NHRA FOUR-WIDE NATIONALS PREVIEW

BERNSTEIN SAYS DRAG RACING BASICS WILL STILL BE IN PLAY AS NHRA FULL THROTTLE SERIES GOES FOUR-WIDE AT zMAX DRAGWAY

CONCORD, N.C. – In the classic movie “Hoosiers,” the small-town basketball coach pulled out his tape-measure to show his underdog players that even though they were competing for the state title in a massive arena, the basket was still set at 10 feet and the general fundamentals of the sport remained the same.

The same theory is basically true for NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series teams that will enter a somewhat unfamiliar realm at the spectacular zMAX Dragway March 25-28 during the inaugural NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. The unique race will be the first in NHRA history where teams will compete in four lanes instead of the traditional two.

If you watch closely, you may see some crew chiefs and team owners with their tape measures in hand, giving similar pep talks to their drivers. The lanes will still be approximately 30 feet wide. Top Fuel and Funny Car racers will have a set competition distance of 1,000 feet, and Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle teams will race to a quarter-mile finish. Amber lights. Green light. Win light.

All of the basic rules of drag racing will be in place.

It will just be double the fun. Four cars will roll to the starting line for each round instead of two. Four cars will perform their burnouts side-by-side-by-side-by-side. Four cars will launch in each qualifying session and elimination round. Aside from a few differences in protocol during the lane-choice process, everything will be business as usual.

For the driver, once he or she is strapped in and performs the burnout, it will be Drag Racing 101 all the way. Drivers always say they race the track, focus on their lane, and never what their opponent is doing. In this case, it will be opponents.

Top Fuel driver Brandon Bernstein, who pilots the Copart/Lucas Oil dragster, says the inner-focused mental game plan required to be successful at this event is easier said than done, given all the moving parts. But that’s how he’s going to approach the weekend.

“Basically from inside the cockpit, my job is the same,” Bernstein said. “However, you have the added challenge of trying to concentrate on what three other drivers are doing instead of just one. It will be easy to become distracted with a lot going on during the staging process so focusing on my Christmas tree and my lane will be my objective.”

Though the driver will try to stick to his or her general pre-race routine, the experience for the fans in the grandstands will be anything but routine. Four Top Fuel dragsters or Funny Cars blasting down the dragstrip simultaneously will be an amazing spectacle for all to witness throughout the entire weekend.

“With two 8,000-horsepower nitro-breathing dragsters or Funny Cars on the ready line, it’s bone-rattling, but with 32,000 horsepower on the starting grid, it’s pretty indescribable,” Bernstein said. “This track is one of the finest facilities there is, and this is the only drag strip where four-wide racing can be contested as we speak today. It is going to be a real fan sensory overload, and we’re excited that we’re going to be on-site for this historical occasion.”

Bernstein was one of four Top Fuel drivers who participated in a four-wide exhibition race during last season’s NHRA Carolinas Nationals in September.

“We have an idea of what to expect,” Bernstein said. “We’ll get to ‘warm up’ with some qualifying runs, so that will give us more time to adjust. I think it will be pretty awesome for the fans.”

• FOUR-WIDE RULES BREAKDOWN: Lanes will be identified from left to right facing downtrack as 1-4; Qualifying sessions and elimination rounds will be conducted using all four lanes; The standard Friday qualifying procedure of a top 12 format will not be in use at this event; Two Christmas trees will be in use, one between each pair of lanes; The Compulink Autostart system will continue to be utilized and it will not activate until all four vehicles are pre-staged and one vehicle has staged; The ladder structure will feature Race A: qualifiers 1, 8, 9, 16, Race B: qualifiers 4, 5, 12, 13, Race C: qualifiers 2, 7, 10, 15, and Race D: qualifiers 3, 6, 11, 14… Race A and Race B will be on one side of the ladder, while Race C and Race D will be on the other; Lane choice for eliminations goes to the driver with the quickest E.T., then the second-quickest, and so on; The first two drivers in each elimination round to cross the finish line advance to the second round and final; In the final round, teams will finish in the order they cross the finish line (barring any red-light starts).

