BAYTOWN, Texas — In a class and sport filled with unpredictability, one seemingly sure thing in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series is an early-season hot streak from Funny Car standout Robert Hight.
It’s become almost routine for an impressive string of performances from Hight ever since winning the 2009 world championship, including last season when Hight went to six straight final rounds at the start of the year, winning four of those including a memorable performance at Royal Purple Raceway.
After a final round appearance at the most recent race in Las Vegas to get his season on track, Hight could be gearing up for another strong stretch in his 10,000-horsepower Auto Club Chevy Camaro. That would also mean a chance for a second straight Houston win at this weekend’s 28th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA SpringNationals presented by Super Start Batteries.
“I think we tested well this year and then went to two semifinals and now a final round in Las Vegas,” Hight said. “It has been nice to have some streaks where you go to a lot of finals in a row or you win four races in a row but now isn’t the time to do it versus the Countdown. I would like to do both. I would like to have some sustained success where we win a lot of races in the regular season and then continue that success in the Countdown. The time when you want to be at the top of your game is the end of the season. You also need to have success now so you know what you need to do over the last six races.”
Antron Brown (Top Fuel) and Erica Enders-Stevens (Pro Stock) joined Hight in the Royal Purple Raceway winner’s circle last year. The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event, which will once again be televised on ESPN2, is the sixth of 24 races during the 2015 season, and just about that time of year when Hight finds his mojo.
He has done it in four of the past five seasons, including a string of four straight victories in 2012. Hight had three wins by the first nine races in 2011 and 2010 as well, but his early-season performance a year ago might have topped them all. Starting at the second event of the year in Phoenix, Hight went to six finals, winning in Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte and Gainesville, putting together a memorable string he won’t soon forget. Now Hight thinks his team, led by crew chief Mike Neff, is on the verge of putting together another string of finals after falling to teammate John Force in the final round in Las Vegas.
“We have definitely turned the corner,” Hight said. “(Vegas) was a get well weekend. Still we shot a spark plug out down there and if it hadn’t have done that we would have won. I made it a close race. I was so ready to get that win. It was a great team effort. (Force’s crew chief) Jon Schaffer came over and helped us out in the second round otherwise we wouldn’t have made it out of the second round. My Auto Club guys went over before the semifinals and helped them. If I have to lose at least I had to lose to a teammate.”
Hight has been solid but not spectacular to open 2015, something that could change heading into Houston. The off-season included a number of changes, including a new car, but any final kinks seemed to have been removed in Las Vegas. Hight moved to third in points and Force’s victory was the first for the John Force Racing team after Don Schumacher Racing claimed the first four of the year.
“I don’t think there were any major adjustments,” Hight said. “We just have been working together and it finally all came together in Las Vegas. I definitely think we can get some momentum going. It will be good to get into a groove as the season progresses.”
There will be plenty who try to stop that, including Jack Beckman, who fell in the final round to Hight a year ago in Houston but also won the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals earlier this season. Force has seven wins in Houston, while other top challengers include Cruz Pedregon, reigning world champion Matt Hagan, who won the first two races of the season, Ron Capps, Courtney Force, Alexis DeJoria, Del Worsham, Tommy Johnson Jr. and Tim Wilkerson.
Stout competition aside, returning to Houston will always be special for Hight and that will especially be the case in 2015.
“It will be the ten year anniversary of my first win in Funny Car,” Hight said. “I’ll have a AAA Texas logo on the side of my Camaro and I would love to get it back into the winner’s circle. I think we have performed well in Texas because both of those tracks are great facilities and the Texas fans are really supportive. The key to doing well is staying focused and just getting off to a good start. On race day it is important to just race the track and not try to get over confident.”
In Top Fuel, Brown claimed his second career Houston victory in the Matco Tools dragster last year en route to six overall victories and has started this season with a win in Charlotte. Three-time Top Fuel world champ Larry Dixon has three career victories at Royal Purple Raceway, while eight-time and defending world champ Tony Schumacher, who won his first race of the season in Phoenix, has two wins in Houston. Others to watch include Doug Kalitta, J.R. Todd, fellow Texans Spencer Massey and Steve Torrence, reigning rookie of the year Richie Crampton, who won recently in Las Vegas, and four-time category runner-up Brittany Force.
