FUNNY CAR ICON JOHN FORCE STAYING BUSY ON SEVERAL FRONTS HEADING TO LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS

BRAINERD, Minn. – When you have 143 victories in your NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series career, which is the case for 16-time Funny Car world champion John Force, that success is bound to be spread over every stop on the NHRA circuit.

But no facility has been as good to the iconic NHRA star as Brainerd International Raceway, the site of this weekend’s 34th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. Force has an incredible 11 wins at the track, the most at any one track for any racer in NHRA history.

Force, though, is eager to regain that Brainerd magic this weekend. He has not won at the track since 2007 and picking up his 12th win at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in his 10,000-horsepower Peak Antifreeze Chevy Camaro is a main priority heading into the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship.

“It’s an exciting race first of all,” said Force, who is currently fourth in the Funny Car points standings. “I have been on fire there and been sent to the burn center, but I have come back and won that race a ton. Hell I don’t even know how many times I have won it but I love racing there. This is a Lucas Oil race and I want to do well there for my new sponsor. Forrest, Charlotte and Morgan have been great for me and for the NHRA so you want to win their race.”

Morgan Lucas (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Jason Line (Pro Stock) were last year’s winners of the pivotal event that will once again be televised on ESPN2. Pro Stock Motorcycle will make its return to Brainerd in 2015 after a two-year absence. It is also the 17th of 24 races in the 2015 season, serving as the penultimate race of the regular season.

Force is well aware of the importance of performing well in Brainerd and is hopeful his entire John Force Racing operation can pick up steam at the event to lead into the prestigious Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis and the six-race Countdown playoffs.

Although not official yet, his spot in the Countdown is basically secured, but teammates Robert Hight and Courtney Force are ninth and 11th, respectively. Only John Force, who has two victories this season, has a guaranteed spot in the Traxxas Shootout as well, meaning the team must be focused heading into Brainerd.

“Starting with this race it is all about the Countdown,” Force said. “We are also trying to get cars into the Traxxas Shootout because that is the last race for Robert or Courtney to get a guaranteed spot. There are two more races before the Countdown starts and we want to get everyone into the top 10.”

To do so, Force and his team hope to see marked improvement during this crucial stretch after seeing the rival Don Schumacher Racing team dominate the 2015 Funny Car season thus far, winning 13 of the 16 events. Force’s two victories came in Las Vegas and Epping, but a victory by any one of the three Funny Cars this weekend would do wonders for the team’s momentum.

“You want to win the race of course because that is a big deal for your sponsors, but you are also preparing and building momentum for Indy and the Countdown,” Force said. “There is a lot going on that weekend because you are trying to get drivers into the Shootout, you want to stay in the top 10 and I want to represent Lucas Oil as best I can.”

That would include another Brainerd victory, but Force knows he will have to be in top form to do so. Despite his overall success at the facility, it is DSR’s Ron Capps who has dominated the Brainerd scene as of late, winning the race the past three seasons.

Other standouts include surging Jack Beckman, who is second in points thanks to five victories and a record-setting hot rod that stormed through the Western Swing by posting the two quickest runs for a Funny Car in NHRA history. Top contenders also include reigning world champion and points leader Matt Hagan, Cruz Pedregon, Seattle winner Tommy Johnson Jr., Tim Wilkerson, Del Worsham, and Hight and Alexis DeJoria, who both hold a 73-point lead over Courtney Force for the final Countdown spot.

John Force knows the competition is stout but his team, led by young crew chief Jon Schaffer, will be locked in headed to the crunch time of the regular season and into the Countdown.

“It is almost the beginning of the Countdown and you need every point you can get,” Force said. “This is the toughest competition I have ever seen in Funny Car. “

Lucas earned his first victory of the 2014 season at Brainerd while competing on a limited schedule. He hopes to repeat that feat this year, while his Morgan Lucas Racing teammate, Richie Crampton, has three wins in 2015. Other standouts include points leader and reigning world champion Tony Schumacher, Antron Brown, Doug Kalitta, Spencer Massey, J.R. Todd, Larry Dixon and Shawn Langdon, as well as Brittany Force, Steve Torrence, Clay Millican and Dave Connolly, who are all competing for the final Countdown playoff spots.

Minnesota native Line raced his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro to the Pro Stock victory at Brainerd last year and went on to finish the season second in points behind world champ Erica Enders. His teammate Greg Anderson, also from Minnesota and a three-time BIR winner, has won four of seven final round appearances this season and is the current points leader. A host of stars are looking to take home the Brainerd win, including Allen Johnson, Shane Gray, Jonathan Gray, Chris McGaha, who won back-to-back races top close the Western Swing, Vincent Nobile, rookie sensation Drew Skillman and two-time season winner Larry Morgan.

Pro Stock Motorcycle hasn’t competed at Brainerd International Raceway since 2012 when Eddie Krawiec rode his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson to victory. Krawiec is the current points leader and will face off against top challengers like reigning world champion and two-time BIR winner Andrew Hines, Hector Arana Jr., Karen Stoffer, local favorite Jim Underdahl and alligator farmer Jerry Savoie.

The Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals also will 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, Aug. 21, with sessions at 3 and 5:30 p.m. The final two qualifying sessions will take place Sunday, Aug. 22, at 1 and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 23.

To purchase tickets, call 218-824-RACE (7223) or visit www.brainerdraceway.com. For more information about the NHRA visit www.NHRA.com.

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LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS FACT SHEET

WHAT: 34th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, the 17th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Drivers in four categories – Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle – earn points leading to 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championships.

WHERE: Brainerd International Raceway and Resort, Brainerd, Minn. Track is located a few miles north of the Brainerd area off Highway 371. The track is located on the east side of the highway.

COURSE: Championship drag strip; Track elevation is 1,200 feet above sea level; Track direction is west to east.

WHEN: Friday through Sunday, Aug. 20-23

SCHEDULE:

FRIDAY, Aug. 21 – LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying

MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 3 and 5:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, Aug. 22 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations

MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 1 and 3:30 p.m.

SUNDAY, Aug. 23 – Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.

MELLO YELLO SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.

TELEVISION:

Saturday, Aug. 22, ESPN2 will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 11 p.m. (ET).

Sunday, Aug. 23, ESPN2 will televise three hours of eliminations coverage starting at 9 p.m. (ET).

SATELLITE (Digital HD feed):

Saturday, Aug. 22, 7 – 7:30 p.m. (ET), SES 1/Transponder 05C

Sunday, Aug. 23, 7 – 7:30 p.m. (ET), SES 1/ Transponder 05C

(3800 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: Morgan Lucas, Top Fuel; Ron Capps, Funny Car; Jason Line, Pro Stock.

MOST VICTORIES: John Force, 11, FC; Joe Amato, 6, TF; Kenny Bernstein, 5, FC/TF; Antron Brown, 5, TF/PSM; Ron Capps, 4, FC; Jeg Coughlin, 4, PS;.

TRACK RECORDS:

Top Fuel – 3.722 sec. by Doug Kalitta, Aug. ’14; 328.54 mph by Richie Crampton, Aug. ’14.

Funny Car – 3.998 sec. by Alexis DeJoria, Aug. ’14; 320.89 mph by John Force, Aug. ’14.

Pro Stock – 6.542 sec. by Erica Enders, Aug. ’12; 210.87 mph by Allen Johnson, Aug. ’12.

Pro Stock Motorcycle – 6.865 sec. by Andrew Hines, Aug. ’12; 196.82 mph by Andrew Hines, Aug. ’05.

NATIONAL RECORDS:

Top Fuel – 3.701 sec. by Antron Brown, Oct. ‘12, Reading, Pa.; 332.51 mph by Larry Dixon, June ’15, Norwalk, Ohio.

Funny Car – 3.921 sec. by Jack Beckman, Aug. ’15, Sonoma, 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.

PS Motorcycle – 6.728 sec. by Andrew Hines, Oct. ’12, Reading, Pa.; 199.88mph by Hector Arana Jr., April ’15, Charlotte, N.C.

TICKETS: Order tickets by phone at (218) 824-RACE (7223). Tickets also are available online at www.brainerdraceway.com.

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NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS

GLENDORA, Calif. — Point standings (top 10) following the 16th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series –

Top Fuel: 1. Tony Schumacher, 1,289*; 2. Antron Brown, 1,202*; 3. Larry Dixon, 1,034; 4. Richie Crampton, 969; 5. Doug Kalitta, 944; 6. J.R. Todd, 896; 7. Shawn Langdon, 872; 8. Spencer Massey, 855; 9. Brittany Force, 851; 10. Steve Torrence, 835.

Funny Car: 1. Matt Hagan, 1,177*; 2. Jack Beckman, 1,172*; 3. Tommy Johnson Jr., 1,063; 4. John Force, 1,025; 5. Del Worsham, 1,004; 6. Ron Capps, 988; 7. Cruz Pedregon, 872; 8. Tim Wilkerson, 870; 9. (tie) Alexis DeJoria, 819; Robert Hight, 819.

Pro Stock: 1. Greg Anderson, 1,322*; 2. Erica Enders, 1,271*; 3. Chris McGaha, 1,175*; 4. Jason Line, 1,102*; 5. Allen Johnson, 951; 6. Larry Morgan, 906; 7. Shane Gray, 834; 8. Jonathan Gray, 823; 9. Vincent Nobile, 787; 10. Drew Skillman, 779.

Pro Stock Motorcycle: 1. Eddie Krawiec, 702; 2. Hector Arana Jr, 596; 3. Andrew Hines, 546; 4. Karen Stoffer, 468; 5. Jim Underdahl, 459; 6. Jerry Savoie, 429; 7. Hector Arana, 417; 8. Matt Smith, 389; 9. Scotty Pollacheck, 376; 10. Angelle Sampey, 336.

* Secured a berth in Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s six-race playoffs.