2008 NHRA Drag Racing Season | |
---|---|
League | NHRA |
Sport | Drag racing |
Champions | Tony Schumacher (TF) Cruz Pedregon (FC) Jeg Coughlin (PS) Eddie Krawiec (PSM) |
The 2008 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series consisted of 24 national events held at tracks across the U.S. The first 18 events made up the regular season, with the final events making up the "Countdown to 1". This season marked the introduction of 1000' drag racing for the nitro competitors after the death of Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta in Englishtown, N.J. John Force returned to competition after his near fatal crash in Dallas toward the end of the 2007 Season. John's daughter Ashley became the first female funny car winner beating her father John in the finals at Atlanta. This season also marked the most dominant season by a professional driver in history, as Tony Schumacher won 15 races and became the only driver in the countdown era to clinch the championship before the season finale.
Date | Race | Site | Winners | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Top Fuel | Funny Car | Pro Stock | Pro Stock Motorcycle | ||||
February 7–10 | Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals | Pomona, California | Tony Schumacher | Robert Hight | Greg Anderson | N/A | |
February 22–24 | Checker Shucks Kragen Nationals | Phoenix, Ariz. | Larry Dixon | Jack Beckman | V Gaines | N/A | |
March 13–16 | ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals | Gainesville, Fla | Tony Schumacher | Tony Pedregon | Jeg Coughlin | Matt Guidera | |
March 28–30 | O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals | Houston, Texas | Antron Brown | Del Worsham | Greg Anderson | Matt Smith | |
April 10–13 | SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals | Las Vegas, Nev. | Cory MaClenathan | Tim Wilkerson | Jason Line | N/A | |
April 24–27 | Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals | Atlanta, Ga. | Antron Brown | Ashley Force | Mike Edwards | Andrew Hines | |
May 1–3 | O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals | Madison, Ill. | Rod Fuller | Tim Wilkerson | Kurt Johnson | Andrew Hines | |
May 16–18 | NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals | Bristol, Tenn. | Tony Schumacher | Melanie Troxel | Dave Connoly | N/A | |
May 30–June 1 | O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals | Topeka, Kan. | Hillary Will | John Force | Ron Krisher | N/A | |
June 5–8 | Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 NHRA Nationals | Chicago, Ill. | Tony Schumacher | Tony Pedregon | Kurt Johnson | Chris Rivas | |
June 19–22 | Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals | Englishtown, N.J. | Tony Schumacher | Tim Wilkerson | Greg Anderson | Chip Ellis | |
June 26–29 | Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals | Norwalk, Ohio | Doug Herbert | Tony Pedregon | Greg Anderson | Hector Arana | |
July 11–13 | Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals | Denver, Colo. | Tony Schumacher | Tim Wilkerson | Greg Anderson | Matt Smith | |
July 18–20 | NHRA Shucks Auto Supply Nationals | Seattle, Wash. | Tony Schumacher | Tony Bartone | Jason Line | N/A | |
July 25–27 | Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals | Sonoma, Calif. | Tony Schumacher | Robert Hight | Dave Connolly | Matt Guidera | |
August 7–10 | Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals | Brainerd, Minn. | Tony Schumacher | Tony Pedregon | Kurt Johnson | Matt Smith | |
August 14–17 | Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals | Reading, Pa. | Tony Schumacher | Jack Beckman | Jeg Coughlin | Matt Smith | |
August 27-September 1 | 54th Mac Tools U.S. Nationals | Indianapolis, Ind. | Tony Schumacher | Robert Hight | Dave Connolly | Steve Johnson | |
2008 Countdown to the Championship | |||||||
September 11–14 | NHRA Carolinas Nationals | Concord, N.C. | Tony Schumacher | Jack Beckman | Justin Humphreys | Steve Johnson | |
September 18–21 | O'Reilly Super Start Batteries NHRA Fall Nationals | Dallas, Texas | J.R. Todd | Tim Wilkerson | Greg Stanfield | Chris Rivas | |
