CONSISTENT SEASON HAS SERVED FUNNY CAR’S DEL WORSHAM WELL WITH NHRA THUNDER VALLEY NATIONALS APPROACHING

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Throughout a standout NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series career that has totaled more than 500 races between Top Fuel and Funny Car, Del Worsham has learned to roll with the ebbs and flows of the sport.

A consistent approach and mindset has served his Kalitta Motorsports team well in 2015 and Worsham knows it could set-up for a big run later in the season in his 10,000-horsepower DHL Toyota Camry.

Worsham has advanced to the semifinals or final round five times this season and that consistency puts him right in the thick of the Funny Car championship chase heading into this weekend’s 15th annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway. Next up on Worsham’s list is picking up his first win of the season and it could come at a track where he has posted two career victories.

“I feel like we have had a consistent DHL Toyota Camry,” said Worsham, who has 34 career wins and won the 2011 Top Fuel world championship. “It has just got to be about the timing. You have to make the right run at the right time. Sometimes you can win and not run well all day, and other times you make a great run and go out in the first round. It is just going to take a little bit of luck.”

Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Tommy Johnson Jr. (Funny Car) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) are the defending winners of the event that will be televised on ESPN and ESPN2. Sunday’s eliminations will be televised live on ESPN. The race is the 11th of 24 events in the season and Worsham currently sits in fourth place in the points standings nearing the halfway point.

The three drivers ahead of him – defending world champion Matt Hagan, Ron Capps and John Force – have all posted two wins in 2015, with Force winning last weekend in Epping, but Worsham has been one of the most consistent competitors in the ultra-talented class. He has final round appearances in Phoenix and Charlotte and three more semifinal appearances as well, giving Worsham reason to believe that his team has the ability to deliver results and round wins no matter the conditions.

He credits an early-season test session in Las Vegas for that. His Kalitta Motorsports team, led by crew chiefs Nick Bonifante and Jon Oberhofer, found a strong warm-weather tune-up after the event and it could pay dividends throughout the summer months and approaching the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship.

“We got very lucky early in the season in Las Vegas,” Worsham said. “The DHL team stayed back and used one of our test days when the track was very hot preparing for the summer weather. It turned out to be a great idea. The summer conditions got here very quick and we had the opportunity in the spring to get the DHL Toyota Camry ready and I think we are now well-versed. We can make a three-second run on a track in great conditions or a solid pass in the heat.”

Worsham has dipped into the three-second range on multiple occasions this season in both qualifying and eliminations, which gives him every indication that he can dial up a great run when needed. That will be a must throughout the season and certainly in Bristol as well.

A different driver has won every year since 2011, with Tommy Johnson Jr. claiming the victory in 2014. Worsham will face a host of superstar challengers, including Force, who has five Bristol wins, three-time Bristol winner Capps, Hagan, Courtney Force, Robert Hight, Charlotte and Topeka winner Jack Beckman, and Atlanta winner Tim Wilkerson.

Bristol also wraps up a string of three straight race weekends, meaning it is a good opportunity to close this segment out strong with the three-race Western Swing looming just around the corner.

“We have done well on this busy stretch,” Worsham said. “It is not life-or-death to end this stretch on a high note. We have had good races all season, but just for the morale for the whole DHL team you want to have a good finish to end the swing. It proves to them that the team has depth and we can go three races in a row and compete well at all three.”

The historic venue has always been a fan and racer favorite, and the Thunder Valley Nationals will also take place on Father’s Day weekend for the sixth straight year. That fact isn’t lost on Worsham, who has always enjoyed what Thunder Valley offers.

“I love Bristol,” Worsham said. “I love the fans in Bristol. It is a racing town, we are in the south and the people love NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing. The best part of Bristol is definitely the fans. I am not going to have my family there this year, so it’s a little bit of a bummer on that end. To bring home a win for my girls on Father’s Day would be the most special thing about racing on that day.”

Langdon is the defending winner of the event in Top Fuel, defeating eight-time and defending world champ Tony Schumacher in the final. Schumacher has five wins at Bristol Dragway and won last weekend in Epping, while other class standouts include Doug Kalitta, who has three wins in Bristol, two-time Bristol winner Larry Dixon, points leader Antron Brown, Richie Crampton, 2013 Bristol winner Steve Torrence, Clay Millican, J.R. Todd, Brittany Force and Atlanta runner-up Leah Pritchett.

In Pro Stock defending event winner and world champion Erica Enders will try to add another Bristol victory to her resume, but she is locked in a tight points battle with the Summit Racing Equipment duo of current points leader Greg Anderson, who has four Bristol wins and has posted victories at the last two events, and two-time world champ Jason Line. Phoenix winner Rodger Brogdon, rookie sensation Drew Skillman, Houston runner-up Chris McGaha, Shane Gray and Vincent Nobile are all expected to be major contenders in the popular factory hot rod category.

The NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series will take to the track for its fifth race of the season. The NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals will also feature thrilling side-by-side competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

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 get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.

Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying begins Friday, June 19, with sessions at 5 and 7:30 p.m. The final two qualifying sessions will take place Saturday, June 20, at 12:30 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for noon on Sunday, June 21.

To purchase tickets, call (866) 901-2679 or visit www.thundervalleytix.com. For more information about the NHRA visit www.NHRA.com.

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NHRA THUNDER VALLEY NATIONALS FACT SHEET

WHAT: 15th annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, the 11th 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: Bristol Dragway, Bristol, Tenn. From Interstate 81 North, take Hwy. 11E. Take the Virginia Exit 3 and Hwy. 11E will take you directly to the dragway. From the I-81 South, take Tennessee exit 69 and go south on Hwy 394 directly to the dragway.

COURSE: Championship drag strip; Track elevation is 1,475 feet above sea level; Track direction is southwest to northwest.

WHEN: Friday through Sunday, June 19-21.

SCHEDULE:

FRIDAY, June 19 – LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying

NHRA J&A SERVICE PRO MOD SERIES qualifying at 4:30 and 6:45 p.m.

MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 5 and 7:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, June 20 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations

NHRA J&A SERVICE PRO MOD SERIES qualifying at 2 p.m. Round 1 of eliminations at 4:30 p.m.

MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 12:30 and 3 p.m.

SUNDAY, June 21 – Pre-race ceremonies, 11 a.m.

MELLO YELLO SERIES eliminations begin at noon.

TELEVISION:

Saturday, June 20, ESPN2 will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 8 p.m. (ET).

Sunday, June 21, ESPN will televise three hours of live eliminations coverage starting at 3 p.m. (ET).

SATELLITE (Digital HD feed):

Saturday, June 20, 6:30 – 7 p.m. (ET), SES 1/Transponder 23C

Sunday, June 21, 7 – 6:30 p.m. (ET), SES 1/ Transponder 23C

(4160 MHz, vertical; 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.

2014 EVENT WINNERS: Shawn Langdon, Top Fuel; Tommy Johnson Jr., Funny Car; Erica Enders, Pro Stock.

MOST VICTORIES: Tony Schumacher, 5, TF; Mike Edwards, 4, PS; John Force, 4, FC; Doug Kalitta, 3, TF; Ron Capps, 3, FC.

TRACK RECORDS:

Top Fuel – 3.775 sec. by Spencer Massey, June ’13; 330.47 mph by Tony Schumacher, June ’14.

Funny Car – 3.992 sec. and 319.45 mph by Del Worsham, June ’14.

Pro Stock – 6.621 sec. and 208.78 mph by Shane Gray, June ’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. by John Force, Feb. ’14, Pomona, Calif.; 325.06 mph by Courtney Force, May ’15, Topeka, Kan.

Pro Stock – 6.455 sec. by Jason Line, March ’15, Charlotte, N.C.; 215.55 mph by Erica Enders, May ‘14, Englishtown N.J.

TICKETS: For tickets call Bristol Dragway at (866) 901-2679. Tickets also available at www.thundervalleytix.com.

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NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS

GLENDORA, Calif. — Point standings (top 10) following the 10th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series –

Top Fuel: 1. Antron Brown, 790; 2. Tony Schumacher, 757; 3. Spencer Massey, 657; 4. Richie Crampton, 640; 5. Larry Dixon, 600; 6. Doug Kalitta, 587; 7. Shawn Langdon, 568; 8. Brittany Force, 551; 9. J.R. Todd, 491; 10. Clay Millican, 479.

Funny Car: 1. Matt Hagan, 746; 2. Ron Capps, 685; 3. John Force, 652; 4. Del Worsham, 643; 5. Tommy Johnson Jr., 611; 6. Jack Beckman, 601; 7. Robert Hight, 546; 8. (tie) Alexis DeJoria, 540; Cruz Pedregon, 540; 10. Tim Wilkerson, 513.

Pro Stock: 1. Greg Anderson, 907; 2. Erica Enders, 837; 3. Jason Line, 776; 4. Chris McGaha, 646; 5. Allen Johnson, 554; 6. Drew Skillman, 540; 7. Larry Morgan, 518; 8. (tie) Shane Gray, 507; Vincent Nobile, 507; 10. Rodger Brogdon, 493.

Pro Stock Motorcycle: 1. Eddie Krawiec, 339; 2. Andrew Hines, 286; 3. Hector Arana Jr, 273; 4. Hector Arana, 259; 5. Karen Stoffer, 238; 6. Jim Underdahl, 224; 7. Scotty Pollacheck, 207; 8. (tie) Jerry Savoie, 198; LE Tonglet, 198; 10. Angelle Sampey, 193.