• SCHEDULE: Full Throttle Series qualifying sessions are scheduled for 1:15 and 3:45 p.m. on March 26 and 11:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. on March 27. Final eliminations begin at noon on Sunday, March 28.

• TICKETS: Tickets are available for the inaugural NHRA 4-Wide Nationals. Call zMAX Dragway at (800) 455-3267 or visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com to purchase tickets.

• ON TV: ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 9 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, March 27. ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute pre-race show, at 10 a.m. (ET) on Sunday, March 28. ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours and 30 minutes of eliminations coverage beginning at 5 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, March 28.

• LUCAS OIL SERIES: The inaugural NHRA 4-Wide Nationals also will feature competition in six categories in the NHRA Lucas Oil Series, where the future stars of the NHRA Full Throttle Series earn their racing stripes. All Lucas Oil Series competition at this event will be conducted in the traditional two-lane format. Lucas Oil Series qualifying begins at 9 a.m. on March 25. Lucas Oil Series eliminations begin at 8:30 a.m. on March 26.

• 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.


COMPETITION WILL BE INTENSE AS NHRA FULL THROTTLE SERIES DRIVERS SEEK TITLE OF FIRST FOUR-WIDE WINNERS IN NHRA HISTORY

CONCORD, N.C. – There’s a first time for everything.

However, in the world of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, those milestone opportunities come and go at rapid speed, often at more than 320 mph. Those drivers who are able to break through and become the first to accomplish a feat are long-remembered for their achievements.

Drag racing fans remember Kenny Bernstein as the first to eclipse the 300-mph barrier in official NHRA competition. Shirley Muldowney achieved legendary status for becoming the first female to win an NHRA Top Fuel race and world championship crown. Pro Stock legend Warren Johnson was the first to post a 200-mph speed in his category. Two years ago 14-time Funny Car champ John Force became the first driver to record 1,000 round wins in NHRA competition. Earlier that same year he watched his daughter Ashley become the first female to win a Funny Car race.

So now, the big question looms as to who will be the first drivers to win four-wide races in their respective categories?

The inaugural NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, one of the most anticipated NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events in NHRA history, will be held at the spectacular zMAX Dragway, March 25-28. The track is the only drag racing facility in the world to feature four all-concrete lanes for racing. The historic race will be televised on ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD.

Not only is a solid place in the record books waiting for the four winners of the inaugural NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, but also critical NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series world championship points will be up for grabs. This is no exhibition. This event will be important for teams who are working to position themselves for a strong finish in the Countdown to 10, NHRA’s 17-race regular season.

In Top Fuel, seven-time defending world champ Tony Schumacher moved back into the series lead with a victory at the tradition-rich Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals two weeks ago in Florida. The U.S. Army dragster driver will certainly be one of the favorites for this event, along with teammate and driver of the FRAM dragster, Cory McClenathan. Schumacher’s arch-rival, Al-Anabi Racing’s Larry Dixon, also will be a major threat to win the race, as will Matco Tools dragster pilot Antron Brown, runner-up at the Gatornationals. Others to watch include Doug Kalitta, who has advanced to two finals in three races this year, Brandon Bernstein, Morgan Lucas, Shawn Langdon and upset-minded Steve Torrence.

Force comes into the event as the Funny Car series leader based on a victory at the season-opening 50th Winternationals and a runner-up finish in Phoenix. The 60-year-old Funny Car icon is back on his game and will be hungry to win at his old pal Bruton Smith’s “Bellagio” of drag strips. His daughter Ashley Force Hood finished second in the series standings last year and will be in the hunt to get her season on track after a slow start has her mired in ninth place. Defending world champ Robert Hight also will be in the mix in his Auto Club Ford Mustang, as will veteran driver Ron Capps in his NAPA Dodge Charger, second-year star Matt Hagan, who set the national speed record at 316.15 mph in Florida in his DieHard Charger, and Gainesville winner Tim Wilkerson, driver of the Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Mustang, and one of the hardest working drivers in the business.

