NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
Encyclopedia
The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series (formerly NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series) is the top competition division of the NHRA. It consist of four classes, Top Fuel Dragster
, Funny Car
, Pro Stock
, and Pro Stock Motorcycle
.
in terms of most popular forms of racing in America by several objective criteria (ESPN/TNS Sport Fan Poll, Cable TV Ratings, Internet traffic). Winston
was the title sponsor of the series from 1970 until 2001, before a new governing rule stated the Master Settlement Agreement
restricted R. J. Reynolds to one sponsorship of a sporting event; they chose NASCAR. In 2002, The Coca-Cola Company
took over sponsorship of the series, which became known as the NHRA Powerade
Drag Racing Series and had the slogan "Very Real Power."
The series has four main professional classes: Top Fuel Dragster
, Funny Car
, Pro Stock
, and Pro Stock Motorcycle
. Top Fuel was the first category, with Funny Cars added in 1966, Pro Stock four years later and Pro Stock Motorcycles in 1987. Both Top Fuel and Funny Cars regularly see top speeds in excess of 300 miles per hour (134.1 m/s) today, and quarter-mile times anywhere from 4.42 to 5 seconds. Both these cars burn fuel consisting of 90% nitromethane
and 10% methanol
. The Pro Stock record is 211 miles per hour (94.3 m/s), with times often in the 6.5-6.7 second range and the Pro Stock Motorcycles usually run at 190+ mph (190 miles per hour (84.9 m/s)), with times in the low 7- to high 6-second range. Top Fuel (class designation: TF/D top fuel dragster) and Fuel Funny Car (class designation: TF/C top fuel coupe) have recently been limited to a 1000 feet (304.8 m) track, instead of the historic 1/4 mile [1320 feet (402 m)], as a means to limit top speeds and increase safety (there had been a number of engine explosions at or near 300 mph resulting in driver injuries and death). Currently, driver and spectator safety has been enhanced even while top speeds often approach and exceed 300 mph.
Some of the popular racers to come through the series include "Big Daddy" Don Garlits
, Don "The Snake" Prudhomme
, and Shirley Muldowney
. Those three gained much attention from the 1960s through 1970s with their speed and personalities, a combination rarely achieved today through the political correctness of sponsorship in today's drivers. Nonetheless there are still colorful characters today, such as 14-time Funny Car world champion John Force
and his daughter, 2007 Rookie of the Year Ashley Force
Hood, who has made appearances on Good Morning America
and The Tonight Show
and was voted AOL's Hottest Female Athlete in 2007.
On April 24, 2008, the NHRA and Coca-Cola announced a change in branding for the series effective 2009, with the professional classes referred NHRA Full Throttle
Drag Racing Series, with the new slogan "Go Full Throttle or Go Home." In concert with the re-branding of the series, Coca-Cola extended their deal with NHRA by two years, from 2011 to 2013.
All NHRA Full Throttle Series races are broadcast in high definition in the U.S. on ESPN2
. Currently, veteran broadcaster Paul Page
anchors the coverage alongside former racer Mike Dunn. Pit and trackside reporters include Gary Gerould
, Dave Rieff and John Kernan, some former commentators include Steve Evans, Brock Yates, Bob Frey, and Dave McClelland.
On July 2, 2008, following the death of Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta
, the NHRA announced that race distances for Top Fuel and Funny Car classes would temporarily be reduced to 1000 ft from the usual 1/4 mile (1320 ft). The measure was intended to be temporary while safety solutions were explored; however, the races have remained at 1000 feet since Kalitta's death, with no indication by NHRA officials of any intent of returning to the full quarter-mile format any time soon. An ancillary benefit to Top Fuel and Funny Car teams has been a cost reduction for maintenance of cars between runs, as the engines do not run under full power as long, and thus do not require as extensive a rebuild as the quarter-mile run necessitated. However, as crews learned to compensate for the shorter runs with changes in engine and clutch setups, and speeds once again approach those seen in full quarter-mile passes, those savings have been largely negated.
