Nitro Rewind Previews World Finals, Championship Battle

As the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series comes to a close this weekend at the Auto Club NHRA Finals, Nitro Rewind wraps up its first season. The show, an internet based broadcast, is hosted by Bill Stephens and features interviews from Top Fuel and Funny Car NHRA competitors, is available on the NHRA’s YouTube channel after every NHRA national event.

“As the last race of the season gets underway we are glad to produce the final episode of Nitro Rewind. We received great feedback and support from the Nitro teams we profiled. I would like to thank everyone for participating,” said Ashley Force Hood, John Force Entertainment president.

Ron Capps talks about winning the Big O Tires Las Vegas national event and making a move to get into championship contention. Cruz Pedregon also touches on his aspirations for his third championship and who he would like to race with the title on the line. Finally, Terry McMillen talks about his Top Fuel season and his specialty Amale dragster that promotes breast cancer awareness.

Every episode is posted on the NHRA YouTube channel the Thursday after each national event. This week’s episode can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMsbKVUaCyk

Fans can check out all the episodes of Nitro Rewind by going to www.youtube.com and searching Nitro Rewind or they can go directly to the NHRA YouTube channel.

Zizzo Featured in Latest Edition of Nitro Rewind

The 2011 NHRA Countdown to the Championship has begun and Nitro Rewind continues to talk with the contenders and the spoilers. This week’s episode talks with the Top Fuel and Funny Car winners from the O’Reilly Auto Part Nationals at zMax Dragway and looks to the Lone Star State and the AAA Texas Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex. The show, an internet based broadcast, is hosted by Bill Stephens and features interviews from Top Fuel and Funny Car NHRA competitors, is available on the NHRA’s YouTube channel after every NHRA national event.

“The Countdown got started in Charlotte and it was a record setting weekend. Viewers will get a great description from Matt Hagan of his record setting 3.995 second pass as well as his thoughts on eventually winning his first race of the season,” said Ashley Force Hood, John Force Entertainment president.

“One thing Nitro Rewind will not do is forget about the drivers not in the Countdown. This week we talk with TJ Zizzo one of the up and coming Top Fuel teams that is running strong against the mega teams. We also check in with fan favorite Antron Brown.”

As The NHRA tour rolls into Texas viewers will get the thoughts of Texan Spencer Massey and 2010 Fall Nationals winner Matt Hagan on getting back to the original super track.

Every episode is posted on the NHRA YouTube channel the Thursday after each national event. This week’s episode can be found here: http://youtu.be/Av4FvL7Fkw4

Fans can check out all the episodes of Nitro Rewind by going to www.youtube.com and searching Nitro Rewind or they can go directly to the NHRA YouTube channel.

Nitro Rewind Wraps Up the Big Go

The biggest race of the season, the Mac Tools US Nationals, had the editors at Nitro Rewind scrambling. In addition to great Top Fuel and Funny winner interviews Nitro Rewind was talking with Countdown contenders about the upcoming O’Reilly NHRA Nationals at zMax Dragway, September 15-18. With so much exceptional content Nitro Rewind was split into two episodes. The first posted this week looks back at the Indy race. Part two will be posted early next week and preview the Countdown.

“When we looked at the footage there was no way we could just make one show. We have seen that if Nitro Rewind gets close to ten minutes we see a drop in viewership. We decided to split the show and we hope everyone will enjoy this two-parter,” said Ashley Force Hood, John Force Entertainment president.

“Going into the Countdown we are going to continue to talk with the winners but we also want to focus on drivers both inside and outside the Top Ten. Every driver that qualifies will have an impact on the Top Fuel and Funny Car Full Throttle championship so we will try and talk with as many of them as possible.”

It was a family filled day in the winner’s circle and Nitro Rewind as both Nitro winners Antron Brown and Mike Neff have their kids make cameo appearances in this episode. The magnitude of winning the most prestigious drag race is evident during each driver’s interview.

This episode also features highlights of the NHRA moving tribute to 9/11 as well as footage of the Honoring Our Heroes commemorative Funny Car John Force will be racing in Charlotte.

