NHRA Full Throttle Series to Race in New England in 2013

Nearly two years ago, NHRA promised its legion of fans in the New England states that it would soon bring the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series – the fastest, most exciting form of motorsports on the planet – to that region of the country.

Today, NHRA made it official by announcing the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series will visit New England Dragway in Epping, N.H., for the inaugural NHRA New England Nationals, June 20-23, 2013.  The announcement marks a process that began more than a decade ago when NHRA decided it wanted to stage an NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event in this region of the country. NHRA enjoys the most geographically diverse schedule of any of the major motorsports and the addition of New England only reinforces that position.

“This is a landmark announcement for NHRA and the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series,” said Tom Compton, president, NHRA.   “We identified the New England area as one of the primary regions to expand our schedule and today’s announcement is very exciting for everyone involved in NHRA.”

New England Dragway in Epping, N.H. will be making capital improvements to the facility over the course of the next 12 months in preparation for the arrival of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series in June 2013. The facility joined the NHRA member track network in 2011 with the goal of one day hosting a NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event. The nearly two years of hard work put in by track officials and its owners have resulted in today’s announcement.

“To bring the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series to New England and specifically the state of New Hampshire is very exciting,” said Joe Lombardo, track general manager, New England Dragway. “We have started the process of preparing our facility to host an event of this magnitude and look forward to hosting the stars of NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing next June.”

The event will be headlined by 15-time NHRA Funny Car world champion John Force, seven-time Top Fuel champ Tony Schumacher, as well as many other top stars including New England’s own Bob Tasca III, Antron Brown, Ron Capps, Greg Anderson, Cruz Pedregon, Courtney Force, Morgan Lucas, Robert Hight, Terry McMillen, and Jeg Coughlin, among others.  The event expects to entertain fans from the entire New England region, including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Canada.   The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series is broadcast on ESPN2/ESPN2HD.

Fans attending the event are in store for an experience unlike any other in sports and entertainment. NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing showcases the world’s fastest race cars, a spectacle of high speed, side-by-side races with jaw-dropping performances where the sophisticated machines accelerate to more than 100 mph in less than a second and routinely exceed 300 mph. A total sensory racing experience that you can see, hear, feel and taste, every NHRA Full Throttle event is a highly engaging and genuine fan experience that provides all-day entertainment on and off the track with NHRA’s open pit environment that allows every person attending an event to get up close and personal with the sport’s biggest stars.

The New England area has a long and storied drag racing history with the sport making its debut at the old Newington Airport in 1953. Eventually, and after much due diligence, New England Dragway was opened in September 1966. The facility has been active ever since, becoming an NHRA member track in 2011 and it will now host the biggest drag racing event in the history of the facility as well as the state of New Hampshire – an NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event.

NHRA and New England Dragway officials will make additional announcements in the coming weeks and months regarding sponsors, tickets and promotional events and activities.  Tickets for the event are expected to go on sale on Tuesday, Nov. 13.  For more information, log on to NHRA.com.

Hitler Not Happy About John Force Racing Winning Six in a Row

Force back at Gatornationals, 33 years later

(John Force, left, seen here with fellow Ford Racing driver Bob Tasca III, returns to the Gatornationals for the 33rd year. Photo by Brandon W. Mudd)

In 1979, after competing in just two events in his budding NHRA Funny Car career, both of them in his native California, John “Brute” Force loaded his Wendy’s Hamburgers Corvette into a bare bones transporter and, on March 6, with a makeshift crew, drove 2,415 miles to the site of the 1979 Gatornationals.

It then was known as Gainesville Raceway, not Auto Plus Raceway, and Force arrived with no illusions. He was just there to rub elbows with his racing idols and to satisfy a commitment to Phil Dunne, a Wendy’s franchisee who was one of his biggest corporate supporters.

He didn’t expect to win. He just wanted to qualify.

It was not to be. The former truck driver missed the 16-car starting lineup, likely because he spent more time displaying his car than he did racing it. Significantly, there were no drag racing show cars in 1979 so, between qualifying opportunities, Force was out displaying his actual, ready-to-run race car at multiple Wendy’s locations.

That’s where he was, in fact, on Sunday morning when he got word that he was in the show as an alternate for the Larry Fullerton. Back then, NHRA filled short fields with alternates, a policy to which it no longer subscribes.

Unfortunately, on race day, the man who would become king slowed from his 6.470 second qualifying pace (just .015 of a second short of the time needed to make the show) to 7.230 seconds and, as a result, lost in the first round to one of those aforementioned idols, Tom “the Mongoose” McEwen.

