With the summer just starting to show signs of heating up and the end of the regular season of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing series just seven races away, this weekend’s third annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio could be the turnaround point for many drivers struggling to gain ground before the Countdown to 1 playoffs.

A driver you wouldn’t expect to be looking for redemption in Norwalk is Pro Stock driver and three-time world champion, Greg Anderson. Though Anderson currently sits third in the point standings, a comfortable 365 points ahead of the 10th-place cutoff spot for the Countdown playoffs, Anderson has yet to pick up a win in 2009. Entering his primary sponsor’s event and also a spot where he is the defending event winner, Anderson hopes to turn that around this weekend.

With the summer just starting to show signs of heating up and the end of the regular season of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing series just seven races away, this weekend’s third annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio could be the turnaround point for many drivers struggling to gain ground before the Countdown to 1 playoffs.

A driver you wouldn’t expect to be looking for redemption in Norwalk is Pro Stock driver and three-time world champion, Greg Anderson. Though Anderson currently sits third in the point standings, a comfortable 365 points ahead of the 10th-place cutoff spot for the Countdown playoffs, Anderson has yet to pick up a win in 2009. Entering his primary sponsor’s event and also a spot where he is the defending event winner, Anderson hopes to turn that around this weekend.

“The competition has certainly gained on us a little bit, so it has been a challenge,” Anderson said. “I have struggled a little bit with my driving this year too. It all adds up to a bit of frustration. We know what we have to do and hopefully we can get it done this weekend.”

Another driver who looks to get it done this weekend is Funny Car rookie Matt Hagan. Hagan has kept his Shelor.com Dodge Charger R/T in the top 10 for most of the season, even posting a runner-up finish in Las Vegas. But four consecutive first-round losses dropped the Don Schumacher Racing driver from sixth to 10th in the point standings, only 8 points ahead of 11th-place driver Mike Neff.

“We’re really on a bad streak right now and we have to do something to change our luck and change things around,” Hagan said, following his first round loss to Del Worsham in Englishtown last week. “I’m very, very confident in this Don Schumacher Racing team and this whole organization. We have good guys and a smart crew chief and a lot of great knowledge around us. I know that these guys are going to turn it around for us.”

Other drivers hoping for successful runs to push them into the top 10 point standings include John Force Racing teammates, Neff and Robert Hight, who currently sit 11th and 12th respectively, Top Fuel pilot Joe Hartley, and Pro Stock legend Warren Johnson, who sits just 27 points ahead of 11th-place driver Johnny Gray.
 

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