FUNNY CAR LEGEND JOHN FORCE KNOWS CHALLENGES ARE AHEAD OF HIM WITH COUNTDOWN STARTING AT PEP BOYS NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Throughout his legendary career, NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series star John Force has made a habit of performing his best when it matters the most. Entering the most crucial stretch of the season, the six-race NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship, the reigning and 16-time world champion could not be in a better place.

Force has been brilliant over the past two months in his 10,000-horsepower Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang, advancing to six straight finals, winning two events as well as the Traxxas Nitro Shootout at Indy and taking over the points lead.

It puts him in prime position as the Funny Car top seed entering the Countdown to the Championship playoffs, which begins at this weekend’s seventh annual Pep Boys NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway. If there’s such a thing as momentum in drag racing Force certainly has it, but that doesn’t make the challenge of the Countdown any easier.

“It’s all about the Countdown,” said Force, who will take a 30-point lead over teammate Robert Hight into the Countdown. “I need a championship as much as the other drivers out there. My focus is going to be dead on. But always remember this: I won from the cellar going into the Countdown and so has Robert. Having a few points lead, nothing makes you feel good.”

Morgan Lucas (Top Fuel), Hight (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were last year’s winners of the Pep Boys NHRA Carolina Nationals, a race that will once again be televised nationally on ESPN2.

Force was as brilliant as ever during the Countdown a year ago, taking over in dominant fashion against a loaded Funny Car class. He advanced to the final round at the last five events of the season, winning three of them to secure his first world championship crown since 2010.

That outstanding stretch continued into 2014 where Force and his John Force Racing team have been nearly flawless during the 18-race regular season. He has advanced to nine final rounds, winning three events, while teammates Hight and Courtney Force enter the Countdown in second and sixth, respectively. The JFR team has appeared in 14 final rounds heading into the Countdown and Force believes the team aspect will be important heading into the rigorous six-race playoffs.

“We work as a team,” Force said. ”If you look at my Traxxas Ford with Courtney and Robert Hight in the Auto Club Mustang, and me with Castrol, we work as a team. Right now the focus is to win this championship to show that John Force Racing is strong. We’re going after that Countdown. I have three Funny Cars and a dragster (driven by Brittany Force) that can win. This is what we do and what we love.”

That passion is always apparent with Force, who turned in a great weekend at the recent Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. After winning the Traxxas Shootout by beating Hight, Force faced off against Alexis DeJoria in the final round of the race, falling in a close side-by-side race.

It was a thrilling race between two championship contenders and more great racing like that is expected to come throughout the Countdown in Funny Car, where the likes of DeJoria, Hight, Courtney Force, Ron Capps, Matt Hagan, Tommy Johnson Jr., Del Worsham, Tim Wilkerson and Cruz Pedregon will all contend for a championship against John Force.

But these moments often bring out the best in Force, who talked about the necessary drive to succeed over the next six races.

“The point is you’ve got to have heart,” Force said. “You have to love getting up every day and you have to love the need for speed to sit on that starting line. I’m stressed all day and all of a sudden the body goes down on that race car, the motor fires and there’s another human being inside of me. All the pain, all the stress is gone because finally for those few minutes out there you do what you love to do. It’s all about heart. It’s all about winning. It’s all about the fans. That’s what it’s all about.”

In Top Fuel, nobody has been more consistent than Doug Kalitta, who has advanced to nine final rounds during a banner 2014 season and is the current points leader. Big challenges at zMAX Dragway will come from Antron Brown, who won at Charlotte in 2011, defending world champion Shawn Langdon, who won the Countdown-opening event in 2012, Tony Schumacher, Spencer Massey, Richie Crampton, who won the recent Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals, Khalid alBalooshi, Brittany Force, J.R. Todd and Steve Torrence.

Coughlin’s win in Charlotte one year ago catapulted him to a fifth career championship in Pro Stock. Everyone is chasing category top seed Jason Line while championship contenders in the loaded class include Erica Enders-Stevens, who has four victories in 2014, Allen Johnson, Vincent Nobile, Dave Connolly, Shane Gray, who won the most recent event in Indy, rookie Jonathan Gray, V Gaines and Chris McGaha.

Hines, the class of the Pro Stock Motorcycle field in 2014, is after his third straight win at the Countdown-opening event. Hines’ teammate Eddie Krawiec is second in points and won the event in 2011, and also comes off his first Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals wins. Other standouts in the two-wheeled category include Hector Arana, Hector Arana Jr., reigning world champ Matt Smith, 2008 Charlotte winner Steve Johnson, Angie Smith, John Hall, Michael Ray and Scotty Pollacheck.

As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they’re granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and enjoy some cherished face time and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.

Fans also will want to visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create a carnival atmosphere, with interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.

The event will also feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.

Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying begins Friday, Sept. 12, with sessions at 12:45 and 3 p.m. The final two qualifying sessions will take place Saturday, Sept. 13, at 1 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for noon on Sunday, Sept. 14.

To purchase general-admission or reserved seats, call zMAX Dragway at (800) 455-FANS or visit www.zmaxdragway.com. For more information about the NHRA visit www.NHRA.com.

