Top Fuel driver Spencer Massey just celebrated his seventh
career victory at the 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season-opener
in Southern California and will try to carry that positive energy directly to
race No. 2 on the circuit, the 28th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals, Feb. 17-19.
He was left with a bitter taste in his mouth the last time he visited the
Phoenix-area track.
His team’s performance at Firebird International Raceway
last October put a thorn in the side of the Top Fuel driver’s hopes of earning
his first NHRA Full Throttle world championship. Massey entered the fourth race
of the Countdown to the Championship as the points leader, but when his team
failed to qualify for eliminations at the playoff event, they lost the series lead
and eventually the championship.
“After the DNQ in Phoenix last year in the Countdown, it
kind of killed us for the championship,” Massey said. “But now, coming off this
win we have momentum. We have a racecar that can win Phoenix. It would be
awesome to go back-to-back, but now we have a big target on our back. We’re No.
1 in points and everyone is gunning for us but that’s what we want. I’d like to
have that bull’s-eye on my back all year long.”
In 2012, the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird International
Raceway returns to a spot on the NHRA schedule in the regular season. Larry
Dixon (Top Fuel), Jack Beckman (Funny Car) and Vincent Nobile (Pro Stock) are
the defending winners of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event that
will be telecast on ESPN2 HD.
After losing the championship last year, FRAM/Prestone
dragster driver Massey spent a lot of time replaying his last trip to the Grand
Canyon State in his mind and thinking about how if things could have played out
differently he may have ended up the 2011 world champion. After a busy
offseason, the Top Fuel pilot has turned that disappointment into fuel for
success this year. His recent victory over teammate Antron Brown in the final
round of the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals at Pomona, Calif. was
Exhibit-A.
“After our finish last year, finishing in second place and
coming up just a little short, it makes you that much more hungry, that much
more motivated to win a championship,” Massey said. “We put that new racecar
together, we tested it, the car ran very well and it showed last weekend.
Leaving (Pomona) in the No. 1 spot heading to Phoenix is awesome.”
With his runner-up finish at Pomona, Brown sits second in
the points standings. Morgan Lucas, Tony Schumacher, Bob Vandergriff, Brandon
Bernstein, Shawn Langdon, Clay Millican, David Grubnic and Doug Kalitta round
out the top 10 in Top Fuel.
Funny Car legend and 15-time world champ John Force
collected the first win of the 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series when
he defeated his teammate Mike Neff in the final round of the season-opener.
Force’s youngest daughter Courtney earned her first round win at her debut
event, while fellow rookie Alexis DeJoria fell to eventual winner Force in the
opening round of competition.
Four-time Pro Stock world champ Greg Anderson collected the
71st win of his career at the NHRA Winternationals and leads the points heading
into Phoenix. Anderson outran fellow four-time world champ Jeg Coughlin Jr. in
the final round as well as teammate and reigning world champ Jason Line in the
semifinals.
* SCHEDULE: Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
qualifying sessions are scheduled for 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Feb. 17 and 11:30
a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18. Final eliminations will begin at 11 a.m.
on Sunday, Feb. 12.
* TICKETS: Tickets are available for the 28th annual
NHRA Arizona Nationals. For tickets, please call (602) 268-0200 or visit www.ticketforce.com.
* ON TV: ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of
qualifying coverage at 8 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, Feb. 18. ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will
televise three-hours of eliminations coverage at 9 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, Feb.
19.
* LUCAS OIL SERIES: The 28th annual NHRA Arizona
Nationals also will feature competition in five categories in the NHRA Lucas Oil
Series, where the future stars of the NHRA Full Throttle Series are born. Lucas
Oil Series qualifying begins at 8 a.m. on Feb. 17. Lucas Oil Series
eliminations begin at 8 a.m. on Feb. 18 and continue Feb. 19.
* 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.
* * *
NHRA ARIZONA
NATIONALS FACT SHEET
WHAT: 28th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals, the
second of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Drivers in
three categories – Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock – earn points leading to
2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series world championships.
WHERE: Firebird International Raceway,
Chandler, Ariz. Track is located off Interstate 10 at exit 162. Follow the
signs.
WHEN: Friday through Sunday, Feb. 17-19
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Feb. 17 - LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying at 8 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.
