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TEAM CASTROL
JOHN FORCE/ASHLEY FORCE HOOD
Pre-Race Package for the 29th annual Summit Southern Nationals
April 16-19, 2009
Atlanta Dragway
Atlanta, Ga.
Sixth event in the Countdown to the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Championship
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follow John Force Racing at www.twitter.com/jfr_racing
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OVERVIEW:
At few events has John Force Racing been more successful than it has in the Summit Southern Nationals. Four drivers have won Funny Car titles for JFR at Atlanta Dragway and two team drivers earned their first tour victories in the Southern Nationals.
Significantly, both defeated team owner John Force in the final round – Tony Pedregon in 1996 and Ashley Force in 2008.
Ashley’s victory over her dad in last year’s all-Castrol GTX, all-Ford final had several historic implications. Not only was it the first NHRA tour Funny Car victory for a woman, it also was the first father-daughter final round in NHRA history and one of the rare final round meetings between drivers who qualified in the bottom half of the field (Ashley No. 11 and her dad No. 9).
All four JFR drivers enter the race in the Top 10 in Funny Car points. Ashley is the highest placed of the quartet, tied for third place with Del Worsham. Hight is eighth in the Auto Club Mustang, John Force ninth in the Castrol GTX High Mileage Mustang and Neff 10th in the Ford Drive One Mustang.
At Atlanta, all four JFR Fords will bear distinctive logo decals commemorating the 45th anniversary of the Mustang brand.
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JFR RACING HISTORY AT ATLANTA DRAGWAY:
Wins – 12 (including one by Ashley Force in Top Alcohol Dragster, 2006). Eleven Funny Car victories include seven by John Force (1992-1995, 1999-2000, 2005); two by Tony Pedregon (1996, 2003); one each by Robert Hight (2007) and Ashley Force (2008).
Last year – After qualifying only 11th, Ashley Force became the first woman to win an NHRA Funny Car event when she beat Del Worsham, Jim Head, Ron Capps and, finally, her dad, No. 9 qualifier John Force. The other two JFR drivers, Mike Neff and Robert Hight, exited in the very first round
Notable #1 – John Force set a personal record by reaching the final round 12 consecutive years at the Summit Southern Nationals, 1992-2003. He has appeared in more finals in the Southern Nationals (14) than in any other event in the NHRA Full Throttle Series.
Notable #2 – John Force Racing, Inc., has celebrated in the Funny Car winners’ circle 12 of the last 18 years at Atlanta Dragway and has had at least one of the Funny Car finalists in 16 of the last 18 renewals of the Summit Southern Nationals.
Notable #3 – John Force has raced three different JFR teammates in the final round at Atlanta Dragway, losing to Tony Pedregon in 1996, beating Robert Hight (by .002 of a second) in 2005 and losing to Ashley Force in 2008.
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PRO POINTS (2009 NHRA Full Throttle Series point standings):
Funny Car – 1. Ron Capps, NAPA Dodge Charger, 408; 2. Matt Hagan, Shelor Motor Mile Dodge Charger, 302; 3. Tie, Ashley Force Hood, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, and Del Worsham, Al-Anabi Toyota Solara, 296 each; 5. Tony Pedregon, Q Racing Chevrolet, 290; 6. Bob Tasca III, Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang, 289; 7. Jack Beckman, Valvoline/MTS Dodge Charger, 282; 8. Robert Hight, Auto Club of Southern California Ford Mustang, 273; 9. John Force, Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang, 253; 10. Mike Neff, Ford Drive One Ford Mustang, 252. Also, 12. Tim Wilkerson, Levi, Ray and Shoup Ford Mustang, 221.
Top Fuel – 1. Tony Schumacher, U.S. Army dragster, 412; 2. Antron Brown, Matco Tools dragster, 394; 3. Brandon Bernstein, Budweiser dragster, 388; 4. Larry Dixon, Al-Anabi dragster, 335; 5. Cory McClenathan, Fram dragster, 324; 6. Morgan Lucas, Geico Insurance dragster, 263; 7. Doug Kalitta, Kalitta Racing dragster, 256; 8. Shawn Langdon, Lucas Oil dragster, 248; 9. Joe Hartley, Hartley Racing dragster, 219; 10. Spencer Massey, US Smokeless Tobacco dragster, 190.
Pro Stock – 1. Jeg Coughlin Jr., Jeg’s Chevrolet Cobalt, 430; 2. Jason Line, Summit Racing Pontiac GXP, 418; 3. Mike Edwards, Young Life/Penhall Pontiac GTO, 344; 4. Greg Anderson, Summit Racing Pontiac GXP, 325; 5. Allen Johnson, Team Mopar Dodge Stratus, 294; 6. Greg Stanfield, Attitude Apparel Pontiac GXP, 282; 7. Ron Krisher, Valvoline Chevrolet Cobalt, 257; 8. Kurt Johnson, ACDelco Chevrolet Cobalt, 251; 9. Rickie Jones, Quarter-Max/RJ Race Cars Dodge Stratus, 220; 10. Jim Yates, Wiley-X Eyeware Pontiac GTO, 189.
Pro Stock Motorcycle – 1. Matt Smith, King, N.C., Suzuki, 194; 2. Hector Arana, Milltown, Ind., Buell, 172; 3. Andrew Hines, Brownsburg, Ind., Harley-Davidson V-Rod, 152; 4. Craig Treble, Harvey, La., Suzuki, 151; 5. Douglas Horne, Aberdeen, Md., Buell, 125; 6. Eddie Krawiec, Englishtown, N.J., Harley-Davidson V-Rod, 107; 7. Steve Johnson, Birmingham, Ala., Suzuki, 105; 8. Shawn Gann, Stoneville, N.C., Buell, 104; 9. Karen Stoffer, Smith, Nev., Suzuki, 87; 10. Matt Guidera, Loomis, Calif., Buell, 84.
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TELEVISION (all on ESPN2, all times Eastern Daylight):
Qualifying – Saturday, April 18, 6-8 p.m.
NHRA RaceDay – Sunday, April 19, 11 a.m.
Race Highlights – Sunday, April 19, 7-10 p.m.
Repeat race highlights – Thursday, April 23, 1-3 a.m.
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NEXT EVENTS (2009 NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship):
13th annual O’Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals, May 1-3, Madison, Ill.
9th annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, May 15-17, Bristol, Tenn.
21st annual NHRA O’Reilly Summer Nationals, May 29-31, Topeka, Kan.
12th annual UA Route 66 Nationals, June 5-7, Joliet, Ill.
30th annual UA SuperNationals, June 12-14, Englishtown, N.J.
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