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NORWALK, Ohio (June 19, 2007) – Bruce Litton and Jon Capps will return to Tulsa Raceway Park June 23 as the No. 1 qualifiers for the two Nitro classes for the Skull Shine Sooner Nationals presented by Wolverine and Academy Sports + Outdoors. Both drivers will have to battle their way through a field of stout competition, all jockeying for the early season points lead in the Knoll-Gas Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series.
Litton, a veteran drag racer, is anticipating different track and weather conditions that could lead to some quick speeds and elapsed times.
“I’m looking forward to going back to Tulsa as the No. 1 qualified car, but I have no doubt that every dragster out there is a quality car and at any time you can get beat,” Litton said. “It’s a little closer to summer so we’ll have warmer temperatures and it’s going to be a night race, so it’s really something you have to be prepared for. We could see some tremendous times going down the track.”
During the original event in May, Litton set the Tulsa Raceway Park record with a 4.626 second pass.
“We’ve actually made three major changes to our car since we left Tulsa a month ago. Preparation for the changed conditions will be key,” he added.
Litton, of Indianapolis, currently sits second in the Knoll Gas Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Top Fuel category, a mere 44 points behind leader T.J. Zizzo. A Nitro Jam veteran, Litton won the first race of the season in San Antonio, Texas, and is in position to win his first career world championship. He’s finished second in the point standings three times.
A 31 year-old from Lincolnshire, Ill., Zizzo, on the other hand, is relatively new to the Nitro Jam tour and hopes to ride his lead out to the end of the season. He earned his second career event win at Rockingham Dragway earlier this year after finishing runner-up to Litton in San Antonio.
Zizzo sits in the third spot on the qualifying ladder, with Mike Strasburg second and Doug Foley fourth. Foley holds the current track speed record at 325.27 mph. Luigi Novelli is fifth, followed by Scotty Cannon, Bobby Lagana Jr. and Scott Palmer.
In the Knoll Gas Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Funny Car class, Capps, 37, a resident of Las Vegas, is currently third place in the point standings. The rookie trails veterans Dale Creasy Jr. and Jack Wyatt, first and second respectively.
Prior to this season, Capps raced Alcohol Funny Cars, injected nitro dragsters and USAC Midgets and Sprint Cars. He’s a racing instructor at the American Racing Academy in Las Vegas as well as a stunt driver for television commercials and movies.
This marks Capps’ second No. 1 qualifier of the season, his first coming at the Spring Nationals in April. However, this time, he earned the position in somewhat unusual fashion.
Before the event was rained out last month, Gary Densham sat in the top spot, followed by Tim Wilkerson in second. Capps was third, but when Densham and Wilkerson both decided not to return to the event due to schedule conflicts, Capps slid to his second No. 1 of the year.
In Nitro Funny Car class Terry Haddock is qualified second, followed by Creasy Jr., Andy Kelley, Wyatt and Todd Simpson. Bob Gilbertson and James Day, who were not qualified but bumped into the field when Densham and Wilkerson decided not to return, are seventh and eighth respectively.
The Skull Shine Sooner Nationals presented by Wolverine and Academy Sports + Outdoors, the third event of the $19.5 million Knoll-Gas Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series, returns to Tulsa Raceway Park June 23 to complete the rain-delayed event. (The event was originally scheduled for May 25 – 27.)
Action will begin at 12 noon with a round of time trials for the professional categories, followed by eliminations at 4:30 p.m., 6, 8 and finals at 10. Sportsman competitors will compete throughout the day, as well as on Friday, during a Sportsman only special event with a total possible purse of $300,000.
Fans with Sunday tickets from the original event in May can redeem those at the gate. An adult ticket is only $35 and kids are only $5. Contact Carson Attractions at www.carsonattractions.com for tickets or log onto Welcome Race Fans!.
For more information on the Skull Shine Sooner Nationals presented by Wolverine and Academy Sports + Outdoors, please visit IHRA.com - Homepage Of IHRA Motorsports - A Division Of Live Nation or Welcome Race Fans!. Media requests can be sent to Travis Reynolds at (419) 706-8631 or [email protected].
