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48th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts Winternationals
Feb. 7-10, 2008
Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Pomona, Calif.
Rod Fuller on Pomona 1
“It’s a track I’ve done well at in the sportsmen ranks, but a nemesis in Top Fuel. I have a bad taste in my mouth from the Finals last fall, so I want to go in and win this race. I feel very confident going in. We had the quickest time in testing. We have a fast car and that’s exciting.”
Rob Flynn (crew chief) on Pomona 1
“Based on testing with both cars, we’re pretty confident heading into Pomona. It is a different race track, so you have to start over again. The last time, at the Finals, we had some misfires, but overall we’ve done well there in the past. We’re confident going into the season.”
Fuller Pomona 1 Notebook
Fuller qualified second at the Winternationals last February with a run of 4.481 seconds at 327.27 mph. It then was the quickest pass of his career. He advanced to the semifinals before falling to Brandon Bernstein. It is the farthest he has advanced in seven tries at the historic Southern California drag strip.
Fuller drove his Rob Flynn-tuned rail to a career-best second place finish last season. He collected three wins in six final rounds, four poles, four low E.T. of the race, one top speed of the race, and won the $100,000 Technicoat Shootout at the fall Las Vegas race. He also won a category-best 40 rounds of eliminations, three more than Bernstein.
Fuller clocked the quickest pass of 2008 preseason testing on Jan. 29 with a run of 4.468 seconds at 331.36 mph at Firebird International Raceway near Phoenix.
Fuller has qualified for 62 consecutive NHRA Top Fuel events. He hasn’t missed the cut since driving Top Fuel part time in 1996 (Houston). It is the second longest streak in Top Fuel (Tony Schumacher).
Fuller had an average qualifying position of 4.13 last season. He only qualified in the bottom half of the 16-car order twice (Seattle and Pomona 2).
Fuller has scored two NHRA sportsmen victories at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. He won Pomona 3 (Super Comp) in 2001 and claimed the Super Gas title at the Auto Club Finals (Pomona 2) in 2003. He has 19 career NHRA national event victories (six Top Fuel and 13 sportsmen).
2007 Final NHRA Top Fuel Standings
1. Tony Schumacher 3,186 - - - -
2. ROD FULLER 3,167 -19
3. Brandon Bernstein 3,149 -37
4. Larry Dixon 3,135 -51
5. Bob Vandergriff, Jr. 2,358
6. Doug Herbert 2,292
7. J.R. Todd 2,273
8. Whit Bazemore 2,182
9. Melanie Troxel 1,173
10. Doug Kalitta 1,045
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
2007 No. 11 First round—Bob Vandergriff, Jr.
Fuller’s Winternationals Schedule
Date & Time Event and Location
Thur., Feb. 7, 2:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 1, Auto Club Raceway
Fri., Feb. 8, 9 a.m. Y.E.S. Program, Auto Club Raceway
Fri., Feb. 8, 2:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 2, Auto Club Raceway
Sat., Feb. 9, 12:30/3:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 3/4, Auto Club Raceway
Sun., Feb. 10, 11 a.m. Final Eliminations, Auto Club Raceway
Fuller’s Career-Best Performances
E.T.—4.464 seconds Joliet, Ill. June 2007
MPH—331.61 mph Chandler, Ariz. Feb. 2007
Fuller’s Career-Best at Pomona
E.T.—4.481 seconds Pomona, Calif. Feb. 2007
MPH—329.75 mph Pomona, Calif. Feb. 2007
CARQUEST Auto Parts WinternationalsTV Schedule (ESPN2)
Date & Time (ET) Coverage
Sat., Feb. 9, 8-10 p.m. Qualifying Highlights
Sun., Feb. 10, 7:30-11 p.m. Final Eliminations Coverage
The Fuller Times
48th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts Winternationals
Feb. 7-10, 2008
Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Pomona, Calif.
Rod Fuller on Pomona 1
“It’s a track I’ve done well at in the sportsmen ranks, but a nemesis in Top Fuel. I have a bad taste in my mouth from the Finals last fall, so I want to go in and win this race. I feel very confident going in. We had the quickest time in testing. We have a fast car and that’s exciting.”
Rob Flynn (crew chief) on Pomona 1
“Based on testing with both cars, we’re pretty confident heading into Pomona. It is a different race track, so you have to start over again. The last time, at the Finals, we had some misfires, but overall we’ve done well there in the past. We’re confident going into the season.”
Fuller Pomona 1 Notebook
Fuller qualified second at the Winternationals last February with a run of 4.481 seconds at 327.27 mph. It then was the quickest pass of his career. He advanced to the semifinals before falling to Brandon Bernstein. It is the farthest he has advanced in seven tries at the historic Southern California drag strip.
Fuller drove his Rob Flynn-tuned rail to a career-best second place finish last season. He collected three wins in six final rounds, four poles, four low E.T. of the race, one top speed of the race, and won the $100,000 Technicoat Shootout at the fall Las Vegas race. He also won a category-best 40 rounds of eliminations, three more than Bernstein.
Fuller clocked the quickest pass of 2008 preseason testing on Jan. 29 with a run of 4.468 seconds at 331.36 mph at Firebird International Raceway near Phoenix.
Fuller has qualified for 62 consecutive NHRA Top Fuel events. He hasn’t missed the cut since driving Top Fuel part time in 1996 (Houston). It is the second longest streak in Top Fuel (Tony Schumacher).
Fuller had an average qualifying position of 4.13 last season. He only qualified in the bottom half of the 16-car order twice (Seattle and Pomona 2).
Fuller has scored two NHRA sportsmen victories at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. He won Pomona 3 (Super Comp) in 2001 and claimed the Super Gas title at the Auto Club Finals (Pomona 2) in 2003. He has 19 career NHRA national event victories (six Top Fuel and 13 sportsmen).
2007 Final NHRA Top Fuel Standings
1. Tony Schumacher 3,186 - - - -
2. ROD FULLER 3,167 -19
3. Brandon Bernstein 3,149 -37
4. Larry Dixon 3,135 -51
5. Bob Vandergriff, Jr. 2,358
6. Doug Herbert 2,292
7. J.R. Todd 2,273
8. Whit Bazemore 2,182
9. Melanie Troxel 1,173
10. Doug Kalitta 1,045
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
2007 No. 11 First round—Bob Vandergriff, Jr.
Fuller’s Winternationals Schedule
Date & Time Event and Location
Thur., Feb. 7, 2:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 1, Auto Club Raceway
Fri., Feb. 8, 9 a.m. Y.E.S. Program, Auto Club Raceway
Fri., Feb. 8, 2:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 2, Auto Club Raceway
Sat., Feb. 9, 12:30/3:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 3/4, Auto Club Raceway
Sun., Feb. 10, 11 a.m. Final Eliminations, Auto Club Raceway
Fuller’s Career-Best Performances
E.T.—4.464 seconds Joliet, Ill. June 2007
MPH—331.61 mph Chandler, Ariz. Feb. 2007
Fuller’s Career-Best at Pomona
E.T.—4.481 seconds Pomona, Calif. Feb. 2007
MPH—329.75 mph Pomona, Calif. Feb. 2007
CARQUEST Auto Parts WinternationalsTV Schedule (ESPN2)
Date & Time (ET) Coverage
Sat., Feb. 9, 8-10 p.m. Qualifying Highlights
Sun., Feb. 10, 7:30-11 p.m. Final Eliminations Coverage
