IT WILL BE A FUNNY CAR FAMILY AFFAIR FOR ASHLEY FORCE HOOD AT HISTORIC RACEWAY PARK
ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. – When Ashley Force Hood begins to mentally prepare for the intense challenge of a 300 mph side-by-side race in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, part of her routine is to evaluate her competition. She analyzes her opponents' strengths and examines their tendencies during their pre-race routines at the starting line. Ultimately she will try to exploit any weaknesses that she sees.
While that process works well for the majority of her rivals in the ultra-competitive Funny Car category, there are two drivers that she feels like she may know just a little bit too well: her father, John Force, and her brother-in-law, Robert Hight.
Both are currently at the top of their game and among the drivers Force Hood may have to defeat if she is going to win the 41st annual NHRA SuperNationals, June 10-13 at historic Old Bridge Township Raceway Park. Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Tony Pedregon (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Craig Treble (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are the defending winners of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event.
Force Hood, driver of the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang and the first female to win a Funny Car race in NHRA history, says while facing one of her teammates on the dragstrip can be a tough chore, ultimately it is more of a stress-free race, knowing that no matter the outcome, the team is going to advance to the next round.
"When I run against them, the pressure is off," said the three-time tour winner who has earned 10 No. 1 qualifying positions in her career. "I feel when I run dad or Robert, we can have some fun, not make ourselves nervous or sick, but may the best car win. It's a different feeling than running another team, the (Don) Schumacher (Racing) teams, (Cruz or Tony) Pedregon, (Del) Worsham, all the other teams we compete against. You do feel different going against them."
Force Hood says the strength in numbers philosophy gives her a reason to cheer even after her day may be over at the track. If her teammates are still alive in competition, she has the opportunity to turn from driver to cheerleader, and wave the team flag.
"When you go out (of the race), it's a saving grace for you that even though you lost, you still have people to go up on the starting line to root for and cheer on," she said.
Last season Force and Hight did a lot of cheering for Force Hood early in the season. She had her best season to date, winning twice in eight final rounds and finishing second in the final season standings. Her father had his worst season in more than two decades in 2009 and Hight struggled early in the season before a late rally allowed him to win the season championship. This year, both Force and Hight are off to very strong starts with three wins apiece and Hight just overtook Force – the season-long points leader – atop the Funny Car standings with his fourth straight final round. Force Hood has been in a couple of final rounds and is currently tied for third place entering this weekend's second race in a grueling stretch of seven races in eight weeks.
"Last season around this time in the year, through the spring and summer, my team, everything kind of came together for us and we were running really good," Force Hood said. "We were winning races, going to final rounds, leading the points a few times during the season. It was very bittersweet because we were so excited to be a newer team and be doing so well, yet our own teammates were both struggling. My dad and his team, who won so many years, had such success, who we learned from, and also Robert's team, who came so close year after year to that championship. Those were the two that we really felt would be the ones going after the No. 1 spot, yet we found ourselves in that position."
As the trio are once again 1-2-3 in the point standings (with Matt Hagan tied for third with Force Hood), Force Hood says she would like to see the final Funny Car finish order be that way. She would be happy if any of the three secures the No. 1 for their car.
"But the thing I can say about that is both of those teams (last year), they never showed that they were envious or upset," she said. "They were just a hundred percent supportive. They cheered us on. They were on that starting line whether it was a semi or final that we were in. Even if it was them that we beat the round before, they would come over and help us out. They really did feel at the end of the day we were one big team. It was great to know they were happy for us. Now when the tables are turned, we can give our support as well. If we struggle, we'll be there cheering them on. Coming November, we want any of these cars to be in the No. 1 spot. To be 1‑2‑3 would be amazing."
In Top Fuel, five-time Englishtown winner Larry Dixon, fresh off his win in Chicago, is in a tight championship battle with arch-rival Tony Schumacher and veteran driver Cory McClenathan. Each of those three drivers has won multiple races this season and led the point standings. Others to watch in the 7,000-horsepower category include Doug Kalitta, Brandon Bernstein, Antron Brown, Morgan Lucas and Shawn Langdon.
Mike Edwards continues to have the car to beat in Pro Stock competition as the defending world champ has opened the season in impressive fashion with six wins and eight No. 1 qualifying positions. His biggest challengers include past world champs Jeg Coughlin and Greg Anderson and Team Mopar's Allen Johnson. Young Rickie Jones has proven to be a serious upset threat on the starting line at recent events in his Elite Motorsports Pontiac GXP.
A talented mix of Pro Stock Motorcycle racers will challenge for the two-wheel title, including defending world champ Hector Arana, past Englishtown winners Matt Smith and Andrew Hines, and former Raceway Park general manager Eddie Krawiec, also the 2008 NHRA Full Throttle Series world champion.
• SCHEDULE: Full Throttle Series qualifying sessions are scheduled for 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. on June 11 and noon and 3 p.m. on June 12. Final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 13.
• TICKETS: Tickets are available for the NHRA SuperNationals. For tickets call Old Bridge Township Raceway Park at (732) 446-7800 or visit www.ticketmaster.com.
• ON TV: ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 11 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, June 12. ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute race preview show, at 3:30 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, June 13. ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations coverage beginning at 4 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, June 13.
• LUCAS OIL SERIES: The NHRA SuperNationals also will feature competition in seven 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 10:15 a.m. on June 10 and eliminations begin at 10:15 a.m. on June 12.
