Bob Glidden, who will be honored as a legend during the event, is the winningest driver in the history of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil, with nine victories… Since 2000, only two drivers – Tony Schumacher and Larry Dixon – have won the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Top Fuel.
WHAT TO WATCH: Tony Schumacher, who is winless this season but has advanced to the last four final rounds, is seeking his ninth Top Fuel victory at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals; with a win he will break his current tie with “Big Daddy” Don Garlits for most U.S. Nationals Top Fuel wins… A victory by Schumacher would tie Pro Stock’s Bob Glidden for most U.S. Nationals victories with nine… Four-time Pro Stock world champion Greg Anderson, the defending world champion and series points leader entering the event, is seeking his sixth Mac Tools U.S. Nationals victory… Don Prudhomme, Kenny Bernstein, Ed McCulloch and Jim Head have won the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in both Top Fuel and Funny Car. Top Fuel points leader Del Worsham, who won here in Funny Car in 2005, could join the elite group with a victory this weekend… The official NHRA 60th anniversary legends of the event will be nine-time Mac Tools U.S. Nationals Pro Stock winner Bob Glidden and 1982 Mac Tools U.S. Nationals Top Fuel winner Shirley Muldowney… Funny Car points leader Mike Neff is pulling double duty as both driver and tuner of his Castrol GTX Ford Mustang. He has raced to four victories this season… Erica Enders has raced to three final rounds this season in Pro Stock and with a victory at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals would become the first female to win a Pro Stock race in NHRA history. The Houston racer, who got her start in NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League, would become the 12th female winner in the Full Throttle Series in NHRA history… Defending Pro Stock Motorcycle winner and world champ LE Tonglet is riding a hot streak into the event, as he has posted four victories this season aboard his Nitro Fish Suzuki… Two other drivers riding momentum into the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals are Antron Brown in Top Fuel and Ron Capps in Funny Car. Brown won at Sonoma and Brainerd, while Capps also won at Sonoma and was runner-up at Brainerd… Three rookie drivers – Pro Stock’s Vincent Nobile and Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Hector Arana Jr. and Jerry Savoie – enter the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in the top 10; Nobile has won two races this season while Arana Jr. has posted a runner-up finish.
TRACK HISTORY: In 1958, led by Tom Binford, Frank Dickie, Rodger Ward and Howard Fieber, 15 Indianapolis-area businessmen and racing professionals invested $5,000 each to fund the development of what would become Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis. The group purchased a 267-acre farm about seven miles from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and developed a multipurpose auto racing facility. The original intention in creating Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis was to design a 15-turn, 2.5-mile road course. Nearly as an afterthought, and as an insurance measure against economic problems, the investment group decided to incorporate a quarter-mile drag strip into the long straightaway of the 2.5-mile road course design. Constructed with assistance from the NHRA, the drag strip was the first of the three courses to be completed, with the facility’s first event held on the strip in the fall of 1960. During the 1960 U.S. Nationals in Detroit, a handshake agreement between Binford and NHRA founder Wally Parks promised that the event would move to Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis in 1961. The historic three-year pact was signed and sealed under a tree in Detroit Dragway’s pits, and Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis eventually became the home of NHRA’s biggest annual event. The NHRA purchased the entire facility in 1979. The first major improvement came in 1983 with the construction and dedication of Parks Tower, the four-story drag strip tower. In 1998, new grandstands, suites and a tower complex on the front straightaway were completed at the oval track at a cost of nearly $2.5 million, which included the repaving of the entire oval surface as part of a three-phase facility improvement project. In 2001, NHRA and Lucas Oil Raceway constructed a new drag strip racing surface, replacing the strip with a 660-foot concrete pad and laying new asphalt on the remainder of the track and shutdown area. Prior to the 2003 Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, eight new luxury suites were added along the top of the west-side grandstands of the drag strip, giving fans a unique perspective of the action on the famed quarter-mile track. In 2006, new soft barrier walls were added to the oval. In 2007, the track announced its first track entitlement with O’Reilly Auto Parts. In 2011, the track announced a new track entitlement with Lucas Oil Products. The track – formerly known as Indianapolis Raceway Park – is now known as Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis. During the winter of 2008, a new main track office building was constructed near the track entrance.
