Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Zizzo Racing’s Kenny Youngblood Paint Scheme to Honor Karamesines, Garlits
TJ Zizzo and his PEAK Motor Oil/Herculiner NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel Dragster team’s season-long tribute to legendary drag racing artist Kenny Youngblood will make this weekend’s O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway here the team’s third outing on its 2011 schedule. For this race, the Youngblood artwork on the rail will honor “Big Daddy” Don Garlits and Chicago native Chris “The Greek” Karamesines.
“Chicago is our home town, so we really want to make a statement this weekend, both with performance and appearance,” Zizzo said. “We qualified well at both Pomona and Houston, but just didn’t put it together in eliminations; we’re out to change that this weekend.”
“When you think about it, this makes TJ’s car the world’s only 300 mph art gallery!” said Youngblood, 65. “On top of which, both ‘The Greek’ and ‘The Old Man’ have agreed to autograph their respective vignettes -- Garlits’ ‘Nightwing II’ and ‘Greek Goes 204.’”
Fans are invited to stop by the Zizzo Racing Peak Motor Oil pit area to meet Zizzo and Youngblood and check out Blood’s artwork.
Fans of TJ Zizzo and Zizzo Racing can find updates and photos of the PEAK/Herculiner Top Fuel team by checking out ZizzoRacing.com, Twitter.com/ZizzoRacing, and Facebook.com/ZizzoRacing. Videos of TJ and Zizzo Racing can be found at YouTube.com/TJZizzo.
Zizzo will race his PEAK/Herculiner rail in the 14th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet. The stars of the NHRA will race under the stars this weekend, with the first round of qualifying starting at 5 p.m. local time and the second scheduled to run at 8 with Saturday’s two rounds of nitro qualifying set to run at the same times. Eliminations start at 11 a.m. Sunday. For ticket information, call Route 66 Raceway at 888-629-RACE or visit them on the Web at Route66Raceway.com.
NASCAR Nationwide, Camping World Truck Series Won't Return to Lucas Oil Raceway on Traditional Weekend in 2012
(NASCAR, a staple at Lucas Oil Raceway for years, will not return to the popular short track on its traditional weekend in 2012. Photo by Josh Weinrich)
Since 1982 the NASCAR Nationwide Series and starting in 1995, the Camping World Truck Series have thrilled fans of short track racing at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis. Tight finishes, bent fenders and hot tempers are to be expected when these two series take to the tight confines on the .686 mile oval on a sweltering summer night. Both of the series will once again return to the track on July 29th and 30th for two action packed days of racing at the historic facility.
Fans of both series should get their tickets now for the 2011 Kroger SpeedFest events at Lucas Oil Raceway as it was announced today that the Kroger 200 benefitting Riley Hospital for Children and the AAA Insurance 200 will not return to Lucas Oil Raceway during the traditional late July early August date the for the 2012 season.
“We are disappointed that the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series will not return to Lucas Oil Raceway on their customary race weekend. The Kroger 200 and the AAA Insurance 200 have long been one of the ‘can’t miss’ events for race fans in the Midwest,” said Wes Collier, general manager of Lucas Oil Raceway. “We want to use this coming Kroger SpeedFest weekend to celebrate the rich and dynamic history Lucas Oil Raceway has developed with both series and the past events by packing the stands with fans who crave thrilling race action.”
Tickets for all three nights of Kroger SpeedFest are now on sale and fans should go to www.NHRATix.com to purchase tickets for these can’t miss events at the facility. The Nationwide series made its debut at the facility on Aug. 13, 1982, and the Camping World Truck Series has raced at the facility since its inception. Both series have thrilled fans of NASCAR as the fan-friendly atmosphere at the track has made it one of the favorite stops on the NASCAR circuit.
The list of drivers who have raced at Lucas Oil Raceway in Nationwide Series events reads like a ‘who’s who’ of NASCAR. Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Bobby Allison, Mark Martin, Randy LaJoie, Dale Earnhardt. Jr., David Pearson and Carl Edwards have turned many laps during their impressive careers at the historic facility.
When the series was introduced at the track in 1982 by the late Bob Daniels and his wife Eileen, it was deemed a gamble by many in Indianapolis as NASCAR had yet to venture into the Midwest. With a handshake agreement, sponsorship was secured by the Kroger Corporation and for the past 30 years the grocery giant has been a proud partner of the event.
The NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Lucas Oil Raceway features some of the best racing the series enjoys all year. This was no more evident than when two recent races were honored as top events in the sport.
The 2003 Kroger 200 was deemed the top Nationwide Series race of the past decade in a NASCAR release that stated “the list of races for the poll was compiled following discussions with the three series directors, other longtime observers in the industry and from direct input from NASCAR fans."
The race featured tight, intense racing between Shane Hmiel and Brian Vickers during the course of 40 contested laps. Vickers went on to win the race and after the event he said, “it was an awesome race, I had a lot of fun, and sitting here in victory lane ain't too bad.” Hmiel faded to fourth, but second place finisher Jason Keller said, “that was as good as it gets. If the fans don’t like that race, they don't enjoy short-track racing. It doesn't get much more exciting than that."
The 2009 Kroger 200 was named one of the best races of that season in a story published on NASCARmedia.com. That race showcased the incredible talents of Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch, who battled closely for the win. That story said, “The race was the highlight of a spectacular stand-alone season on short tracks for the series.”
The AAA Insurance 200 is always a highlight of the Camping World Truck Series as these drivers fight tooth and nail during the course of the hard fought night. Ron Hornaday Jr. has had tremendous success at the facility with four wins and eight top five finishes and has won the race the past two seasons.
This event has also seen Johnny Benson, Mike Skinner, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards make their way into victory lane during the previous 16 races. Only once has this event been led by one racer for all 200 laps and that was back in 1996 by Mike Skinner.
The 30th annual Kroger 200 benefitting Riley Hospital for Children will take to the track on July 30th with the green flag set to drop at 7:30 p.m. (ET). The AAA Insurance 200 Camping World Truck Series race will take place on Friday, July 29th at 7:30 p.m. (ET) and the race weekend kicks off on Thursday, July 28th with the Thursday Night Triple Header, USAC Silver Crown and Midget Series along with the ARCA Series. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased at NHRAtix.com or at the Lucas Oil Raceway ticket office.
One of five drag racing facilities owned and operated by the National Hot Rod Association, Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis was built in 1960 and has presented organized racing events since 1961. From March through October, the facility hosts more than 120 dates of racing on three tracks, a quarter-mile drag strip, a .686-mile paved oval and a 2.5-mile road course. Home to drag racing’s biggest event, the NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil over Labor Day weekend, the drag strip runs more than 50 days of point-to-point action, from national events to street legal community programs. The oval track draws racing’s biggest events, including annual visits from the NASCAR Nationwide, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and annual USAC races. The road course provides a home for several racing sanctions, while providing an ideal resource for driving schools, corporate outings and open-road tests for professional drivers.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Sweet Home Chicago for Zizzo Racing, PEAK
There's something about a home game.
This weekend at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, TJ Zizzo and the PEAK Motor Oil/Herculiner NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel team will be front and center at their home track for the O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Route 66 Nationals. The majority of the team, along with primary sponsor PEAK and newly-signed marketing partner INDAK, are natives of the area and looking forward to winning rounds in front of their friends and families.
"We're so stoked to be racing so close to home at Route 66 Raceway," Zizzo said. "They've been great to us and have really made the track feel like our house. With all the friends and family we're going to have there, it's going to be a party!"
Also supporting Zizzo Racing this weekend is legendary drag racing artist Kenny Youngblood, who designed the PEAK Motor Oil/Herculiner paint scheme on TJ's rail this year. Each race, Youngblood features some of his legendary paintings that honor some of the biggest names in the history of drag racing. In Joliet, "Big Daddy" Don Garlits receives that privilege.
"Kenny knows a lot of people in Chicago and we're looking forward to entertaining him and his friends," Zizzo said. "Plus, he and 'Big Daddy' are going to sign the car before we launch. With that kind of help, how can we possibly lose?"
The team pulled out all the stops for the event with a recent test session at the track and was able to learn a ton of information about the car. "Thanks to our amazing crew chief, Mike Kern, we discovered some valuable facts about the car and what we need to do to get from Point A to Point B," Zizzo said. "We're going with a newer fuel system that should definitely improve our performance on the track.
"Considering almost all of our marketing partners are from the Chicagoland area, we want to make this proud this weekend."