Defending Pro Stock world champ Mike Edwards continues to be the class of the field in his category. He has two victories, a runner-up finish and three No. 1 qualifying performances in three races this season and has built a 132-point lead over the second place driver in his Penhall/Interstate Batteries Pontiac GXP. North Carolina resident Jason Line and his teammate Greg Anderson will be Edwards’ toughest competition in their identically-prepared Summit Racing GXPs. Line used a holeshot start at the last race to snag the victory away from Edwards in the final round. Other favorites in the category include Tennessee’s Allen Johnson, who has posted three semifinal finishes in his Team Mopar Dodge Avenger, four-time world champ Jeg Coughlin, who drives the JEGS.com Chevy Cobalt, and the always-tough Greg Stanfield, who can run with anyone in his NitroFish Gear GXP.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, 2008 world champ Eddie Krawiec opened the season with a victory at the Gatornationals aboard his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson. His final round opponent was surprising Shawn Gann, who hadn’t advanced to a final round since the 2004 season. Meanwhile, Karen Stoffer powered her GEICO Powersports Suzuki to the No. 1 qualifying position and the national E.T. record with an amazing 6.847-second run during the first round of eliminations. Defending world champ Hector Arana is currently fourth on his Lucas Oil Buell, while new Don Schumacher Racing rider Craig Treble anchors fifth place on his Valvoline Motorcycle Oils Suzuki. The King, N.C.-based husband and wife tandem of Matt and Angie Smith will be huge favorites among the Carolina locals.

• FOUR-WIDE RULES BREAKDOWN: Lanes will be identified from left to right facing downtrack as 1-4; Qualifying sessions and elimination rounds will be conducted using all four lanes; The standard Friday qualifying procedure of a top 12 format will not be in use at this event; Two Christmas trees will be in use, one between each two lanes; The Compulink Autostart system will continue to be utilized and it will not activate until all four vehicles are pre-staged and one vehicle has staged; The ladder structure will feature Race A: qualifiers 1, 8, 9, 16, Race B: qualifiers 4, 5, 12, 13, Race C: qualifiers 2, 7, 10, 15, and Race D: qualifiers 3, 6, 11, 14… Race A and Race B will be on one side of the ladder, while Race C and Race D will be on the other; Lane choice for eliminations goes to the driver with the quickest E.T., then the second-quickest, and so on; The first two drivers in each elimination round to cross the finish line advance to the second round and final; In the final round, teams will finish in the order they cross the finish line (barring any red-light starts).

• SCHEDULE: Full Throttle Series qualifying sessions are scheduled for 1:15 and 3:45 p.m. on March 26 and 11:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. on March 27. Final eliminations begin at noon on Sunday, March 28.

• TICKETS: Tickets are available for the inaugural NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. Call zMAX Dragway at (800) 455-3267 or visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com to purchase tickets.

• ON TV: ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 9 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, March 27. ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute pre-race show, at 10 a.m. (ET) on Sunday, March 28. ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours and 30 minutes of eliminations coverage beginning at 5 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, March 28.

• LUCAS OIL SERIES: The inaugural NHRA Four-Wide Nationals also will feature competition in six categories in the NHRA Lucas Oil Series, where the future stars of the NHRA Full Throttle Series earn their racing stripes. All Lucas Oil Series competition at this event will be conducted in the traditional two-lane format. Lucas Oil Series qualifying begins at 9 a.m. on March 25. Lucas Oil Series eliminations begin at 8:30 a.m. on March 26.

• 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 FOUR-WIDE NATIONALS FACT SHEET

WHAT: Inaugural NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, the fourth of 23 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 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series world championships.

WHERE: zMAX Dragway- Track is located on Hwy 29 off I-85 at exit 49 (Speedway Blvd.) in the Concord, N.C. area.

WHEN: Thursday through Sunday, March 25-28

SCHEDULE: THURSDAY, March 25 - Lucas Oil Series qualifying begins at 9 a.m.

FRIDAY, March 26 - Lucas Oil Series qualifying begins at 8:30 a.m.

FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 1:15 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.

SATURDAY, March 27 - Lucas Oil Series eliminations begin at 8:30 a.m.

FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 11:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.

SUNDAY, March 28 - Pre-race ceremonies, 11 a.m.

