<img src="http://gallery.nitromater.com/files/6/5/Indy.gif" alt="Indy" align="right"borders="0"/>
COMING ATTRACTIONS
The event drag racing fans across the country wait all year for officially kicks off Wednesday with a press conference in the heart of downtown Indianapolis – but that’s just the start of the 52nd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.
Find out why the NHRA POWERade Series loves the power, pride and prestige of “THE BIG GO:”
· EVENT PRESS CONFERENCE - MAC TOOLS U.S. NATIONALS, INDIANAPOLIS, AUG. 30: Expect a major announcement from NHRA officials at this press conference and luncheon at downtown Indianapolis’ Monument Circle. This event will include a procession by the Harley-Davidson team, NHRA race car show, and Fan Fest. Drivers on-hand will include Doug Kalitta; Tommy Johnson Jr.; J.R. Todd; Tony Pedregon; Hillary Will; Andrew Hines and Larry Dixon. Lunch will follow at Circle Theatre, (45 Monument Circle, Wood Room).
· MAC TOOLS U.S. NATIONALS, INDIANAPOLIS, AUG. 30-SEPT. 4: The world’s most prestigious, richest and longest running drag race is a Labor Day weekend tradition at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis. Every driver wants to win the super bowl of drag racing and join eight-time winner “Big Daddy” Don Garlits in the NHRA record book. Professional qualifying rounds are scheduled for: 6:15 p.m. Friday; 1 and 6:15 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday.
· RINGERS GLOVES PRO BIKE BATTLE, SEPT. 2: Eliminations for this bonus event for the top riders in Pro Stock Motorcycle are scheduled for 2:15, 6 and 7:25 p.m. on Saturday. First-round match-ups feature Chip Ellis vs. Craig Treble; Andrew Hines vs. Tom Bradford; Matt Smith vs. Ryan Schnitz; and Antron Brown vs. Angelle Sampey. Winner’s payout is $25,000.
· SKOAL SHOWDOWN, SEPT. 3: Funny Car’s finest battle for $100,000 in elimination rounds scheduled for 12:30, 2:15 and 4 p.m. on Sunday. First-round pairings include: Robert Hight vs. Whit Bazemore; John Force vs. Tony Pedregon; Eric Medlen vs. Ron Capps; and Gary Scelzi vs. Tommy Johnson Jr.
· RACER Magazine FEATURES POWERade’s HOTTEST DRIVERS. America’s leading motorsports monthly will once again put the stars of the POWERade Series in the spotlight with its second annual RACER Nitro special that features four special covers and insider takes on the world’s fastest motorsport. The magazine hits bookstores Sept. 5 – but fans at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals will get a sneak-peek with magazines available at the track. Fans will receive one free copy with every purchase at the Nitro Mall.
For a complete listing of media opportunities at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, check out the NHRA MEDIA CENTER online at http://media.nhra.com
COMING ATTRACTIONS – ON DECK
· TOYO TIRES NHRA NATIONALS, READING, PA., SEPT. 14-17: Top Fuel driver Tony Schumacher looks to continue his streak of consecutive wins in the last three years, in the beautiful Amish countryside of Pennsylvania.
· O’REILLY NHRA FALL NATIONALS presented by Castrol Syntec, ENNIS, TEXAS, SEPT. 21-24: Top Fuel drivers and crew will fight to earn valuable bonus points as the race to qualify for the 22nd annual Budweiser Shootout, a lucrative all-star race-within-a-race held during the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, heats up.
· TORCO RACE FUELS NHRA NATIONALS, RICHMOND, VA., OCT. 6-8: The POWERade Series makes an extra stop to the East Coast when NHRA professional competition returns to Virginia Motorsports Park for this inaugural event – the last chance to earn points for Top Fuel’s Budweiser Shootout.
NEWS NUGGETS
· NHRA LIMITS NO. OF ENTRIES PER PRO CATEGORY, PER TEAM: The doors to the 52nd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals haven’t opened yet, but the announcements are already coming out of the largest motorsports sanctioning body in the world. NHRA officials announced Thursday that a limit will be placed on the number of entries one owner group can field in each of the four professional categories that make up the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Effective immediately, owner groups will be allowed only four teams per category in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle. The new rule is designed to preserve the competition in the current 16-car field format and reduce barriers for entry into the sport.
