Wed, 14 May 2003, 06:13 PM 34th annual K & N Filters SuperNationals Fact Sheet

Courtesy of NHRA Communications

ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. -- The 34th annual K & N Filters SuperNationals, the eighth of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Professional competitors in four categories earn points leading to 2003 NHRA POWERade championships.

Sportsman competitors in seven categories earn points leading to 2003 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series championships.

WHERE: Old Bridge Raceway Park, Englishtown, N.J. From the North, take N.J. Turnpike South to Exit 9, follow the signs to Rt. 18 South. Go six miles to the Englishtown exit. Take Rt. 527 South five miles. Make a left onto Pension Rd. Go ¼ mile, track entrance on left.

WHEN: Thursday through Sunday, May 15-18.

PURSE: Cash and contingency awards of more than $2.1 million.

SCHEDULE:
THURSDAY, May 15 -- Gates open at 8 a.m. Sportsman qualifying and time trials, 10 a.m. to 6
p.m.
FRIDAY, May 16 -- Gates open at 8 a.m. Sportsman qualifying and eliminations begin at 10
a.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 3:30 and 6 p.m.
SATURDAY, May 17 -- Gates open at 8 a.m. Qualifying and sportsman time trials, 10 a.m. to
10 p.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 12:45 and 3:15 p.m.
PRO STOCK KING DEMON CROWN rounds at 12:30, 2:30 and 4 p.m.
SUNDAY, May 18 -- Gates open at 7 a.m. Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS
begin at 11 a.m.

TELEVISION:
Saturday, May 17, ESPN2 will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 6 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, May 18, ESPN2 will televise two hours of eliminations at 5 p.m. (ET).

2002 EVENT WINNERS: Kenny Bernstein, Top Fuel; Gary Densham, Funny Car; Greg Anderson, Pro Stock; Antron Brown, Pro Stock Bike

WHAT TO EXPECT:
Rookie Brandon Bernstein hopes to keep the winning streak alive of the famed Budweiser car over the past two years. Larry Dixon has again been impressive in the Miller Lite dragster and he is seeking his first career win at Englishtown. The beer cars will find a formidable challenger in the Mac Tools dragster driven by Doug Kalitta, and Top Fuel legend Shirley Muldowney, who will be making her final NHRA trip to the Garden State during her retirement tour. Tony Pedregon has been the dominant driver in Funny Car this season, with team-owner John Force playing catch-up all year. Defending event winner Gary Densham gives Force Racing three contenders, but Whit Bazemore and the Matco Tools Dodge Stratus will challenge, as will Ron Capps and Del Worsham. Unlike last year, Pro Stock has a couple of drivers emerging as the front-runners in the competitive category. Defending event winner Greg Anderson and current points leader Kurt Johnson have made early strides to distance themselves from the rest of the competition. Current and former POWERade champions Jeg Coughlin, Warren Johnson and Jim Yates all figure to contend until the end. The competitiveness in Pro Stock Bike is nearing that of Pro Stock, with more than 30 bikes trying to qualify at the first three events of the 2003 season. Current points leader Geno Scali will try and hold off a worthy bunch of riders as the season progresses. Angelle Savoie hasn't missed a beat with her new team and teammate, defending event winner Antron Brown. Matco Tools Suzuki rider Craig Treble is coming off a career-best year and looks to be the first rider in NHRA history to make a pass under seven seconds and young Andrew Hines would like to earn his first career victory and put Harley-Davidson in the winner's circle.

FAST FACTS:
Defending POWERade Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon has never won at Englishtown...Force Racing has accounted for five of the last seven Funny Car victories at Englishtown. Gary Densham won last year and Tony Pedregon beat John Force in 2001. Force won three times (1996, 1998-'99) and was the runner-up to Cruz Pedregon in 2000. Force also won at Englishtown in 1993...With a victory, Angelle Savoie can tie legendary Pro Stock Bike riders John Myers and Dave Schultz for the most career wins in her category at Englishtown (four)...Warren Johnson, Larry Morgan and Bob Glidden have each won the Pro Stock King Demon Crown three times. Jeg Coughlin, Bruce Allen, Kurt Johnson and Jim Yates each have two wins and Darrell Alderman has one victory in the special event.