as fuels, while the Pro Stock categories use a special type of racing fuel, which is a derivative of gasoline.
http://joshuaaaron22.blogspot.com/2011/07/nhra-drag-races-at-infineon-raceway-day.html
Top Fuel
Top Fuel racing is a class of drag racing in which the cars are run on a mix of approximately 90% nitromethane and 10% methanol rather than gasoline or simply methanol. The cars are purpose-built for drag racing, with an exaggerated layout that in some ways resembles open-wheel circuit racing...
, Funny Car
Funny Car
Funny Car is a drag racing car class. In the United States, other "professional" classes are Top Fuel, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Funny cars have forward-mounted engines and carbon fiber automotive bodies over the chassis, giving them an appearance vaguely approximating manufacturers'...
, Pro Stock
Pro Stock
Pro Stock Drag Racing is a class of drag racing featuring 'Factory Hot-Rods'. The class can be known as "all motor," as the cars cannot use artificial induction such as turbocharging, supercharging, or nitrous oxide, and there are very strict rules governing the modifications allowed to the...
, and Pro Stock Motorcycle
Pro Stock Motorcycle
Pro Stock Motorcycle, formerly known as Pro Stock Bike is a drag racing class that is the two-wheeled equivalent of Pro Stock. It has been a feature of NHRA drag racing since the 1980s when it was added to the professional class structure and has since spread around the globe. Their 1st Points...
.
History
The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series is made up of 23 races from February to November and it is second only to NASCARNASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
in terms of most popular forms of racing in America by several objective criteria (ESPN/TNS Sport Fan Poll, Cable TV Ratings, Internet traffic). Winston
Winston (cigarette)
Winston cigarettes are manufactured by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company or its newer incarnation as RJR Nabisco and/or its affiliates.The brand was introduced in 1954, and became the best-selling brand of cigarettes in the United States...
was the title sponsor of the series from 1970 until 2001, before a new governing rule stated the Master Settlement Agreement
Master Settlement Agreement
The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement was entered in November 1998, originally between the four largest US tobacco companies and the attorneys general of 46 states...
restricted R. J. Reynolds to one sponsorship of a sporting event; they chose NASCAR. In 2002, The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational beverage corporation and manufacturer, retailer and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups. The company is best known for its flagship product Coca-Cola, invented in 1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton in Columbus, Georgia...
took over sponsorship of the series, which became known as the NHRA Powerade
Powerade
Powerade is a sports drink manufactured and marketed by The Coca-Cola Company. First introduced in 1988, its primary competitor is PepsiCo's Gatorade...
Drag Racing Series and had the slogan "Very Real Power."
The series has four main professional classes: Top Fuel Dragster
Top Fuel
Top Fuel racing is a class of drag racing in which the cars are run on a mix of approximately 90% nitromethane and 10% methanol rather than gasoline or simply methanol. The cars are purpose-built for drag racing, with an exaggerated layout that in some ways resembles open-wheel circuit racing...
, Funny Car
Funny Car
Funny Car is a drag racing car class. In the United States, other "professional" classes are Top Fuel, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Funny cars have forward-mounted engines and carbon fiber automotive bodies over the chassis, giving them an appearance vaguely approximating manufacturers'...
, Pro Stock
Pro Stock
Pro Stock Drag Racing is a class of drag racing featuring 'Factory Hot-Rods'. The class can be known as "all motor," as the cars cannot use artificial induction such as turbocharging, supercharging, or nitrous oxide, and there are very strict rules governing the modifications allowed to the...
, and Pro Stock Motorcycle
Pro Stock Motorcycle
Pro Stock Motorcycle, formerly known as Pro Stock Bike is a drag racing class that is the two-wheeled equivalent of Pro Stock. It has been a feature of NHRA drag racing since the 1980s when it was added to the professional class structure and has since spread around the globe. Their 1st Points...