September 26–28 | O'Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals | Memphis, Tenn. | Tony Schumacher | Tim Wilkerson | Mike Edwards | Craig Treble | |
October 10–12 | Virginia NHRA Nationals | Richmond, Va. | Tony Schumacher | Cruz Pedregon | Dave Connolly | N/A | |
October 30 – November 2 | NHRA Las Vegas Nationals | Las Vegas, Nev. | Tony Schumacher | Cruz Pedregon | Jeg Coughlin | Chris Rivas | |
November 13–16 | Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals | Pomona, California | Larry Dixon | Cruz Pedregon | Greg Anderson | Chris Rivas |
Top Fuel [1] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Driver | Points | Points Back | Chassis |
1 | Tony Schumacher | 2703 | - | Hadman |
2 | Larry Dixon | 2445 | -258 | Hadman |
3 | Cory McClenathan | 2406 | -297 | Hadman |
4 | Hillary Will | 2405 | -298 | Attac |
5 | Antron Brown | 2370 | -333 | Hadman |
6 | Rod Fuller | 2368 | -335 | Hadman |
7 | Brandon Bernstein | 2327 | -376 | McKinney |
8 | Doug Herbert | 2307 | -396 | McKinney |
9 | Doug Kalitta | 2209 | -494 | Attac |
10 | David Grubnic | 2194 | -509 | Hadman |
Funny Car [1] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Driver | Points | Points Back | Make |
1 | Cruz Pedregon | 2561 | - | Advance Auto Parts Toyota Solara |
2 | Tim Wilkerson | 2468 | -93 | Levi Ray & Shoup Chevrolet Impala |
3 | Jack Beckman | 2457 | -104 | MTS/Valvoline Dodge Charger |
4 | Robert Hight | 2442 | -119 | AAA. of So. California Ford Mustang |
5 | Tony Pedregon | 2440 | -121 | Quaker State/Herzog Chevrolet Impala |
6 | Ashley Force Hood | 2385 | -176 | Castrol GTX Ford Mustang |
7 | John Force | 2303 | -258 | Castrol High Mileage Ford Mustang |
8 | Ron Capps | 2302 | -259 | NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger |
9 | Mike Neff | 2284 | -277 | Old Spice Ford Mustang |
10 | Gary Densham | 2217 | -344 | Racebricks Chevrolet Impala |
Pro Stock [1] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Driver | Points | Points Back | Make/Model |
1 | Jeg Coughlin Jr. | 2523 | - | JEGS.com Chevrolet Cobalt |
2 | Greg Anderson | 2487 | -36 | Summit Racing Pontiac GXP |
3 | Kurt Johnson | 2450 | -73 | ACDelco Chevrolet Cobalt |
4 | Mike Edwards | 2388 | -135 | YoungLife/Penhall Pontiac GXP |
5 | Jason Line | 2388 | -135 | Summit Racing Pontiac GXP |
6 | Dave Connolly | 2383 | -140 | Charter Communications Chevrolet Cobalt |
7 | Allen Johnson | 2363 | -160 | Mopar Parts Dodge Stratus |
8 | Greg Stanfield | 2329 | -194 | Attitude Apparel Pontiac GXP |
9 | V Gaines | 2234 | -289 | Kendall Dodge Stratus |
10 | Ron Krisher | 2158 | -368 | Valvoline Chevrolet Cobalt |
Pro Stock Motorcycle [1] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Driver | Points | Points Back | Make |
1 | Ed Krawiec | 2471 | - | Harley-Davidson |
2 | Chris Rivas | 2466 | -5 | Buell |
3 | Matt Smith | 2451 | -20 | Suzuki |
4 | Andrew Hines | 2334 | -137 | Harley-Davidson |
5 | Angelle Sampey | 2310 | -161 | Buell |
6 | Chip Ellis | 2284 | -187 | Suzuki |
7 | Steve Johnson | 2283 | -188 | Suzuki |
8 | Craig Treble | 2270 | -201 | Suzuki |
9 | Karen Stoffer | 2167 | -304 | Suzuki |
10 | Matt Guidera | 2156 | -315 | Buell |
Drag racing is a type of motor racing in which automobiles or motorcycles compete, usually two at a time, to be first to cross a set finish line. The race follows a short, straight course from a standing start over a measured distance, most commonly 1⁄4 mi, with a shorter, 1,000 ft distance becoming increasingly popular, as it has become the standard for Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars, where some major bracket races and other sanctioning bodies have adopted it as the standard. The 1⁄8 mi is also popular in some circles. Electronic timing and speed sensing systems have been used to record race results since the 1960s.
The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is a governing body which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over the United States and Canada. With over 40,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA claims to be the largest motorsports sanctioning body in the world.