Every episode is posted on the NHRA YouTube channel the Thursday after each national event. This week’s episode can be found here: http://youtu.be/2plDGnfOctA

Fans can check out all the episodes of Nitro Rewind by going to www.youtube.com and searching Nitro Rewind or they can go directly to the NHRA YouTube channel.

John Force Racing Lands Three of the Top Ten Moments in NHRA History

(Fifteen-time NHRA Full Throttle Series Funny Car champion John Force has been a big part of NHRA history, including his 100th win and his being named Driver of the Year, the first drag racer to receive that honor. Photo by Brandon W. Mudd)

To commemorate its 60th anniversary season, NHRA announced the 60 Greatest Moments in its history back in January and then it asked its fans, throughout the course of the 2011 season, to select the Moment that they collectively felt was the greatest moment in NHRA history.

John Force Racing was fortunate to have four moments selected as part of the 60 Greatest Moments. JFR’s four moments included: John Force being named Driver of the Year (1996), John Force winning his historic 100th NHRA national event (2002), Ashley Force Hood’s historic first win in Funny Car in Atlanta (2008) and John Force’s dramatic comeback for his 15th Full Throttle Funny Car championship (2010). Through fan voting all four moments moved on to the top 20 Greatest Moments in NHRA history. Today we are pleased that three of the JFR moments have reached the Top Ten and fans will have an opportunity to consider them as possibly the Greatest Moment in the 60 years of the NHRA.

“I love the NHRA and I could not be prouder to have three moments in the Top Ten. When you are considered beside names like Garlits, Muldowney, Bernstein, and Schumacher you know you are in with the best. I don’t do computers but if I did I don’t know how I would vote,” said John Force. “This is going to be tough and I am just excited to have three in the Top Ten. I want to thank all our fans for voting for us and please keep those votes coming. I know we are going to need them so be sure to vote every day if you can.”

NHRA fans responded in huge numbers – more than 7.5 million impressions and more than 31,000 fan interactions – to pare the list down first to 20 Greatest Moments and now to a truly memorable Top 10.

Here are the Top 10 Greatest Moments (in chronological order):

Founding of NHRA (1951)

Don Garlits makes NHRA's First 200-mph Run (1964)

Don Garlits debuts the rear-engine dragster — and wins (Pomona, 1971)

Shirley Muldowney is first Women to Win in Top Fuel (1976)

Shirley Muldowney is NHRA's First Female World Champ (1977)

Kenny Bernstein makes NHRA's first 300-mph Run (1992)

John Force is first to win 100 career races (2002)

Tony Schumacher's "The Run" (2006)

Ashley Force Hood is first Female Funny Car Winner (2008)

John Force Completes Comeback, Wins 15th Championship (2010)

To participate, fans can go to NHRA’s Facebook page, easy to find at Facebook.com/NHRA, and click on the “Vote 4 Greatest Moment” tab. Once there, fans will be instructed to select just one (1) of the 10 Moments and click ‘Submit’ (after submitting their vote, fans will have the chance to enter to win one VIP package or one of five pairs of full-event tickets to the 2012 event of their choice).

Fans will be encouraged to check back often as the Moment with the fewest votes at the conclusion of every one of the first five races in the Countdown playoff will be eliminated. That will leave five Moments still in play entering the Auto Club NHRA Finals.

Voting will close on Wednesday, Nov. 9 and the fans’ selection for the Greatest Moment in NHRA History will be unveiled during pre-race at the Auto Club NHRA Finals on Sunday, Nov. 13.

Nitro Rewind Looks Back at Brainerd and Ahead to Indy

The 57th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals takes the green light Labor Day weekend and Nitro Rewind will be there giving fans all the behind the scenes dramatic moments of the last NHRA regular season race. In this episode drivers talk about trying to grab the last few Countdown spots as well as look ahead to the majesty of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. The Nitro winners from Brainerd also chime in with their thoughts on winning and getting the play-offs started. The show, an internet based broadcast, is hosted by Bill Stephens and features interviews from Top Fuel and Funny Car NHRA competitors after every NHRA national event.