TJ in the Media: TJ, along with 2007 NHRA Full Throttle Series Pro Stock Motorcycle champ Matt Smith, joined Greg Damon on KMOX in St. Louis Saturday afternoon. The audio from The Auto Show can be heard HERE. Zizzo and the PEAK Motor Oil/Herculiner team was also featured on FOX Chicago Monday evening. For more information, visit MyFOXChicago.com.
Meet TJ: The pilot of the PEAK/Herculiner NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel dragster will be at the O'Reilly Auto Parts locations Wednesday at 2200 W. Jefferson St. from 11 a.m.-12:15 and 312 Collins St. from 1-2:15 p.m.
Fans of TJ Zizzo and Zizzo Racing can find updates and photos of the PEAK/Herculiner Top Fuel team by checking out ZizzoRacing.com, Twitter.com/ZizzoRacing, and Facebook.com/ZizzoRacing. Videos of TJ and Zizzo Racing can be found at YouTube.com/TJZizzo.
Zizzo will race his PEAK/Herculiner rail in the 14th Annual O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet. The stars of the NHRA will race under the stars this weekend, with the first round of qualifying starting at 5 p.m. local time and the second scheduled to run at 8 with Saturday's two rounds of nitro qualifying set to run at the same times. Eliminations start at 11 a.m. Sunday. For ticket information, call Route 66 Raceway at 888-629-RACE or visit them on the Web at Route66Raceway.com.
Zizzo Racing Fast Facts:
- Zizzo has piloted the PEAK/Herculiner Top Fuel dragster in the NHRA Full Throttle Series since 2003.
- Zizzo's career-best ET is 3.851 (1000 ft.) achieved in 2010 at the U.S. Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Clermont, Ind. His career-best speed is 314.24 mph (1000 ft.) which also came in last year's U.S. Nationals.
- The highest qualifying effort for TJ and Zizzo Racing was sixth, earned last season at the second race at zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C.
- Zizzo attempted to make his NHRA Full Throttle Series debut at Route 66 Raceway in 2003, but DNQed. He was able to make his first career start the following year against fellow Chicago native Tony Schumacher after qualifying tenth.
- Route 66 Raceway has been a tricky track for Zizzo. He has attempted to make the show here eight times, DNQing four of those times. His best qualifying effort in Joliet was ninth, achieved last year (3.87 sec. ET/311 mph)
- Zizzo fell to Antron Brown in E1 of this event last year.
World’s best sportsman racers head to Chicago for JEGS Allstars competition
For the 27th consecutive year, the best racers from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series will head to Route 66 Raceway in the Chicago suburb of Joliet this weekend for the JEGS Allstars race.
A total of 76 drivers representing 31 states and Canadian territories will compete for a share of more than $120,000 in the competition, which is once again held during the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Route 66 Nationals.
The JEGS Allstars competition is a unique event that crowns individual champions in 10 separate eliminators, as well as an overall team champion. Racers qualify for the prestigious event by earning points in their home divisions during year-long battles in the following NHRA Lucas Oil categories: Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Competition, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, Top Dragster, and Top Sportsman classes.
Last year’s JEGS Allstars event will long be remembered for the epic battle between racers from the Northeast Division (Division 1) and the West Central Division (Division 5). At the end of the day, the teams were tied with 1,300 points apiece and after a brief debate, NHRA officials applied standard tie-breaker rules and declared the Northeast Division team the winner for a record seventh time.
This time around, the Northeast Division team will be looking to defend their title with 14-time Top Alcohol Funny Car champion and seven-time JEGS Allstars winner Frank Manzo and former NHRA Comp champ Frank Aragona Jr. leading the way. The Northeast Division squad also includes John Finke in Top Alcohol Dragster and Jason Kenny, who is one of four racers pulling double duty as he will compete in Super Comp and will also return as the blocker in Super Gas, a privilege afforded to the reigning champion in each class. Kenny’s father, Alan, is also part of the Division 1 team, joining his son in Super Gas.