Now, 33 years later, Force is back and, in this week’s 43rd Tire Kingdom Gatornationals, he will not be content simply to compete. The desire to win still burns brightly and, at age 62, he already has shown that he’s lost few of the skills that have carried him to 134 tour victories and 15 NHRA championships.

Winner of the season-opening O’Reilly Auto Parts Winternationals at Pomona, Calif., Force brings his newest Castrol GTX® HIGH MILEAGE™ Ford Mustang to Florida trailing only teammates Mike Neff and Robert Hight in the Full Throttle point standings.

He probably would be trailing absolutely no one were it not for the fact that his youngest daughter, Courtney, took him out in the first round of last month’s Arizona Nationals at Phoenix. It was a sobering moment for the man who this year will be inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega, Ala.

“You love your kids and you want them to do well,” Force said. “I want (Courtney) to do well for her sponsor, Traxxas, (but) I had the points lead and I haven’t had it in awhile. I just choked out there. Yeah, the car dropped a cylinder. It wasn’t going to run anyway no matter what I did, (but) you have to get your energy up every run. It’s just hard to get in that fight mode against your family.”

Still, despite his Phoenix frustrations, Force knows he is back in contention after a largely forgettable 2011 during which he won once, but never was a threat to win the championship.

“No matter how hard you try, you still have to have a good hot rod,” Force said, “and last year I just didn’t have a heap that could win. I had my crew chiefs (Dean Antonelli and Ron Douglas) running Courtney’s test program and they were just spread too thin. But we’re back.

“Making the Top 10 is going to be tough,” he predicted. “Somebody is going to be left out. There are a lot of cars running better than ours right now. We’re in the hunt but, we’ve got a little ways to go. I just want to keep fighting and keep my nose clean and get points. It’s too early to think about anything else.”

Like, maybe, a 16th championship.

John Force, Spencer Massey First Two Drivers Entered Into NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout

(John Force celebrates his 2012 Winternationals win with his grandchildren. Photo by NHRA)

15-time NHRA Full Throttle World Series Funny Car Champion John Force and Top Fuel pilot Spencer Massey, became the first two drivers entered into the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout to be held at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis during the Mac Tools U. S. Nationals. Both drivers earned their spot in the coveted eight car field with their respective wins at the O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries held at the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona on Sunday.

The NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout is a special 'race-within-a-race' that will feature eight racers in both the Funny Car and Top Fuel ranks to be held during the Mac Tools U. S. Nationals. The Top Fuel event will be on Saturday, Sept. 1, and the Funny Car event will take place on Sept. 2. The winner in each class will receive $100,000 to win with runners-up receiving $15,000 and the semifinal losers earning $7,500 each.

Massey was able to defeat Don Schumacher Racing teammate Antron Brown in the finals to earn his spot in the field and Force bested his teammate Mike Neff to get the event win and the entry into the field.

“(NHRA president Tom) Compton said if we won this race we would make the Traxxas Nitro Shootout. That is a big deal. I can’t wait to get to Indy,” said Force following the race. “I want to thank Traxxas for giving the Funny Car and Top Fuel teams this extra money.”

There will be three ways for Top Fuel and Funny Car teams to qualify for the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootouts.

First, the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series points leaders in Top Fuel and Funny Car after the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd Int'l Raceway, Aug. 16-19, will automatically qualify as top seeds for the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootouts, even if the respective points leaders have yet to win a national event.

Second, the first seven winners in both categories of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season will qualify, beginning at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries, Feb. 9-12 at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Southern California, and concluding at the Brainerd event. If the points leaders do not win one of the first 16 events of the season in each category, their provisional spots will bump the seventh event winner in each category. If there are fewer than seven different winners in each category prior to the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, rankings in NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series points standings after the Brainerd event will fill any open positions up to No. 7. Seeding for the top seven positions will be based on the season-long points standings in both categories after the Brainerd event.

Third, once the first seven positions in the fields are set, the eighth and final spot in each category will be determined by a fan vote and a lottery-style drawing. The fan-vote selections in each category will be eligible to become the eighth seeds in the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootouts.

The fan vote for the eighth seeds will be conducted on NHRA’s Facebook page and through a lottery-style drawing at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. All remaining unqualified drivers in Top Fuel and Funny Car who have competed in all 16 NHRA Full Throttle events this season leading up to the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals will be included in the NHRA Facebook fan-voting process. Based on the percentage of fan votes received, drivers will receive an equivalent percentage of chances in the lottery. For example, if a driver earns 15 percent of the fan vote, he or she will have 15 chances out of 100 in the lottery-style drawing. All eligible drivers will have at least one chance in the drawing.

