HIGHT ON HOT STREAK AS FULL THROTTLE SERIES HEADS TO UNITED ASSOCIATION ROUTE 66 NHRA NATIONALS
JOLIET, Ill. – Extended winning streaks in the ultra-competitive world of NHRA Funny Car racing are very rare.
The competition is simply too tough.
In a single Funny Car season, the most consecutive races ever won is five. The three drivers in the history of NHRA competition who have accomplished that feat are widely recognized as three of the sport’s greatest champions: Don Prudhomme (1976), Cruz Pedregon (1992) and John Force (1993 and 1994). Another NHRA legend, Kenny Bernstein, won four in a row in 1987. Force also won four in a row in the 2000 season.
Those four drivers are the most successful Funny Car racers in the history of the sport, accounting for 24 world championship titles since 1975.
So defending Funny Car world champion Robert Hight knows that his current string of three consecutive victories puts him in some rare air. If he can race to a fourth straight season victory at the United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Miller Welders, June 3-6 at Route 66 Raceway near Chicago, Hight will indeed join some very elite company. Spencer Massey (Top Fuel), Tony Pedregon (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Matt Guidera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are the defending winners of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event.
“Right now, what is happening to this Auto Club Ford is the stuff you dream about,” Hight said. “I’ve won three races in a season before, but not in a row.”
Hight, who has powered his Auto Club Ford Mustang to victories in St. Louis, Atlanta and Topeka, Kan. in convincing fashion during the last three events, moved to second in the season point standings with the effort. He trails leader Force by 49 points as he and talented crew chief Jimmy Prock are eyeing a second-straight season championship crown.
Hight, who got his start in the sport as a crew member on Force’s team, knows that the car’s success begins and ends with the guys who turn the wrenches in the pits.
“If all the guys around me didn’t do their jobs properly, it wouldn’t matter (what I did),” Hight said. “That is what the job relies on. My job is to make decisions. Their job is to put it all together. If they don’t do that, we don’t win. They deserve a ton of credit for all the wins. If their stuff isn’t right, then what I think we are doing doesn’t matter.”
Hight, who nearly failed to qualify for the Countdown to 1 playoffs last season, hit a hot streak during the six-race championship run to claim his first series crown. The run his team is on now is reminiscent of that effort he had last fall. He says the team’s chemistry is at an all-time high.
“It is just all working good for us right now, (but) I don’t get overconfident,” Hight said. “I look at it run-for-run. I feel good about how it is working (and) I’m fairly confident in what we are doing. There are a lot of variables. To get it to do exactly what you want it to do every run is not (possible). You come close (and) right now it is working good.”
The United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Miller Welders kicks off a very tough stretch of races, that includes racing seven weeks in an eight-week span and will take the teams from Chicago to Englishtown, N.J. to Seattle and many points in-between. Hight says his team is ready for the challenge.
“We have been doing it under the hot sun and on greasy track conditions,” Hight said. “Right now, we can get down hot and cool tracks. We have the best of both worlds.”
In Top Fuel, two-time Route 66 Raceway winner Larry Dixon leads the series standings with four victories this season in his Al-Anabi Racing dragster. It is going to be a very tight battle for the championship crown, as Chicago native and Dixon’s arch-rival, Tony Schumacher, will be looking to add to his three victory total at his home track. Cory McClenathan, Doug Kalitta, Antron Brown and Brandon Bernstein also are among the pre-race favorites for the event.
Mike Edwards continues to pace the Pro Stock category in his Penhall/Interstate Batteries Pontiac GXP and has earned five victories this season. A tough cast of challengers is making up ground on Edwards’ lead however, including Team Mopar’s Allen Johnson, JEGS Chevy driver Jeg Coughlin, and three-time world champ Greg Anderson.
Defending Pro Stock Motorycle world champion Hector Arana leads the two-wheel category into its sixth race of the season as the points leader, but he is still looking for his first victory of the season on his Lucas Oil Buell. Other past world champs, including Matt Smith, Andrew Hines and Eddie Krawiec have all won races this season and are closing fast on Arana’s points lead. A few other riders also are making noise this season, including St. Louis winner Michael Phillips, Gainesville top qualifier Karen Stoffer and rookie LE Tonglet, who advanced to his first career final round.
• SCHEDULE: Full Throttle Series qualifying sessions are scheduled for noon and 2:45 p.m. on June 4 and 1 and 3 p.m. on June 5. Final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 6.
