Tue, 3 Oct 2000, 11:30 AM Professional Winston Point Standings Recap #1

By Mickey Schultz

It is the time of the year when everyone's attention turns to the point chase. Beginning with the AutoZone Nationals presented by Pennzoil, FastNews Network and Summit Racing Drag Race Central will bring you the latest in the NHRA Winston point standings for the five professional classes - - Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock (Car), Pro Stock Truck, and Pro Stock Motorcycle. This information will be posted on the Wednesday or Thursday prior to each national event.

Let's recap how points are earned in the professional classes: There are 138 points available for the professional classes at each event - - 10 for making at least one qualifying run, a maximum of eight if you qualify number one, 100 for winning the event, and 20 points if you set and leave the event with an official NHRA elapsed time national record.

For Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock : That means, with four events remaining on the 2000 NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series, there are currently 552 points up for grabs. To clinch their respective category the point leader must leave this weekend's AutoZone Nationals presented by Pennzoil with a 415 point advantage over second place .

Pro Stock Trucks, which do not compete on the full national event schedule, have only three races left. That means, there are currently 414 points up for grabs. To clinch the Pro Stock Truck category the point leader must leave this weekend's AutoZone Nationals presented by Pennzoil with a 277 point advantage over second place.

Pro Stock Motorcycles, which do not compete on the full national event schedule, have only two races left. That means, there are currently 276 points up for grabs. Pro Stock Motorcycles do not compete at this weekend's AutoZone Nationals presented by Pennzoil, or at the next national event in Dallas. To clinch the Pro Stock Motorcycle category the point leader must leave the Matco Tools SuperNationals (Oct. 26-29) in Houston with a 139 point advantage over second place. Let's now review each of the five professional categories:

Current point leaders celebrate win in Topeka with Miss Winston.

TOP FUEL: This one is a barn-burner and to close to call. Six drivers are alive in this season's point battle for the Winston Top Fuel championship. Point leader Gary Scelzi, with 1548 points, holds a slim 49 point lead over second-place Tony Schumacher. Larry Dixon, in third, is 200 points behind the leader and must make a move this weekend. Joe Amato follows Dixon and is 325 points out of the lead. While Amato is mathematically alive, he can hear the fat lady singing. The same is true for both Doug Kalitta and Kenny Bernstein. Kalitta is 355 points behind Scelzi and Bernstein trails the two-time Winston champ by 393 points.

FUNNY CAR: John Force is in the driver seat en route to his 10th Winston Funny Car championship. He leads the flopper pack with 1591 points. Jerry Toliver and Ron Capps have the best chance at unseating Force and taking this year's title. Toliver is currently second and enters Memphis 272 points behind the reigning champ. Capps is sitting third and needs to make up a 327 point difference between him and Force. Force’s teammate Tony Pedregon is fourth, 424 points behind his car owner. While Toliver’s teammate Jim Epler is 501 points behind the leader. The key to how their bosses do could be the blocking ability of Pedregon and Epler. Maybe we'll have a clearer picture after the AutoZone Nationals presented by Pennzoil.

PRO STOCK (CAR): This one is a "gimme." It's only a matter of when. We give it to Jeg Coughlin, Jr., with the when (or win) coming this weekend or at the next event in Dallas (the fudge factor). Jeg, Jr., currently leads all professional drivers with 1710 points. Still alive are Kurt Johnson (425 points behind), Ron Krisher (477 points behind), and Warren Johnson (523 points behind).

PRO STOCK TRUCK: Only two drivers - - Bob Panella, Jr. and Randy Daniels - - have a chance at this title. The rest of the field is vying for third. We are leaning toward Panella. One, he been there, done that (reigning Winston champ) and two, he has the momentum having won the last three races at which the trucks have competed. Daniels won't roll over and play dead though because we think Panella is the favorite, so Panella will have to be at the top of his game.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: While Tony Mullen is mathematically still in the running, it's really a two-way battle between Team Winston's Angelle Seeling and reigning Winston bike champ Matt Hines. Seeling leads the points when the Pro Stock Bike contingent return to action in Houston later this month. She has 1140 points, while number two Matt Hines is 138 points behind. Seeling wants this title in the worst way and could leave Houston as the new Winston Pro Stock Motorcycle champion. We see Hines in second, with teammates Tony Mullen and Antron Brown both aiming for third.

That's it for now… set your modem for Wednesday, October 18 and Recap #2.



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