FULL THROTTLE SERIES eliminations begin at noon

TELEVISION: Saturday, March 27, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 7 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, March 28, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 10 a.m. (ET)
Sunday, March 28, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two and a half hours of coverage starting at 5 p.m. (ET).

SATELLITE: Friday, March 26, 6 - 6:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 6 / Transponder 21K (12120 MHz, vertical)

(Analog feed) Saturday, March 27, 6:30 - 7 p.m. (ET), AMC 6 / Transponder 21K (12120 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, March 28, 6 - 6:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 6 / Transponder 21K (12120 MHz, vertical)

Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.

TRACK RECORDS:

Top Fuel - 3.826 seconds by Shawn Langdon, Sept. ’09; 317.87 mph by Antron Brown, Sept. ’09
Funny Car - 4.072 seconds by Frank Hawley, Sept. ’08; 308.99 mph by Robert Hight, Sept. ’09
Pro Stock - 6.594 sec. by Mike Edwards, Sept. ’09; 209.62 mph by Edwards, Sept. ’09
PS Motorcycle - 6.952 sec. by Matt Smith, Sept. ’08; 192.91 mph by Eddie Krawiec, Sept. ’08

(Top Fuel and Funny Car race distance is 1,000 feet; Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle is 1,320 feet)

NATIONAL RECORDS:

Top Fuel - 3.771 sec. by Tony Schumacher, Oct. ’08, Richmond, Va.; 324.98 mph by Schumacher, March, ’10, Gainesville, Fla.
Funny Car - 4.023 sec. by Ron Capps, Feb. ’09, Chandler, Ariz.; 316.15 mph by Matt Hagan, March ’10, Gainesville, Fla.
Pro Stock - 6.509 sec. by Mike Edwards, Oct. ’09, Richmond, Va.; 212.36 mph by Greg Anderson, Oct. ’09, Richmond, Va.
PS Motorcycle - 6.847 sec. by Karen Stoffer, March ’10, Gainesville, Fla.; 197.45 mph by Andrew Hines, March ’05, Gainesville, Fla.

(Top Fuel and Funny Car race distance is 1,000 feet; Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle is 1,320 feet)

TICKETS: For tickets call (800) 455-3267. Tickets also are available at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.

GENERAL ADMISSION (includes pit pass) - Thursday: Adult, $10; Junior (12 & under), free.

RESERVED SEATS (includes pit pass) - Friday: Adult, $25-35; Junior (12 & under), $5-10. Saturday: Adult, $45-55; Junior (12 & under), $10-15. Sunday: Adult, $45-55; Junior (12 & under), $10-15.


NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS

GLENDORA, Calif. -- Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the third of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel

1. Tony Schumacher, 266; 2. Cory McClenathan, 255; 3. Larry Dixon, 239; 4. Doug Kalitta, 230; 5. Antron Brown, 194; 6. Shawn Langdon, 169; 7. Steve Torrence, 160; 8. Morgan Lucas, 140; 9. Brandon Bernstein, 137; 10. David Grubnic, 120.

Funny Car

1. John Force, 280; 2. Ron Capps, 226; 3. Jack Beckman, 219; 4. Bob Tasca III, 205; 5. (tie) Matt Hagan, 181; Robert Hight, 181; 7. Tony Pedregon, 180; 8. Tim Wilkerson, 177; 9. Ashley Force Hood, 149; 10. Del Worsham, 128.

Pro Stock

1. Mike Edwards, 363; 2. Allen Johnson, 231; 3. Greg Anderson, 221; 4. Jason Line, 200; 5. Ron Krisher, 162; 6. Greg Stanfield, 157; 7. Rodger Brogdon, 147; 8. Ronnie Humphrey, 137; 9. Bob Yonke, 135; 10. Jeg Coughlin, 134.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

1. Eddie Krawiec, 119; 2. Shawn Gann, 94; 3. Karen Stoffer, 84; 4. Hector Arana, 76; 5. Craig Treble, 75; 6. David Hope, 58; 7. Andrew Hines, 54; 8. Steve Johnson, 53; 9. Junior Pippin, 36; 10. Matt Smith, 33.