Monday, May 16, 2011

NHRA SUMMER NATIONALS PREVIEW

NHRA SUMMER NATIONALS FACT SHEET

WHAT: 23rd annual NHRA Summer Nationals, the seventh of 22 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Drivers in three categories - Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock - 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: Heartland Park Topeka. From Kansas City, take the Kansas Turnpike (I-70) to the Topeka Boulevard exit and travel south to the track. From Wichita, take the Kansas Turnpike (I-335) to the Topeka Boulevard exit and travel south to the track.

WHEN: Friday through Sunday, May 20-22

SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, May 20 - LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying at 8 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, May 21 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations begin at 8 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

SUNDAY, May 22 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.

TELEVISION:
Saturday, May 21, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 5:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, May 22, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours of eliminations coverage starting at 7 p.m. (ET).
           
SATELLITE (Digital HD Feed):  
Friday, May 20, 10:30 - 11 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 / Transponder 22C (4140 MHz, vertical)
Saturday, May 21, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 / Transponder 22C (4140 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, May 22, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 / Transponder 22C (4140 MHz, vertical)
(Downlink: 4140 MHz, vertical; Transmission: MPEG-2; HD: 720p; Data Rate: 40.461470554 Mbp; Symbol Rate: 29.27 Ms; FEC: ¾; Bandwidth: 36 Mhz); Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.

2010 EVENT WINNERS: Tony Schumacher, Top Fuel; Robert Hight, Funny Car; Mike Edwards, Pro Stock.

MOST VICTORIES: John Force, 9, FC; Scott Kalitta, 6, TF; Warren Johnson, 5, PS; Cruz Pedregon, 4, FC; Greg Anderson, 4, PS.

TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel – 3.785 seconds by Antron Brown, May ’10; 321.96 mph by Brown, May ’10.
Funny Car – 4.074 seconds by Robert Hight, May ’10; 310.70 mph by Hight, May ’10.
Pro Stock – 6.638 seconds by Mike Edwards, May ’10; 207.56 mph by Edwards, May ’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.; 316.38 mph by Ashley Force Hood, March ’10, Charlotte, N.C.
Pro Stock - 6.495 sec. by Rodger Brogdon, March ’11, Gainesville, Fla.; 213.57 mph by Erica Enders, March ’11, Gainesville, Fla.

TICKETS: For tickets call Heartland Park Topeka at (800) 43-RACES (72237). Tickets also available at www.HPT.com.

GENERAL ADMISSION (includes pit pass) - Friday: Adult, $35; Junior (6-12 years), $10. Saturday: Adult, $48; Junior (6-12 years), $10. Sunday: Adult, $48; Junior (6-12 years), $10.

RESERVED SEATS (includes pit pass) - Friday: Adult, $42-50; Junior (12 years and younger), $20-50; Saturday: Adult, $58-65; Junior (12 years and younger), $20-65; Sunday: Adult, $58-65; Junior (12 years and younger), $20-65.


NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES POINT STANDINGS


GLENDORA, Calif. -- Point standings (top 10) following the sixth of 22 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series -

Top Fuel: 1.  Del Worsham, 547; 2.  Antron Brown, 477; 3.  Larry Dixon, 468; 4.  Tony Schumacher, 449; 5. Spencer Massey, 410; 6.  Doug Kalitta, 342; 7.  Shawn Langdon, 300; 8.  Morgan Lucas, 295; 9. Brandon Bernstein, 284; 10.  Terry McMillen, 247.

Funny Car: 1.  Mike Neff, 496; 2.  Jack Beckman, 476; 3.  Robert Hight, 412; 4.  Cruz Pedregon, 399; 5.  Matt Hagan, 356; 6.  Jeff Arend, 353; 7.  John Force, 345; 8.  Bob Tasca III, 330; 9.  Ron Capps, 276; 10.  Johnny Gray, 265.

Pro Stock: 1.  Jason Line, 515; 2.  Greg Anderson, 465; 3.  Mike Edwards, 429; 4.  (tie) Vincent Nobile, 420; Greg Stanfield, 420; 6.  Rodger Brogdon, 374; 7.  Erica Enders, 331; 8.  Allen Johnson, 295; 9. Ron Krisher, 287; 10.  Ronnie Humphrey, 265.

Pro Stock Motorcycle: 1.  Karen Stoffer, 278; 2.  Andrew Hines, 263; 3.  Eddie Krawiec, 244; 4.  LE Tonglet, 240; 5. Hector Arana, 197; 6.  Gerald Savoie, 159; 7.  Michael Phillips, 141; 8.  Matt Smith, 140; 9. Shawn Gann, 136; 10.  Jim Underdahl, 135.