K&N Horsepower Challenge - Facts and Figures (1 Viewer)

[Dave]

I am excited for Saturday and my favorite race within a race, the K&N Horsepower Challenge!

The lineup is set, here are the 8 racers:
1. Greg Anderson
2. Erica Enders-Stevens
3. Jason Line
4. Chris McGaha
5. Drew Skillman
6. Shane Gray
7. Allen Johnson
8. Jeg Coughlin

Greg vs Jeg in round 1 could be quite the upset if Jeg gets the holeshot. Erica and good friend Allen Johnson will assure a Mopar will be in the semis. Jason Line is probably hoping Shane Gray doesn't find that extra horsepower he's been searching for. Finally Chris McGaha and Drew Skillman could be the closest matched run of round 1 at both ends of the racetrack.

K&N Horsepower Challenge:
This is the 32nd annual Challenge.
It is the longest running race within a race that the NHRA hosts.
Indianapolis Raceway Park, Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, Route 66 Raceway, Heartland Park Topeka, Summit Motorsports Park, and Las Vegas Motor Speedway have all hosted the Challenge.
The race has been hampered by rain a few times. The 2000 event was moved to Joliet when Englishtown became a wash. The final of the 2004 event was postponed to Topeka after a Joliet washout.
There have been several event titles and sponsors over the years. It has been the Mr. Gasket Pro Stock Challenge from 1985 to 1988, the Mr. Gasket/Hurst Pro Stock Challenge in 1989 and 1990. The Budweiser Pro Stock Challenge from 1991 to 1994. The DuPont Automotive Finishes Pro Stock Challenge from 1995 to 1997. The Holley Dominator Duel from 1999-2001. The King Demon Crown from 2003 to 2007. The K&N Horsepower Challenge from 2008 to present. 2 years, 1998 and 2002, there was no presenting sponsor and it was simply called the Pro Stock Challenge.
The event started out with 15,000 going to the winner for the first three years, 25,000 in 1988, and finally 50,000 from 1989 to present.
Larry Morgan won the Challenge before he won a national event.
5 out of the last 6 years, the Challenge winner has doubled up.
8 drivers have doubled up winning the Challenge and the companion national event: Bob Glidden (1987, 1988), Larry Morgan (1989), Darrell Alderman (1991), Warren Johnson (1993), Greg Anderson (2004, 2010), Vincent Nobile (2012), Allen Johnson (2013), and Erica Enders (2014, 2015)
The Challenge has typically been won in pairs: Bruce Allen (1985-86), Bob Glidden (1987-88), Larry Morgan (1989-90), Jeg Coughlin (1999-2000), Greg Anderson (2010-11), Erica Enders (2014-15).
Even further than that, the first 6 years had 3 repeat winners and runner ups: Bruce Allen vs Butch Leal (85-86); Bob Glidden vs Bruce Allen (87-88); Larry Morgan vs Warren Johnson (89-90),
Nobody has ever pulled off three wins in a row.
Bruce Allen and Greg Anderson hold the record for most consecutive finals at 4.
Allen Johnson won the 2008 Challenge with a perfect reaction time.
The Challenge has been won on a holeshot only 3 times, it has also been lost on a red light 3 times.
Jerry Eckman made 9 Challenge starts and had only 1 round win.
Bob Glidden won his final Pro Stock event in the 1996 Challenge.
The then quickest runs in Pro Stock history have been made 3 times during the Challenge, all by Greg Anderson: 6.702, 6.684 in 2003 and 6.620 in 2006.
Warren Johnson had a record 9 #1 starts from 1992 to 2000.
The most points ever earned by a #1 qualifier was Mike Edwards with 4,270 in 2010.
11 times the winner of the Challenge has gone on to win the Championship.
Warren and Kurt Johnson and Reid and Mark Whisnant are the only 2 fathers and sons to compete in the Challenge.
Jeg and Troy Coughlin and Jonathan and Shane Gray are the only 2 sets of brothers to compete in the Challenge.
Jeg and Troy are the only brothers to race for a win when they met in the finals of the 2000 Challenge.
Larry Morgan, Bob Glidden, Erica Enders, and Jonathan Gray have all gotten into the Challenge as alternates. They replaced Darrell Alderman, Scott Geoffrion, Mike Edwards, and Jeg Coughlin respectively.

The numbers:
Most wins: 4 - Greg Anderson and Kurt Johnson
Most finals: 7 - Greg Anderson
Most #1 starts: 13 - Warren Johnson
Most starts: 24 - Warren Johnson
Event ET record: 6.583 - Greg Anderson - 2011
Event MPH record: 209.52 - Greg Anderson - 2011
Closest final round margin of victory: .0001 - Greg Anderson over Dave Connolly - 2004

 

[stitcherbob]

I think it should have been put off until later, when more P/S teams are up to speed on the new EFI package

of course all the KB team fans will say "run whatcha brung or go home"!

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

Great post Mr. Wesolowski !! A stat guys dream. You covered it all from A to Z. Like Ed McMann used to say...."EVERYTHING you EVER wanted to know about the history of the Challenge, is there" !!!
Thank you.

 

[Dave]

Thanks! I forgot a few others...
This is the 5th time Jeg has won the fan vote, by far a record. Other fan vote winners were Warren Johnson (2010), Erica Enders (2011), and V. Gaines (2015).
No #8 driver has ever won the Challenge. The highest anyone has ever done it has been 7th, twice. Bob Glidden in 1996 and Jeg Coughlin in 1999.

 

[mick]

great post dave.....didn't realize this was longest running race within race.
had the pleasure of seeing this race only once; larry's double in '89

I think it should have been put off until later, when more P/S teams are up to speed on the new EFI package....of course all the KB team fans will say "run whatcha brung or go home"!

it's the same for all the teams; if KB wasn't dominating rite now, someone else would be.....you can't expect wholesale changes to
the class, then all the teams show up in pomona and run the same. just as before the rules, it will take time for secrets to get out,
crew members to change teams and gradually parity will return.

 

[PJ]

How is this the longest running race within a race? FC Big Bud started in '82 and the Mr Gasket PS race didn't start until '85. Both at Indy

(I was a kid but somehow was at the first of both of these races)

 

[camaro]

what I wonder about is the double up bonus. whoever pays that bonus, has paid it, the last 5 or 6 straight years and I wonder if they considered, if some of the cars may be going in the tank for the K&N winner on race day. maybe that's not the case, but 5 or so straight years of doubling up is highly unlikely. With the chump change purse in pro stock, who knows !!!!!

 

[Dave]

The nitro shootouts took 3 years off from 2009 to 2011. I should have mentioned longest consecutive running. My apologies.

 

[DrRocket]

I thought the first Big Bud Shootout was in Brainerd, "82? First year for both. I was there.

 

[Dave]

No, it was always in Indianapolis. The Skoal Showdown and Traxxas Shootouts have been too aside from 2012 when it was moved to Dallas, TX.

 

[SoCal Racer]

Cool list!

I've been at about 10 or so and it really is an exciting race.
From my Drag Swag collection... who knew what it grow into!

 

[PJ]

Cool list!

I've been at about 10 or so and it really is an exciting race.
From my Drag Swag collection... who knew what it grow into!

View attachment 3560

I used to have that too. No idea if I still do but doubt it. I think they had a button for the first Bud too.