• GET SCREENED AMERICA PRO MOD SERIES: NHRA's newest touring series will make its fifth start of the 10-race season at the NHRA SuperNationals. The series features some of the world's fastest and most unique doorslammer cars, with an eclectic mix of vintage and late-model body styles, in quarter-mile competition.
• 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 SUPERNATIONALS
WHAT: 41st annual NHRA SuperNationals, the 11th 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: Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, Englishtown, N.J. From the North, take N.J. Turnpike South to Exit 9, follow the signs to Rt. 18 South. Go six miles to the Englishtown exit. Take Rt. 527 South five miles. Make a left onto Pension Rd. Go ¼ mile, track entrance on left.
WHEN: Thursday through Sunday, June 10-13
SCHEDULE: THURSDAY, June 10 – LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying at 10:15 a.m.
FRIDAY, June 11 – LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying at 10:15 a.m.
GET SCREENED AMERICA PRO MOD SERIES qualifying at 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
SATURDAY, June 12 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations begin at 10:15 a.m.
GET SCREENED AMERICA PRO MOD SERIES qualifying at 2 p.m.; first round of eliminations begins at 5 p.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at noon and 3 p.m.
SUNDAY, June 13 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
GET SCREENED AMERICA PRO MOD SERIES eliminations continue at approximately 2 p.m.
TELEVISION: Saturday, June 12, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 11 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, June 13, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute race preview show, at 3:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, June 13, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours of coverage starting at 4 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE: Friday, June 11, 8:30 - 9 p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 5K
(Digital SD feed) Saturday, June 12, 6:30 - 7 p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 5K
Sunday, June 13, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 5K
(11800 MHz, horizontal; Data Rate: 18.295441161 Mbp; Symbol Rate: 13.235 Ms; FEC: ¾; Bandwidth: 18 Mhz)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners' interviews on Sunday.
2009 EVENT WINNERS: Larry Dixon, Top Fuel; Tony Pedregon, Funny Car; Jeg Coughlin, Pro Stock; Craig Treble, Pro Stock Motorcycle.
TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel - 3.816 seconds by Tony Schumacher, June '09; 316.60 mph by Larry Dixon, June '09
Funny Car - 4.051 seconds by Mike Neff, June '09; 309.84 mph by Ashley Force Hood, June '09
Pro Stock - 6.555 seconds by Mike Edwards, June '09; 210.57 mph by Greg Anderson, June '07
Pro Stock Motorcycle - 6.871 seconds by Angelle Sampey, June '07; 194.83 mph by Paul Gast, June '06
(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.; 316.38 mph by Ashley Force Hood, March '10, Charlotte, N.C.
Pro Stock - 6.509 sec. by Mike Edwards, Oct. '09, Richmond, Va.; 212.46 mph by Greg Anderson, March '10, Charlotte, N.C.
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: Order tickets by phone at (732) 446-7800. Tickets also are available online at www.racewaypark.com.
GENERAL ADMISSION (includes pit pass) – Thursday: Adult, $12; Junior (6-12 years), free. Friday: Adult, $37; Junior (6-12 years), $10. Saturday: Adult, $49; Junior (6-12 years), $10. Sunday: Adult, $49; Junior (6-12 years) $10; Child (5 years and under), free in general admission and pit access areas each day.
RESERVED SEATS (includes pit pass) – Friday: Adult, $44; Junior (6-12 years), $20; Child (5 years and under), $10. Saturday: Adult, $59; Junior (6-12 years), $22; Child (5 years and under), $12. Sunday: Adult, $60; Junior (6-12 years), $25; Child (5 years and under), $15.
CONTACT: NHRA Communications Department, (626) 914-4761. Anthony Vestal, ext. 425, (626) 695-6649, cell.
For the latest news releases, photos, logos, statistics and event information, please visit http://media.nhra.com
NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES POINT STANDINGS
JOLIET, Ill. -- Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the 13th annual United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Miller Welders at Route 66 Raceway, the tenth of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series -
Top Fuel
1. Larry Dixon, 969; 2. Tony Schumacher, 834; 3. Cory McClenathan, 810; 4. Doug Kalitta, 765; 5. Antron Brown, 646; 6. Brandon Bernstein, 600; 7. Shawn Langdon, 481; 8. Morgan Lucas, 472; 9. Steve Torrence, 410; 10. David Grubnic, 370.
Funny Car
1. Robert Hight, 780; 2. John Force, 759; 3. (tie) Ashley Force Hood, 671; Matt Hagan, 671; 5. Jack Beckman, 652; 6. Ron Capps, 627; 7. Bob Tasca III, 563; 8. Tim Wilkerson, 532; 9. Tony Pedregon, 522; 10. Del Worsham, 499.
Pro Stock
1. Mike Edwards, 1,085; 2. Allen Johnson, 748; 3. Jeg Coughlin, 645; 4. Greg Anderson, 598; 5. Ron Krisher, 545; 6. Jason Line, 537; 7. Greg Stanfield, 527; 8. Rodger Brogdon, 466; 9. Shane Gray, 403; 10. Rickie Jones, 393.
Pro Stock Motorcycle
1. Hector Arana, 558; 2. Andrew Hines, 423; 3. Matt Smith, 406; 4. Eddie Krawiec, 386; 5. Michael Phillips, 360; 6. LE Tonglet, 355; 7. Steve Johnson, 339; 8. Craig Treble, 323; 9. David Hope, 313; 10. Karen Stoffer, 288.
