Sat, 1 Nov 2008, 10:48 PM
Schumacher Clinches Sixth Championship
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Courtesy of NHRA Communications
Photo copyright 2008 Auto Imagery, Inc.
Hight, Coughlin, Sampey also No.1 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
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LAS VEGAS --
Schumacher celebrates Championship.
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Top Fuel driver Tony Schumacher clinched his sixth NHRA
POWERade Series world championship by qualifying at The Strip at Las
Vegas Motor Speedway.
Robert Hight, Jeg Coughlin and Angelle Sampey were the other No. 1
qualifiers in their categories Saturday at the eighth annual ACDelco Las
Vegas NHRA Nationals, the fifth of six events in the NHRA Countdown to 1
playoffs.
Schumacher achieved his fifth consecutive and sixth world championship
with his commanding run from Friday night. His U.S. Army dragster ran a
time of 3.781 at 316.60. This is his eighth top qualifier of the season
and his 55th career top qualifier. With this championship Schumacher
moves ahead of Joe Amato for most career championship in the Top Fuel
category, and joins legend Kenny Bernstein, Bob Glidden and Warren
Johnson at third all-time.
Tony Schumacher
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"I think it's very gratifying to wrap up number one because after the
whole season being as great as it was, and the last two years coming
down to the last run of the year and how exciting it was, you know, we
show up and they say, 'All you have to do is qualify,'" said Schumacher.
"We got to remember we won 14 races. We didn't just have to qualify. We
had to do all of that to get here. So to be number one, at least it is a
little bit of an exclamation point. We clearly earned it. I don't
think there is a question anywhere in the country that we left anything
on the table. It's amazing. To be able to do it in Vegas was great.
There is just something special about Las Vegas."
The rain played into the hands of Hight. Right after his burnout light
rain fell on the track and racing was halted for a short time. Hight
then drove his Auto Club/Los Angeles Dodgers Ford Mustang to his fifth
No. 1 in 2008 with a run of 4.043 at 309.20. It's also his 28 career
top qualifier.
Robert Hight
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"It was probably the most confusing run I ever made," said Hight.
"Having to do the burnout and its raining. Then seeing the side windows
have water all over them and getting back past the tree and Rick
Stewart (NHRA chief starter) is telling me to shut it off. I was
telling the crew guys to do everything right (before restarting). We
know we have to do everything perfect. We have been number one here a
lot and lost first round too. My radio didn't work. I didn't even know
what it ran, but I knew it had to be pretty good run. It was a weird
run."
Angelle Sampey
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Sampey ran a track record time of 6.993 at 188.23 with her Rush Racing
Products Buell Pro Stock Motorcycle in the first round of qualifying.
It was her first top qualifier of the season and 45th career top
qualifier.
"After the first round I was praying for 20 mile an hour headwinds
because I wanted to keep the No. 1 spot," said Sampey. "I'm really
excited. I haven't been No. 1 qualifier in so long I have forgotten
what it feels like."
Jeg Coughlin
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Pro Stock driver Coughlin ran a track record time of 6.703
at 205.47 in his JEGS.com Chevy Cobalt. This is his third No. 1
qualifier of the season, 15th of his career and second at Las Vegas.
"I got a little aggressive with the car in the left lane
this morning, but had to abort the run," said Coughlin. "We came back
and ran nice and tied for low of the round with Jason Line. The
momentum we were looking for, the consistency we were looking for is
exactly what we accomplished. We feel confident going into tomorrow."
Eliminations begin tomorrow at 11 a.m.
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