NHRA POWERADE COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP FORMAT CHANGES FOR 2008
NHRA also announces Auto Club NHRA Finals moved to Nov. 13-16, 2008
NHRA announced today modifications to the NHRA POWERade Countdown to
the Championship designed to build upon the excitement and success
generated from last year’s inaugural season. In addition, NHRA also
announced that the final race of the season, the Automobile Club of
Southern California NHRA Finals, has been moved one week later to Nov.
13-16, 2008.
The 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series will feature an 18-race
regular season, followed by a six-race NHRA POWERade Countdown to the
Championship playoff to determine POWERade world champions in Top Fuel,
Funny Car and Pro Stock. The fields for the championship playoffs,
which will be set at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals on Labor Day weekend,
will be expanded to the top 10 in each class, up from eight in 2007.
In the Pro Stock Motorcycle category, the season will feature a 12-race
regular season and a five-race playoff. The top 10 riders will advance
to the championship playoffs following the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.
Similar to last year’s format, and after the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals,
championship playoff competitors will have their points readjusted and
separated in 10 point increments. However, points leaders in each of
the four professional classes after the regular season will be awarded
with a 20-point bonus, increasing their leads over the second place
qualifiers to 30 points. Thus, first place in the standings will begin
the Countdown to 1 with 2,090 points; second place with 2,060 points
and so on to 10th place starting with 1,980 points.