DRIVER QUICK QUOTES:
Morgan Lucas, Indianapolis, GEICO Powersports dragster: “I'm as much a fan of the sport as I am a participant in it. There's a lot of history that goes into the U.S. Nationals. Your emotions build up to it. It's exciting to participate in something that's been such a part of the history of the sport. Also, my parents decided to sponsor the track this year, which is a pretty big deal. It's just another one of those massive business endeavors my dad goes in on. It'll be cool to have a good showing up there. I'll have all my family around and all the crew guys families there. Everybody who works on this car lives in Indianapolis, and a lot of the guys will have their family and friends out to the track. It's the one race of the year a lot of people get to show off for their families. For a lot of reasons, there's a lot of emotions that goes into it. It’s a really special deal for everybody. There’s nothing like coming home with a Wally after the longest weekend of the year.”
Tim Wilkerson, Springfield, Ill., Levi Ray & Shoup Ford Mustang, 2003 Funny Car winner at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals: “I understand what some racers say, the whole thing about every race being just as important as the next one, and in terms of points that's correct, but as long as we race in Indy it will always be different. It may not be more valuable in terms of points, but it's more valuable in terms of the check they give you and it's way more valuable in terms of prestige. After I won Indy, back in 2003, the thing I got the biggest kick out of was the fact that Bob Frey introduced me on the P.A., every time I made a lap, for a full year, as Tim Wilkerson, your reigning Mac Tools U.S. Nationals champion. Let me tell ya, they don't do that for any other race, so that tells you all you need to know about winning Indy. It's also one of the closer races to our home, in Springfield, Ill., so we get a hefty contingent of Wilk's Warriors coming over there, and a lot of Levi, Ray & Shoup people, and all of them are fired up about it being Indy. That gets us a little more fired up too, and from the time you roll through the back gate there at the track, there's no getting around the feeling that it's something special.”
Erica Enders, New Orleans, ZaZa Energy Chevy Cobalt: “Indy's been an important part of my life since 1994 when NHRA held the inaugural Jr. Dragster Nationals there. At that first race, I finished runner-up, and that was pretty special. It's a place I've been going to since I was 10 years old. It's always been huge. I'm excited to go. This year, I'm really optimistic about the rest of the season. We've got a really consistent race car, which is awesome to have in Pro Stock. I have a great team, and truly feel like I could win the biggest race we have.”
Hector Arana Sr., Milltown, Ind., Lucas Oil Buell, 2009 Pro Stock Motorcycle winner at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals: “Indy is our home track. That makes it important right from the start. I won the U.S. Nationals before, and it was a big win for me, so I'm looking forward to repeating. It’s the granddaddy of them all. For some reason, when you talk to anyone, the U.S. Nationals is the one they all know as our biggest event. It's the largest attendance we have for spectators and even racers. It's something special. Everyone wants to be there and participate and most of all, win it. I definitely want to do well there so Forrest and Charlotte (Lucas) can feel proud of us and keep participating in this sport. If you stop and think about it, where else have you seen sponsors so involved in a sport? They do everything they can to promote drag racing. And they go out of their way to promote this class. You go to Lucas Oil Stadium and you walk inside there, and you can see everything they support in drag racing. They're trying to educate those football fans about another sport, which is drag racing.”
NATIONAL RECORDS:
Top Fuel - 3.770 sec. by Larry Dixon, Feb. ’11, Pomona, Calif.; 327.03 mph by Tony Schumacher, Feb. ’11, Pomona, Calif.
Funny Car - 4.011 sec. by Matt Hagan, Oct. ’10, Reading, Pa.; 316.45 mph by Robert Hight, June ’11, Bristol, Tenn.
Pro Stock - 6.495 sec. by Rodger Brogdon, March ’11, Gainesville, Fla.; 213.57 mph by Erica Enders, March ’11, Gainesville, Fla.