· NEWS FROM NORWALK, OHIO: NHRA Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Graham Light will join Bill Bader Jr., President of Norwalk Raceway Park at a press conference at 11 a.m. ET on Tuesday at Norwalk Raceway Park. One of the country’s largest drag racing facilities, NRP will unveil plans for a multi-million dollar expansion including new luxury suites and improvements to the facility, long-term plans for the track and a new, state-of-the-art media center. Bader will also make an announcement regarding NHRA. For more information, contact NHRA Director of Media Relations Anthony Vestal, (626) 695-6649.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
· 1955: The first year of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. Originally known as “The Nationals” and first held at an abandoned airstrip in Great Bend, Kan., the event made stops at Kansas City, Mo., Oklahoma City and Detroit before eventually moving to O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis in 1961.
WHO’S HOT!
· SARGE POSTS INDY’S FIRST 330 MPH: Reigning Top Fuel world champion Tony Schumacher’s mid-season charge revived his fans’ hopes for a fourth world championship title, and if testing proves indicative it looks like Schumacher has a good chance at his fifth title at Indy. Schumacher posted the track’s first (unofficial) 330 mph run with a 330.07 in his U.S. Army dragster during testing. Full testing results – including numbers for Ashley Force – can be found at the NHRA MEDIA CENTER online at http://media.nhra.com
DRIVERS TELL ALL
· WORSHAM’S INCREDIBLE RIDE: Last year, all eyes were on Larry Dixon when the former champion ended then two-time and defending world champion Tony Schumacher’s choke-hold on the most prestigious Top Fuel event title in the world. But as fans waited to see if Schumacher could hold on for his fourth consecutive Mac Tools title, an even hotter story was brewing in Funny Car – where Del Worsham drove his Checker Schuck’s Kragen Chevy Monte Carlo to the winner’s circle for the race and the lucrative Skoal Showdown bonus event. “Until I win the POWERade championship, I’m pretty sure no single victory is ever going to mean as much to me as the 2005 Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. All the wins, all the highlights, all the great days you can have in your career are great, and I treasure every one of them, but when you’ve added your name to the list of greats who have won Indy, well, you’ve taken it to another level.”
NHRA Newsmakers - INDY EDITION
Your inside glimpse at the world’s fastest motorsport
COMING ATTRACTIONS
The event drag racing fans across the country wait all year for officially kicks off Wednesday with a press conference in the heart of downtown Indianapolis – but that’s just the start of the 52nd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.
Find out why the NHRA POWERade Series loves the power, pride and prestige of “THE BIG GO:”
· EVENT PRESS CONFERENCE - MAC TOOLS U.S. NATIONALS, INDIANAPOLIS, AUG. 30: Expect a major announcement from NHRA officials at this press conference and luncheon at downtown Indianapolis’ Monument Circle. This event will include a procession by the Harley-Davidson team, NHRA race car show, and Fan Fest. Drivers on-hand will include Doug Kalitta; Tommy Johnson Jr.; J.R. Todd; Tony Pedregon; Hillary Will; Andrew Hines and Larry Dixon. Lunch will follow at Circle Theatre, (45 Monument Circle, Wood Room).
· MAC TOOLS U.S. NATIONALS, INDIANAPOLIS, AUG. 30-SEPT. 4: The world’s most prestigious, richest and longest running drag race is a Labor Day weekend tradition at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis. Every driver wants to win the super bowl of drag racing and join eight-time winner “Big Daddy” Don Garlits in the NHRA record book. Professional qualifying rounds are scheduled for: 6:15 p.m. Friday; 1 and 6:15 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday.
· RINGERS GLOVES PRO BIKE BATTLE, SEPT. 2: Eliminations for this bonus event for the top riders in Pro Stock Motorcycle are scheduled for 2:15, 6 and 7:25 p.m. on Saturday. First-round match-ups feature Chip Ellis vs. Craig Treble; Andrew Hines vs. Tom Bradford; Matt Smith vs. Ryan Schnitz; and Antron Brown vs. Angelle Sampey. Winner’s payout is $25,000.
· SKOAL SHOWDOWN, SEPT. 3: Funny Car’s finest battle for $100,000 in elimination rounds scheduled for 12:30, 2:15 and 4 p.m. on Sunday. First-round pairings include: Robert Hight vs. Whit Bazemore; John Force vs. Tony Pedregon; Eric Medlen vs. Ron Capps; and Gary Scelzi vs. Tommy Johnson Jr.
