LUCRATIVE K&N HORSEPOWER CHALLENGE OFFERS BONUS CASH FOR TOP EIGHT PRO STOCK DRIVERS
NORWALK, Ohio – Mike Edwards will lead the K&N Horsepower Challenge field as the No. 1 seed for the first time in his career as the lucrative special event takes center stage June 26 during the fourth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park.
A purse of $76,000 is available for the eight drivers competing in the K&N Horsepower Challenge. The winner of the 26th annual K&N Horsepower Challenge will earn $50,000. The runner-up will earn $10,000, the two semifinalists $3,000 each, and the four first-round finishers $2,500 apiece.
Edwards, from Coweta, Okla., qualified No. 1 at 19 of the 25 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events where drivers could earn K&N Horsepower Challenge points. It is Edwards’ seventh career appearance in the bonus event.
The $151,000 K&N Horsepower Challenge showcases eight Pro Stock teams in a race-within-a-race bonus event. Seven of the teams qualified during a 25-race span between the 2009 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, and 2010 NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway. Besides the $76,000 available in the K&N Horsepower Challenge, bonuses of $75,000 were paid to the top Pro Stock qualifiers throughout the 25-race K&N Horsepower Challenge series.
Drivers accumulated points during qualifying at those events, and a $3,000 bonus was awarded to the No. 1 qualifier at each race.
This year's K&N Horsepower Challenge field features four of the bonus event’s 11 past winners and of the four non-winners, one is the top seed (Edwards) and another (Rodger Brogdon) will actually be making his debut in the bonus event. The other two non-winners – Jason Line and Ron Krisher – will be making their sixth appearances.
The top-seeded Edwards, a two-time runner-up, will face the winner of the fan vote, Warren Johnson, who has won the event three times (’93, ’95 and ’02) in a record 23 previous appearances. Second-seeded Greg Anderson, a two-time winner (’04 and ’06), will meet Brogdon; third-seeded Allen Johnson, the 2008 winner, will meet Krisher; and three-time and defending (’99, ’00 and ’09) event-winner Jeg Coughlin will meet Line.
Other past winners of the K&N Horsepower Challenge include Larry Morgan, Bruce Allen, Bob Glidden, Darrell Alderman, Jim Yates and Dave Connolly.
K&N Horsepower Challenge rounds are scheduled for noon, 2:20 p.m. and 4:05 p.m. on Saturday, June 26.
2010 K&N HORSEPOWER CHALLENGE FINAL STANDINGS:
1. Mike Edwards, Coweta, Okla., Penhall/Interstate Batteries Pontiac GXP 4,270
2. Greg Anderson, Charlotte, N.C., Summit Racing Pontiac GXP 3,520
3. Allen Johnson, Greeneville, Tenn., J&J Racing/Team Mopar Dodge Avenger 3,405
4t. Jason Line, Terrell, N.C., Summit Racing Pontiac GXP 3,350*
4t. Jeg Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, JEGS.com Chevy Cobalt 3,350
6. Ron Krisher, Warren, Ohio, Valvoline Chevy Cobalt 3,205
7. Rodger Brogdon, Tomball, Texas, Attitude Apparel Pontiac GXP 2,925
8. Warren Johnson, Buford, Ga., K&N Engineering Pontiac GXP Fan Vote
* Wins tiebreaker
2010 K&N HORSEPOWER CHALLENGE ROUND PAIRINGS:
FIRST ROUND (Noon): Edwards vs. W. Johnson; Anderson vs. Brogdon; A. Johnson vs. Krisher; Coughlin vs. Line.
SEMIFINALS (2:20 p.m.): Edwards vs. W. Johnson winner vs. Coughlin vs. Line winner; Anderson vs. Brogdon winner vs. A. Johnson vs. Krisher winner.
FINAL (4:05p.m.)
