BRISTOL, Tenn. – Enough with the corny neck ties and soap-on-a-rope.
This Father’s Day give dad the adrenaline rush of a lifetime, and take him to the 12th annual Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers, Father’s Day weekend, June 15-17. Held at tradition-rich Bristol Dragway, the event is the 10th of 23 races in the 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.
While tickets to the race are a great present for NHRA’s legion of dedicated fans to give their fathers on this special holiday, some of the racers entered in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event hope to be able to give their dads a brand new trophy by racing to a winning performance.
Seven-time NHRA world champion Tony Schumacher will be among those drivers in NHRA’s Nitro Generation hoping to come away with a Wally trophy to share with his father, team owner Don Schumacher, an NHRA Funny Car pioneer. Several other second-generation drivers – like Jeg Coughlin, Brandon Bernstein, Courtney Force, and Vincent Nobile, to name a few – will also be trying to secure a victory in hopes of having a special Father’s Day moment in Bristol Dragway’s winner’s circle.
Schumacher, who has not won since Oct. 2010, has a couple of other reasons for wanting a win at Bristol Dragway, a track where he has claimed four victories over the years. The driver of the famed U.S. Army dragster wants to use some of that Thunder Valley magic to put an end to a pesky winless drought, at 32 races and counting.
“We have been fortunate to have had our share of success in Thunder Valley,” said Schumacher, who fans call “The Sarge”. “It’s nothing I can easily explain, but I hope our history helps us get to victory lane this year. We need to get that first win of the season out of the way and get rid of that losing streak.”
Sitting in second place in the points standings, Schumacher has been to 11 final rounds since his last victory, but has come up empty in all of them. He also needs a victory to secure a spot in the upcoming Traxxas Shootout for Top Fuel, a special race-within-a-race event at Indy where $100,000 will be up for grabs for the eight qualified drivers.
With all of his past success at Bristol Dragway, this could be his time to finally break out of the rut.
“Bristol is one of those tracks I just enjoy racing at,” Schumacher said. “It’s a beautiful facility with a great racing surface. If the weather conditions are there, you can usually put up some good numbers.”
Other Top Fuel drivers to watch include points leader Spencer Massey, who has three victories this season and recently posted the national speed record at 332.18 mph and also recorded the quickest run in his category at 3.728 seconds in his FRAM/Prestone dragster. Antron Brown, Morgan Lucas, Steve Torrence and David Grubnic are all winners this season. Like Schumacher, two-time Bristol Top Fuel winner Brandon Bernstein also could use a little Bristol magic to try and end a winless slump that dates to Oct. 2009.
In Funny Car, defending race winner Robert Hight is leading the points with four victories in his Auto Club Ford Mustang. NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger driver Ron Capps, a two-time Bristol winner, is riding a five-race final round streak and in Englishtown clocked the quickest time in Funny Car history at 3.964 seconds. Mike Neff, Johnny Gray, Jack Beckman and 15-time world champ John Force have all won races this season and are among the pre-race favorites to win. Among the notable Funny Car drivers trying to break through for their first win this season are rookies Courtney Force and Alexis DeJoria, along with two-time champs Cruz and Tony Pedregon, and the defending world champ Matt Hagan, who lives in nearby Christiansburg, Va.
In Pro Stock, Greg Anderson leads the way in his brand new Summit Racing Chevy Camaro with four wins and is followed by teammate Jason Line, who will debut his new Summit Camaro over the weekend at Bristol. Local favorite Allen Johnson is a two-time winner this season and sits third in the points standings behind the wheel of his Team Mopar Dodge Avenger and would like nothing more than to grab a victory at his home track. New Yorker Vincent Nobile and defending race winner Mike Edwards also have scored wins this season in the competitive 200 mph category. Others to watch in the factory hot rod class are last season’s runner-up here Erica Enders, who is trying to become the first female winner in Pro Stock history, and past Bristol winners Jeg Coughlin, Kurt Johnson and “the Professor of Pro Stock,” Warren Johnson.
And to add to the excitement of celebrating Father’s Day at the track, the NHRA and Bristol Dragway will be serving an assortment of memorable and fan-friendly activities all weekend long.
On Friday evening, fans will be treated to the intense action of NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing action Thunder Valley style, under the lights at Bristol Dragway. When the 7,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars blast off the starting line for the Friday evening qualifying session with massive flames erupting from their header pipes, it is truly one of the most awesome spectacles in all of motorsports.
You’ll want to get your cameras ready for Saturday’s autograph session and Party in the Pits and take advantage of the opportunity to meet and greet some of NHRA’s hottest drivers on the circuit, starting at 4:30 p.m. in NHRA’s Nitro Alley. On Sunday morning, NHRA fans are invited to walk down the actual dragstrip at famed Bristol Dragway, meet their favorite NHRA drivers and celebrate Father’s Day on the racing surface before the action gets underway. NHRA Drivers who have participated in the popular track walk events in the past include John Force, “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, Brown, Schumacher, Cory McClenathan, Johnny Gray, Tony Pedregon, Brandon Bernstein and many more.
As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they’re granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet.
* SCHEDULE: Full Throttle Drag Racing Series qualifying sessions are scheduled for 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 15, and noon and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 16. Final eliminations will begin at noon on Sunday, June 17.
