Wed, 11 Oct 2006, 09:27 AM NHRA Pacific Division's Top Bracket Racers to Compete in Bakersfield

Courtesy of NHRA Field Marketing

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Auto Club Famoso Raceway will host the 2006 NHRA Pacific Division Summit Racing Series Finals Oct. 13-15. Top drivers from NHRA Member Tracks across the Pacific Division will compete in five classes for individual and team honors. Individual champions in the Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman and Motorcycle/Snowmobile categories will advance to a run-off against the winners from NHRA's other six divisions at the NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif., in November.

More than 700 participants in the top classes will compete for cash awards of $27,160. Competitors in the High School class will earn trophies. Drivers who advance to the run-off will each receive $3,500 and the winners in each class will earn another $5,000.

The team from Speedworld Raceway Park in Northeast Phoenix, Ariz., won last year's event on their home turf. Individual winners were Chris Lindsay in Super Pro, Mark Simonian in Pro, Ray Baumgardner in Sportsman, Ken Van Buren in Motorcycle, and Peter Conogai in High School.

Gates at Auto Club Famoso Raceway open at 7 a.m. each day. Time trials begin at 9 a.m. Friday and continue Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Race of Champions, a race within a race that pits the top points earning drivers from each track in head-to-head competition, will start at 1 p.m. First round of eliminations will start after the Race of Champions. Eliminations continue at 8 a.m. Sunday.

Auto Club Famoso Raceway is located at 33559 Famoso Road in McFarland, Calif., approximately 12 miles north of Bakersfield. For more information call (661) 399-2210 or visit http://www.AutoClubFamosoRaceway.com.

SUMMIT RACING SERIES PACIFIC DIVISION FINALS FACT SHEET

WHAT: NHRA Summit Racing Series, where top drivers from NHRA Member Tracks across the Pacific Division compete in five classes for individual and team honors. Individual champions in Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman and Motorcycle/Snowmobile will advance to a national run-off at the NHRA Auto Club of Southern California Finals at Pomona Raceway in Calif.

WHERE: Auto Club Famoso Raceway, Bakersfield, Calif. Track is located at 33559 Famoso Road in McFarland, Calif., approximately 12 miles north of Bakersfield.

WHEN: Friday through Sunday, Oct. 13-15, 2006.

SCHEDULE: Time trials schedule for the Pacific Division NHRA Summit Racing Series Finals:

FRIDAY, Oct.13 -- Gates open at 7 a.m. Time trials begin at 9 a.m.

SATURDAY, Oct. 14 -- Gates open at 7 a.m. Final time trials are slated from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Race of Champions, a race within a race that pits the top points earning drivers from each track in head-to-head competition, will run from 1 to 2:30 p.m. First round of eliminations for all NHRA Summit Racing Series competitors will begin at 2:30 p.m.

SUNDAY, Oct. 15 -- Gates open at 7 a.m. Eliminations continue at 8 a.m.

PURSE: The Summit E.T. Racing Series competitors in Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman and Motorcycle/Snowmobile will compete for cash awards of $27,160. The winners in each category will advance to compete against winners from NHRA's other six divisions at the NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif., in November. They will each receive $3,500 for advancing to the Finals and the winner in each class in Pomona will receive an additional $5,000.

Participants in the High School Eliminator compete for trophies.

2005 EVENT WINNERS: Auto Club Famoso Raceway, team champion; Chris Lindsay (Firebird Int'l Raceway), Pro (now Super Pro); Mark Simonian (Auto Club Famoso Raceway), Sportsman (Pro); Ray Baumgardner (Speedworld Raceway Park), Street (now Sportsman); Ken Van Buren (Speedworld Raceway Park), Motorcycle; and Peter Conogai, High School (Southwestern Int'l Raceway).

FEATURES: More than 700 drivers in five categories: Super Pro (cars running 7.50 seconds to 11.99 seconds), Pro (7.50-13.99), Sportsman (12.00-25.00), and Motorcycle/Snowmobile (7.50-15.99), High School (12.00-25.00).