Current Top Alcohol Dragster championship contender Duane Shields will once again be the cornerstone of a very competitive Southeast Division (Division 2) team that features Mickey Ferro (Top Alcohol Funny Car), Arnie Martel (Comp), and a pair of world champions in Sherman Adcock Jr. (Super Comp), and his friend and traveling partner, David Tatum III (Super Gas). The Division 2 squad will also field 20-year old Ray Miller III, who is the representative in Top Dragster. The Southeast Division team has a long history of success in the JEGS Allstars competition, having won six overall titles.
The host team from the North Central Division (Division 3) was not finalized until the completion of the rain-delayed Norwalk event a week ago but it still includes a number of talented racers including five-time Top Alcohol Dragster champion Bill Reichert, Comp eliminator ace Brian Browell, former JEGS SPORTSnationals winner Brad Zaskowski (Super Stock), and Chicago's own John Scali (Top Sportsman). The Division 3 team has also enjoyed a lot of success in the JEGS Allstars race, winning six overall titles, most recently in 2009.
The South Central Division (Division 4) has claimed five overall titles, although its last one came in 2003. The team headed for this weekend’s event in Joliet is formidable as it will include Tommy Phillips, who will be racing in Super Comp and Super Gas, as well as Slate Cummings, who is also pulling double duty in Super Stock and Stock. Another formidable racer on the Division 4 team is Tony Bartone, who is currently threatening to end Fran Manzo’s longtime stranglehold on the Top Alcohol Funny Car world championship.
After coming within an eyelash of winning their first team title in 2010, the West Central Division team returns more determined than ever to land their first overall crown. It could certainly happen this year as their roster includes former world champions Randy Meyer (Top Alcohol Dragster) and Gary Stinnett (Super Comp), as well as multi-time division champion Michael Miller, who is another racer who will be pulling double duty as the Super Comp blocker and the Super Gas representative.
The team from the Northwest Division (Division 6) nearly challenged for the championship last year, posting a very respectable third-place finish. This time, their hopes will be pinned to Mike Austin and Brian Hough, who will represent the team in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car, respectively, as well as Top Sportsman driver Ray Martin, who hails from Anchorage, Alaska, and will be making a nearly 6,000-mile round trip journey to compete in Joliet. Historically, the Northwest Division has won two overall JEGS Allstars titles (1988 and 2005).
The squad from the Pacific Division (Division 7) also is looking for its first overall team title and this year’s line-up offers perhaps the best chance for a victory. Chris Demke, who came within a round of winning the 2010 Top Alcohol Dragster title, will be the cornerstone of the team and he will be joined by second generation racers John Lombardo Jr. (Top Alcohol Funny Car), Tony Mandella (Super Stock), and Chad Loge (Stock).
While the JEGS Allstars is a highly competitive event, camaraderie between racers and their crews is evident, especially during Friday evening’s racer appreciation barbecue which is open to all of the JEGS Allstars competitors, their families and crews. The barbecue is scheduled for 8 p.m., at the conclusion of Friday evening’s Pro Stock qualifying session at Route 66 Raceway.
Motorsports This Week on ESPN
(Can Joey Logano, seen here after his NASCAR Nationwide Series win at Kentucky Speedway in 2009, become the track's first-ever NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winner? Photo by Brandon W. Mudd)
Under the lights and in prime time, the NASCAR Nationwide Series races at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Ky., (near Cincinnati) on Friday night, July 8. ESPN will have a live telecast of the race with NASCAR Countdown at 7 p.m. ET and the race’s green flag at 7:45 p.m.
Marty Reid will call the action with analysis by Dale Jarrett, the 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, and two-time champion crew chief Andy Petree. Reports from two-time champion crew chief Tim Brewer will air from the ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage, while pit reporters will be Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch and Vince Welch.
Allen Bestwick will host NASCAR Countdown from the ESPN Pit Studio with analysis from Rusty Wallace, the 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, and Brad Daugherty, a team owner in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The studio team will interact with the booth during the race telecast.
Benson, Brewer, Craven on NASCAR Now Roundtable
NASCAR driver Johnny Benson Jr., joins ESPN NASCAR analysts Tim Brewer and Ricky Craven as panelists on NASCAR Now’s weekly roundtable discussion program airing Monday, July 11, at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Allen Bestwick will host the edition of ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program.
