With now just three races left in the 17-race regular season portion of the POWERade Series’ new Countdown to the Championship, Sunday Raceday has taken on a whole new and far more dramatic complexion.

 

Every single pair that goes down the track now on Sunday seems to have some bearing on the playoff picture, whether it’s a driver at the top end securing a playoff spot or one in the middle desperately seeking one.

 

That was certainly evident this past weekend at Pacific Raceways in Seattle where three more drivers clinched playoff berths and two moved inside the cutline … at least for now.

 

The two who moved inside the Top 8 in their respective category this week were none other than the two winningest drivers in the history of the NHRA POWERade Series: Funny Car’s John Force (123 career wins) and Pro Stock’s Warren Johnson (96 career wins).

 

Force’s ascent has been remarkable. He was as low as 20th place after Atlanta (Race 6) and still back in 15th after Norwalk (Race 11). A win at Bristol moved him to 13th, a semifinal at Denver moved him to ninth and a runner-up at Seattle moved him by Pedregon and into eighth place with three races left in the regular season.

 

He has a 44-point lead over Cruz Pedregon and a 60-point lead over his daughter, Ashley Force.

 

The drivers who clinched playoff berths at Seattle were Dave Connolly, Ron Capps and Rod Fuller.

 

In Fuller’s Top Fuel category, the top five drivers have separated a bit from the pack and Nos. 2-5 are in good position to join Fuller and clinch playoff berths of their own this weekend in Sonoma.

 

Also in Top Fuel, Melanie Troxel will be in the spotlight as she tries to right an uneven season before it’s too late.