Special awards from the 21st annual Checker, Schuck's, Kragen NHRA Nationals.
Budweiser Shootout award ($4,000 to the No. 1 qualifier in Top Fuel) -
Tony Schumacher, Long Grove, Ill., U.S. Army dragster, 4.474 seconds, 317.12 mph.
Skoal Showdown award ($4,000 to the No. 1 qualifier in Funny Car) - Tony Pedregon, Chino
Hills, Calif., Quaker State Monte Carlo, 4.703 seconds, 325.06 mph.
NHRA King Demon Crown award ($3,000 to the No. 1 qualifier in Pro Stock) -
Richie Stevens Jr., New Orleans, Team Mopar Dodge Stratus R/T, 6.735 seconds,
205.35 mph
Motel 6 "Who Got the Light" award ($1,000 to the individual Top Fuel, Funny Car,
Pro Stock driver who earns a round win in eliminations by the narrowest margin.) -
Ron Krisher defeated Dave Connolly by .0035-of-a-second margin of victory in the opening round
of Pro Stock eliminations.
Strange Engineering "Perfectly Strange" performance award ($250 bonus to the first racer
in Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street who wins an elimination round by
running dead-on their dial-in or index) -Ken Etter, Stock; and Geoff Hughes, Super Comp.
Hedman Hedders Best Engineered Vehicle ($1,000 to the best engineered vehicle) -
Harrison/Lougheed Racing Competition Eliminator entry. Driver: Rob Harrison, North Vancouver,
British Columbia, Canada
Brut NHRA Best Appearing Crew - Lucas Oil/CSS Drywall Super Comp entry.
Driver: Jack Brand, Highland, Calif.
Best Appearing Car - SMI Transmissions Super Street entry. Driver: Krystin Herr,
Sacramento, Calif.
VP Racing Fuels 30/30 award - Airport Express Super Street entry. Driver: Marc Power,
Santa Rosa, Calif.
Full Throttle Pit Crew Championship ($3,000 each to Top Fuel and Funny Car's top crew,
$1,500 to Pro Stock's top crew, and $750 to Pro Stock Motorcycle's top crew) -
Top Fuel, Tony Schumacher's U.S. Army crew; Funny Car, John Force's Castrol GTX Start Up crew;
and Pro Stock, Richie Stevens' Team Mopar crew.
