MOHNTON, Pa. — As the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series returns to Maple Grove Raceway for the fourth of six races in the Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship, Funny Car driver Jack Beckman continues to charge forward.
With his rally cap still on backwards following his most recent win at Gateway Motorsports Park in St. Louis, Beckman will try to keep the Countdown momentum going as he pursues a second straight playoff victory at the scenic Pennsylvania drag strip.
After winning from the No. 1 qualifying position at St. Louis, Beckman is certainly one of the pre-race favorites in the 8,000-horsepower category as he pursues his fourth win of the season at the 28th annual Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals, Oct. 4-7 at Maple Grove Raceway. Spencer Massey (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are the defending winners of the event, which will be televised on ESPN2HD.
Beckman and his Valvoline NextGen Funny Car team led by crew chief Todd Smith are currently second in the Countdown points standings, 30 behind NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger driver Ron Capps. Beckman defeated Capps in a critical head-to-head second round match at Gateway, which opened the door for him to move up a spot in the points standings. Castrol GTX Ford Mustang driver Mike Neff and two-time world champion Cruz Pedregon, who pilots the Snap-on Tools Toyota Camry, are also in the mix with three playoff races remaining. Tim Wilkerson, who has jumped from 10th to fifth in the standings in the first three playoff races in his Levi Ray & Shoup Ford Mustang, also still has an outside shot at the title.
“We went a long ways towards healing this week and we’re basically right back to where we were when the Countdown points got reset,” Beckman said. “It’s just awesome to know that we’ve got three races to go and we’re only a round-and-a-half out right now. That’s all we want is a fighting chance.”
Beckman, who won at Reading in 2008, is no stranger to a championship battle coming down to the wire. Last season he came to the season’s final race only one point out of the lead, but ultimately finished second to Matt Hagan. Beckman, a longtime driving instructor at the Frank Hawley Drag Racing School, has all the faith that his team can win its first NHRA Full Throttle Funny Car world championship this time around.
“The people that work on the Valvoline NextGen car do a phenomenal job and the proof is every time we go out there, we run well,” Beckman said. “And I do have tons of confidence in them, but there are no guarantees.”
In Top Fuel, Antron Brown regained the points lead following two consecutive victories at Dallas and St. Louis. Close behind is FRAM/Prestone driver Spencer Massey followed by Tony Schumacher, Shawn Langdon, Brandon Bernstein, Morgan Lucas, Steve Torrence, Doug Kalitta, David Grubnic and Bob Vandergriff.
Allen Johnson is trying to seal the deal for his first world title in Pro Stock, but defending champion Jason Line is certainly putting up a fight. Erica Enders along with Vincent Nobile and past champions Mike Edwards and Greg Anderson are also proving they are forces to be reckoned with.
In Pro Stock Motorcycle competition, the Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson duo of Eddie Krawiec and Andrew Hines have been dominating all season long. They had won every single race this season until first time winner Michael Ray put that streak to an end in Dallas. Defending winner Arana Jr. and Hector Arana Sr. have been close to earning a victory all season on their Lucas Oil Buells.
* SCHEDULE: Full Throttle Drag Racing Series qualifying sessions are scheduled for 1 and 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 5, and 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6. Final eliminations will begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 7.
* TICKETS: For tickets for the Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals please call (610) 856-7200 or log on to www.maplegroveraceway.com.
* ON TV: ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise one hour of qualifying coverage at 6 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, Oct. 7, which will be preceded by one hour of coverage at 12:30 a.m. (ET). There will also be three hours of eliminations coverage on Sunday, Oct. 7 at 7 p. (ET).
* LUCAS OIL SERIES: The Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals will feature competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, where the future stars of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series are born. Lucas Oil Series qualifying begins at 8:45 a.m. on Oct. 4, and eliminations begin at 8:45 a.m. on Oct. 5 and continue through Oct. 7.
* 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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AUTO-PLUS® NHRA NATIONALS FACT SHEET
WHAT: 28th annual Auto-Plus® NHRA Nationals, 21st of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series and the fourth of six races in the Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s playoffs. 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.