. Top Fuel was the first category, with Funny Cars added in 1966, Pro Stock four years later and Pro Stock Motorcycles in 1987. Both Top Fuel and Funny Cars regularly see top speeds in excess of 300 miles per hour (134.1 m/s) today, and quarter-mile times anywhere from 4.42 to 5 seconds. Both these cars burn fuel consisting of 90% nitromethane
Nitromethane
Nitromethane is an organic compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest organic nitro compound. It is a slightly viscous, highly polar liquid commonly used as a solvent in a variety of industrial applications such as in extractions, as a reaction medium, and as a cleaning solvent...
and 10% methanol
Methanol
Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha or wood spirits, is a chemical with the formula CH3OH . It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colorless, flammable liquid with a distinctive odor very similar to, but slightly sweeter than, ethanol...
. The Pro Stock record is 211 miles per hour (94.3 m/s), with times often in the 6.5-6.7 second range and the Pro Stock Motorcycles usually run at 190+ mph (190 miles per hour (84.9 m/s)), with times in the low 7- to high 6-second range. Top Fuel (class designation: TF/D top fuel dragster) and Fuel Funny Car (class designation: TF/C top fuel coupe) have recently been limited to a 1000 feet (304.8 m) track, instead of the historic 1/4 mile [1320 feet (402 m)], as a means to limit top speeds and increase safety (there had been a number of engine explosions at or near 300 mph resulting in driver injuries and death). Currently, driver and spectator safety has been enhanced even while top speeds often approach and exceed 300 mph.
Some of the popular racers to come through the series include "Big Daddy" Don Garlits
Don Garlits
Donald Glenn "Don" Garlits is considered the father of drag racing. He is known as "Big Daddy" to drag racing fans around the world. Always a pioneer in the field of drag-racing, he, with the help of T.C...
, Don "The Snake" Prudhomme
Don Prudhomme
Don 'The Snake' Prudhomme, is an American drag racer.-Racing career:In 1962, Prudhomme was a partner in the Greer-Black-Prudhomme digger, which earned the best win record in NHRA history, before switching to Funny Car. He would win the NHRA FC championship four times in his thirty-five-year career...
, and Shirley Muldowney
Shirley Muldowney
Shirley Muldowney , also known professionally as "Cha Cha" Muldowney and the "First Lady of Drag Racing", is a pioneer in professional auto racing. She was the first woman to receive a license from the National Hot Rod Association to drive a top fuel dragster...
. Those three gained much attention from the 1960s through 1970s with their speed and personalities, a combination rarely achieved today through the political correctness of sponsorship in today's drivers. Nonetheless there are still colorful characters today, such as 14-time Funny Car world champion John Force
John Force
John Harold Force is an NHRA drag racer, a 15-time Funny Car champion driver, and a 17-time champion car owner. Force owns and drives for John Force Racing. He is one of the most dominant drag racers in the sport with 133 career victories...
and his daughter, 2007 Rookie of the Year Ashley Force
Ashley Force
Ashley Force Hood is a funny car drag racer for John Force Racing. She is the daughter of 15-time NHRA Funny Car national champion John Force and Laurie Force...
Hood, who has made appearances on Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
and The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
and was voted AOL's Hottest Female Athlete in 2007.
On April 24, 2008, the NHRA and Coca-Cola announced a change in branding for the series effective 2009, with the professional classes referred NHRA Full Throttle
Full Throttle (drink)
Full Throttle is an energy drink brand produced by The Coca-Cola Company. It debuted in late 2004 in North America.On April 24, 2008, it was announced that Coca-Cola would change sponsorship of the National Hot Rod Association professional classes from POWERade to Full Throttle.In November, 2009,...
Drag Racing Series, with the new slogan "Go Full Throttle or Go Home." In concert with the re-branding of the series, Coca-Cola extended their deal with NHRA by two years, from 2011 to 2013.