Tickets for the 58th annual Mac Tools U. S. Nationals will go on sale to the general public on Feb. 14. The Mac Tools U. S. Nationals is the worlds largest drag race and a win at the event is the pinnacle to any drag racer during their career. Defending winners are Antron Brown in Top Fuel, Mike Neff in Funny Car, Greg Anderson in Pro Stock and Hector Arana Jr. in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Force, Massey, Anderson Win NHRA Winternationals

(Photo by NHRA.com)

John Force raced to his 134th career Funny Car victory Sunday at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries at historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.

Spencer Massey (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) also were winners of the season-opening NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event.

“It’s a great start,” Force said. “You really want to perform. I know all those other kids on our teams and others, like Cruz Pedregon, the Schumacher teams, [Tim] Wilkerson, and [Bob] Tasca, those guys are going to win races, and it was just nice to get a win under my belt. Those boys are bad out there. To make that top 10 is going to be tough. Somebody’s going to be left out, so I’m just going to keep fighting and keep my nose clean.”

Force, 62, used a holeshot start to claim his sixth win at this event and 15th at this track with a performance of 4.080 seconds at 315.64 mph in his Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang. Runner-up Mike Neff finished in 4.036 at 316.82 in his Castrol GTX Mustang.

“Before the final, I said, ‘What are we going to do ‘Guido?’ (crew chief Dean Antonelli),” Force said. “He said, ‘We can’t race him the way we are, running .12 or .14. We’re going to have to go after it, and if it smokes the tires, we’ll go home.’ They were all over there, looking at the numbers, and it just went. It wasn’t quick enough to beat him. He was late, so I got the win. He told me something distracted him.”

In her much-publicized debut, Force’s 23-year-old daughter Courtney lost in the second round to Neff, while the elder Force defeated his daughter’s rookie rival, Alexis DeJoria, in a close first-round meeting. Force also beat Tim Wilkerson, and Gary Densham to reach the final round.

Massey, who finished second in the points standings last year, opened the new season in first place by outrunning Antron Brown in the final round to take his seventh career Top Fuel victory and first at Pomona. Massey posted a 3.750 at 325.77 in his FRAM/Prestone dragster to hold off Brown’s charging Matco Tools dragster, which trailed with a 3.794 at 320.43.

“Coming up a little short and ending up in second place last year made us that much more hungry and motivated to win a championship, so we focused this winter and acted like there wasn’t an offseason,” said Massey, who beat Steve Faria, Clay Millican and Tony Schumacher in early rounds.

“It shows that they know what it takes to get the car down the racetrack,” Massey continued. “After the second round, we didn’t have any computer data, and (crew chiefs) Phil (Shuler) and Todd (Okuhara) tuned that thing like it was a Top Fuel car from 1968. They looked at the plugs, looked at the bearings, and it went 3.74 at 328 mph. It’s awesome to start like this and have the No. 1 spot going into Phoenix. This is my life dream, and we’re living it.”

In Pro Stock, Anderson raced to his 71st career victory and fifth at the Winternationals, by powering his Summit Racing Equipment Pontiac to a 6.549 at 210.87 to hold off Jeg Coughlin’s JEGS.com/Mopar Dodge Avenger, which trailed with a 6.586 at 209.62.

Anderson raced past Larry Morgan, Allen Johnson and teammate and defending world champ Jason Line to advance to the final.

“I wasn’t the quickest driver out here today, but I was very consistent,” Anderson said. “We managed to stop the big yellow Mopar [of Jeg Coughlin in the final]. He sure came out swinging. You’re always aware of how good Jeg is driving. I’ve never been very good at tuning that kind of stuff out, but it worked today. The crew made great decisions, and here we are back in the winner’s circle again.”

The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series continues next weekend (Feb. 17-19) at Firebird International Raceway near Phoenix with the NHRA Arizona Nationals.

* * *

POMONA, Calif. -- Final finish order (1-16) for professional categories at the 52nd annual O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. The race is the first of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL:

1. Spencer Massey; 2. Antron Brown; 3. Tony Schumacher; 4. Morgan Lucas; 5. Shawn Langdon; 6. Bob Vandergriff; 7. Clay Millican; 8. Brandon Bernstein; 9. David Grubnic; 10. Steve Torrence; 11. Khalid alBalooshi; 12. Rod Fuller; 13. Terry McMillen; 14. Steve Faria; 15. Cory McClenathan; 16. Doug Kalitta.

