Competition Eliminator racer Rick Brown has been around drag racing long enough to know one point might as well be one million. But for the 72-year-old drag racer from Weatherford, Texas, one point doesn't feel like a million to him. 

By one point, Brown is the top seed in the Rooftec Competition Eliminator Bonus Fund after six races. The next time the series hits the track will be over Labor Day weekend for the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. In two events this season, NHRA Midwest Nationals and NHRA Nevada Nationals, racers in the Rooftec Series compete for point-and-a-half totals for those events, they will also get the opportunity to race in the first of two shootouts exclusive to the series for a combined $125,000 in purse. 

Brown has yet to win an event, finishing runner-up in the first two events on the ten-race series. He rolls into Indianapolis ahead of Taylor Chomiski, who finished in second place by coming up short by one point. Defending CEBF champion Chase Williams is third, only 12 points behind Brown.

Brown hopes he still has a win waiting for him this season, and, as both an odd side note and reality, no racer has won more than one race in the same season. 

"It's been a great year," said Brown, who races a B/Pro Stock Truck Automatic Chevrolet S10. "I'm feeling very fortunate I can still do it and function. Any way you look at what Rodger Brogdon has done for Competition Eliminator is incredible."

The RoofTec Competition Eliminator Cash Clash in Indianapolis will be the first of two major shootouts planned for those participating in the Rooftec CEBF series. A second Rooftec Competition Eliminator Cash Clash will take place in Las Vegas during the NHRA Nevada Nationals. One skillful Competition Eliminator racer could take home $50,000 or more, depending on the results of a Calcutta Auction, if they win the shootout, and an additional $250,000 if they win the series championship. 

A Calcutta Auction is where racers and fans can bet on their favorite drivers, which will extend the prize money exponentially. 

Much to his chagrin, the chip draw format adds an element into the event that makes seeding irrelevant outside the fact that the higher seed gets the first pick of the 15 other qualifiers for the first round. Brown likes his chances, considering his track record at Indianapolis Raceway Park. 

"There's no advantage to being the top seed," Brown admitted. "Going as the number one seed is just for the [CEBF] points for the $250K championship, and from there on, we just need to do well at Indy," Brown said. "Being a runner-up at Indy three times in my life, it's time to win it. If there's any other year to win it, this would be it. I hope to God we can do that. 

"I've had a great opportunity with the car owners that I've driven for over the years, and I'm very fortunate to have some good equipment. And like I said, I've been in the final three times, semifinals a couple of times, and quarterfinals many times."

“This bonus program from RoofTec and Rodger Brogdon has brought a tremendous amount of excitement for the Competition Eliminator category, and we’re thrilled to see it continue in 2024,” NHRA Director of Advertising/Sponsorship Sales Jeff Morton said. “It’s a terrific addition to the world’s biggest drag race in Indy and we’re excited to see these standout Comp racers compete for big money at the bonus event in Las Vegas as well.”

To compete in the RoofTec Comp Clash events, racers must be among the top sixteen point earners before the event that hosts the special race-within-a-race. 

Jeff Taylor, who won the Rooftec CEBF season-opener in Noble, Ok., has raced in his share of prestigious sportsman-related events and believes RoofTec's investment in the Competition Eliminator has made all the difference in the gearhead eliminator's resurgence. His resume includes over 50 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series wins. 

"It's huge, and the money is crazy, and the racing is the toughest that there is because you've got the best top cars there is in the freaking world; they're running for it," said Taylor, who is seeded No. 9 heading into Indianapolis. "You got the best drivers; you got the fastest cars. So, it takes a lot of work to win. I mean, nobody's ever won two in the same year. That should say something right there." 

Series organizer Rodger Brogdon, who finished second in the series last year, already has two runner-up finishes this season. He believes the RoofTec Comp Cash Clash events are integral to showcasing a class he believes is the most entertaining in drag racing for gearheads. 

"We wanted to give the teams participating an extra means of earning more money, which has provided a lot of excitement around what we are doing here," Brogdon said. "We debuted this race-within-a-race, and it created all the excitement we expected and then some. It created a buzz for Competition Eliminator and was a hit for the racers."

The following drivers will compete in the second annual RoofTec Comp Cash Clash on Friday, August 30, 2024. First-round pairings will be determined using a chip draw.

ROOFTEC COMP CASH CLASH QUALIFIERS FOR NHRA U.S. NATIONALS 
1. Rick Brown 
2. Taylor Chomiski
3. Chase Williams *(defending Rooftec Comp Eliminator Bonus Fund Champion)
4. Don Thomas* (defending Rooftec Cash Clash champion)
5. Rodger Brogdon
6. Adam Hickey
7. David Triplett
8. Glen Treadwell
9. Jeff Taylor
10. Jason Grima
11. Kayla Mozeris
12. Clint Neff
13. Scott Linder
14. Greg Kamplain
15. Cali Neff
16. Jarrod Granier

For more information, visit www.https://www.compeliminatorbonusfund.com/