Mike Massaro hosts half-hour episodes of NASCAR Now this week on Tuesday at 5 p.m., Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. and Friday at 1 a.m. (late Thursday night). Massaro also hosts NASCAR Now’s weekend edition airing Saturday, July 9, at noon with a preview of that night’s inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Kentucky Speedway. Marty Smith and Shannon Spake will report from the track, joined by analyst Andy Petree.
NHRA Action from Joliet on ESPN2, ESPN3.com
The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series races this weekend in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals in Joliet, Ill. ESPN2 will air action from qualifying on Saturday, July 9, at 9:30 p.m. ET and coverage of eliminations airs Sunday, July 10, at 9 p.m. NHRA fans also can watch the full day of eliminations live on ESPN3.com starting Sunday at noon.
Stadium-like Route 66 Raceway, which opened in 1998 just outside of the Windy City, has regularly been the site of astounding performances. The event, which this year moves from May to weather-favorable July, is the site of the JEGS Allstars, which pits the best NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series racers from across the country in individual and team competition. It is also the sixth event of the season for Pro Stock Motorcycle riders.
Paul Page anchors for ESPN with analysis by 22-time NHRA winner Mike Dunn. Gary Gerould, Dave Rieff and John Kernan report from the pits.
American Le Mans Series Races at Historic Lime Rock
The scenic and historic road course at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut will be the setting for the third round of the American Le Mans Series season and sports car racing fans can watch the race live on ESPN3.com on Saturday, July 9, at 1:50 p.m. ET. Also from Lime Rock, ESPN3.com airs coverage of qualifying on Friday, July 8, at 3:25 p.m. John Hindhaugh and Jeremy Shaw will call the action on the ESPN3.com telecasts.
Highlights from the Lime Rock race will air on ESPN2 in a two-hour format on Sunday, July 10, at 1 p.m. Brian Till, Bill Adam and Johnny O’Connell will be in the TV booth with pit reporters Jamie Howe and Kelli Stavast.
ESPN.com Offers RacingLive! During NASCAR Kentucky Event
NASCAR fans looking for an online gathering during ESPN’s telecasts of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now have a place to go on ESPN.com.
RacingLive! on ESPN.com is a live blog where fans can engage in debate and discussion with ESPN.com writers and editors during the NASCAR Sprint Cup races. On Saturday, July 9, RacingLive! Kentucky will kick off to coincide with the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Kentucky Speedway. Fans can join ESPN.com’s NASCAR experts in dissecting every aspect of the race live at http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/.
ESPN.com motorsports writers Terry Blount and David Newton will be reporting from Kentucky.
ESPN Radio Raceday Airs Saturday, Sunday
Each weekend morning, ESPN Radio’s RaceDay starts its engines at 6 a.m. ET with host Pat Patterson anchored from Daytona Beach, Fla. Patterson also originates the broadcast from several racetracks with key races during the season. On both Saturday and Sunday mornings, ESPN Radio’s RaceDay listeners get an hour of news, previews and analysis, as well as profiles and interviews with NASCAR’s biggest names and newsmakers and the involvement of listeners via calls and e-mails.
Additionally, many of ESPN’s NASCAR reporters and analysts contribute each week as ESPN networks televise the entire NASCAR Nationwide Series and the final 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, including the 10-race “Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup” championship. A list of ESPN Radio affiliates can be found at www.espnradio.com.
NHRA Preview: Chicago Native Tony Schumacher Looking for First Win of '11 at Route 66 Raceway
(Seven-time NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher has been shut out of the Winner's Circle this year, but hopes a win at his home track at Route 66 Raceway can get his U.S. Army team back in the hunt. Photo by Brandon W. Mudd)
Seven-time NHRA Top Fuel world champion Tony Schumacher owns 67 Wally trophies, the most of any driver in that category in NHRA history. However, at the moment, none of them are pewter.
As part of NHRA’s 60th anniversary celebration, special limited edition Wally trophies are being presented to all Full Throttle Series winners at each of the 22 races during the 2011 season. These trophies feature a pewter finish and provide drivers with just a bit of extra incentive to try to add one to the trophy case.
So far, Schumacher and his U.S. Army dragster team hasn’t had any luck acquiring one for their vast collection. He will try once again as a fan-favorite at the O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals, July 7-10 at Route 66 Raceway, near Chicago. Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) and LE Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are defending winners of the NHRA Full Throttle Series event which will be televised on ESPN2 HD.