FUNNY CAR:

1. John Force; 2. Mike Neff; 3. Ron Capps; 4. Gary Densham; 5. Courtney Force; 6. Tim Wilkerson; 7. Todd Lesenko; 8. Jack Beckman; 9. Alexis DeJoria; 10. Jeff Arend; 11. Tony Pedregon; 12. Matt Hagan; 13. Bob Tasca III; 14. Bob Bode; 15. Robert Hight; 16. Johnny Gray.

PRO STOCK:

1. Greg Anderson; 2. Jeg Coughlin; 3. Jason Line; 4. Mike Edwards; 5. Allen Johnson; 6. Shane Gray; 7. Vincent Nobile; 8. Rodger Brogdon; 9. Ronnie Humphrey; 10. Greg Stanfield; 11. Kurt Johnson; 12. Ron Krisher; 13. Larry Morgan; 14. V. Gaines; 15. Grace Howell; 16. Erica Enders.

POMONA, Calif. -- Sunday's final results from the 52nd annual O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. The race is the first of 23 in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel -- Spencer Massey, 3.750 seconds, 325.77 mph def. Antron Brown, 3.794 seconds, 320.43 mph.

Funny Car -- John Force, Ford Mustang, 4.080, 315.64 def. Mike Neff, Mustang, 4.036, 316.82.

Pro Stock -- Greg Anderson, Pontiac GXP, 6.549, 210.87 def. Jeg Coughlin, Dodge Avenger, 6.586, 209.62.

Top Alcohol Dragster -- Chris Demke, 5.281, 270.32 def. Larry Miersch, 5.503, 267.27.

Top Alcohol Funny Car -- Daniel Oliver, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.531, 258.67 def. Jay Payne, Ford Mustang, 5.548, 260.36.

POMONA, Calif. -- Final round-by-round results from the 52nd annual O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, the first of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE -- Clay Millican, 3.818, 318.92 def. Khalid alBalooshi, 3.917, 310.55; Shawn Langdon, 3.827, 322.81 def. Steve Torrence, 3.820, 320.28; Brandon Bernstein, 3.832, 319.22 def. David Grubnic, 3.816, 318.84; Antron Brown, 3.801, 325.92 def. Cory McClenathan, 5.902, 108.47; Morgan Lucas, 3.805, 323.43 def. Rod Fuller, 4.040, 251.30; Bob Vandergriff, 3.835, 324.20 def. Terry McMillen, 4.262, 222.58; Spencer Massey, 3.782, 325.53 def. Steve Faria, 5.831, 114.66; Tony Schumacher, 3.790, 324.67 def. Doug Kalitta, 6.195, 109.82;

QUARTERFINALS -- Lucas, 3.792, 323.12 def. Langdon, 3.791, 319.45; Brown, 3.771, 323.35 def. Bernstein, 10.000, 75.56; Schumacher, 3.790, 324.83 def. Vandergriff, 3.815, 323.04; Massey, 3.776, 326.79 def. Millican, 3.847, 315.49;

SEMIFINALS -- Massey, 3.745, 328.62 def. Schumacher, 3.809, 322.88; Brown, 3.819, 320.28 def. Lucas, 4.430, 178.57;

FINAL -- Massey, 3.750, 325.77 def. Brown, 3.794, 320.43.

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE -- Gary Densham, Dodge Charger, 4.102, 304.53 def. Jeff Arend, Toyota Solara, 4.163, 307.44; Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 4.068, 306.19 def. Johnny Gray, Charger, 6.364, 105.15; Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.278, 306.60 def. Bob Bode, Chevy Impala, 5.630, 135.32; Todd Lesenko, Impala, 4.695, 187.34 def. Robert Hight, Mustang, 5.941, 116.00; Mike Neff, Mustang, 4.077, 316.97 def. Tony Pedregon, Impala, 4.249, 289.01; Courtney Force, Mustang, 4.204, 309.27 def. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.465, 205.57; John Force, Mustang, 4.124, 313.44 def. Alexis DeJoria, Toyota Camary, 4.141, 310.27; Ron Capps, Charger, 4.093, 312.06 def. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.298, 269.73;

QUARTERFINALS -- Densham, No Time, No Speed def. Beckman, DQ; Capps, 4.086, 311.13 def. Lesenko, 32.593, 24.55; Neff, 4.070, 315.49 def. C. Force, 4.143, 313.88; J. Force, 4.160, 311.27 def. Wilkerson, 4.574, 208.23;

SEMIFINALS -- J. Force, 4.141, 312.50 def. Densham, foul; Neff, 4.074, 314.53 def. Capps, 4.101, 308.50;