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PEP BOYS NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS FACT SHEET

WHAT: Seventh annual Pep Boys NHRA Carolina Nationals, the 19th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and the first of six races in the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Drivers in four categories – Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle – earn points leading to 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championships.

WHERE: zMAX Dragway- Track is located on Hwy 29 off I-85 at exit 49 (Speedway Blvd.) in the Concord, N.C. area.

WHEN: Friday through Sunday, Sept. 12-14

SCHEDULE:

FRIDAY, Sept. 12 – LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying

PRO MOD SERIES qualifying at 2:30 and 4:30 p.m.

MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 12:45 and 3 p.m.

SATURDAY, Sept. 13 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations

PRO MOD SERIES qualifying at 12:15 p.m.; first round of eliminations at 2:30 p.m.

MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 1 and 3 p.m.

SUNDAY, Sept. 14 – Pre-race ceremonies, 11 a.m.

MELLO YELLO SERIES eliminations begin at noon.

TELEVISION:

Sunday, Sept. 14, ESPN2 will televise 90 minutes of coverage starting at 3:30 a.m. (ET).

Sunday, Sept. 14, ESPN2 will televise three hours of coverage starting at 8:30 p.m. (ET).

SATELLITE (Digital HD feed):

Friday, Sept. 12, 7-7:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 15C

Saturday, Sept. 13, 7-7:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 15C

Sunday, Sept. 14, 7:30 – 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 15C

(4000 MHz, horizontal; Data Rate: 40.46147055 Mbp; Symbol Rate: 29.27 Ms; FEC: ¾; Bandwidth: 36 Mhz)

Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.

2013 EVENT WINNERS: Morgan Lucas, Top Fuel; Robert Hight, Funny Car; Jeg Coughlin, Pro Stock; Andrew Hines, Pro Stock Motorcycle.

TRACK RECORDS:

Top Fuel – 3.749 seconds by Tony Schumacher, Sept. ’12; 332.18 mph by Spencer Massey, April ’12.

Funny Car – 3.980 seconds by Cruz Pedregon, Sept. ’13; 322.27 mph by Matt Hagan, Sept. ’11.

Pro Stock – 6.471 sec. by Mike Edwards, April ’13; 213.91 mph by Jason Line, April ’12.

Pro Stock Motorcycle – 6.810 sec. by Eddie Krawiec, Sept. ’11; 198.3 mph by Matt Smith, April. ’14.

NATIONAL RECORDS:

Top Fuel – 3.701 sec. by Antron Brown, Oct. ‘12, Reading, Pa.; 332.18 mph by Spencer Massey, April ’12, Charlotte, N.C.

Funny Car – 3.965 sec. and 324.12 mph by John Force, Feb. ’14, Pomona, Calif.

Pro Stock – 6.464 sec. and 215.55 mph by Erica Enders-Stevens, May ‘14, Englishtown N.J.

PS Motorcycle – 6.728 sec. by Andrew Hines, Oct. ’12, Reading, Pa.; 199.26 mph by Eddie Krawiec, March ’11, Gainesville, Fla.

TICKETS: Order tickets by phone at (800) 455-FANS. Tickets also are available online at www.zmaxdragway.com.

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NHRA MELLO YELLO COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS

GLENDORA, Calif. — Reset point standings (top 10) following the 18-race regular season for the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s six-race playoff series that will determine world champions in each of the four Mello Yello Drag Racing Series categories.

Top Fuel: 1. Doug Kalitta, 2,110; 2. Antron Brown, 2,080; 3. Shawn Langdon, 2,070; 4. Tony Schumacher, 2,060; 5. Steve Torrence, 2,050; 6. Spencer Massey, 2,040; 7. Khalid alBalooshi, 2,030; 8. Richie Crampton, 2,020; 9. Brittany Force, 2,010; 10. J.R. Todd, 2,000.

Funny Car: 1. John Force, 2,110; 2. Robert Hight, 2,080; 3. Ron Capps, 2,070; 4. Alexis DeJoria, 2,060; 5. Tommy Johnson Jr., 2,050; 6. Courtney Force, 2,040; 7. Matt Hagan, 2,030; 8. Cruz Pedregon, 2,020; 9. Del Worsham, 2,010; 10. Tim Wilkerson, 2,000.

Pro Stock: 1. Jason Line, 2,110; 2. Erica Enders-Stevens, 2,080; 3. Allen Johnson, 2,070; 4. Jeg Coughlin, 2,060; 5. Dave Connolly, 2,050; 6. Shane Gray, 2,040; 7. Vincent Nobile, 2,030; 8. V. Gaines, 2,020; 9. Chris McGaha, 2,010; 10. Jonathan Gray, 2,000.

Pro Stock Motorcycle: 1. Andrew Hines, 2,110; 2. Eddie Krawiec, 2,080; 3. Hector Arana Jr, 2,070; 4. Hector Arana, 2,060; 5. John Hall, 2,050; 6. Matt Smith, 2,040; 7. Michael Ray, 2,030; 8. Scotty Pollacheck, 2,020; 9. Angie Smith, 2,010; 10. Steve Johnson, 2,000.