“What we love about Nitro Rewind is it gives fans the chance to see and hear from different driver, crew chiefs and NHRA personalities. This weekend Johnny Gray got his first Funny Car win and we were there to talk with him right before he went into the winner circle,” said Ashley Force Hood, John Force Entertainment president.

“Ron Douglas one of my crew chiefs gives fans his thoughts on how he will approach Indy with a ‘new’ driver, John Force. We also talk with two drivers Tony Pedregon and Terry McMillen who are really slugging it out in their respective categories for one of the final Countdown spots. Their perspective on Indy and the Countdown is really pretty cool.”

To see this week's edition, click HERE.

Nitro Rewind Glances Back at Norwalk & Focuses on Chicago

Nitro Rewind is back with a look back at the NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Nationals in Norwalk and a look ahead to the O’Reilly Rt. 66 Nationals in Chicago, July 8-10. The show, an internet based broadcast, is hosted by Bill Stephens and features interviews from Top Fuel and Funny Car NHRA competitors, is available on the NHRA’s YouTube channel after every NHRA national event.

“Nitro Rewind is hitting its stride at the perfect time. We have the Chicago race coming up and then we go right into the Western Swing. Fans will get to see and hear from tons on the Nitro drivers in the weeks ahead,” said Ashley Force Hood, John Force Entertainment president.

“Ron and Jon Capps may have stolen this week’s episode and Tony Pedregon and Doug Kalitta talk about heading to Chicago’s Rt. 66 Raceway where they have both dominated in Funny Car and Top Fuel respectively.”

Norwalk Funny Car winner Mike Neff gives Nitro Rewind viewers some extra insight into why he made a surprise decision before the Funny Car final and the Funny Car tandem of Ron and Jon Capps battle for microphone dominance in a combo interview where topics range from growing up together to spending time at the track to how they manage their Funny Car careers. Also, last year’s Chicago Funny Car winner Matt Hagan talks about returning to Rt. 66 Raceway as well as life on his cattle farm.

Every episode is posted on the NHRA YouTube channel the Thursday after each national event. This week’s episode can be found here: http://youtu.be/pOcWa-Ue-ew

Fans can check out all the episodes of Nitro Rewind by going to www.youtube.com and searching Nitro Rewind or they can go directly to the NHRA YouTube channel.

Nitro Rewind Burns Out in Bristol, Focuses on Norwalk

(Daniel Wilkerson talks about racing against his dad Tim in the NHRA Full Throttle Series, like he did at Memphis Motorsports Park in 2009 in a qualifying session. Photo by Brandon W. Mudd)

This week’s episode of Nitro Rewind looks back at the NHRA Ford Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol and previews this weekend’s 5th annual NHRA Summit Equipment Nationals, June 24-26. The show, an internet based broadcast, is hosted by Bill Stephens and features interviews from Top Fuel and Funny Car NHRA competitors, is available on the NHRA’s YouTube channel after every race.

“We talked to some of the young guns of Nitro, Dan Wilkerson and Austin Lambright, in Bristol to get their thoughts on heading to Norwalk,” said Ashley Force Hood, John Force Entertainment president.

“We also caught up with veteran Rod Fuller who we are glad to see back on the tour in Top Fuel. You’ll see he is especially excited to get back into the heat of battle in Top Fuel. My dad and NHRA Marketing VP Gary Darcy give fans an update on the John Force Road Show which is cool.”

Dan Wilkerson talks about racing with his father Tim in a two Funny Car team sponsored by Summit and Austin Lambright talks about doubling up the Terry McMillen Top Fuel effort. Terry also has some nice things to say about Austin. Auto Club Mustang Funny Car driver Robert Hight talks about conquering Thunder Valley and setting his first national record.

Every episode is posted on the NHRA YouTube channel the Thursday after each national event. This week’s episode can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjAzuXsTmk4

Fans can check out all the episodes of Nitro Rewind by going to www.youtube.com and searching Nitro Rewind or they can go directly to the NHRA YouTube channel.