ENNIS, Texas — Top seed Ron Capps will lead eight Funny Car drivers in pursuit of the $100,000 winner’s share in the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout, Sept. 22 during the AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex.
Originally scheduled to be completed during the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend, a series of weather delays forced NHRA officials to move the lucrative specialty race to this weekend’s event at the Texas Motorplex near Dallas. Spencer Massey won the $100,000 NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout for Top Fuel on Sept. 1 in Indianapolis.
In the first-round pairings, Capps will race No. 8 fan vote/lottery winner Courtney Force, Robert Hight will meet Jeff Arend, Jack Beckman will face John Force and Johnny Gray will battle Mike Neff.
Drivers qualified for the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout by winning races during the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series regular season. One driver, 24-year-old rookie Courtney Force, was selected during a fan vote/lottery process.
NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout rounds are scheduled for 12:45 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. The all-star event will be televised on ESPN2HD during the 90-minute show on Saturday, starting at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
For tickets to the AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals, please call (800) MOTORPLEX (668-6775) or log on to www.texasmotorplex.com.
TRAXXAS NITRO SHOOTOUT (FUNNY CAR)
FIRST-ROUND PAIRINGS (Sept. 22, 12:45 p.m.):
1. Ron Capps vs. No. 8 Courtney Force
2. Robert Hight vs. No. 7 Jeff Arend
3. Jack Beckman vs. No. 6 John Force
4. Johnny Gray vs. No. 5 Mike Neff
SEMIFINAL PAIRINGS (2:30 p.m.):
Capps-C.Force winner vs. Gray-Neff winner
Hight-Arend winner vs. Beckman- J.Force winner
FINAL (4 p.m.)
AAA TEXAS NHRA FALL NATIONALS FACT SHEET
WHAT: 27th annual AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals, 19th of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series and the second of six playoff races in the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship. The top 10 drivers in four categories - Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle - earn points leading to 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series world championships. The NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout for Funny Car also will be contested at this event. In 2012, NHRA is celebrating Nitro Generation, honoring all the generations of fans, drivers, and teams that have shared their passion for the sport and made NHRA the world’s largest motorsports sanctioning body.
WHERE: Texas Motorplex, 7500 W. Hwy. 287, Ennis, Texas. Follow I-45 or I-35E to Hwy 287, then follow 287 to the track.
WHEN: Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 20-23.
SCHEDULE:
THURSDAY, Sept. 20 - LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying at 10 a.m.
FRIDAY, Sept. 21 - LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations at 8:30 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
SATURDAY, Sept. 22 - LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations begin at 8 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
TRAXXAS NITRO SHOOTOUT for Funny Car at 12:45 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.
SUNDAY, Sept. 23 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10:15 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Sept. 22, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise 90 minutes of qualifying highlights at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Sept. 23, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours of race eliminations at 8:30 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Digital HD feed):
Friday, Sept. 21, 9:30 - 10 p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 19C
Saturday, Sept. 22, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 19C
Sunday, Sept. 23, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 19C
4080 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: Bob Vandergriff Jr., Top Fuel; Cruz Pedregon, Funny Car; Jason Line, Pro Stock; Michael Phillips, Pro Stock Motorcycle.
MOST VICTORIES: John Force, FC, 7; Tony Schumacher, TF, 5; Warren Johnson, PS, 5; Greg Anderson, PS, 4.
TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel - 3.784 seconds by Brandon Bernstein, Sept. ’10; 324.05 mph by Spencer Massey, Sept. ’11
Funny Car - 4.062 seconds by Matt Hagan, Sept. ’10; 309.63 mph by Jack Beckman, Sept. ’11
Pro Stock - 6.553 seconds by Jason Line, Sept. ’11; 211.20 mph by Allen Johnson, Sept. ’11
Pro Stock Motorcycle - 6.828 seconds by Hector Arana Jr., Sept. ’11; 197.22 mph by Michael Phillips, Sept. ’11
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.
PS Motorcycle - 6.750 sec. by Eddie Krawiec, March ’12, Gainesville, Fla.; 199.26 mph by Eddie Krawiec, March ’11, Gainesville, Fla.
TICKETS: For tickets call (800) MOTORPLEX (668-6775). Tickets also are available at texasmotorplex.com.