• TICKETS: Tickets are available for the United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Miller Welders. For tickets call Route 66 Raceway at (888) 629-RACE (7223) 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 5. ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute race preview show, at 10 a.m. (ET) on Sunday, June 6. ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations coverage beginning at 4 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, June 6.
• LUCAS OIL *SERIES: The United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Miller Welders also will feature competition in eight categories in the NHRA Lucas Oil Series, where the future stars of the NHRA Full Throttle Series earn their racing stripes. Lucas Oil Series qualifying begins at 9 a.m. on June 3 and eliminations begin at 8 a.m. on June 5. The JEGS Allstars bonus event is June 5 with rounds at 10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.
• 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.
UNITED ASSOCIATION ROUTE 66 NHRA NATIONALS PRESENTED BY MILLER WELDERS FACT SHEET
WHAT: 13th annual United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Miller Welders, the 10th 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: 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, June 3-6
SCHEDULE:
THURSDAY, June 3 – LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying at 9 a.m.
FRIDAY, June 4 – LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying at 7:30 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at noon and 2:45 p.m.
SATURDAY, June 5 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations begin at 8 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
JEGS ALLSTARS ELIMINATION ROUNDS at 10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m., and 5 p.m.
SUNDAY, June 6 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10:30 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION: Saturday, June 5, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 11 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, June 6, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 10 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, June 6, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours of coverage starting at 4 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE: Friday, June 4, 8:30 - 9 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)
(Digital SD feed) Saturday, June 5, 7:30 - 8p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 5K (11800 MHz, horizontal; Data Rate: 18.295441161 Mbp; Symbol Rate: 13.235 Ms; FEC: ¾; Bandwidth: 18 Mhz)
Sunday, June 6, 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: Spencer Massey, Top Fuel; Tony Pedregon, Funny Car; Jeg Coughlin, Pro Stock; Matt Guidera, Pro Stock Motorcycle.
TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel - 3.826 seconds by Antron Brown, June ’09; 317.94 mph by Brown, June ’09.
Funny Car - 4.062 seconds by Tony Pedregon, June ’09; 307.30 mph by Mike Neff, June ’09.
Pro Stock - 6.587 seconds by Mike Edwards, June ’09; 210.08 by Edwards, June ’09.
PS Motorcycle - 6.921 seconds by Andrew Hines, June ’07; 194.07 mph by Steve Johnson, June ’09.
(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: For tickets, call (888) 629-RACE (7223). Tickets also available at Ticketmaster and ticketmaster.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, $48; 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, $58; Junior (12 years and under), $16. Sunday: Adult, $66; Junior (12 years and under), $16.
NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES POINT STANDINGS
GLENDORA, Calif. -- Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the ninth of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series -
Top Fuel
1. Larry Dixon, 845; 2. Cory McClenathan, 748; 3. Tony Schumacher, 737; 4. Doug Kalitta, 690; 5. Antron Brown, 592; 6. Brandon Bernstein, 543; 7. Shawn Langdon, 448; 8. Morgan Lucas, 441; 9. David Grubnic, 339; 10. Steve Torrence, 338.
Funny Car
1. John Force, 728; 2. Robert Hight, 679; 3. Ron Capps, 592; 4. Ashley Force Hood, 591; 5. Jack Beckman, 575; 6. Matt Hagan, 530; 7. Bob Tasca III, 506; 8. Tony Pedregon, 491; 9. Tim Wilkerson, 479; 10. Del Worsham, 467.
Pro Stock
1. Mike Edwards, 958; 2. Allen Johnson, 691; 3. Jeg Coughlin, 603; 4. Greg Anderson, 546; 5. Greg Stanfield, 517; 6. Ron Krisher, 488; 7. Jason Line, 445; 8. Rodger Brogdon, 391; 9. Rickie Jones, 383; 10. Bob Yonke, 346.
Pro Stock Motorcycle (following five of 17 events)
1. Hector Arana, 475; 2. Matt Smith, 374; 3. Andrew Hines, 369; 4. Eddie Krawiec, 354; 5. Michael Phillips, 328; 6. Craig Treble, 279; 7. (tie) David Hope, 257; Karen Stoffer, 257; 9. Steve Johnson, 243; 10. LE Tonglet, 240.
