Wed, 4 Nov 2009, 02:04 PM Ninth annual NHRA Las Vegas Nationals Special Awards

Courtesy of NHRA Communications

LAS VEGAS -- Special awards from the Ninth annual NHRA Las Vegas Nationals.

K&N Filters Horsepower Challenge award ($3,000 to the No. 1 qualifier in Pro Stock) - Mike Edwards, Broken Arrow, Okla., ART Pontiac GXP, 6.623 seconds, 207.75 mph.

Best Engineered Vehicle - Patron Tequila Ford Mustang Top Alcohol Funny Car entry. Driver: Alexis DeJoria, Sacramento, Calif.

NHRA Best Appearing Car - Pontiac GTO Super Stock entry. Driver: Art Peterson, Rialto, Calif.

NHRA Best Appearing Crew - MPM Oil Top Fuel dragster entry. Driver: Lex Joon, Zaandam, Netherlands.

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) - Super Stock - Tibor Kadar, Peoria, Ariz.; Stock Eliminator - No Winner; Comp - No Winner; Super Comp - Ken Mostowich, Calgary, Alberta; Super Gas - No Winner; Super Street - Not Contested.

Quest for the Full Throttle Moment Award ($3,000 each to Top Fuel and Funny Car, $1,500 to Pro Stock and $750 to Pro Stock Motorcycle for the top moment in each category during the event):
Top Fuel: Spencer Massey for beating Larry Dixon, Don "The Snake" Prudhomme's former driver.
Funny Car: Robert Hight for defeating second place points challenger and teammate Ashley Force Hood in the first round of eliminations.
Pro Stock: Larry Morgan for his round two victory over Mike Edwards, who could've clinched his series title with a win in that round.
Pro Stock Motorcycle: Hector Arana defeating his nearest championship rival Eddie Krawiec on a holeshot in the semifinals.