Craig Hankinson will remain with the Boscoe Pontiac in ‘08.

Okay, we stole that line from the late Yul Brynner in the 60s western “The Magnificent Seven,” but it also applies to Pro Stock driver Craig Hankinson, one of the nominees for this year’s Rookie of the Year award.  “It was very meaningful to me personally, and to our team because we didn’t start running until the Topeka race.  We thought we started running pretty good, but any time you get in this Pro Stock field, I think you’re doing well.  I still think this is the toughest class out here in NHRA.  I’m proud to be nominated, for sure.”

We wondered if Hankinson thought he might be at a disadvantage with the voters against someone like the expected winner, Funny Car driver Ashley Force, because she competes in a class that might get more publicity than Pro Stock.  “Not really,” he said.  “If I could have come out and gone to the semifinal round two or three times and/or won a race, I think I’d have had a pretty good shot at it.”

Hankinson will remain with his current team in ’08, beginning the season with their current GTO while they await the completion of a new Jerry Bickel GXP G6 Pontiac.