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43rd annual Auto Club Finals
Nov. 1-4
Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Pomona, Calif.
“The tension is as high as it gets this weekend. The pressure keeps building. All the pressure is on us. Tony (Schumacher) and (Larry) Dixon have won multiple championships, Brandon (Bernstein) and I haven’t, but his crew chief (Tim Richards) has. I think the Kalitta cars and Lucas cars will help us win this championship. There are so many cars running good right now. They’re
running as good as any of the Countdown cars. I won’t be nervous or have sleepless nights. Last weekend at Vegas took a lot of pressure off. We’ll be focused and we’ll race like we did at Vegas. We have our swagger back.”
Fuller Pomona Notebook
Last weekend in Las Vegas, Fuller had a banner weekend as he won both the Technicoat Shootout bonus event ($100,000) on Saturday and the ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals on Sunday. He became just the fourth Top Fuel driver in NHRA history to double-up earning a $50,000 bonus and nearly $200,000 for the weekend.
Fuller regained the top spot in the NHRA standings with his victory at Las Vegas . It is the first time since the Reading , Pa. race in August that he has been atop the standings. He leads Larry Dixon by 52 points entering the final race on the 2007 NHRA schedule at Pomona . Under the previous NHRA points system, Fuller would have clinched the Top Fuel title at Las Vegas .
Last November, Fuller qualified in the No. 7 position with a pass of 4.509 seconds at 327.19 mph at the Auto Club Finals. He was defeated in the second round by Schumacher
This February, Fuller qualified his Valvoline dragster in the No. 2 position with a run of 4.481 at 327.27. He advanced to the semifinals before falling to Bernstein.
Fuller has three wins ( Phoenix , Denver and Las Vegas 2) in six final round appearances this season, both career bests. He also has earned four poles in 2007. The Las Vegas racer has six career wins and poles in just his second full season in Top Fuel.
Fuller has an average starting position of 3.82 this season and has qualified in the top half of the field at 21 of 22 races this year. The Las Vegas racer also has advanced to at least the semifinals at 14 of 21 races in 2007. Fuller has competed in 59 rounds of eliminations this year.
Fuller on Pomona …
Pomona:
“The ghetto bird”
Pomona Raceway:
“The start of drag racing”
Favorite Pomona-area restaurant:
“La Paloma”
Favorite Pomona Raceway racing memory:
“Winning the 50th Anniversary Nationals (Super Comp)”
Favorite activity while at Pomona :
“Going to West Hollywood to shop”
2007 NHRA Top Fuel Standings – Countdown To 1
1. ROD FULLER (3) 3,135 - - -
2. Larry Dixon (3) 3,083 - 52
3. Brandon Bernstein (5) 3,074 - 61
4. Tony Schumacher (5) 3,068 - 67
5. Bob Vandergriff, Jr. 2,264
6. Doug Herbert (1) 2,241
7. J.R. Todd (2) 2,196
8. Whit Bazemore 2,182
Rod Fuller’s Career Results at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Year Qualified Finish & Winning Driver
1996 No. DNQ
2005 No. 15 First round—David Grubnic
2005 No. 5 First round—David Grubnic
2006 No. 5 Second round—Morgan Lucas
2006 No. 7 Second round—Tony Schumacher
2007 No. 2 Semifinals—Brandon Bernstein
Fuller’s Pomona Schedule
Date & Time Event and Location
Tuesday, Oct. 30, 1:10 p.m. NHRA Press Conference—SEMA
Wed., Oct. 31, 11:30 a.m. NHRA Media Luncheon—Top Eliminator Club
Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Thurs., Nov. 1, 2:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 1, Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Fri., Nov. 2 , 2:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 2, Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Sat., Nov. 3, Noon/3:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 3/4, Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Sun., Nov. 4, 11 a.m. Final Eliminations, Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Fuller’s Career-Best Performances
E.T.—4.464 seconds Joliet , Ill. June 2007
MPH—331.61 MPH Chandler , Ariz. Feb. 2007
E.T.—4.481 seconds Pomona , Calif. Feb. 2007
MPH—329.75 MPH Pomona , Calif. Feb. 2007
Auto Club Finals TV Schedule (ESPN2)
Date & Time (ET) Coverage
Sat., Nov. 3, 7-8 p.m. Qualifying Highlights
Sat., Nov. 3, 11 p.m.-Midnight Qualifying Highlights
Sun., Nov. 4, 11-11:30 a.m. NHRA Race Day
Sun., Nov. 4, 7-10:30 p.m. Final Eliminations Coverage
The Fuller Times
43rd annual Auto Club Finals
Nov. 1-4
Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Pomona, Calif.
