SKOAL SHOWDOWN PREVIEW
Wed, 2007-08-22 07:22
Sophomore Funny Car driver Robert Hight will start from the No. 1
position in the Skoal Showdown on Sept. 2 at O’Reilly Raceway Park at
Indianapolis, as he goes for his first victory in the special bonus
event for qualified Funny Car drivers.
The Skoal Showdown, a high-stakes, high-speed race featuring the eight quickest and most consistent Funny Car teams from the last season, is a lucrative race-within-a-race held during the 53rd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, the world’s most prestigious drag race.
The winner of the 26th annual Skoal Showdown will earn a $100,000 bonus from U.S. Tobacco. Any driver who can win the Skoal Showdown and the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals will earn a $50,000 ‘Double-Up’ bonus from NHRA.
A race day purse of $147,000 is available for the eight drivers competing in the Skoal Showdown. The Showdown runner-up will earn $15,000, while the two semifinalists will earn $6,000 each. The four first round finishers will earn $5,000 apiece.
Hight, from Anaheim Hills, Calif., was the No. 1 qualifier eight times in his Auto Club Ford Mustang in the 23 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series events that comprise the 2007 Skoal Showdown. It is Hight’s third career appearance in the Skoal Showdown and his second consecutively as the No. 1 seed. Sophomore Funny Car driver Robert Hight will start from the No. 1 position in the Skoal Showdown on Sept. 2 at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, as he goes for his first victory in the special bonus event for qualified Funny Car drivers.
The Skoal Showdown, a high-stakes, high-speed race featuring the eight quickest and most consistent Funny Car teams from the last season, is a lucrative race-within-a-race held during the 53rd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, the world’s most prestigious drag race.
The winner of the 26th annual Skoal Showdown will earn a $100,000 bonus from U.S. Tobacco. Any driver who can win the Skoal Showdown and the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals will earn a $50,000 ‘Double-Up’ bonus from NHRA.
A race day purse of $147,000 is available for the eight drivers competing in the Skoal Showdown. The Showdown runner-up will earn $15,000, while the two semifinalists will earn $6,000 each. The four first round finishers will earn $5,000 apiece.
Hight, from Anaheim Hills, Calif., was the No. 1 qualifier eight times in his Auto Club Ford Mustang in the 23 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series events that comprise the 2007 Skoal Showdown. It is Hight’s third career appearance in the Skoal Showdown and his second consecutively as the No. 1 seed.
Drivers accumulated points for the Skoal Showdown at 23 NHRA national events between last year’s Mac Tools U.S. Nationals up to the 2007 Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, Pa. A $4,000 bonus was awarded to the No. 1 qualifier at each of those races.
Last year John Force raced to victory for his sixth win in the special bonus event.
Skoal Showdown rounds are scheduled for 12:30 and 3:30 and 5 p.m. on Sept. 2.
2007 SKOAL SHOWDOWN FINAL STANDINGS
1. Robert Hight, Anaheim Hills, Calif., Auto Club Ford Mustang 3,280
2. Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., Brut Dodge Charger 2,910
3. Tony Pedregon, Detroit, Q Horsepower Chevy Impala SS 2,900
4. Tommy Johnson Jr., Avon, Ind., Skoal Chevy Impala SS 2,885
5. John Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Castrol GTX Ford Mustang 2,820
6. Mike Ashley, Melville, N.Y., Torco Dodge Charger 2,790
7. Gary Scelzi, Fresno, Calif., Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger 2,775
8. Jack Beckman, North Hills, Calif., MTS Dodge Charger 2,675
2007 SKOAL SHOWDOWN ROUND PAIRINGS
FIRST ROUND
Hight vs. Beckman
Capps vs. Scelzi
Pedregon vs. Ashley
Johnson vs. Force
SEMIFINALS
Hight-Beckman winner vs. Johnson-Force winner
Capps-Scelzi winner vs. Pedregon-Ashley winner
FINAL (5 p.m., Sept. 2)
The Skoal Showdown, a high-stakes, high-speed race featuring the eight quickest and most consistent Funny Car teams from the last season, is a lucrative race-within-a-race held during the 53rd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, the world’s most prestigious drag race.
The winner of the 26th annual Skoal Showdown will earn a $100,000 bonus from U.S. Tobacco. Any driver who can win the Skoal Showdown and the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals will earn a $50,000 ‘Double-Up’ bonus from NHRA.
A race day purse of $147,000 is available for the eight drivers competing in the Skoal Showdown. The Showdown runner-up will earn $15,000, while the two semifinalists will earn $6,000 each. The four first round finishers will earn $5,000 apiece.
Hight, from Anaheim Hills, Calif., was the No. 1 qualifier eight times in his Auto Club Ford Mustang in the 23 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series events that comprise the 2007 Skoal Showdown. It is Hight’s third career appearance in the Skoal Showdown and his second consecutively as the No. 1 seed. Sophomore Funny Car driver Robert Hight will start from the No. 1 position in the Skoal Showdown on Sept. 2 at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, as he goes for his first victory in the special bonus event for qualified Funny Car drivers.
The Skoal Showdown, a high-stakes, high-speed race featuring the eight quickest and most consistent Funny Car teams from the last season, is a lucrative race-within-a-race held during the 53rd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, the world’s most prestigious drag race.
The winner of the 26th annual Skoal Showdown will earn a $100,000 bonus from U.S. Tobacco. Any driver who can win the Skoal Showdown and the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals will earn a $50,000 ‘Double-Up’ bonus from NHRA.
A race day purse of $147,000 is available for the eight drivers competing in the Skoal Showdown. The Showdown runner-up will earn $15,000, while the two semifinalists will earn $6,000 each. The four first round finishers will earn $5,000 apiece.
Hight, from Anaheim Hills, Calif., was the No. 1 qualifier eight times in his Auto Club Ford Mustang in the 23 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series events that comprise the 2007 Skoal Showdown. It is Hight’s third career appearance in the Skoal Showdown and his second consecutively as the No. 1 seed.
Drivers accumulated points for the Skoal Showdown at 23 NHRA national events between last year’s Mac Tools U.S. Nationals up to the 2007 Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, Pa. A $4,000 bonus was awarded to the No. 1 qualifier at each of those races.
Last year John Force raced to victory for his sixth win in the special bonus event.
Skoal Showdown rounds are scheduled for 12:30 and 3:30 and 5 p.m. on Sept. 2.
2007 SKOAL SHOWDOWN FINAL STANDINGS
1. Robert Hight, Anaheim Hills, Calif., Auto Club Ford Mustang 3,280
2. Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., Brut Dodge Charger 2,910
3. Tony Pedregon, Detroit, Q Horsepower Chevy Impala SS 2,900
4. Tommy Johnson Jr., Avon, Ind., Skoal Chevy Impala SS 2,885
5. John Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Castrol GTX Ford Mustang 2,820
6. Mike Ashley, Melville, N.Y., Torco Dodge Charger 2,790
7. Gary Scelzi, Fresno, Calif., Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger 2,775
8. Jack Beckman, North Hills, Calif., MTS Dodge Charger 2,675
2007 SKOAL SHOWDOWN ROUND PAIRINGS
FIRST ROUND
Hight vs. Beckman
Capps vs. Scelzi
Pedregon vs. Ashley
Johnson vs. Force
SEMIFINALS
Hight-Beckman winner vs. Johnson-Force winner
Capps-Scelzi winner vs. Pedregon-Ashley winner
FINAL (5 p.m., Sept. 2)
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