About IHRA
Headquartered in Norwalk, Ohio, the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA), a division of Live Nation, promotes professional, semi-professional and local level racing opportunities for drivers at all levels. The $19.5 million Knoll-Gas Nitro Jam™ Drag Racing Series is an 11-event North American professional drag racing circuit. In 2007, the series will be comprised of eight events in major cities throughout the United States and three in Canada. The Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Championship presented by Mr. Gasket consists of competition at national events and 40 events in six regional divisions, while IHRA’s Summit SuperSeries is conducted nearly every weekend at over 70 IHRA-sanctioned tracks. Providing a safe environment to develop future stars, IHRA offers the Junior Dragster Racing Series for youths ages 8-17. Stand-alone events include Live Nation’s entertainment-filled “Thunder Jam” shows and the street legal racing and lifestyle event series Kumho Street Warriorz. More information can be found at IHRA.com - Homepage Of IHRA Motorsports - A Division Of Live Nation.
About Live Nation
Live Nation is the world's largest live music company. Our mission is to inspire passion for live music around the world. We are the largest promoter of live concerts in the world, the second-largest entertainment venue management company and have a rapidly growing online presence. We strive to create superior experiences for artists and fans, regularly producing tours for the biggest superstars in the business, including The Rolling Stones, Barbra Streisand, Madonna, U2 and Coldplay. Globally, we own, operate, have booking rights for and/or have an equity interest in more than 160 venues, including House of Blues® music venues and prestigious locations such as The Fillmore in San Francisco, Nikon at Jones Beach in New York and London’s Wembley Arena. Our websites collectively are the second most popular entertainment/event websites in the United States, according to Nielsen//NetRatings. In addition, we also produce, promote or host theatrical, specialized motor sports and other live entertainment events. In 2006, we connected nearly 60 million fans with their favorite performers at approximately 26,000 events in 18 countries around the world. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Live Nation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, trading under the symbol “LYV.”
320 MPH NITRO CARS RETURN TO TULSA JUNE 23
Capps and Litton Hold Top Spot in Nitro Funny Car and Top Fuel
NORWALK, Ohio (June 19, 2007) – Bruce Litton and Jon Capps will return to Tulsa Raceway Park June 23 as the No. 1 qualifiers for the two Nitro classes for the Skull Shine Sooner Nationals presented by Wolverine and Academy Sports + Outdoors. Both drivers will have to battle their way through a field of stout competition, all jockeying for the early season points lead in the Knoll-Gas Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series.
Litton, a veteran drag racer, is anticipating different track and weather conditions that could lead to some quick speeds and elapsed times.
“I’m looking forward to going back to Tulsa as the No. 1 qualified car, but I have no doubt that every dragster out there is a quality car and at any time you can get beat,” Litton said. “It’s a little closer to summer so we’ll have warmer temperatures and it’s going to be a night race, so it’s really something you have to be prepared for. We could see some tremendous times going down the track.”
During the original event in May, Litton set the Tulsa Raceway Park record with a 4.626 second pass.
“We’ve actually made three major changes to our car since we left Tulsa a month ago. Preparation for the changed conditions will be key,” he added.
Litton, of Indianapolis, currently sits second in the Knoll Gas Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Top Fuel category, a mere 44 points behind leader T.J. Zizzo. A Nitro Jam veteran, Litton won the first race of the season in San Antonio, Texas, and is in position to win his first career world championship. He’s finished second in the point standings three times.
A 31 year-old from Lincolnshire, Ill., Zizzo, on the other hand, is relatively new to the Nitro Jam tour and hopes to ride his lead out to the end of the season. He earned his second career event win at Rockingham Dragway earlier this year after finishing runner-up to Litton in San Antonio.
Zizzo sits in the third spot on the qualifying ladder, with Mike Strasburg second and Doug Foley fourth. Foley holds the current track speed record at 325.27 mph. Luigi Novelli is fifth, followed by Scotty Cannon, Bobby Lagana Jr. and Scott Palmer.