SATURDAY, Feb. 18 - LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations at 8 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
SUNDAY, Feb. 19 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Feb. 18, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours
of qualifying highlights at 8 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Feb. 19, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours
of coverage starting at 9 p.m. (ET).
2011 EVENT WINNERS: Larry Dixon, Top Fuel; Jack
Beckman, Funny Car; Vincent Nobile, Pro Stock
MOST VICTORIES: John Force, FC, 8; Bob Glidden,
PS, 5; Jack Beckman, FC, 3; Kenny Bernstein, TF-FC, 3; Larry Dixon, TF, 3; Tony
Schumacher, TF, 3; Cory McClenathan, TF, 3; Darrell Alderman, PS, 3; Kurt
Johnson, PS, 3; Warren Johnson, PS, 3.
TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel – 3.802 sec. by Larry Dixon Feb. ’09; 317.57 mph by
Dixon, Feb. ’10.
Funny Car – 4.023 sec. by Ron Capps, Feb. ’09; 311.34 mph by
Matt Hagan, Feb. ’10.
Pro Stock – 6.598 sec. by Mike Edwards, Feb. ’09; 209.82 mph
by Edwards, Feb. ’10.
NATIONAL RECORDS:
Top Fuel - 3.735 sec. by Del Worsham, Oct. ’11, Reading,
Pa.; 328.62 mph by Spencer Massey, Feb. ’12, Pomona, Calif.
Funny Car - 3.995 sec. by Matt Hagan, Sept. ’11, Charlotte,
N.C.; 318.99 mph by Jack Beckman, Sept. ’11, Charlotte, N.C.
Pro Stock - 6.477 sec. by Jason Line, Oct. ’11, Reading,
Pa.; 213.57 mph by Erica Enders, March ’11, Gainesville, Fla.
TICKETS: For tickets call Firebird
International Raceway, (602) 268-0200. Tickets also are available at
ticketforce.com.
GENERAL ADMISSION (includes pit pass) - Friday: Adult, $33;
Junior (6-12 years), $15; Saturday: Adult, $46; Junior (6-12 years), $15;
Sunday: Adult, $48; Junior (6-12 years), $15. Kids 5 years and under are
admitted free to general admission areas with paying adult.
RESERVED SEATS (includes pit pass) - Friday: Adult, $43-55;
Junior (6-12 years), $25; Child (5 years and under), $20; Saturday: Adult,
$56-80; Junior (6-12 years), $25; Child (5 years and under), $20; Sunday:
Adult, $58-85; Junior (6-12 years), $27; Child (5 years and under), $22.
* * *
2012 NHRA FULL
THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES STANDINGS
GLENDORA, Calif. -- Point standings (top 10) for NHRA
professional categories following the first of 23 events in the NHRA Full
Throttle Drag Racing Series -
Top Fuel: 1. Spencer Massey, 119;
2. Antron Brown, 95; 3. Morgan Lucas, 87; 4. Tony Schumacher,
78; 5. Bob Vandergriff, 57; 6. (tie) Brandon Bernstein, 54; Shawn
Langdon, 54; 8. Clay Millican, 52; 9. Khalid alBalooshi, 34; 10.
(tie) David Grubnic, 32; Doug Kalitta, 32; Steve Torrence, 32; Steve Faria, 32.
Funny Car: 1. John Force, 114; 2.
Mike Neff, 95; 3. (tie) Ron Capps, 73; Gary Densham, 73; 5. Jack
Beckman, 62; 6. Courtney Force, 52; 7. (tie) Todd Lesenko, 51; Tim
Wilkerson, 51; 9. Robert Hight, 41; 10. Bob Tasca III, 39.
Pro Stock: 1. Greg Anderson, 114;
2. Jeg Coughlin, 91; 3. Jason Line, 82; 4. Mike Edwards, 81;
5. Allen Johnson, 59; 6. Vincent Nobile, 55; 7. (tie) Rodger
Brogdon, 53; Shane Gray, 53; 9. Ronnie Humphrey, 41; 10. (tie) Kurt
Johnson, 32; Ron Krisher, 32; Larry Morgan, 32; Greg Stanfield, 32; Erica
Enders, 32.
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