In Pro Stock, local favorite Enders-Stevens claimed the 99th win by a female driver when she won at her home track last season, ending the season with the Pro Stock world championship. Four-time world champ Greg Anderson has two wins at Houston and is looking to continue his early season momentum. Anderson’s teammate, two-time world champ Jason Line, has also won twice at Houston, and Allen Johnson, Shane Gray, Jonathan Gray, Charlotte winner Larry Morgan, Phoenix winner Rodger Brogdon, tough Texan Chris McGaha and two-time Houston winner Vincent Nobile all figure to be in the title mix in Houston.
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.
The NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series will make its second stop of the 2015 season at Royal Purple Raceway. The race will also feature the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
NHRA Mello Yello Series qualifying begins Friday, April 24, with sessions at 4 and 6:30 p.m. The final two qualifying sessions will take place Saturday, April 25, at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, April 26.
To purchase general-admission or reserved seats, log on to www.RoyalPurpleRaceway.com or call Royal Purple Raceway, (281) 383-7223. Tickets for children 13 and younger are free on spectator side with any paid adult ticket. For more information about NHRA, log on to www.NHRA.com.
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O’REILLY AUTO PARTS NHRA SPRINGNATIONALS FACT SHEET
WHAT: 28th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA SpringNationals presented by Super Start Batteries, the sixth of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Drivers in three categories – Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock – earn points leading to 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championships.
WHERE: Royal Purple Raceway, Baytown, Texas. From Interstate 10 take the State Hwy. 99 (Grand Parkway) exit, which is exit 799. Take a right on State Hwy. 99 and go to the first exit (2 miles) which is FM 565. Take a right on FM 565 and Royal Purple Raceway will be on your right. For additional information about directions please visit www.royalpurpleraceway.com.
WHEN: Friday through Sunday, April 24-26
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, April 24 – LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying
NHRA J&A SERVICE PRO MOD SERIES qualifying at 3:30 and 6 p.m.
MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 4 and 6:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, April 25 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations
NHRA J&A SERVICE PRO MOD SERIES qualifying at 2 p.m.; Round 1 of eliminations at 5 p.m.
MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, April 26 – Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
MELLO YELLO SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
NHRA J&A SERVICE PRO MOD SERIES eliminations continue at 12:45 p.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, April 25, ESPN2 will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 6 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, April 26, ESPN2 will televise three hours of live eliminations coverage at 2 p.m. (ET).
2014 WINNERS: Antron Brown, Top Fuel; Robert Hight, Funny Car; Erica Enders-Stevens, Pro Stock.
MOST WINS: John Force, 7, FC; Warren Johnson, 6, PS; Tony Pedregon, 4, FC; Jeg Coughlin, 4, PS; Kenny Bernstein, 3, TF; Larry Dixon, 3, TF; Cruz Pedregon, 3, FC; Mike Edwards, 3, PS; Bob Glidden, 3, PS.
TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel – 3.772 seconds by Larry Dixon, April ’10; 328.86 mph by Steve Torrence, April ’14.
Funny Car – 4.021 seconds by John Force, April ’10; 316.08 mph by Force, April ’10.
Pro Stock – 6.539 seconds by Mike Edwards, April ’10; 212.66 mph by Edwards, April ’13.
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 – 6.455 sec. by Jason Line, March ’15, Charlotte, N.C.; 215.55 mph by Erica Enders-Stevens, May ‘14, Englishtown N.J.
TICKETS: For tickets call Royal Purple Raceway at (281) 383-RACE (7223) or visit www.royalpurpleraceway.com.
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NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS
GLENDORA, Calif. — Point standings (top 10) following the fifth of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series –
Top Fuel: 1. Antron Brown, 385; 2. Tony Schumacher, 375; 3. Shawn Langdon, 370; 4. Spencer Massey, 358; 5. Richie Crampton, 349; 6. Steve Torrence, 273; 7. Doug Kalitta, 272; 8. Larry Dixon, 263; 9. J.R. Todd, 261; 10. Clay Millican, 241.
Funny Car: 1. Matt Hagan, 369; 2. Del Worsham, 360; 3. Robert Hight, 323; 4. Tommy Johnson Jr., 316; 5. Ron Capps, 313; 6. John Force, 287; 7. Alexis DeJoria, 271; 8. Cruz Pedregon, 257; 9. John Hale, 256; 10. Jack Beckman, 249.
Pro Stock: 1. Jason Line, 426; 2. Erica Enders-Stevens, 391; 3. Greg Anderson, 379; 4. Rodger Brogdon, 352; 5. Chris McGaha, 338; 6. Drew Skillman, 300; 7. Vincent Nobile, 285; 8. Larry Morgan, 268; 9. Allen Johnson, 249; 10. Shane Gray, 233.