“Those pewter Wallys are looking cool on everyone else’s shelf,” Schumacher said. “But I've got a shelf, too, and I need to fill it again.”
With runner-up finishes at Gainesville and Atlanta and a trio of semifinal finishes and No. 1 qualifying performances highlighting his 2011 scorecard, Schumacher feels confident that his U.S. Army team is on the verge of making it to the winner’s circle.
“Once we start putting up the kind of numbers we want, we’re going to start piling up the final rounds and wins,” Schumacher said. “We’re just about there. I feel we’re very close to knocking the door down. Mike Green (crew chief) is working extremely hard to get the Army car running in perfect form. And I have the utmost confidence it will happen.”
A resident of Lake Forest, Ill., Schumacher is a three-time winner at Route 66 Raceway, his last win coming there in 2008. He says he always feeds off the good vibes produced by a strong contingent of local supporters, including family and friends.
“It’s going to be a home game for me,” Schumacher said. “That would be a great time to get our first victory of the year. My U.S. Army team will rebound just fine. Like Brigadier General William Rapp said, it’s about teamwork; it’s about perseverance; and it’s about dedication. That is what we are all about.”
In order to grab that first victory, Schumacher will need to consistently outrun a host of talented drivers, including Funny Car driver turned dragster pilot Del Worsham, who leads the point standings with four victories aboard his Al-Anabi Racing dragster, defending world champ and race winner Dixon, Antron Brown, red-hot Spencer Massey, Doug Kalitta, Brandon Bernstein and Morgan Lucas.
“The competition is very tight at the moment,” he said. “It only takes one good race and you can suddenly be at or near the top of the pack. I suspect we are going to see this kind of action right up to and through the Countdown (playoffs).”
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DEFENDING O’REILLY ROUTE 66 NATIONALS FUNNY CAR CHAMP MATT HAGAN READY TO RETURN TO FULL THROTTLE WINNER’S CIRCLE
As 2010’s breakthrough Funny Car driver of the year takes inventory of his 2011 season, he’s been spending a bit of time looking at an empty column on the left side of his stats sheet.
Matt Hagan, driver of the national record-holding DieHard Dodge Charger R/T and the runner-up in last season’s dramatic down-to-the-wire points chase with John Force, is puzzled by the zero he sees there and is determined to start adding a few digits to the empty win column.
The way Hagan sees it, there isn’t a better place to start a winning streak than at the O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals, July 7-10 at ultra-fast Route 66 Raceway, located just south of Chicago. Hagan is the defending Funny Car winner there and last season logged one of the best performances of the season at the Illinois facility. Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) and LE Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also are defending winners of the NHRA Full Throttle Series event which will be televised on ESPN2 HD.
With only six races remaining in the 16-race regular season, NHRA teams don’t have much time left before the top 10 drivers will be locked into the Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s six-race playoffs.
Hagan, who got off to a fast start with a runner-up finish at the season-opening Winternationals in Pomona and followed that with a No. 1 qualifying performance and semifinal effort at the Gatornationals in Florida, has been in a mini-slump for the last eight races, advancing past the quarterfinals only once.
“We want to win some races and get on a roll going into the Countdown,” Hagan said. “We did that last year, winning in Chicago, and then made a good run for the championship. We want to put the DieHard car back into that position as this season moves into its later stages.”
He is currently sitting in fifth place in the standings, but knows that his team, which is led by crew chief Tommy DeLago, is hungry to unleash the beast and get back to the winner’s circle as quickly as possible.
“It’s great to see the guys continue to work hard, with their chins up, but we are all ready to begin winning,” Hagan said. “We’ve got to get our ‘mojo’ working for Chicago, where we had a great win last season. That win is coming soon, and Joliet sounds like the right place for it to happen.”
Others to watch in the highly competitive Funny Car category include series points leader Mike Neff, who has won three races while serving as both driver and crew chief for the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang. His teammate, Robert Hight, is a four-time winner this season in the Auto Club Mustang, while former drag racing instructor Jack Beckman has scored two victories in his Aaron’s/Valvoline Dodge Charger. Veteran drivers Cruz Pedregon and Ron Capps have been to final rounds this season but are still looking for their first wins.