WHERE: Maple Grove Raceway, Mohnton, Pa. Track is located off the Pennsylvania Turnpike (Exit 298), 10 miles south of Reading, Pa.
WHEN: Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 4-7
SCHEDULE:
THURSDAY, Oct. 4 – LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying at 8:45 a.m.
FRIDAY, Oct. 5 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations at 8:45 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
SATURDAY, Oct. 6 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations begin at 8:45 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
SUNDAY, Oct. 7- Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
FULL THROTTLE SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Sunday, Oct. 7, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise one hour of qualifying coverage starting at 12:30 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Oct. 7, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise one hour of qualifying coverage starting at 6 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Oct. 7, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours of eliminations coverage starting at 7 p.m. (ET).
Thursday, Oct. 11, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will re-air two hours of eliminations coverage starting at 4 a.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Digital HD feed):
Friday, Oct. 5, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 6 / Transponder 5C
Saturday, Oct. 6, 6:30 - 7 p.m. (ET), AMC 6 / Transponder 5C
Sunday, Oct. 7, 7 - 7:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 6 / Transponder 5C
(3800 MHz, vertical; 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: Spencer Massey, Top Fuel; Robert Hight, Funny Car; Jason Line, Pro Stock; Hector Arana Jr., Pro Stock Motorcycle.
MOST VICTORIES: Tony Schumacher, TF, 4; John Force, FC, 6; Warren Johnson, PS, 4; Angelle Sampey, PSM, 6.
TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel - 3.736 seconds by Del Worsham, Oct. ’11; 327.90 mph by Worsham, Oct. ’11
Funny Car - 4.010 seconds by Johnny Gray, Oct. ’11; 319.22 mph by John Force,Oct. ’11
Pro Stock - 6.477 seconds by Jason Line, Oct. ’11; 213.13 mph by Greg Anderson, Oct. ’11
Pro Stock Motorcycle - 6.781 seconds by Hector Arana Jr., Oct. ’11; 197.97 mph by Eddie Krawiec, Oct. ’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 (610) 856-7200. Tickets also are available at www.maplegroveraceway.com
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NHRA FULL THROTTLE COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS
GLENDORA, Calif. -- Point standings (top 10) following the 20th of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series and the third of six events in the Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship, NHRA's playoffs -
Top Fuel: 1. Antron Brown, 2,378; 2. Spencer Massey, 2,357; 3. Tony Schumacher, 2,295; 4. Shawn Langdon, 2,274; 5. Brandon Bernstein, 2,238; 6. Morgan Lucas, 2,205; 7. Steve Torrence, 2,180; 8. Doug Kalitta, 2,168; 9. David Grubnic, 2,152; 10. Bob Vandergriff, 2,117.
Funny Car: 1. Ron Capps, 2,361; 2. Jack Beckman, 2,331; 3. Mike Neff, 2,262; 4. Cruz Pedregon, 2,202; 5. Tim Wilkerson, 2,197; 6. Courtney Force, 2,180; 7. Robert Hight, 2,179; 8. Johnny Gray, 2,149; 9. Jeff Arend, 2,148; 10. John Force, 2,143.
Pro Stock: 1. Allen Johnson, 2,442; 2. Jason Line, 2,333; 3. Erica Enders, 2,316; 4. Vincent Nobile, 2,292; 5. Greg Anderson, 2,218; 6. Mike Edwards, 2,181; 7. Ron Krisher, 2,129; 8. Larry Morgan, 2,125; 9. V. Gaines, 2,117; 10. Jeg Coughlin, 2,114.
Pro Stock Motorcycle: 1. Eddie Krawiec, 2,415; 2. Andrew Hines, 2,382; 3. Hector Arana Jr, 2,306; 4. Hector Arana, 2,267; 5. Karen Stoffer, 2,229; 6. Michael Ray, 2,219; 7. Scotty Pollacheck, 2,177; 8. LE Tonglet, 2,147; 9. Shawn Gann, 2,146; 10. Matt Smith, 2,118.