* TICKETS: Tickets are available for the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. For tickets, please call Bristol Dragway at (423) 989-6900 or visit www.bristoldragway.com
* ON TV: ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 5:30 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, June 16. ESPN and ESPNHD will televise two hours of eliminations coverage at 5 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, June 17.
* LUCAS OIL SERIES: The Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals also will feature competition in four 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 a.m. on June 15. Lucas Oil Series eliminations begin at 8 a.m. on June 16 and continue through June 17.
* NHRA PRO MOD SERIES PRESENTED BY PROCARE RX: NHRA’s popular Pro Mod touring series will make its fifth start of the 10-race 2012 season at the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. 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. Two of three scheduled rounds of qualifying will be held on Friday, June 15 at 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The final round of qualifying is set for 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 16, followed by the first round of eliminations at 4 p.m. Eliminations will continue on Sunday, June 17 at approximately 3:30 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.
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FORD NHRA THUNDER VALLEY NATIONALS PRESENTED BY TRI-CITIES AREA FORD DEALERS FACT SHEET
WHAT: 12th annual Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers, the 10th of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Drivers in three categories - Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock - earn points leading to 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series world championships. The race also will feature competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the NHRA Pro Mod Series presented by ProCare Rx.
WHERE: Bristol Dragway, Bristol, Tenn. From Interstate 81 North, take Hwy. 11E. Take the Virginia Exit 3 and Hwy. 11E will take you directly to the dragway. From the I-81 South, take Tennessee exit 69 and go south on Hwy 394 directly to the dragway.
WHEN: Friday through Sunday, June 15-17
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, June 15 – LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying at 10 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
PRO MOD SERIES presented by ProCare Rx qualifying at 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, June 16 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations begin at 8 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at noon and 2:30 p.m.
PRO MOD SERIES presented by ProCare Rx qualifying at 1:30 p.m.; the first round of eliminations begins at 4 p.m.
SUNDAY, June 17 - Pre-race ceremonies, 11 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES eliminations begin at noon.
PRO MOD SERIES presented by ProCare Rx eliminations continue at approximately 3:30 p.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, June 16, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 5:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, June 17, ESPN and ESPNHD will televise two hours of eliminations coverage starting at 5 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Digital HD feed):
Friday, June 15, 10 -10:30 p.m. (ET), SES 2 / Transponder 3C
Saturday, June 16, 6:30 -7 p.m. (ET), SES 2 / Transponder 3C
Sunday, June 17, 7:30-8 p.m. (ET), SES 2 / Transponder 3C
(3760 MHz, horizontal; 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.
2011 EVENT WINNERS: Larry Dixon, Top Fuel; Robert Hight, Funny Car; Mike Edwards, Pro Stock.
MOST VICTORIES: Tony Schumacher, 4, TF; John Force, 3, FC; Doug Kalitta, 3, TF, Mike Edwards, 3, PS.
TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel – 3.828 seconds by Brandon Bernstein, June ’11; 322.34 mph by Tony Schumacher, June ’11.
Funny Car – 4.047 seconds by Robert Hight, June ’11; 316.45 mph by Hight, June ’11.
Pro Stock – 6.633 seconds by Mike Edwards, May ’09; 207.94 mph by Greg Anderson, May ’09.
NATIONAL RECORDS:
Top Fuel - 3.735 sec. by Del Worsham, Oct. ’11, Reading, Pa.; 332.18 mph by Spencer Massey, April ’12, Charlotte, N.C.
Funny Car - 3.995 sec. by Matt Hagan, Sept. ’11, Charlotte, N.C.; 318.99 mph by Jack Beckman, Sept. ’11, Charlotte, N.C.
Pro Stock - 6.477 sec. by Jason Line, Oct. ’11, Reading, Pa.; 213.91 mph by Jason Line, April ’12, Charlotte, N.C.
TICKETS: For tickets call Bristol Dragway at (423) 989-6900. Tickets also available at bristoldragway.com.
NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS
GLENDORA, Calif. -- Point standings (top 10) following the ninth of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:
Top Fuel: 1. Spencer Massey, 753; 2. Tony Schumacher, 719; 3. Antron Brown, 671; 4. Morgan Lucas, 657; 5. Steve Torrence, 644; 6. Doug Kalitta, 508; 7. Brandon Bernstein, 493; 8. Shawn Langdon, 479; 9. David Grubnic, 437; 10. Bob Vandergriff, 416.
Funny Car: 1. Robert Hight, 857; 2. Ron Capps, 700; 3. Mike Neff, 615; 4. Johnny Gray, 558; 5. Jack Beckman, 543; 6. Cruz Pedregon, 477; 7. Bob Tasca III, 451; 8. John Force, 438; 9. Courtney Force, 429; 10. Jeff Arend, 388.
Pro Stock: 1. Greg Anderson, 869; 2. Jason Line, 770; 3. Allen Johnson, 710; 4. Vincent Nobile, 598; 5. Mike Edwards, 586; 6. Erica Enders, 506; 7. Ronnie Humphrey, 434; 8. Rodger Brogdon, 372; 9. Shane Gray, 364; 10. Ron Krisher, 335.
Pro Stock Motorcycle: 1. Eddie Krawiec, 466; 2. Andrew Hines, 325; 3. Hector Arana Jr, 301; 4. Hector Arana, 293; 5. Michael Ray, 235; 6. Karen Stoffer, 214; 7. Matt Smith, 211; 8. LE Tonglet, 198; 9. Scotty Pollacheck, 194; 10. Shawn Gann, 170.
