Drivers going all-out again as NHRA returns to Joliet
With the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing series entering into a stretch of 7 races in 8 weeks, the competition is heating up, and so are the storylines in all four racing categories at this weekend's United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals in Joliet.
In Top Fuel, the rivalry continues to build between defending world champion Tony Schumacher and two-time world champion Larry Dixon. In what has become a regular occurrence in the first nine races of the season, Dixon and Schumacher have met five times in the semifinal round, including three-consecutive semifinal matchups heading into this weekend, with Schumacher holding the edge over Dixon with three wins.
Dixon, however, controls the points lead in the category with a 108-point lead over third-place Schumacher.
In Funny Car the key story is the hot driving by defending world champion Robert Hight, who enters the event with three straight wins.
That success has vaulted his Auto Club Ford Mustang from ninth place all the way up to second in the point standings, just 49 points away from first-place driver John Force.
Pro Stock has seen more domination by defending world champion Mike Edwards, who currently enjoys a 267-point lead over the competition, but one of the rising stories of the past few races has been the amazing driving skills of young driver Rickie Jones. Jones did the one thing that has seemed impossible all season two-races ago when he beat Edwards in the first round on a holeshot win. Jones then went on to beat three-time world champion Greg Anderson in the second round, on a holeshot, and Johnny Gray, before falling to Jeg Coughlin in the final round.
Jones then continued his dominance over the Christmas Tree in Topeka, beating both Shane Gray and Kurt Johnson on holeshot wins and making it to the semifinals. In two races Jones has moved from 13th in the point standings and out of the top 10 to the ninth spot.
Pro Stock Motorcycle has been just as competitive, but three-time world champion Andrew Hines is showing why he's the driver to be reckoned with. Hines is the only driver in the class to have more than one win so far in the season and enters the event coming off his 20th career win.
The defending world champion, Hector "The Hammer" Arana, currently controls the points lead, nearly 101 points ahead of the field.
If Hight can grab a fourth straight season victory in Funny Car at Route 66, he will indeed join some very elite company.
Spencer Massey (Top Fuel), Tony Pedregon (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Matt Guidera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are the defending winners of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event.
If you go
What: 13th annual United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals
Who: National Hot Rod Association's Full Throttle Drag Racing Series features drivers in four categories - Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Where: Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, on Route 53 (historic Route 66), about three miles south of the I-80.
When: Today-Sunday
Friday: qualifying 7:30 a.m., noon and 2:45 p.m.
Saturday: Lucas Oil Series eliminations begin at 8 a.m.; Full Throttle Series qualifying at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. with JEGS eliminations at 10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m., and 5 p.m.
Sunday: Pre-race ceremonies, 10:30 a.m.; Full Throttle eliminations at 11 a.m.
TV: 10 p.m.-midnight Saturday, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD; 9-9:30 a.m. Sunday Race Day magazine show on ESPN2; 3-6 p.m. finals coverage on ESPN2
Next races
June 10-13, Englishtown, N.J.
June 18-20, Bristol, Tenn.
June 24-27, Norwalk, Ohio
July 9-11, Seattle
July 16-18, Sonoma, Calif.
July 23-25, Denver
Aug. 12-15, Brainerd, Minn.
Countdown to 1 (Playoffs)
Sept. 1-6, Indianapolis
Sept. 16-19, Concord, N.C.
Sept. 23-26, Dallas
Oct. 7-10, Reading, Pa.
Oct. 28-31, Las Vegas
Nov. 11-14, Pomona, Calif.