All NHRA Full Throttle Series races are broadcast in high definition in the U.S. on ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
. Currently, veteran broadcaster Paul Page
Paul Page
Paul Page is an American motorsports broadcaster who was the lead announcer for ABC Sports' coverage of CART and the IRL from 1988 to 2004. He currently is the lead announcer for NHRA.-Early life and career:...
anchors the coverage alongside former racer Mike Dunn. Pit and trackside reporters include Gary Gerould
Gary Gerould
Gary Gerould is an American sportscaster, best known as the radio voice of the NBA's Sacramento Kings since 1985 and as a motorsports reporter for ABC and ESPN....
, Dave Rieff and John Kernan, some former commentators include Steve Evans, Brock Yates, Bob Frey, and Dave McClelland.
On July 2, 2008, following the death of Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta
Scott Kalitta
Scott Kalitta was an American drag racer who competed in the Funny Car and Top Fuel classes in the National Hot Rod Association Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. He was killed at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, after an accident during qualifying...
, the NHRA announced that race distances for Top Fuel and Funny Car classes would temporarily be reduced to 1000 ft from the usual 1/4 mile (1320 ft). The measure was intended to be temporary while safety solutions were explored; however, the races have remained at 1000 feet since Kalitta's death, with no indication by NHRA officials of any intent of returning to the full quarter-mile format any time soon. An ancillary benefit to Top Fuel and Funny Car teams has been a cost reduction for maintenance of cars between runs, as the engines do not run under full power as long, and thus do not require as extensive a rebuild as the quarter-mile run necessitated. However, as crews learned to compensate for the shorter runs with changes in engine and clutch setups, and speeds once again approach those seen in full quarter-mile passes, those savings have been largely negated.
The Countdown
Starting with the 2007 season, the NHRA implemented a "regular season" and "playoff" system to determine the champion in each class, billed as the "Countdown to 1". Each season is divided into two segments of races, with the bulk of the races making up the first segment, and the final events making up the second segment. After the first segment is complete, the drivers in each class at or above the cutoff point in the standings (8th place up to 2007 and 10th place thereafter) become eligible for the championship, while the drivers below the cutoff point are eliminated from championship contention, though they still participate in the remaining race events. The points for the advancing drivers are readjusted so that they are separated by a fixed margin, with first place receiving bonus points. The drivers then compete for the championship over the final races of the season.Champions
Before 1974, the season champion was determined by winner of the World Finals event champion. The Professional category contains the divisions of Pro Stock (Automobile), Pro Stock Motorcycle, Top Fuel, and Funny Car, the last two use nitromethaneNitromethane
Nitromethane is an organic compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest organic nitro compound. It is a slightly viscous, highly polar liquid commonly used as a solvent in a variety of industrial applications such as in extractions, as a reaction medium, and as a cleaning solvent...
as fuels, while the Pro Stock categories use a special type of racing fuel, which is a derivative of gasoline.