In Top Fuel, veteran Funny Car driver turned dragster pilot Del Worsham leads the point standings with four victories aboard his Al-Anabi Racing dragster. Worsham is a three-time Funny Car winner at Route 66 and if he wins this weekend in Top Fuel he would join Gary Scelzi as the only winners at this track in both nitro categories. Several talented drivers will be trying to keep that from happening, including Worsham’s teammate, defending world champ and race winner Dixon, hometown favorite Tony Schumacher, who has won here three times in his U.S. Army dragster, along with Antron Brown, red-hot Spencer Massey, Doug Kalitta, Brandon Bernstein and Morgan Lucas.
Jason Line is atop the series standings in Pro Stock with three victories in his Summit Racing Pontiac GXP. Defending event winner Edwards is always a threat at Route 66 in his Penhall/Interstate Batteries GXP. Erica Enders, who posted a runner-up finish here in 2005, has been knocking on the door to winner’s circle in her ZaZa Energy Chevy Cobalt in her quest to become the first female Pro Stock winner in NHRA history. National record holder Rodger Brogdon, talented rookie Vincent Nobile, who won at Norwalk, Ohio two weeks ago, four-time world champ Greg Anderson, who has never won at Chicago, and Team Mopar’s Allen Johnson, are all among the leaders in the 200-mph factory hot rod category.
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Eddie Krawiec’s two victories aboard his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson lead the two-wheel category. A host of talented riders are among the pre-race favorites, including defending race winner Tonglet, Karen Stoffer, Andrew Hines, Matt Smith, Hector Arana Sr., Jerry Savoie, Michael Phillips, Jim Underdahl, Hector Arana Jr. and Steve Johnson.
* SCHEDULE: Full Throttle Drag Racing Series qualifying sessions are scheduled for 4 and 7 p.m. on Friday, July 8 and Saturday, July 9. Final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, July 10.
* TICKETS: Tickets are available for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals. Please call Route 66 Raceway at (815) 727-RACE or visit www.route66raceway.com.
* ON TV: ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 9:30 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, July 9. ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours of eliminations coverage beginning at 9 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, July 10.
* LUCAS OIL SERIES: The O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals also will feature competition in eight 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 9 a.m. on July 7. Lucas Oil Series eliminations begin at 9 a.m. on July 8 and continue through July 10.
* 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.
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O’REILLY AUTO PARTS ROUTE 66 NHRA NATIONALS FACT SHEET
WHAT: 14th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals, the 11th of 22 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Drivers in four categories - Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle - earn points leading to 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series world championships. NHRA is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2011 and will pay tribute to the evolution of the hot rod and honor its legendary racers as well as the sport’s current stars.
WHERE: Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, Ill. The track is located 30 miles southwest of Chicago on Route 53 (historic Route 66), approximately three miles south of the I-80 in Joliet. Take I-80 to exit #132A (Route 53 south) to the track.
WHEN: Thursday through Sunday, July 7-10.
SCHEDULE:
THURSDAY, July 7 - LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying at 9 a.m.
FRIDAY, July 8 - LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations begin at 9 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.
SATURDAY, July 9 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations continue at 9 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.
JEGS ALLSTARS ELIMINATION ROUNDS at 1 p.m., 3:15 p.m., and 6:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, July 10 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10:45 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, July 9, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 9:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 10, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours of eliminations coverage starting at 9 p.m. (ET).
2010 EVENT WINNERS: Larry Dixon, Top Fuel; Matt Hagan, Funny Car; Mike Edwards, Pro Stock; LE Tonglet, Pro Stock Motorcycle.
MOST VICTORIES: Kenny Bernstein, 4, TF; Tony Pedregon, 4, FC; Jeg Coughlin, 4, PS.
TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel – 3.773 seconds by Larry Dixon, June ’10; 323.12 mph by Tony Schumacher, June ’10.
Funny Car – 4.022 seconds by Matt Hagan, June ’10; 314.61 mph by Jack Beckman, June ’10.
Pro Stock – 6.587 seconds by Mike Edwards, June ’10; 210.08 mph by Edwards, June ’10.
PS Motorcycle – 6.894 seconds by Hector Arana, June ’10; 195.68 mph by Michael Phillips, June ’10.
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.
TICKETS: For tickets, call (815) 727-RACE (7223). Tickets also available at route66raceway.com.
