<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/Stanton.jpg" alt="Stanton" align="right"borders="0"/>
ENNIS, Texas (Oct. 11, 2007) - Defending Pro Extreme world champion Bubba Stanton will start from the No. 1 qualifying position for Friday's AlphaTrade Battle for the Belts competition at Texas Motorplex after finishing on top of the 2007 Flowmaster American Drag Racing League points standings.
Stanton won two events and scored 2,178 points to edge Joshua Hernandez (2,129) for the top spot in the Belts standings. Jason Scruggs, holder of both ends of the ADRL Pro Extreme performance record, will open the three-round competition from the No. 3 qualifying spot.
Hernandez, No. 6 John Lynam, and No. 8 Bil Clanton each qualified for the their third straight Belts competition.
Following is a look at each of the qualified Pro Extreme drivers for the Battle for the Belts competition (2007 records include the 2006 ADRL World Finals). Any qualified driver who does not compete at this weekend's AlphaTrade ADRL World Finals will be replaced by the highest-ranked alternate at the event.
NO. 1 BUBBA STANTON (2,178 POINTS)
Best result: Winner, Radford and Norwalk
2007 record: 14-4
Career record: 17-9
Notable: Defending ADRL Pro Extreme world champion ... reached three straight finals during 2007 season (Huntsville through Norwalk).
NO. 2 JOSHUA HERNANDEZ (2,129)
Best result: Winner, Kennedale (2006) and Rockingham
2007 record: 13-4
Career record: 21-11
Notable: Bookended the points-scoring season with wins at the 2006 ADRL World Finals and the 2007 Dragstock IV event.
NO. 3 JASON SCRUGGS (1,954)
Best result: Winner, Huntsville
2007 record: 10-4
Career record: 20-11
Notable: Reset the class' performance standards all season, eventually improving the ADRL records to 3.703 at 205.22 mph.
NO. 4 TRAVIS SWEARINGEN (1,577)
Best result: Runner-up, Valdosta and Radford
2007 record: 7-5
Career record: 8-6
Notable: Finished on top of a tight points grouping from fourth to seventh places.
NO. 5 JOE BAKER (1,571)
Best result: Winner, Valdosta
2007 record: 8-4
Career record: 8-4
Notable: Won Valdosta event in second ADRL outing.
NO. 6 JOHN LYNAM (1,416)
Best result: Runner-up, Houston
2007 record: 7-5
Career record: 28-15
Notable: Won the first Battle for the Belts title in 2005 ... Most round-wins (28), rounds (43) and final-round appearances (eight) in class history.
NO. 7 DWAYNE WATKINS (1,369)
Best result: Runner-up, Kennedale (2006) and Norwalk
2007 record: 7-5
Career record: 7-7
Notable: First appearance in Battle for the Belts competition.
NO. 8 BIL CLANTON (1,197)
Best result: Quarterfinals, Norwalk and Rockingham
2007 record: 2-7
Career record: 18-15
Notable: One of three drivers to qualify for all three Belts eliminators in Pro Extreme (with John Lynam and Joshua Hernandez).
Final points standings
1. Bubba Stanton 2,178
2. Joshua Hernandez 2,129
3. Jason Scruggs 1,954
4. Travis Swearingen 1,577
5. Joe Baker 1,571
6. John Lynam 1,416
7. Dwayne Watkins 1,369
8. Bil Clanton 1,197
9. Brian Daniels 945
10. Quain Stott 905
11. Frankie Taylor 895
12. Mike Bell 893
13. Michael Neal 888
14. Todd Tutterow 786
15. Mike Neal 778
16. Herman Sheppard 677
17. Kelly Martin 673
18. Bennie McDonald 646
19. Hugh Scott 635
20. Bobby Booth 498
21. Joey Martin 480
22. Brandon Pesz 460
23. Bryan Dyar 387
24. Tommy D'Aprile 363
25. Greg Holt 331
26. Chip King 316
27. Troy Critchley 299
28. Steve Engel 281
29. Mel Eaves 252
30. T.J. Harrill 251
AlphaTrade Battle for the Belts preview: Pro Extreme
ENNIS, Texas (Oct. 11, 2007) - Defending Pro Extreme world champion Bubba Stanton will start from the No. 1 qualifying position for Friday's AlphaTrade Battle for the Belts competition at Texas Motorplex after finishing on top of the 2007 Flowmaster American Drag Racing League points standings.