· RACER Magazine FEATURES POWERade’s HOTTEST DRIVERS. America’s leading motorsports monthly will once again put the stars of the POWERade Series in the spotlight with its second annual RACER Nitro special that features four special covers and insider takes on the world’s fastest motorsport. The magazine hits bookstores Sept. 5 – but fans at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals will get a sneak-peek with magazines available at the track. Fans will receive one free copy with every purchase at the Nitro Mall.
For a complete listing of media opportunities at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, check out the NHRA MEDIA CENTER online at http://media.nhra.com
COMING ATTRACTIONS – ON DECK
· TOYO TIRES NHRA NATIONALS, READING, PA., SEPT. 14-17: Top Fuel driver Tony Schumacher looks to continue his streak of consecutive wins in the last three years, in the beautiful Amish countryside of Pennsylvania.
· O’REILLY NHRA FALL NATIONALS presented by Castrol Syntec, ENNIS, TEXAS, SEPT. 21-24: Top Fuel drivers and crew will fight to earn valuable bonus points as the race to qualify for the 22nd annual Budweiser Shootout, a lucrative all-star race-within-a-race held during the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, heats up.
· TORCO RACE FUELS NHRA NATIONALS, RICHMOND, VA., OCT. 6-8: The POWERade Series makes an extra stop to the East Coast when NHRA professional competition returns to Virginia Motorsports Park for this inaugural event – the last chance to earn points for Top Fuel’s Budweiser Shootout.
NEWS NUGGETS
· NHRA LIMITS NO. OF ENTRIES PER PRO CATEGORY, PER TEAM: The doors to the 52nd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals haven’t opened yet, but the announcements are already coming out of the largest motorsports sanctioning body in the world. NHRA officials announced Thursday that a limit will be placed on the number of entries one owner group can field in each of the four professional categories that make up the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Effective immediately, owner groups will be allowed only four teams per category in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle. The new rule is designed to preserve the competition in the current 16-car field format and reduce barriers for entry into the sport.
· NEWS FROM NORWALK, OHIO: NHRA Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Graham Light will join Bill Bader Jr., President of Norwalk Raceway Park at a press conference at 11 a.m. ET on Tuesday at Norwalk Raceway Park. One of the country’s largest drag racing facilities, NRP will unveil plans for a multi-million dollar expansion including new luxury suites and improvements to the facility, long-term plans for the track and a new, state-of-the-art media center. Bader will also make an announcement regarding NHRA. For more information, contact NHRA Director of Media Relations Anthony Vestal, (626) 695-6649.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
· 1955: The first year of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. Originally known as “The Nationals” and first held at an abandoned airstrip in Great Bend, Kan., the event made stops at Kansas City, Mo., Oklahoma City and Detroit before eventually moving to O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis in 1961.
WHO’S HOT!
· SARGE POSTS INDY’S FIRST 330 MPH: Reigning Top Fuel world champion Tony Schumacher’s mid-season charge revived his fans’ hopes for a fourth world championship title, and if testing proves indicative it looks like Schumacher has a good chance at his fifth title at Indy. Schumacher posted the track’s first (unofficial) 330 mph run with a 330.07 in his U.S. Army dragster during testing. Full testing results – including numbers for Ashley Force – can be found at the NHRA MEDIA CENTER online at http://media.nhra.com
DRIVERS TELL ALL
· WORSHAM’S INCREDIBLE RIDE: Last year, all eyes were on Larry Dixon when the former champion ended then two-time and defending world champion Tony Schumacher’s choke-hold on the most prestigious Top Fuel event title in the world. But as fans waited to see if Schumacher could hold on for his fourth consecutive Mac Tools title, an even hotter story was brewing in Funny Car – where Del Worsham drove his Checker Schuck’s Kragen Chevy Monte Carlo to the winner’s circle for the race and the lucrative Skoal Showdown bonus event. “Until I win the POWERade championship, I’m pretty sure no single victory is ever going to mean as much to me as the 2005 Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. All the wins, all the highlights, all the great days you can have in your career are great, and I treasure every one of them, but when you’ve added your name to the list of greats who have won Indy, well, you’ve taken it to another level.”
