Third Annual Pontiac Pro Stock Showdown Returns To The Strip at LVMS
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 15, 2008 - The clock is rapidly ticking down toward the start of the 2008 NHRA POWERade season, and in just a few short weeks some of the finest drivers in Pro Stock will converge on The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the third annual Pontiac Pro Stock Showdown on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 1 - 2. The Pontiac Pro Stock Showdown will provide teams with the opportunity for some intense side-by-side competition, their first since last November's NHRA Finals, and some all-important last-chance testing before they make their way west to Pomona and the beginning of this year's 24-race campaign.
"The third edition of the Pontiac Pro Stock Showdown at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be the most exciting yet," said Chris Blair, LVMS' Vice President of Racing Operations. "The best teams in the sport will take advantage of our perfect racing surface and incredible weather conditions to produce record-shattering performances."
"Pontiac is proud to once again be the title-rights sponsor for the Pro Stock Showdown," said Fred Simmonds, GM's drag racing marketing manager. "The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a great venue and the fans will get a terrific opportunity to see their favorite drivers in a very accessible setting. Last year, every Pro Stock car that qualified for the season-opening Winternationals was at the Pontiac Pro Stock Showdown, and this event will give teams a chance to make some final adjustments before making the short trek to Pomona."
A prominent list of Pro Stock drivers will be on hand when the gates to "The Strip" open for competition. Those expected to attend include six-time NHRA champion Warren Johnson, three-time NHRA title holder Jeg Coughlin Jr., three-time NHRA champion Greg Anderson, 2006 POWERade champion Jason Line, two-time NHRA champion Jim Yates, Young Life's Mike Edwards, perennial Pro Stock favorite Kurt Johnson, Greg Stanfield, Team Chevy's Ron Krisher, Tom Hammonds, Kenny Koretsky, 2006 event-winner Larry Morgan and many more.
"I am always excited to start a new season and fortunately we have the Pontiac Pro Stock Showdown in Las Vegas to do," said defending POWERade champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. "The Showdown will be our first real feel for where we stand given that the top Pro Stock teams in the country will all be there. We look to be very strong at the Pontiac Showdown and hope to carry that momentum into a fresh NHRA POWERade Drag Racing season."
"First of all, there's a convenience factor," said six-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Warren Johnson. "We're already going to be on the West Coast so if we're going to do any testing, we'd rather do testing at one of the better facilities, which obviously the Bruton Smith-owned tracks are some of the premier tracks we have as far as the NHRA circuit is concerned. Then there's the proximity to Pomona and we know what the surface is going to be like. Pretty much across the board you can figure on running about a tenth of a second slower there than what we're going to run at Pomona, given relatively equal weather conditions, and simply from the fact that the track is at 2200 feet is significantly lower in elevation. Chris Blair and his group do an excellent job in preparing the track and maintaining it throughout the day, so it's an excellent facility to test on because of the consistency of the track surface. We'll get there Thursday night and we'll test Friday, Saturday and Sunday."
"Las Vegas will be my first time driving since last year so it's really a matter of getting re-acclimated to the car to see if I can remember how to do it," said 2006 POWERade champion Jason Line. "It's really a good race for us, though, because we can learn a lot there, especially testing a week prior to Pomona. We're really not going anywhere else to test so it will be especially beneficial to us. Plus, I like going to Las Vegas, and Ken and Judy (Black) will be there, so it's always something we look forward to."
"The Pontiac Pro Stock Showdown is certainly something we're looking forward to," said two-time NHRA champion Jim Yates. "We're really pumped up about 2008. With Wiley X coming on board as a full-time sponsor on our new GXP, and with an engine-lease program with Steve Schmidt, we'll be rolling into Las Vegas with a whole new program. There's a lot of energy behind it. Wiley X is extremely excited about being involved with the NHRA this year, and with this new GXP, there should be a whole lot of excitement out there at The Strip."
The gates at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Motor Speedway open at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 31, and testing for Pro Stock only begins at 9a.m. Three rounds of Pro Stock qualifying are scheduled for Friday, Feb. 1with additional testing allowed for both the Pro Stock and Sportsman categories. On Saturday, Feb. 2, the gates will open at 8 a.m. and the first1000 spectators will receive a complimentary Pontiac Motorsports cap. There will be a final round of Pro Stock qualifying at 10 a.m. and the 16-car eliminator will begin at 1 p.m. Sportsman and all Pro categories will be testing throughout the day. On Sunday, Feb. 3, open testing for all categories will begin at 8 a.m.
"The upcoming Pontiac Pro Stock Showdown will give us an opportunity to debut our GXP," said three-time POWERade champion Greg Anderson. "The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is the perfect place for us to test the performance of our sleek new Pontiac, and if it runs half as good as it looks, the 2008 NHRA POWERade season should bode well for all Pontiac drivers."
"We are excited about the Pontiac Pro Stock Showdown," said Tom Hammonds. "It is the only preseason race that puts our team in a racing frame of mind. The Showdown is also our chance to fine-tune our setups before the start of the season the following weekend. As a team, there is nothing like competing in actual race conditions to get those competitive juices following our two-month break. It's an exciting time for us."
On Friday, Feb. 1, a drivers' autograph session will take place at the Suncoast Hotel and Casino beginning at 7 p.m. The Suncoast Hotel and Casino is located at 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89145.