| Year | Top Fuel Top Fuel Top Fuel racing is a class of drag racing in which the cars are run on a mix of approximately 90% nitromethane and 10% methanol rather than gasoline or simply methanol. The cars are purpose-built for drag racing, with an exaggerated layout that in some ways resembles open-wheel circuit racing... |
Funny Car Funny Car Funny Car is a drag racing car class. In the United States, other "professional" classes are Top Fuel, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Funny cars have forward-mounted engines and carbon fiber automotive bodies over the chassis, giving them an appearance vaguely approximating manufacturers'... |
Pro Stock Pro Stock Pro Stock Drag Racing is a class of drag racing featuring 'Factory Hot-Rods'. The class can be known as "all motor," as the cars cannot use artificial induction such as turbocharging, supercharging, or nitrous oxide, and there are very strict rules governing the modifications allowed to the... |
Pro Stock Motorcycle Pro Stock Motorcycle Pro Stock Motorcycle, formerly known as Pro Stock Bike is a drag racing class that is the two-wheeled equivalent of Pro Stock. It has been a feature of NHRA drag racing since the 1980s when it was added to the professional class structure and has since spread around the globe. Their 1st Points... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Maynard Rupp | |||
| 1966 | Pete Robinson | Ed Schartman | ||
| 1967 | Bennie Osborn | |||
| 1968 | Bennie Osborn | |||
| 1969 | Steve Carbone | |||
| 1970 | Ronnie Martin | Gene Snow | Ronnie Sox Ronnie Sox Ronnie Sox was a United States drag racer.His family ran an Esso service station near Burlington, North Carolina, where got his start in drag racing in the 1950s when the Police Club of Burlington began hosting races at an airport.He raced at tracks throughout North Carolina and became a national... |
|
| 1971 | Gerry Glenn | Phil Castronovo | Mike Fons | |
| 1972 | Jim Walther e | Larry Fullerton | Bill Jenkins Bill Jenkins (dragracer) William Tyler "Grumpy" Jenkins is an engine builder and retired drag racer. Between 1965 and 1975 he won a total of thirteen NHRA drag races. Jenkins raced in the clutchless planetary gear transmission era. Most of these wins were won with a manually shifted four speed transmission... |
|
| 1973 | Jerry Ruth | Frank Hall | Wayne Gapp | |
| 1974 | Gary Beck Gary Beck Gary Beck is a two-time World champion drag racing driver. Born and raised in the United States, Beck married a Canadian and they made their home in her native Edmonton, Alberta... |
Shirl Greer | Bob Glidden Bob Glidden Bob Glidden is an American drag racer. He was retired from Pro Stock racing in 1997 and returned in 2010. Glidden retired as the driver with the most wins in National Hot Rod Association history at that time , and he is currently the third most successful drag racer in the history... |
|
| 1975 | Don Garlits Don Garlits Donald Glenn "Don" Garlits is considered the father of drag racing. He is known as "Big Daddy" to drag racing fans around the world. Always a pioneer in the field of drag-racing, he, with the help of T.C... |
Don Prudhomme Don Prudhomme Don 'The Snake' Prudhomme, is an American drag racer.-Racing career:In 1962, Prudhomme was a partner in the Greer-Black-Prudhomme digger, which earned the best win record in NHRA history, before switching to Funny Car. He would win the NHRA FC championship four times in his thirty-five-year career... |
Bob Glidden | |
| 1976 | Richard Tharp | Don Prudhomme | Larry Lombardo | |
| 1977 | Shirley Muldowney Shirley Muldowney Shirley Muldowney , also known professionally as "Cha Cha" Muldowney and the "First Lady of Drag Racing", is a pioneer in professional auto racing. She was the first woman to receive a license from the National Hot Rod Association to drive a top fuel dragster... @ |
Don Prudhomme | Don Nicholson Don Nicholson Don Nicholson was an American drag racer from Georgia. He raced in the 1960s and '70s when there were few national events. The National Hot Rod Association estimates that he won 90 percent of his match races... |
|
| 1978 | Kelly Brown | Don Prudhomme | Bob Glidden | |
| 1979 | Rob Bruins* | Raymond Beadle Raymond Beadle Raymond Beadle was an American nitro funny car and dragster racer, as well as a prolific auto racing team owner.In the sport of drag racing, Beadle's 'Blue Max' cars he won three consecutive NHRA funny car championships from 1979 to 1981 and three IHRA funny car championships - 1975-6 and 1981.In... |