In the Knoll Gas Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Funny Car class, Capps, 37, a resident of Las Vegas, is currently third place in the point standings. The rookie trails veterans Dale Creasy Jr. and Jack Wyatt, first and second respectively.
Prior to this season, Capps raced Alcohol Funny Cars, injected nitro dragsters and USAC Midgets and Sprint Cars. He’s a racing instructor at the American Racing Academy in Las Vegas as well as a stunt driver for television commercials and movies.
This marks Capps’ second No. 1 qualifier of the season, his first coming at the Spring Nationals in April. However, this time, he earned the position in somewhat unusual fashion.
Before the event was rained out last month, Gary Densham sat in the top spot, followed by Tim Wilkerson in second. Capps was third, but when Densham and Wilkerson both decided not to return to the event due to schedule conflicts, Capps slid to his second No. 1 of the year.
In Nitro Funny Car class Terry Haddock is qualified second, followed by Creasy Jr., Andy Kelley, Wyatt and Todd Simpson. Bob Gilbertson and James Day, who were not qualified but bumped into the field when Densham and Wilkerson decided not to return, are seventh and eighth respectively.
The Skull Shine Sooner Nationals presented by Wolverine and Academy Sports + Outdoors, the third event of the $19.5 million Knoll-Gas Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series, returns to Tulsa Raceway Park June 23 to complete the rain-delayed event. (The event was originally scheduled for May 25 – 27.)
Action will begin at 12 noon with a round of time trials for the professional categories, followed by eliminations at 4:30 p.m., 6, 8 and finals at 10. Sportsman competitors will compete throughout the day, as well as on Friday, during a Sportsman only special event with a total possible purse of $300,000.
Fans with Sunday tickets from the original event in May can redeem those at the gate. An adult ticket is only $35 and kids are only $5. Contact Carson Attractions at www.carsonattractions.com for tickets or log onto Welcome Race Fans!.
For more information on the Skull Shine Sooner Nationals presented by Wolverine and Academy Sports + Outdoors, please visit IHRA.com - Homepage Of IHRA Motorsports - A Division Of Live Nation or Welcome Race Fans!. Media requests can be sent to Travis Reynolds at (419) 706-8631 or [email protected].
About IHRA
Headquartered in Norwalk, Ohio, the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA), a division of Live Nation, promotes professional, semi-professional and local level racing opportunities for drivers at all levels. The $19.5 million Knoll-Gas Nitro Jam™ Drag Racing Series is an 11-event North American professional drag racing circuit. In 2007, the series will be comprised of eight events in major cities throughout the United States and three in Canada. The Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Championship presented by Mr. Gasket consists of competition at national events and 40 events in six regional divisions, while IHRA’s Summit SuperSeries is conducted nearly every weekend at over 70 IHRA-sanctioned tracks. Providing a safe environment to develop future stars, IHRA offers the Junior Dragster Racing Series for youths ages 8-17. Stand-alone events include Live Nation’s entertainment-filled “Thunder Jam” shows and the street legal racing and lifestyle event series Kumho Street Warriorz. More information can be found at IHRA.com - Homepage Of IHRA Motorsports - A Division Of Live Nation.
About Live Nation
Live Nation is the world's largest live music company. Our mission is to inspire passion for live music around the world. We are the largest promoter of live concerts in the world, the second-largest entertainment venue management company and have a rapidly growing online presence. We strive to create superior experiences for artists and fans, regularly producing tours for the biggest superstars in the business, including The Rolling Stones, Barbra Streisand, Madonna, U2 and Coldplay. Globally, we own, operate, have booking rights for and/or have an equity interest in more than 160 venues, including House of Blues® music venues and prestigious locations such as The Fillmore in San Francisco, Nikon at Jones Beach in New York and London’s Wembley Arena. Our websites collectively are the second most popular entertainment/event websites in the United States, according to Nielsen//NetRatings. In addition, we also produce, promote or host theatrical, specialized motor sports and other live entertainment events. In 2006, we connected nearly 60 million fans with their favorite performers at approximately 26,000 events in 18 countries around the world. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Live Nation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, trading under the symbol “LYV.”