“The tension is as high as it gets this weekend. The pressure keeps building. All the pressure is on us. Tony (Schumacher) and (Larry) Dixon have won multiple championships, Brandon (Bernstein) and I haven’t, but his crew chief (Tim Richards) has. I think the Kalitta cars and Lucas cars will help us win this championship. There are so many cars running good right now. They’re
running as good as any of the Countdown cars. I won’t be nervous or have sleepless nights. Last weekend at Vegas took a lot of pressure off. We’ll be focused and we’ll race like we did at Vegas. We have our swagger back.”
Fuller Pomona Notebook
Last weekend in Las Vegas, Fuller had a banner weekend as he won both the Technicoat Shootout bonus event ($100,000) on Saturday and the ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals on Sunday. He became just the fourth Top Fuel driver in NHRA history to double-up earning a $50,000 bonus and nearly $200,000 for the weekend.
Fuller regained the top spot in the NHRA standings with his victory at Las Vegas . It is the first time since the Reading , Pa. race in August that he has been atop the standings. He leads Larry Dixon by 52 points entering the final race on the 2007 NHRA schedule at Pomona . Under the previous NHRA points system, Fuller would have clinched the Top Fuel title at Las Vegas .
Last November, Fuller qualified in the No. 7 position with a pass of 4.509 seconds at 327.19 mph at the Auto Club Finals. He was defeated in the second round by Schumacher
This February, Fuller qualified his Valvoline dragster in the No. 2 position with a run of 4.481 at 327.27. He advanced to the semifinals before falling to Bernstein.
Fuller has three wins ( Phoenix , Denver and Las Vegas 2) in six final round appearances this season, both career bests. He also has earned four poles in 2007. The Las Vegas racer has six career wins and poles in just his second full season in Top Fuel.
Fuller has an average starting position of 3.82 this season and has qualified in the top half of the field at 21 of 22 races this year. The Las Vegas racer also has advanced to at least the semifinals at 14 of 21 races in 2007. Fuller has competed in 59 rounds of eliminations this year.
Fuller on Pomona …
Pomona:
“The ghetto bird”
Pomona Raceway:
“The start of drag racing”
Favorite Pomona-area restaurant:
“La Paloma”
Favorite Pomona Raceway racing memory:
“Winning the 50th Anniversary Nationals (Super Comp)”
Favorite activity while at Pomona :
“Going to West Hollywood to shop”
2007 NHRA Top Fuel Standings – Countdown To 1
1. ROD FULLER (3) 3,135 - - -
2. Larry Dixon (3) 3,083 - 52
3. Brandon Bernstein (5) 3,074 - 61
4. Tony Schumacher (5) 3,068 - 67
5. Bob Vandergriff, Jr. 2,264
6. Doug Herbert (1) 2,241
7. J.R. Todd (2) 2,196
8. Whit Bazemore 2,182
Rod Fuller’s Career Results at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Year Qualified Finish & Winning Driver
1996 No. DNQ
2005 No. 15 First round—David Grubnic
2005 No. 5 First round—David Grubnic
2006 No. 5 Second round—Morgan Lucas
2006 No. 7 Second round—Tony Schumacher
2007 No. 2 Semifinals—Brandon Bernstein
Fuller’s Pomona Schedule
Date & Time Event and Location
Tuesday, Oct. 30, 1:10 p.m. NHRA Press Conference—SEMA
Wed., Oct. 31, 11:30 a.m. NHRA Media Luncheon—Top Eliminator Club
Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Thurs., Nov. 1, 2:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 1, Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Fri., Nov. 2 , 2:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 2, Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Sat., Nov. 3, Noon/3:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 3/4, Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Sun., Nov. 4, 11 a.m. Final Eliminations, Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Fuller’s Career-Best Performances
E.T.—4.464 seconds Joliet , Ill. June 2007
MPH—331.61 MPH Chandler , Ariz. Feb. 2007
E.T.—4.481 seconds Pomona , Calif. Feb. 2007
MPH—329.75 MPH Pomona , Calif. Feb. 2007
Auto Club Finals TV Schedule (ESPN2)
Date & Time (ET) Coverage
Sat., Nov. 3, 7-8 p.m. Qualifying Highlights
Sat., Nov. 3, 11 p.m.-Midnight Qualifying Highlights
Sun., Nov. 4, 11-11:30 a.m. NHRA Race Day
Sun., Nov. 4, 7-10:30 p.m. Final Eliminations Coverage