FINAL -- J. Force, 4.080, 315.64 def. Neff, 4.036, 316.82.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE -- Shane Gray, Pontiac GXP, 6.571, 210.05 def. Ron Krisher, GXP, 6.605, 199.79; Rodger Brogdon, GXP, 6.561, 210.24 def. Kurt Johnson, GXP, 6.590, 210.50; Vincent Nobile, Dodge Avenger, 6.558, 211.56 def. Greg Stanfield, GXP, 6.585, 210.28; Jeg Coughlin, Avenger, 6.581, 210.47 def. Ronnie Humphrey, GXP, 6.569, 211.99; Greg Anderson, GXP, 6.539, 211.46 def. Larry Morgan, Ford Mustang, 6.607, 210.18; Mike Edwards, GXP, 6.649, 211.06 def. V. Gaines, Avenger, 6.646, 208.97; Jason Line, GXP, 6.546, 212.46 def. Grace Howell, Mustang, 6.728, 207.08; Allen Johnson, Avenger, 6.559, 211.10 def. Erica Enders, Chevy Cobalt, foul;

QUARTERFINALS -- Edwards, 6.575, 210.28 def. Brogdon, 6.658, 189.31; Coughlin, 6.590, 209.85 def. Nobile, 6.609, 209.43; Line, 6.534, 212.13 def. Gray, foul; Anderson, 6.550, 210.97 def. A. Johnson, 6.570, 210.93;

SEMIFINALS -- Coughlin, 6.615, 209.30 def. Edwards, foul; Anderson, 6.545, 211.03 def. Line, 6.547, 211.83;

FINAL -- Anderson, 6.549, 210.87 def. Coughlin, 6.586, 209.62.

POMONA, Calif. -- Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the 52nd annual O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, 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.

NHRA Funny Cars on Display in Indianapolis Prior to the Super Bowl

NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Funny Cars from Don Schumacher Racing and John Force Racing will be prominently displayed at two leading tourism destinations across central Indiana leading up to Super Bowl XLVI. 

NFL fans that touchdown at the Indianapolis International Airport will be greeted by the Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford driven by John Force and the Auto Club Ford Mustang driven by Robert Hight.  Both cars competed in the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.  One car will be on display at Concourse A and the other at Concourse B and both will be highly visible to those arriving into the city.  The displays will feature custom welcome signage and information about the ‘Big Go,’ the prestigious Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, held at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis during Labor Day weekend.

DSR and JFR cars will also be on display at the Super Celebration Site at Metropolis Mall in Plainfield, Ind., located in Hendricks County.  Both the NAPA Funny Car driven by Ron Capps and the 2010 John Force Castrol GTX 25th anniversary Ford Mustang will be a focal point of the 18,000 square foot Super Celebration Site display.

At the Super Celebration Site, fans will not only be able to see the Funny Cars but also be able to race an IndyCar simulator and test their football skills on the NFL Blitz video game.   Metropolis Mall will also house a replica Izod Indy Car featuring the decals of the Baltimore Ravens as part of the Super Cars promotion. For more information on the Super Celebration Site, visit www.TourHendricksCounty.com/SuperSite.

“Having the Super Bowl in Indianapolis is an enormous thrill for all of us who live and work here,” said Mike Lewis, vice president of Don Schumacher Racing based in Brownsburg.  “Considering the culture of auto racing in Indiana it only makes sense for industry leaders like Don Schumacher Racing to become involved in Super Bowl activities. We hope NFL fans will want to experience our brand of 320 MPH excitement at some of the 23 NHRA events around the country.”

"Having my hot rods on display as part of the Indianapolis Super Bowl events is great for the NHRA and my sponsors like Castrol, Ford, Auto Club, Traxxas, Mac Tools and BrandSource. I put the John Force Road Show together to spread the gospel of NHRA and you aren't going to get a bigger crowd than Indianapolis this week,” said 15 time Full Throttle Series Champion, John Force.  “I played football growing up and to have my Castrol GTX HIGH MILEAGE Ford Mustang Funny Car, my 25th anniversary Castrol Funny Car and Robert Hight's Auto Club Ford Mustang on display at the airport and the Metropolis Mall is pretty cool."

“When we first heard we would be a Super Celebration Site and featuring a Super Car, we knew we had to showcase our own NHRA Super Cars as part of the festivities,” said Jaime Bohler Smith, associate director for the Hendricks County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the group overseeing the site. “Our hope is that guests coming to see the big game, will come back and join us for the Big Go (the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway) right here in the motorsports capitol of the world,” she added.

The cars at the airport will be continuously on display and those at Metropolis Mall will be on display from Feb. 2nd from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. through Feb. 5th from noon to 4 p.m.  Metropolis Mall is located on the eastern edge of Hendricks County and just minutes from downtown Indianapolis.