Compiled by SEMA Editors
NEWS NUGGETS
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MINNESOTA NATIVES LOOK FOR SUCCESS AT LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS; LUCAS AND CAPPS ATTEMPT TO DEFEND THEIR CHAMPIONSHIPS: Greg Anderson and Jason Line, natives of Duluth, Minnesota, will be racing in front of numerous family and friends during the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, August 15–18. Anderson has three wins at the track and is looking for continued improvement for he and Line.
"We can focus on the positives becuase we were basically within a couple hundreths of the fast guys," Anderson said. "That's been the closest we've been for quite a while and, obvisiously we still need to continue working on it but we ran close enough that we had a chance to win."
Morgan Lucas (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Erica Enders-Stevens (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all took wins at the event in 2012. Lucas comes to the event as the most recent winner in Top Fuel and BIR is on if his favorite facilities.
"Brainerd is a special track to our whole family because it's been the Lucas Oil Nationals for almost 10 years," Lucas said. "It's pretty cool when you think about it since it's my dad's favorite event. I'd say it's easily mine, too, and my wife Katie enjoys going up there."
Capps will attempt to win his fourth race at the track and rebound from not making the Funny Car field in Seattle. Tickets can be purchased by calling 218-824-7220 or log on to www.brainerdraceway.com.
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LUCAS, BERNSTEIN TO TAKE PART IN AUTOGRAPH SESSION AT MALL OF AMERICA: Top Fuel teammates Moragn Lucas and Brandon Berstein will take part in an autograph session at the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Thursday August 15, from 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. The autograph session will take place prior to the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and will provide local NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series fans in the Minneapolis area an oppertunity to meet the drivers. The free event at the world-famous mall will take place in the West Market Square (near the Nickelodeon Universe). Lucas has two wins at the track, is the defending event winner at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and Bernstein also has two wins at the facility.
NO. 1 POSITIONS FOR COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP UP FOR GRABS AT LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS: 11 drivers have clinched a berth into the Countdown to the Championship in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle but no driver has locked in a No. 1 seed for the upcoming six-race playoffs. Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock Motorcycle) will attempt to secure their positions in the Countdown to the Championship at the upcoming Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd. One of the tightest battles to watch is in Funny Car with Robert Hight in the 10th position and Del Worsham in 11th, seperated by just three points. Tim Wilkerson and Bob Tasca are also battling for one of the final spots in the Countdown to the Championship with both drivers less than two rounds ahead of Worsham. All the racers will look to strenthen their positions during the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
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CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE U.S. NATIONALS, Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, August 28–September 2: The Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals returns to historic Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, August 28–September 2. Legends such as Don Prudhomme, Shirley Muldowney, Bob Glidden and Don Garlits have cemented themselves in racing lore by winning at this event. Defending and nine-time event Top Fuel champ Tony Schumacher (pictured) will attempt to break his tie with Glidden to become the winningest driver of the event. Mike Neff (Funny Car), Dave Connolly (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also wrote their names in the record books as 2012 winners of the event. This is the 18th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and the last chance that racers have to qualify for the Countdown to the Championship. Also during the weekend, Top Fuel and Funny Car drivers will compete in the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootouts, specialty eight-car races within a race. For tickets, call 800-884-6472 or log on to www.NHRATix.com.
NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS, zMAX Dragway, September 13–15: The NHRA Carolina Nationals marks the first race in the six-race Countdown to the Champship—the NHRA playoffs that will crown the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world champions. While a championship can't be won at the first race in the Countdown to the Championship, racers will be anxious to charge out the gate and build momenteum in the stretch run. Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel,) Ron Capps (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are defending event winners. For tickets, call 800-455-3267 or log on to www.zmaxdragway.com.
HE SAID, SHE SAID
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“The Zoo is pretty cool. It's incredible. There are so many cool people there. The Canadians are awesome; they come down and hang out and have a good time. It's a party. It's a great atmosphere for everyone to get together and celebrate drag racing, It's just neat."
—Matt Hagan on The Zoo—the on-site campground at Brainerd International Raceway, which features some of the most unique fans in all of motorsports.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
25: Number of berths left in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcyle for the Countdown to the Championship. Racers in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock will have both the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals to earn points to enter into the six-race playoffs. Pro Stock Motorcycle competitors will have just the Chevrolet Perormance U.S. Nationals to battle their way into the playoffs.
DID YOU KNOW…
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ONE FUNNY CAR POSITION OPEN FOR NHRA TRAXXAS NITRO SHOOTOUT: Funny Cars racers will have one more oppertunity to earn an automatic berth into the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout in Funny Car during the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. Currently six drivers are in the field and if a new winner takes home the Wally at the conclusion of the event, they will earn entry into the field. Funny Car drivers qualified are Courtney Force, Ron Capps, Johnny Gray, Cruz Pedregon, Matt Hagan and John Force. Top Fuel racers entered into the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout are Shawn Langdon, Tony Schumacher, Antron Brown, Spencer Massey, Bob Vandergriff Jr., Steve Torrence and Khalid alBalooshi. The eighth and final spot in both categories will be chosen during a special lottery style drawing at the NHRA Fan Fest on Monument Circle, Wednesday, August 28, at 12:00 p.m.