PS Motorcycle – 6.777 sec. by Hector Arana, March ’11, Gainesville, Fla.; 199.26 mph by Eddie Krawiec, March ’11, Gainesville, Fla.
TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel - 3.776 sec. by Larry Dixon, Sept. ’10; 324.83 mph by Tony Schumacher, Sept. ’10.
Funny Car - 4.039 sec. by Matt Hagan, Sept. ’10; 313.07 mph by Ashley Force Hood, Sept. ’10.
Pro Stock - 6.579 sec. by Mike Edwards, Sept. ’10; 210.28 mph by Allen Johnson, Sept. ’10.
Pro Stock Motorcycle - 6.815 sec. by Andrew Hines, Sept. ’10; 196.76 mph by Hines, Sept. ’10.
TICKETS: For tickets call (800) 884-NHRA (6472). Tickets also are available online at www.NHRATIX.com.
GENERAL ADMISSION (includes pit pass) – Wednesday: Adult, $10; Thursday: Adult, $14; Friday: Adult, $35; Saturday: Adult, $46; Sunday: Adult, $49; Monday: Adult, $49; Children (12 years and under), free in general admission and pit areas each day when accompanied by an adult.
RESERVED (includes pit pass) – Friday: Adult, $45; Saturday: Adult, $58; Sunday: Adult, $61; Monday: Adult, $61; Children (12 years and under), free in reserved seats each day when accompanied by an adult.
* * *
NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS
GLENDORA, Calif. -- Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the 15th of 22 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series -
Top Fuel: 1. Del Worsham, 1,337; 2. Antron Brown, 1,201; 3. Spencer Massey, 1,172; 4. Tony Schumacher, 1,166; 5. Larry Dixon, 1,113; 6. Doug Kalitta, 802; 7. Brandon Bernstein, 744; 8. Shawn Langdon, 694; 9. Morgan Lucas, 670; 10. David Grubnic, 583.
Funny Car: 1. Mike Neff, 1,184; 2. Robert Hight, 1,043; 3. Jack Beckman, 1,027; 4. Cruz Pedregon, 970; 5. Matt Hagan, 932; 6. Ron Capps, 929; 7. John Force, 858; 8. Tim Wilkerson, 767; 9. Jeff Arend, 761; 10. Bob Tasca III, 745.
Pro Stock: 1. Greg Anderson, 1,208; 2. Jason Line, 1,178; 3. Mike Edwards, 1,119; 4. Vincent Nobile, 979; 5. Erica Enders, 967; 6. Allen Johnson, 926; 7. Rodger Brogdon, 920; 8. Greg Stanfield, 892; 9. Shane Gray, 668; 10. Ron Krisher, 627.
Pro Stock Motorcycle: 1. Eddie Krawiec, 735; 2. Karen Stoffer, 684; 3. LE Tonglet, 683; 4. Andrew Hines, 573; 5. Matt Smith, 526; 6. Hector Arana, 511; 7. Michael Phillips, 479; 8. Hector Arana Jr, 462; 9. Jerry Savoie, 446; 10. Jim Underdahl, 405.
US Army Racing to Honor 9/11 Pentagon Victims
(Photo by Brandon W. Mudd)
As the nation observes the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the U.S. Army announced today that both its NHRA and NASCAR teams will honor the victims of the Pentagon attack with special paint schemes at upcoming races.
At this weekend’s Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis (Sept. 2-5), Tony Schumacher’s U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster will carry the names of the 75 U.S. Army personnel killed at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.
One week later, on Sept. 10, Stewart-Haas Racing driver Ryan Newman also will carry the names of the 75 U.S. Army Pentagon victims on his No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet in the Wonderful Pistachios 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.
In addition to the listing of the names, both race cars will carry an inscription “We Will Never Forget” and sport a specially-designed logo featuring the World Trade Center twin towers, Pentagon and the American Flag.
“It will be a moving experience when we unveil the race car in Indy,” said Schumacher, a seven-time world champion. “Many years later, all of us still remember that horrible day which affected so many innocent people, including those at the Pentagon. Our hearts and prayers clearly remain with the families of the victims. We will never, ever forget that terrible tragedy.”