John Harold Force is an American NHRA drag racer. He is a 16-time NHRA and 1 time AHRA Funny Car champion driver and a 22-time champion car owner. Force owns and drives for John Force Racing (JFR). He is one of the most dominant drag racers in the sport with 155 career victories. He graduated from Bell Gardens High School and briefly attended Cerritos Junior College to play football. He is the father of drag racers Ashley Force Hood, Brittany Force, and Courtney Force. His oldest daughter Adria Hight is the CFO of JFR.
Ashley Force Hood is a former NHRA Funny Car drag racer for John Force Racing. She is the daughter of 16-time NHRA Top Fuel Funny Car national champion John Force and Laurie Force. She is married to Daniel Hood, who works for John Force Racing. She was on hiatus from racing in 2011 as the couple expected their first child. Since their child's birth, Force Hood has announced her retirement from competitive racing.
Kenneth Dale Bernstein is an American drag racer and former NASCAR and IndyCar team owner. He is nicknamed the "Bud King" for his success in the Budweiser King funny car and dragster. He has also been nicknamed the "King of Speed," because he was the first driver to break 300 miles per hour in the standing-start quarter mile. Bernstein owned King Racing, which he drove for in the NHRA and fielded various cars in other racing series such as IndyCar and NASCAR. Bernstein retired from full-time competition in 2002 and moved his son Brandon into the Bud King Top Fuel dragster, but returned to finish the season in place of his son after Brandon suffered a severe injury. With the exception of a brief return to Funny Car in 2007, Bernstein did not return to the car and instead continued to run his team until the end of the 2011 season when he left drag racing altogether.
Gary Scelzi is an American dragster racer and midget car owner who has won the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Top Fuel championship on three occasions and the Funny Car title once. In 1997 he won the title in his first full year of competition, after replacing Blaine Johnson, who had been killed at the 1996 US Nationals, while leading the top fuel championship, in the Johnson family-owned car. He has not competed in NHRA competition since the 2008 season.
Erica Lee Enders is an American drag racing driver. Enders has won five championships in the Pro Stock class of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series and she continues to drive full-time in that class.
Scott D. Kalitta was an American drag racer who competed in the Funny Car and Top Fuel classes in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. He was killed at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, after an accident during qualifying. He had 17 career Top Fuel wins and one career Funny Car win, and at his death he was one of 14 drivers to win in both divisions.
Larry Dixon Jr. is an American professional drag racer in the NHRA. Larry is the son of Larry Dixon Sr., who won Top Fuel Eliminator at the 1970 NHRA Winternationals.
The 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Season consisted of 24 national events held at tracks across the U.S. The first 18 events made up the regular season, with the final events making up the "Countdown to 1".
The 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Season ran from February 11 to November 14, 2010. A variety of new safety rules were implemented following the conclusion of the investigation of the Scott Kalitta death in 2008. The NHRA had planned on returning Top Fuel and Funny Car classes to 1,320 ft (400 m) distances; however, racing in those classes remained at 1,000 ft (300 m) distance to contain costs with the United States economy still in recession, as well as to address ongoing safety concerns.
The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series is a drag racing series organized by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). It is the top competition series of the NHRA, comprising competition in four classes, including Top Fuel Dragster, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle.
The 2007 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Season was the first NHRA season to include the Countdown to the Championship.
Tony Pedregon is a 2-time NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Funny Car Champion from Torrance, California. He is also the youngest of the Pedregon brothers. His brother Cruz Pedregon is the 1992 and 2008 NHRA Mello Yello Series Funny Car Champion.
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Del Worsham is an American NHRA Funny car driver who began his professional career as a driver in Pomona, California, in 1990. Worsham drives a Lucas Oil sponsored car Worsham Racing, a family team. Through the first five races of the 2011 season, he has amassed 33 career victories, eight in the Top Fuel Series and 25 in the Funny Car Series. In 1991, Worsham became the youngest driver to win a Funny Car event and went on to win the NHRA Rookie of the Year. His best finish in the Point Standings first came in 2011 when he won the NHRA Full Throttle Championship in Top Fuel. In 2015, Worsham won the NHRA Mello Yello Championship in Funny Car. He became the third driver to win championships in both Top Fuel and Funny Car, joining Kenny Bernstein and Gary Scelzi in this category.
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