ABOUT THE TRACK:
Old Bridge Township Raceway Park opened in July of 1965, and has since become the Northeast's premier drag racing facility. Conceived by Vincent Napp Sr., his brother Louis, along with Vincent's sons Richard and Vincent, Jr., the former 308-acre farm was converted into a drag strip in just over a year's time. A great success from the start, "Englishtown", as race fans worldwide know it, was selected to be an official stop of NHRA's national event tour in 1968, when it held the NHRA Springnationals. The NHRA national event tour returned to Raceway Park in 1971 with the NHRA Summernationals. Now known as the K & N Filters NHRA SuperNationals presented by Pep Boys, the event was moved to May in 1993 to accommodate fans with cooler spring weather and provide drivers with ideal racing conditions. Constant reinvestment, renovations and expansion of the property have kept Raceway Park in the forefront of drag racing and the entire motorsports community. In 1975, a one-mile motocross track was added to the grounds. In 1996, an eighth-mile drag strip was built to host the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League, a program created at Raceway Park. In 2000 Raceway Park added a motocross practice facility and in 2002 a karting oval and road course were opened. Now in it's 38th year of operation, the facility is still owned and operated by the Napp Family and has become an icon in the world of drag racing.

TRACK RECORDS
Top Fuel-4.532 seconds by Kenny Bernstein, May 2001; 326.48 mph by Larry Dixon, May 2002
Funny Car-- 4.777 seconds by Tony Pedregon, May 2002; 323.89 mph by John Force, May 1998
Pro Stock-- 6.752 seconds by Jim Yates, May 2002; 203.77 mph by Warren Johnson, May 2002
Pro Stock Bike - 7.049 seconds by Angelle Savoie, May 2002; 194.10 mph by Matt Hines, May 2001

NATIONAL RECORDS
Top Fuel-- 4.477 seconds (June 2001, Joliet, Ill.), 332.18 mph (Oct. 2001, Reading, Pa.) by Kenny
Bernstein
Funny Car-- 4.731 seconds (Oct. 2001, Reading, Pa.) by John Force; 326.87 mph (Feb. 2002, Pomona,
Calif.) by Gary Densham
Pro Stock-- 6.720 seconds (April 2003, Houston) by Warren Johnson; 205.57 mph (April 2003,
Houston) by Kurt Johnson
Pro Stock Bike - 7.049 seconds (May 2002, Englishtown) by Angelle Savoie; 194.10 mph (May 2001,
Englishtown) by Matt Hines

TICKETS: For tickets, call (732) 446-7800. Tickets also available at Ticketmaster, nhra.com, and RacewayPark.com.

GENERAL ADMISSION (includes pit pass)
Thurs.: Adult, $10; Junior (6-12 years), free.
Sat.: Adult, $40; Junior (6-12 years), $10.
Sun.: Adult, $45; Junior (6-12 years) $10; Child (5 years and under), free with paying adult in
general admission and pit access areas each day.

RESERVED SEATS (includes pit pass)
Fri.: Adult, $37; Junior (6-12 years), $18; Child (5 years and under), $8.
Sat.: Adult, $50; Junior (6-12 years), $20; Child (5 years and under), $10.
Sun.: Adult, $60; Junior (6-12 years), $25; Child (5 years and under), $15.

NHRA: 10 Most Recent Entries [ top ]

Nov 06- LAS VEGAS - Top Alcohol Funny Car Final, Round 4 Eliminations
Nov 06- LAS VEGAS - Competition Eliminator Final, Round 5 Eliminations
Nov 06- LAS VEGAS - Top Dragster Final, Round 5 Eliminations
Nov 05- POMONA 2 - Event Preview
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Competition Eliminator
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Super Stock
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Stock Eliminator
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Super Gas