Tue, 15 Sep 2015, 14:14 PM NHRA Countdown Kickoff Media Tour to Flash Green Light on Playoffs

Courtesy of NHRA Communications Photo copyright 2015 Auto Imagery, Inc.

GLENDORA, Calif. -- Six NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championship contenders and one playoff spoiler will hit the road on Wednesday, Sept. 16, to provide a preview of the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship in each of the six markets that will host a round of the playoffs.

Top Fuel drivers Richie Crampton, Brittany Force and J.R. Todd, along with Funny Car drivers Jack Beckman, John Force and Cruz Pedregon are the championship contenders who will be featured in NHRA's first Countdown Kickoff Media Tour. Countdown spoiler Courtney Force, who won two Countdown playoff races last season and just missed on advancing to the playoffs this season, also will participate in the Countdown Kickoff.

Each of the drivers above will travel to one of the six markets, where he or she will participate in media interviews with television, newspaper and radio stations, pose for photo opportunities at the racetrack as well as at local landmarks and participate in a variety of social media events, among other activities.

John Force

John Force, the 16-time world champ and the fifth seed in Funny Car with two victories in his Peak Antifreeze Chevrolet Camaro SS, will visit Charlotte, N.C., site of the playoff-opener, the NHRA Carolina Nationals, Sept. 18-20 at zMAX Dragway.

Richie Crampton

Australian born Crampton, the third seed in Top Fuel based on four season victories at the controls of his 10,000-horsepower Lucas Oil dragster, will visit St. Louis, which is the host site of round two of the Countdown, the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals, Sept. 25-27 at Gateway Motorsports Park.

J.R. Todd

Todd, who finished second in the standings last season and is the eighth seed in Top Fuel this year with one victory and two No. 1 qualifying positions in his Jimi Hendrix Foundation dragster, will visit Reading, Pa., site of round three of the playoffs, the NHRA Keystone Nationals, Oct. 1-4 at speedy Maple Grove Raceway.

Cruz Pedregon

Two-time world champ Pedregon is the ninth seed and only the second Funny Car driver in history to make the postseason without advancing to a final round in the regular season. However, he had a fast race car most of the season as evidenced by four No. 1 qualifying positions in his Snap-on Tools Toyota Camry. He will visit Dallas, site of playoff round No. 4 and the AAA Texas NHRA Fallnationals, Oct. 15-18 at the sport's first supertrack, the Texas Motorplex.

Brittany Force

Brittany Force, who has posted two runner-up finishes in her Monster Energy dragster and is still seeking that elusive first career victory is the fifth seed in Top Fuel and will visit Las Vegas, host of the penultimate Countdown round, the NHRA Toyota Nationals, Oct. 29-Nov. 1 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Countdown spoiler Courtney Force will join her Top Fuel dragster driving sister in Las Vegas to help preview the NHRA playoffs.

Jack Beckman

Red-hot Beckman will tour his native Los Angeles, traditional host to the season-ending Auto Club NHRA Finals at historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Nov. 12-15. Beckman is the top seed in Funny Car following a sizzling summer where he powered to six race victories and reset the NHRA Funny Car elapsed time record to 3.901 seconds in his Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger R/T.

NHRA fans who want to keep track of each of the Countdown Kickoff Media Tour drivers can follow on NHRA's social media channels using the hashtag #CountdownFever.