Winless thus far this season, Schumacher would love to be able to dedicate a victory and trophy to the victims’ families on Labor Day.
“I couldn’t think of a better time to get our first win of the year,” said the Chicago-area resident. “As always, we will definitely be Army Strong on race day and give it our usual 150 percent effort.”
Like Schumacher, Newman is expecting to be deeply moved by the first appearance of his Richmond race car.
“There’s no question it will be an emotional time for not only my team, but the entire NASCAR family,” said Newman, a 15-time Sprint Cup winner. “We all remember where we were and what we were doing when the news surfaced about the attacks. I know it will be etched in my memory forever. And, it should be that way for everyone.
“We want to win every race for the Army, but you can imagine how much more we’ll want to win the Richmond event. It would be a very special, touching moment if we could drive into victory lane carrying the names of those great Americans.”
The Fallen:
| Rank | First | Middle | Last |
| SPC | Craig | S. | Amundson |
| MSG (RET) | Max | J. | Beilke |
| Carrie | R. | Blagburn | |
| COL | Canfield | D. | Boone |
| Donna | M. | Bowen | |
| SFC | Jose | O. | Calderon-Olmedo |
| Angelene | C. | Carter | |
| Sharon | A. | Carver | |
| SFC (RET) | John | J. | Chada |
| Ada | M. | Davis | |
| LTC | Jerry | D. | Dickerson |
| Amelia | V. | Fields | |
| Gerald | P. | Fisher | |
| Cortez | Ghee | ||
| Brenda | C. | Gibson | |
| COL (RET) | Ronald | F. | Golinski |
| Diane | Hale-McKinzy | ||
| Carolyn | B. | Halmon | |
| Sheila | M.S. | Hein | |
| MAJ | Wallace | Cole | Hogan Jr. |
| SSG (RET) | Jimmie | I. | Holley |
| Peggie | M. | Hurt | |
| LTC | Stephen | Neil | Hyland Jr. |
| SGM | Lacey | B. | Ivory |
| LTC | Dennis | M. | Johnson |
| Brenda | Kegler | ||
| David | W. | Laychak | |
| Samantha | L. | Lightbourn-Allen | |
| MAJ | Stephen | V. | Long |
| Terence | M. | Lynch | |
| Teresa | M. | Martin | |
| Ada | L. | Mason-Acker | |
| LTC | Dean | E. | Mattson |
| LTG | Timothy | J. | Maude |
| Robert | J. | Maxwell | |
| Molly | L. | McKenzie | |
| MAJ | Ronald | D. | Milam |
| Odessa | V. | Morris | |
| Teddington | H. | Moy | |
| Diana | B. | Padro |
| MAJ | Clifford | L. | Patterson Jr. |
| Scott | Powell | ||
| Deborah | A. | Ramsaur | |
| Rhonda | S. | Rasmussen | |
| Martha | M. | Reszke | |
| Cecelia | E. | Richard | |
| Edward | V. | Rowenhorst | |
| Judy | Rowlett | ||
| Robert | E. | Russell | |
| CW4 | William | R. | Ruth |
| Marjorie | C. | Salamone | |
| COL | David | M | Scales |
| Janice | M. | Scott | |
| Michael | L. | Selves | |
| Marian | H. | Serva | |
| Antionette | M. | Sherman | |
| Donald | D. | Simmons | |
| Cheryle | D. | Sincock | |
| Gary | F. | Smith | |
| Patricia | J. | Statz | |
| Edna | L. | Stephens | |
| SGM | Larry | L. | Strickland |
| LTC | Kip | P. | Taylor |
| Sandra | C. | Taylor | |
| SGT | Tamara | C. | Thurman |
| Willie | Q. | Troy | |
| LTC | Karen | J. | Wagner |
| Meta | L. | Waller | |
| SPC | Chin Sun Pak | Wells | |
| SSG | Maudlyn | A. | White |
| Sandra | L. | White | |
| Ernest | M. | Willcher | |
| MAJ | Dwayne | Williams | |
| Edmond | G. | Young Jr. | |
| Lisa | L. | Young |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)