Bob Glidden | |
| 1980 | Shirley Muldowney | Raymond Beadle | Bob Glidden | |
| 1981 | Jeb Allen | Raymond Beadle | Lee Shepherd Lee Shepherd Lee Alan Shepherd was an American drag racing driver . He began racing for car owners Reher & Morrison in 1978. The team campaigned Chevy Camaros through most of their career. The Arlington, Texas native won the National Hot Rod Association's Pro Stock championship in four consecutive seasons from... |
|
| 1982 | Shirley Muldowney | Frank Hawley Frank Hawley Frank Hawley is a two-time World champion drag racing driver. He won seven National Hot Rod Association Funny Car and two Top Fuel Dragster national events during his 10-year Top fuel racing career that included the 1982 and 1983 National Hot Rod Association Funny Car World Championship... |
Lee Shepherd | |
| 1983 | Gary Beck | Frank Hawley | Lee Shepherd# | |
| 1984 | Joe Amato | Mark Oswald | Lee Shepherd | |
| 1985 | Don Garlits | Kenny Bernstein Kenny Bernstein Kenny 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 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... |
Bob Glidden | |
| 1986 | Don Garlits | Kenny Bernstein | Bob Glidden | |
| 1987 | Dick LaHaie | Kenny Bernstein | Bob Glidden | Dave Schultz |
| 1988 | Joe Amato | Kenny Bernstein | Bob Glidden | Dave Schultz |
| 1989 | Gary Ormsby | Bruce Larson Bruce Larson Bruce Larson is a retired American drag racer from Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. He became nationally known for his match races. He quit drag racing during the early 1980s. He returned in 1985 on the National Hot Rod Association Funny Car tour and won the 1989 NHRA Funny Car championship. His cars were... |
Bob Glidden | John Mafaro |
| 1990 | Joe Amato d | John Force John Force John Harold Force is an NHRA drag racer, a 15-time Funny Car champion driver, and a 17-time champion car owner. Force owns and drives for John Force Racing. He is one of the most dominant drag racers in the sport with 133 career victories... |
Darrell Alderman | John Meyers |
| 1991 | Joe Amato | John Force | Darrell Alderman | Dave Schultz |
| 1992 | Joe Amato | Cruz Pedregon Cruz Pedregon Cruz Pedregon is a 2-time NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Funny Car Champion from Torrance, California. He is the brother of Tony Pedregon also a two-time Funny Car Champion.-Early Days:... |
Warren Johnson Warren Johnson Warren Johnson is an NHRA drag racing driver. He is the driver with the most wins in pro stock with 97 career wins, earning himself the nickname The Professor of Pro Stock.-Career:... |
John Meyers |
| 1993 | Eddie Hill Eddie Hill Eddie Hill is a retired American drag racer who won numerous drag racing championships on land and water. Hill had the first run in the four second range , which earned him the nickname "Four Father of Drag Racing." His other nicknames include "The Thrill", "Holeshot Hill", and "Fast Eddie"... |
John Force | Warren Johnson | Dave Schultz |
| 1994 | Scott Kalitta Scott Kalitta Scott Kalitta was an American drag racer who competed in the Funny Car and Top Fuel classes in the National Hot Rod Association Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. He was killed at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, after an accident during qualifying... |
John Force | Darrell Alderman | Dave Schultz |
| 1995 | Scott Kalitta p | John Force p | Warren Johnson %p | John Meyers p |
| 1996 | Kenny Bernstein Kenny Bernstein Kenny 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 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... *** & |
John Force | Jim Yates | Dave Schultz |
| 1997 | Gary Scelzi Gary Scelzi Gary Scelzi, , is an American dragster racer and midget car owner who has won the NHRA Powerade Top Fuel championship on three occasions and the Funny Car title once... |
John Force | Jim Yates s | Matt Hines |
| 1998 | Gary Scelzi | John Force | Warren Johnson | Matt Hines |
| 1999 | Tony Schumacher | John Force | Warren Johnson | Matt Hines |
| 2000 | Gary Scelzi | John Force | Jeg Coughlin, Jr. Jeg Coughlin, Jr. Jeg Coughlin, Jr. is an American motorsports driver, competing in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Pro Stock Division. He announced at the 2006 U.S. Nationals that he would drive in three events towards the end of that season and would return to the Pro Stock ranks the following season as... |
