ROBERT HIGHT IS LOOKING TO THUNDER IN BRISTOL

John Force Racing
Hight Pre-Race Package

Event: 8th annual O’Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, 8th of 24 events in the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
Site: Bristol Dragway, Bristol, TN
Dates: May 16-18, 2008

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HIGHT LOOKING TO GO ROUNDS IN BRISTOL

The last three years when Robert Hight rolled into Bristol Dragway he left empty handed. This year the former JFR crewman is looking to go rounds and make a move up the POWERade point standings. Hight opened the season with a win and a final round appearance but since that early season success Hight has been in test mode as he and crew chief Jimmy Prock continue to adapt to the new heavier – and safer – Auto Club Ford Mustang.

“It sounds like a broken record but we are still doing some testing during the events. Every race we figure something new out but we have a pretty long list,” said driver who is currently fourth in points.

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The Driver

Robert Hight, 38, driver of the Auto Club of Southern California Ford Mustang, is entering the seventh race of 2008 season in fourth place in the Funny Car point standings. He opened the season with back-to-back final round appearances including a win at the Winternationals. The 2005 winner of the Auto Club’s Road to the Future award that identifies the Rookie of the Year, he owns the two quickest quarter mile times in Funny Car history (4.636 and 4.646 seconds).

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Robert Hight by the Numbers at Bristol Dragway:

0 – Number of time Hight has advanced to the second round in three previous races at Bristol Dragway.

100, 101 - With four round wins at the season opening Winternationals Hight moved his career round win-loss record to 101-58, making him the fastest Funny Car driver to reach the 100 round win plateau.

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Track Records:
Funny Car – 4.755 seconds by Eric Medlen, April ‘06; 329.26 mph by Gary Scelzi, May ‘05
Top Fuel – 4.477 seconds by Tony Schumacher, April ‘04; 331.53 mph by Doug Kalitta, April '06
Pro Stock – 6.708 seconds by Jason Line, April ‘06; 205.35 mph by Line, April '06

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Current points:
NHRA POWERade Points (unofficial standings after seven of twenty-four POWERade National events):

FUNNY CAR - 1. Tim Wilkerson, 497; 2. Ashley Force, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, 473; 3. Cruz Pedregon, 425; 4. Robert Hight, Auto Club Ford Mustang, 399; 5. John Force, Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang, 375; 6. Tony Pedregon, 370; 7. Gary Densham, 325; 8. Jack Beckman, 321; 9. Ron Capps, 308; 10. Del Worsham, 306; and also 11. Mike Neff, Old Spice Ford Mustang, 295.

US Smokeless Showdown points (including St. Louis qualifying). Top eight in points following the Aug. 17 Toyo Tires Nationals at Reading, Pa., compete for a $100,000 top prize during the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals:

1. Tim Wilkerson, Levi, Ray and Shoup Chevrolet, 1630; 2. Tony Pedregon, Q Racing Chevrolet, 1605; 3. Robert Hight, Automobile Club of Southern California Ford Mustang, 1585; 4. Ron Capps, NAPA Dodge, 1535; 5. Ashley Force, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, 1505; 6. Jack Beckman, Valvoline Dodge, 1495; 7. Cruz Pedregon, Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet, 1440; 8. Gary Scelzi, Oakley Dodge, 1420; 9. Del Worsham, CSK Chevrolet, 1325; 10. Gary Densham, Racebricks Chevrolet, 1285. Also, 12. Mike Neff, Old Spice Ford Mustang, 1255; 13. John Force, Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang, 1235.

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Race Schedule:
Friday – Pro Qualifying, 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Saturday – Pro Qualifying, 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Sunday - Opening Ceremonies, 10 a.m.
Eliminations, 11 a.m.

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Television: (All shows broadcast on ESPN2)
Sat., May 17, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Qualifying Highlights
Sun., May 18, 11-11:30 a.m. NHRA Race Day
Sun., May 18, 6:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Final Eliminations Coverage
Fri., May 23, 2:30 a.m. – 4:30 a.m. Final Eliminations (repeat)

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ROBERT HIGHT

HIGHT LOOKING TO THUNDER IN BRISTOL

BRISTOL (May 12, 2008) --- Since former John Force Racing crewman Robert Hight got behind the wheel of the Auto Club Ford Mustang full-time at the start of 2005 he has had almost unbridled success.

He won a national event in only his fourth try (Houston). He picked up the Auto Club Road to the Future Award presented to the NHRA professional rookie of the year in 2005. He narrowly missed winning the Funny Car World Championship in 2006 AND 2007. He owns the two quickest Funny Car ETs in the sport’s history 6.636 seconds (Pomona, 2006) and 6.646 seconds (Phoenix, 2006). He became the quickest Funny Car driver to win 100 rounds of racing with a season opening win at the 2008 Winternationals. He is the only Funny Car driver to lead the points standings at some point the last four seasons.

These successes have translated into a reputation as one of the most respected Funny Car drivers on the NHRA POWERade Series. They have not however translated into success at Bristol Dragway.

In his three appearances at the O’Reilly Thunder Nationals Hight has never advanced beyond the first round racking up losses to Jack Wyatt, Phil Burkart Jr., and Jim Head.

“We have struggled at Bristol but we’re hopeful we’ll turn that trend around this year. We have been making progress with my Auto Club Ford Mustang and I am hoping for more good results in Bristol,” said Hight.

Two weeks ago Hight and crew chief Jimmy Prock advanced to the semi-finals in St. Louis before losing to teammate Mike Neff. They are continuing to make some subtle and some not so subtle changes to their 8,000 hp fuel coupe.

“We moved some weight around and we put the fire bottles on the rear. That was 32 pounds. We are trying to move more weight over the rear tires. Weight is traction,” said the technically minded Hight. “We also want my Mustang to pick the front end up more which transfers even more weight onto the rear tires. My feeling is as long as I can steer it the more weight transfer you can have on the rear tires the more you can put to it to make it go faster and create power.”

All the teams in the John Force Racing stable have strong technical partnerships led by the Coil-Fedderly brain trust. Hight’s driving skills combined with his technical skills create a perfect match with crew chief Jimmy Prock. Their relationship is built on a strong foundation of trust and mutual respect.

“After most runs I try and get with Jimmy to tell him what I think happened in the car. I am getting better at communicating what happened with my Auto Club Ford Mustang and I think that is a big plus. Jimmy and I work so well together because we are on the same page,” said Hight.

As the 8th annual O’Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals gets underway this weekend Hight and Prock will be working to bring some of their outside the Tri-State success into the Bristol area.

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Did you know…

Robert Hight was the fastest driver in the history of the Funny Car class to reach 100 round wins. He achieved this milestone with his season opening win at the CARQUEST Auto Parts Winternationals pushing his round win record to 101-58.

Hight is the only Funny Car driver to have led the points each of the last four seasons.

Robert owns the two quickest quarter mile times in Funny Car drag racing history at 4.646 and 4.636 seconds, the first recorded at Pomona, Calif., and the latter at Phoenix, Ariz., both at the start of the 2007 season.

Bristol Dragway was the first race from which a Jimmy Prock-tuned Automobile Club of Southern California Ford Mustang started from the No. 1 qualifying position. That occurred in the 2001 season with veteran Gary Densham at the controls.

Bristol Dragway is one of only two tracks on which Robert has failed to cover the standard distance in fewer than 4.80 seconds. The other is Gateway International Raceway outside St. Louis.

-www.johnforceracing.com-