Stanton won two events and scored 2,178 points to edge Joshua Hernandez (2,129) for the top spot in the Belts standings. Jason Scruggs, holder of both ends of the ADRL Pro Extreme performance record, will open the three-round competition from the No. 3 qualifying spot.
Hernandez, No. 6 John Lynam, and No. 8 Bil Clanton each qualified for the their third straight Belts competition.
Following is a look at each of the qualified Pro Extreme drivers for the Battle for the Belts competition (2007 records include the 2006 ADRL World Finals). Any qualified driver who does not compete at this weekend's AlphaTrade ADRL World Finals will be replaced by the highest-ranked alternate at the event.
NO. 1 BUBBA STANTON (2,178 POINTS)
Best result: Winner, Radford and Norwalk
2007 record: 14-4
Career record: 17-9
Notable: Defending ADRL Pro Extreme world champion ... reached three straight finals during 2007 season (Huntsville through Norwalk).
NO. 2 JOSHUA HERNANDEZ (2,129)
Best result: Winner, Kennedale (2006) and Rockingham
2007 record: 13-4
Career record: 21-11
Notable: Bookended the points-scoring season with wins at the 2006 ADRL World Finals and the 2007 Dragstock IV event.
NO. 3 JASON SCRUGGS (1,954)
Best result: Winner, Huntsville
2007 record: 10-4
Career record: 20-11
Notable: Reset the class' performance standards all season, eventually improving the ADRL records to 3.703 at 205.22 mph.
NO. 4 TRAVIS SWEARINGEN (1,577)
Best result: Runner-up, Valdosta and Radford
2007 record: 7-5
Career record: 8-6
Notable: Finished on top of a tight points grouping from fourth to seventh places.
NO. 5 JOE BAKER (1,571)
Best result: Winner, Valdosta
2007 record: 8-4
Career record: 8-4
Notable: Won Valdosta event in second ADRL outing.
NO. 6 JOHN LYNAM (1,416)
Best result: Runner-up, Houston
2007 record: 7-5
Career record: 28-15
Notable: Won the first Battle for the Belts title in 2005 ... Most round-wins (28), rounds (43) and final-round appearances (eight) in class history.
NO. 7 DWAYNE WATKINS (1,369)
Best result: Runner-up, Kennedale (2006) and Norwalk
2007 record: 7-5
Career record: 7-7
Notable: First appearance in Battle for the Belts competition.
NO. 8 BIL CLANTON (1,197)
Best result: Quarterfinals, Norwalk and Rockingham
2007 record: 2-7
Career record: 18-15
Notable: One of three drivers to qualify for all three Belts eliminators in Pro Extreme (with John Lynam and Joshua Hernandez).
Final points standings
1. Bubba Stanton 2,178
2. Joshua Hernandez 2,129
3. Jason Scruggs 1,954
4. Travis Swearingen 1,577
5. Joe Baker 1,571
6. John Lynam 1,416
7. Dwayne Watkins 1,369
8. Bil Clanton 1,197
9. Brian Daniels 945
10. Quain Stott 905
11. Frankie Taylor 895
12. Mike Bell 893
13. Michael Neal 888
14. Todd Tutterow 786
15. Mike Neal 778
16. Herman Sheppard 677
17. Kelly Martin 673
18. Bennie McDonald 646
19. Hugh Scott 635
20. Bobby Booth 498
21. Joey Martin 480
22. Brandon Pesz 460
23. Bryan Dyar 387
24. Tommy D'Aprile 363
25. Greg Holt 331
26. Chip King 316
27. Troy Critchley 299
28. Steve Engel 281
29. Mel Eaves 252
30. T.J. Harrill 251
