Bob Vandergriff Jr. must be among the biggest proponents of the POWERade Countdown to the Championship playoff format right now.

The Alpharetta, Ga. resident snagged UPS as the title sponsor of his dragster prior to the start of the 2006 season and he and crew chief Jim Dupuy have spent the past year and a quarter fine-tuning their program, trying to play catch-up with the veteran programs in front of them.

That’s usually a recipe for ‘Wait ’Til Next Year’ results in the championship standings, but that’s not the case with NHRA’s POWERade Countdown to the Championship playoff format. Bob Vandergriff Jr. must be among the biggest proponents of the POWERade Countdown to the Championship playoff format right now.

The Alpharetta, Ga. resident snagged UPS as the title sponsor of his dragster prior to the start of the 2006 season and he and crew chief Jim Dupuy have spent the past year and a quarter fine-tuning their program, trying to play catch-up with the veteran programs in front of them.

That’s usually a recipe for ‘Wait ’Til Next Year’ results in the championship standings, but that’s not the case with NHRA’s POWERade Countdown to the Championship playoff format.

Drivers need to get inside the Top 8 after 17 events to secure a spot in the second stage of the Countdown and Vandergriff is right on the edge after his runner-up finish in Las Vegas.

He sits just 24 points behind Melanie Troxel for the eighth and final berth after five events.

In year’s past, he’d be facing the prospect of having to surpass eight drivers and make up 161 points to get into first place.

This year, he’s focused on moving up one position and making up 24 points, perhaps as soon as the upcoming Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals in his home state of Georgia.

Some other notables on the outside looking in are Doug Kalitta in Top Fuel, Kenny Bernstein and Ashley Force in Funny Car, and Warren and Kurt Johnson in Pro Stock.


TOP FUEL
Driver (Ws) Pts/PB
1. Fuller (1) 383
2. Todd (2) 342
3. B. Bernstein (1) 327
4. Schumacher (1) 304
5. Bazemore 295
6. Dixon 293
7. Grubnic 261
8. Troxel 246
*****************
9. Vandergriff -24
10. Hartley -41
11. McClenathan -46
12. Lucas -63

FUNNY CAR
Driver (Ws) Pts/PB
1. Capps (2) 458
2. Hight (1) 370
3. T. Pedregon (1) 314
4. Head 301
5. Scelzi (1) 279
6. C. Pedregon 213
7. Ashley 209
8. Arend 202
*****************
9. Beckman -24
10. Worsham -26
11. K. Bernstein -27
12. A. Force -30

PRO STOCK
Driver (Ws) Pts/PB
1. Anderson (3) 484
2. Line (1) 355
3. Connolly 329
4. Coughlin 315
5. A. Johnson 250
6. Edwards 244
7. Stanfield 242
8. Gaines 221
*****************
9. K. Johnson (1) -2
10. W. Johnson -14
11. Stevens Jr. -15
12. Enders -20

PSM (2/16 races)
Rider (Ws) Pts/PB
1. Sampey (1) 175
2. Stoffer (1) 146
3. Smith 132
4. Treble 130
5. Rivas 126
6t. Bradford 122
6t. S. Johnson 122
8. Krawiec 105
*****************
9. A. Brown -15
10. Llewellyn -20
11t. Gann -22
11t. Guidera -