GLENDORA, Calif. (Oct. 31, 2011) – While the champions of the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series soon will be decided on the track, the winners of the NHRA Full Throttle Hard Working Crew Award of the Year will once again be determined through an online fan vote on NHRA.com.
Fan voting for the NHRA Full Throttle Hard Working Crew Award on NHRA.com begins Monday, Oct. 31st, following the Big O Tires NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas, and concludes Monday, Nov. 14th, after the season-ending Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
Fans are invited to visit NHRA.com to vote for the crews who are nominated in each Full Throttle Series category whose diligence and extra effort made the biggest impact during the season. Video highlights featuring performances of each of the four Hard Working Crews finalists in each category will be included to help fans make their selections.
ESPN2’s NHRA telecast team, led by race analyst Mike Dunn, determines the four finalists in each category. One hardest working crew from each category will be declared the best of the season and the winners as determined by overall fan vote will be honored in each of the four classes at the season-ending awards ceremony. Winners in Top Fuel and Funny Car will earn $25,000 each, while the Pro Stock winner will earn $15,000 and the Pro Stock Motorcycle winner will receive $5,000.
Below are the finalists for the award in each category.
2011 FULL THROTTLE HARD WORKING CREW FINALISTS
TOP FUEL
1) Las Vegas 2: Spencer Massey crew – Rebounding from DNQ in Phoenix to qualify No. 2, advance to the final round and retake the series points lead
2) Bristol: Chris Karamesines crew – First round win in 21 years (last: 1990 Reading)
3) Dallas: Bob Vandergriff crew – Def. T. Schumacher & B. Bernstein en route to final round
4) Reading: Del Worsham crew – Set national E.T. record and advanced to final round
FUNNY CAR
1) Houston: Jeff Arend crew – Made final without lane choice in the less preferred right lane
2) Topeka: Robert Hight crew – Rallied after crew member injury & advanced to final round
3) Charlotte 2: Matt Hagan crew – Set national E.T. record (3.995), qualified first, made final
4) Las Vegas 2: Johnny Gray crew – Recovering from spectacular engine explosion that blew the body off the car during qualifying to advance to third straight final round appearance
PRO STOCK
1) Las Vegas 2: Jason Line crew – Becoming first Full Throttle Series team to clinch 2011 world championship crown
2) Charlotte 2: Kurt Johnson crew – Advanced to first final since Nov. 2009 at Pomona
3) Brainerd: Erica Enders crew – Def. No. 1 qualifier in round two and advanced to final round
4) Phoenix: Vincent Nobile crew – Advanced to final after two straight first round losses
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
1) Gainesville: Eddie Krawiec crew – Set national speed record (199.26 mph) on way to final
2) Chicago: L.E. Tonglet crew – Advances to final round after DNQ at previous race
3) Dallas: Michael Phillips crew – Advances to final after just making the show (14th)
4) Phoenix: Hector Arana Jr. crew –Def. two former champions en route to third straight final
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