Tue, 13 Feb 2007, 02:42 PM 47th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals Post Race Notes

Courtesy of NHRA Communication

POMONA, Calif. -- Post race notes from the 47th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals, Feb. 8-11, Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.

TOP FUEL

J.R. Todd, from Avon, Ind., powered his Skull Shine dragster to his fourth career victory by defeating Brandon Bernstein in the final round. Todd won with a time of 4.482 seconds at 324.98 mph. It was Todd's fourth victory in five final round appearances in the last 12 races dating back to last season. He becomes the first African-American driver in a pro category to win the Winternationals.

Tony Schumacher, from Chicago, claimed his 36th career No. 1 qualifying effort in his U.S. Army dragster.

Joe Hartley's elapsed time of 4.575 seconds in his Hartley Motorsports dragster anchored the quickest Top Fuel field in NHRA history.

Todd holds an 18 point lead over Bernstein in the POWERade Series Countdown to the Championship point standings.

Notable DNQs: Morgan Lucas and Clay Millican.

Schumacher's U.S. Army team earned the Full Throttle Pit Crew Championship award.

FUNNY CAR

Gary Scelzi, from Fresno, Calif., earned his 34th career victory (ninth in Funny Car), powering his Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger to a final-round performance of 4.716 seconds at 332.26 mph. Scelzi was declared the winner after Robert Hight's Auto Club/Castrol Ford Mustang crossed the centerline.

Scelzi joins Don Prudhomme and Kenny Bernstein as the only drivers to win the Winternationals in both Funny Car and Top Fuel.

Scelzi earned his 43rd No. 1 qualifying award (10th in Funny Car) with a performance of 4.692 seconds at 333.49 mph in his Mopar/Oakley Dodge.

Hight clocked the quickest Funny Car time in NHRA history at 4.646 seconds.

Ashley Force, second generation driver of the Castrol GTX/Auto Club Ford Mustang, qualified for her first POWERade Series event, ultimately losing to first round foe Hight.

Ashley Force is the 10th woman in NHRA history to compete in the Funny Car category.

John Force qualified for his 393rd consecutive NHRA national event by earning the No. 4 position. He was upset in the first round by longtime rival Cruz Pedregon.

Jim Head's elapsed time of 4.795 seconds in his Head Racing Toyota Solara anchored the quickest Funny Car field in NHRA history.

Scelzi holds a 21 point lead over Hight in the POWERade Series Countdown to the Championship standings.

Six-time NHRA world champion Kenny Bernstein failed to qualify in his return to Funny Car. He last competed in Funny Car in 1989 before moving on to Top Fuel.

Other notable DNQs: Del Worsham, Gary Densham and Tony Bartone.

Scelzi's Mopar Oakley Dodge team earned the Full Throttle Pit Crew Championship award.

PRO STOCK

Greg Anderson, from Charlotte, N.C., raced to his third straight victory at this track and the 44th of his career by defeating Greg Stanfield in the final round.

Anderson earned his 52nd career No. 1 qualifying award with a performance of 6.634 seconds at 209.04 mph in his Summit Racing Pontiac GTO. Anderson's speed is a track record.

Greg Stanfield defeated Kurt Johnson by .0025-second to earn the Motel 6 Who Got the Light award.

Anderson holds a 26 point lead over Stanfield in the POWERade Series Countdown to the Championship standings.

Notable DNQs: Larry Morgan, Ron Krisher and Erica Enders.

Dave Connolly's Torco/Slammers Chevy Cobalt team earned the Full Throttle Pit Crew Championship award.

POWERADE FAN NATIONALS

Hector Torres of Colton, Calif., won the first POWERade Fan Nationals event of 2007. He is a 20 year-old sophomore at San Bernardino Valley College. He is the cousin of Jose Valderrama, who was the event winner of last year's POWERade Fan Nationals. He defeated his girlfriend in the final. As the event winner, Torres will receive an all expenses paid trip to the Auto Club NHRA Finals in November to compete for the NHRA POWERade Fan Nationals world championship.

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