GENERAL ADMISSION (includes pit pass) – Thursday: Adult, $13; Junior (12 years and under), free. Friday: Adult, $41; Junior (12 years and under), $11. Saturday: Adult, $50; Junior (12 years and under), $11. Sunday: Adult, $56; Junior (12 years and under), $11
RESERVED SEATS (includes pit pass) – Friday: Adult, $51; Junior (12 years and under), $16. Saturday: Adult, $60; Junior (12 years and under), $16. Sunday: Adult, $66; Junior (12 years and under), $16.
* * *
NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES POINT STANDINGS
Point standings (top 10) for NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series classes following the 10th of 22 events -
Top Fuel: 1. Del Worsham, 884; 2. Spencer Massey, 823; 3. Larry Dixon, 809; 4. Antron Brown, 731; 5. Tony Schumacher, 729; 6. Doug Kalitta, 536; 7. Brandon Bernstein, 517; 8. Morgan Lucas, 500; 9. Shawn Langdon, 451; 10. Terry McMillen, 386.
Funny Car: 1. Mike Neff, 881; 2. Jack Beckman, 757; 3. Robert Hight, 755; 4. Cruz Pedregon, 708; 5. Matt Hagan, 599; 6. Ron Capps, 539; 7. John Force, 528; 8. Jeff Arend, 519; 9. Bob Tasca III, 495; 10. Johnny Gray, 441.
Pro Stock: 1. Jason Line, 774; 2. Mike Edwards, 725; 3. Vincent Nobile, 713; 4. Greg Stanfield, 688; 5. Greg Anderson, 677; 6. Rodger Brogdon, 631; 7. Allen Johnson, 610; 8. Erica Enders, 563; 9. Shane Gray, 468; 10. Ron Krisher, 446.
Pro Stock Motorcycle: 1. Eddie Krawiec, 425; 2. Karen Stoffer, 418; 3. Andrew Hines, 369; 4. Matt Smith, 350; 5. Hector Arana, 312; 6. LE Tonglet, 283; 7. Jerry Savoie, 277; 8. Michael Phillips, 245; 9. Jim Underdahl, 237; 10. Hector Arana Jr, 191.
Friday, July 1, 2011
GET SCREENED AMERICA EXERCISES OPTION TO CANCEL TELEVISION BROADCASTS OF SERIES ON ESPN2 AND ESPN2HD
Get Screened America has informed NHRA that it will no longer fund the television broadcast of the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series beginning with the 2012 season. Get Screened America also confirmed its commitment to remain as series sponsor until the end of 2014, fulfilling the terms of the initial deal which began in 2010.
The formation of the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series was made possible by the financial commitment and support of ProCare Rx and Get Screened America, led by Roger Burgess. NHRA hopes to find a new series sponsor to replace Get Screened America and continue the series beyond 2014. However, if a sponsor is not found before December 2012, the Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series will be discontinued after the 2014 race season.
Beginning in 2012, Get Screened America opted out of funding television coverage of the series, which currently airs on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. Get Screened America provided 100 percent of the financial support necessary for these programs.
“We are glad that we were able to create the series, however, for it to continue, another entity will need to get involved,” said Roger Burgess. “The series can offer a lot to a new sponsor and I will work hand-in-hand with NHRA to search for a new one.”
After the first seven races of the 2011 NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, Khalid Balooshi leads the championship standings, 23 points ahead of Danny Rowe. Rounding out the top five are Ed Hoover, Ken Lang, and Mike Castellana. In Englishtown, N.J. last month, Melanie Troxel set both ends of the NHRA national record with a pass of 5.772 seconds at 258.71 mph in her turbocharged ProCare Rx ’53 Corvette. The next race that will include the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series is the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil, Labor Day weekend, Aug. 31 – Sept. 5 in Indianapolis.
“We can’t thank Roger and his team enough for everything they have done and NHRA will continue to work with him through the 2014 season,” said Tom Compton, president, NHRA. “Roger’s financial support made the series and television broadcast possible and for that we are grateful.”
The NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series was formed in 2010 with the financial commitment of ProCare Rx and Get Screened America, who agreed to a multi-year commitment to fund the series. As announced when the series was formed, continuation of the series depends on dedicated sponsorship. The 2012 NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series schedule will be announced later this year.
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