Angelle Sampey Angelle Sampey Angelle Sampey, born Angelle Monique Sampey, August 7, 1970, New Orleans, Louisiana, was an American Pro Stock Motorcycle racer. She won the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle championship three times... |
| 2001 | Kenny Bernstein | John Force$$ | Warren Johnson | Angelle Sampey |
| 2002 | Larry Dixon Larry Dixon (drag racer) Larry Dixon, Jr. is a professional drag racer in the NHRA. Larry is the son of Larry Dixon, Sr., who won one national event.-1980s and 1990s:... |
John Force | Jeg Coughlin, Jr. | Angelle Sampey |
| 2003 | Larry Dixon | Tony Pedregon Tony Pedregon Tony Pedregon is a 2-time NHRA Full Throttle 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 NHRA Full Throttle Series Funny Car Champion.-Early Days:In 1993 Pedregon qualified for his first... |
Greg Anderson Greg Anderson (driver) Greg Anderson is a current NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Pro Stock driver for KB Racing, driving the Summit Racing car. He began his Pro Stock career in 1998. Greg previously served as Crew Chief for current pro stock driver Warren Johnson and tuned Warren to three pro stock championchips... |
Geno Scali |
| 2004 | Tony Schumacher | John Force John Force John Harold Force is an NHRA drag racer, a 15-time Funny Car champion driver, and a 17-time champion car owner. Force owns and drives for John Force Racing. He is one of the most dominant drag racers in the sport with 133 career victories... |
Greg Anderson | Andrew Hines Andrew Hines Andrew Hines is a three-time National Hot Rod Association Pro Stock Motorcycle champion. He rides the flagship Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson V-rod. Andrew follows in the footsteps of his brother and crew chief, Matt Hines... |
| 2005 | Tony Schumacher | Gary Scelzi*** | Greg Anderson | Andrew Hines |
| 2006 | Tony Schumacher | John Force John Force John Harold Force is an NHRA drag racer, a 15-time Funny Car champion driver, and a 17-time champion car owner. Force owns and drives for John Force Racing. He is one of the most dominant drag racers in the sport with 133 career victories... |
Jason Line | Andrew Hines |
| 2007 | Tony Schumacher$ | Tony Pedregon | Jeg Coughlin, Jr. | Matt Smith |
| 2008 | Tony Schumacher (1k) | Cruz Pedregon Cruz Pedregon Cruz Pedregon is a 2-time NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Funny Car Champion from Torrance, California. He is the brother of Tony Pedregon also a two-time Funny Car Champion.-Early Days:... (1k) |
Jeg Coughlin, Jr. | Eddie Krawiec* |
| 2009 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season 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".-Schedule:-Points standings:... |
Tony Schumacher (1k) | Robert Hight^ (1k) | Mike Edwards** | Hector Arana |
| 2010 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season 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... |
Larry Dixon Larry Dixon (drag racer) Larry Dixon, Jr. is a professional drag racer in the NHRA. Larry is the son of Larry Dixon, Sr., who won one national event.-1980s and 1990s:... |
John Force John Force John Harold Force is an NHRA drag racer, a 15-time Funny Car champion driver, and a 17-time champion car owner. Force owns and drives for John Force Racing. He is one of the most dominant drag racers in the sport with 133 career victories... |
Greg Anderson**** | LE Tonglet |
| 2011 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season The 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Season began on 24 February 2011 and concluded on 13 November. This race season marked the 60th anniversary of NHRA as an official motorsports sanctioning body.... |
Del Worsham Del Worsham Del Worsham is an NHRA driver who began his professional career in Pomona, California, in 1990. Worsham drives for Al-Anabi Racing, whom he joined in 2009. Through the first five races of the 2011 season, he has amassed 28 career victories, three in the Top Fuel Series and 25 in the Funny Car... |
Matt Hagan | Jason Line | Eddie Krawiec |
- (*) Bruins and Krawiec won the championship without winning a single finals event
- (**) Edwards took 27 years to win NHRA titles (he won the 1981 Modified title), the longest in history.
