Sun, 25 Feb 2007, 07:48 PM 23rd annual Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals Post Race Notes

Courtesy of NHRA Communications

CHANDLER, Ariz. -- Post race notes from the 23rd annual Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals presented by Castrol at Firebird International Raceway.

TOP FUEL

Rod Fuller, from Las Vegas, defeated Melanie Troxel in a rematch of the 2006 final here. Fuller's Valvoline dragster posted a 4.490 at 327.19 to hold off Troxel's 4.536 at 325.61 in the Vietnam Veterans/POW-MIA dragster.

It was Fuller's fourth career victory, his second consecutive win at this event and his first win of the season. Fuller also won at this event in 2004 in Super Gas, a sportsman category in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

Fuller is only the third Top Fuel driver to win this event in back-to-back seasons, joining Brandon Bernstein (2003-'04) and Dick LaHaie (1986-'87).

Tony Schumacher drove his U.S. Army dragster to the No. 1 qualifying position with a track record elapsed time of 4.430 seconds at 329.34 mph. It was Schumacher's 37th No. 1 qualifying effort of his career and his third consecutive No. 1 effort at this event.

Fuller moved into the POWERade Series Countdown to the Championship lead, 43 ahead of Brandon Bernstein.

Schumacher's U.S. Army team won the Full Throttle Pit Crew Challenge award.

FUNNY CAR

Tony Pedregon, from Brownsburg, Ind., raced to the victory over Robert Hight. Pedregon powered his Q-Racing Chevy Monte Carlo to the win with a performance of 4.803 seconds at 326.32 mph, while Hight's Auto Club Ford Mustang lost traction at mid-track and posted a 9.723 at 84.75.

It was Pedregon's first victory of the season, first at this track and 33rd of his career. It was Hight's second straight final round appearance of the season.

Pedregon earned 20 bonus points for setting the national elapsed time record at 4.659 seconds during the weekend. It is the first time the Funny Car national record for elapsed time has been set at FIR.

Hight raced to his 16th career No. 1 qualifying performance with a track-record time of 4.636 seconds, also the quickest Funny Car run in NHRA history. It was his first No. 1 of the season and first at FIR. Hight failed to certify his time of 4.636 seconds as a national record. To certify the run as a national record, another run within 1 percent of the record time must be accomplished during the same national event weekend.

Ron Capps lost in the semifinals when he fouled with a red-light start. It was the first time in Capps' pro career that he had a red-light foul.

Tommy Johnson Jr. powered his Skoal Racing Chevy Impala SS to a track record speed of 330.88 mph during qualifying.

Hight moved into the POWERade Series Countdown to the Championship lead, six points ahead of Pedregon.

Notable DNQs for the event included, Del Worsham, Cruz Pedregon and Kenny Bernstein.

Tony Pedregon's Q-Racing team won the Full Throttle Pit Crew Challenge award.

PRO STOCK

Kurt Johnson, from Lawrenceville, Ga., raced to the victory over Jason Line. Johnson used a holeshot start in his ACDelco Chevy Cobalt to hold off Line's quicker Summit Racing Pontiac GTO.

It was Johnson's first victory of the season, 36th of his career and third at this track. With the victory, Johnson extends his streak of winning at least one race per season to 13.

Jason Line raced to the 12th No. 1 qualifying effort of his career, his first of the season and the first at this event. He clocked a track record time of 6.635 seconds to earn the position.

Greg Anderson posted a track record speed of 209.49 mph in his Summit Racing Pontiac GTO.

Mike Edwards defeated Greg Stanfield by .0031-second margin of victory in the first round of Pro Stock eliminations to claim the $1,000 Motel 6 Who Got the Light Award.

Line moved into the POWERade Countdown to the Championship lead by 1 point ahead of teammate Anderson.

Notable DNQs for the event included: Larry Morgan, Allen Johnson and Ron Krisher.

Line's Summit Racing team won the Full Throttle Pit Crew Challenge award.

POWERADE FAN NATIONALS
Robert Pehla, 36, of Bozeman, Mont., won the second round of the NHRA POWERade Fan Nationals. Pehla defeated hundreds of area fans to claim the victory, driving realistic POWERade Funny Car simulators. He will have the opportunity to race for the ultimate title of 2007 POWERade Fan Nationals Series champion in November at the 43rd Annual Automobile Club NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Southern California.

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