- (***) Bernstein, and Scelzi are the only two drivers in NHRA history to win championships in both Top Fuel, and Funny Car.
- (****) Anderson's 2010 title is the last for manufacture PontiacPontiacPontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
in auto racing as it ceased to exist after the season - (#) Shepherd also won the IHRAInternational Hot Rod AssociationThe International Hot Rod Association, also known as IHRA, is the 2nd largest drag racing sanctioning body after the NHRA.-The Carrier Era:The IHRA was formed in November 1970 by businessman Larry Carrier. Throughout this period the organization was operated primarily in the south-eastern United...
World Pro Stock Championship that year (1983), becoming the first, and so far, the only driver to do so. - (%) This season was marred by the break-in at the Wayne County Speed Shops. The drivers of Darrell Alderman, and Scott Geoffrion would be unable to continue for the remainder of the season, after vandals destroyed both the main, and back up engines, and several spare parts to both cars. Unfortunately, this would be the last year of the Wayne County Speed Shops in the NHRA, as they would never be able to recover from the financial devastation. Johnson had one of the biggest comebacks in NHRA history, moving from the bottom of the top 10, gaining over 500 points, with half the season completed, to capture the Pro Stock title.
- (&) Bernstein gave his championship trophy to Alan Johnson, brother, and crew chief of late Top Fuel driver Blaine JohnsonBlaine JohnsonBlaine H. Johnson was a professional drag racer.Blaine, along with his life-long crew chief and brother, Alan, were competitors in the NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster Series, a series which they entered in 1988...
, who had died during qualifying at the U.S. nationals that year. - ($) Schumacher won his record sixth Top Fuel title in 2007, beating the 15 year old record held by retired Top Fuel driver Joe Amato.
- ($$) Force's 11th Championship in 2001 made him the winningest driver in NHRA history, beating the 21 year old record held by Pro Stock driver Bob Glidden(10).
- (^) Hight's win makes John Force the winningest team owner in NHRA history, with 17 Championships (15 on his own, once with Hight, and another with Tony Pedregon).
- (1k) Starting July 2, 2008, fuel classes began racing only to 1,000 feet.
- (p) In 1995, the points system used to determine a winner in each category was revamped, the winner of each event would received 100 points, the second place finisher would receive 90, the 3 rd runner up would receive 80, the other semi finalists would receive 70, the second round competitors would each receive 50, and all qualifiers would receive 10, the new system was similar to the previous one, except the omission of a zero at the end of each total.
- (s) 1997 would see the first, and so far, the only indefinite suspension handed down by the NHRA Board of Directors for use of nitrous oxide in the Pro Stock category, when driver Jerry Eckman's car exploded in the pits of an event early in the season, he had qualified for the event earlier in the day, and was therefore, held accountable for knowledge of a nitrous oxide system in the car, Eckman has attempted several times for an appeal, but has never shown up for the appeal hearings, forcing the NHRA to revoke his competition license, and ban him from ever competing in an NHRA sanctioned event.
- (@) Muldowney was the first female driver to win a championship in any category, when she won the 1977 NHRA Top Fuel Championship.
- (e) In 1972, the engines on a Top Fuel car were moved from in front of the driver, to behind the driver, primarily for safety reasons.
- (d) The 1990 season would start out with the forced retirement of driver Darrell Gwynn, after an accident at a track in England would lead to him losing an arm, he would continue to be a vehicle owner, and is still to this day, involved with the NHRA.
External links
- Official website
- Official NHRA Drag Racing Podcasts
- Drag Race Central The Latest NHRA News and Analysis
http://joshuaaaron22.blogspot.com/2011/07/nhra-drag-races-at-infineon-raceway-day.html