J.R. Todd’s surprising and impressive second-half performance was acknowledged
Monday night when the 24-year-old Top Fuel driver was chosen the 2006 Automobile
Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award winner -- NHRA’s Rookie of
the Year – at the annual POWERade Series awards ceremony.
 
Todd became
the odds-on favorite to win the coveted prize and accompanying $20,000 check by
winning three times in four final-round appearances over the last 11 races of
the 23-race season.

Tony Schumacher, still numb following an
unbelievable championship triumph
Sunday at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona,
headlined four world-championship
winning drivers crowned Monday evening
during the 2006 NHRA POWERade Drag
Racing Series awards ceremony at the
scenic Westin Mission Hills Resort near
Palm Springs.

Three other NHRA POWERade Series world champions - John
Force, Jason
Line and Andrew Hines -- also were presented checks and trophies
for
their achievements during a memorable 2006 season.

Andrew Hines, 23, notched his hat trick of titles in the Pro Stock Motorcycle
category of NHRA POWERade competition while standing on the sidelines of Auto
Club Raceway at Pomona. After fouling in the first round of eliminations, the
23-year-old watched Craig Treble vanquish Antron Brown at the line, pulling his
second straight .005 departure from the Christmas Tree to post a 7.036 second
victory over Brown.

Noticeably shaken by his accomplishment – matching
brother Matt and Angelle Sampey as three-in-a-row titleholders – Hines said, “My
bike is an awesome machine right now. If we improve a little bit for 2007 we
hope to turn some heads.

Gary Scelzi, who surrendered his Reigning Funny Car Champion title to John Force
as Sunday's Pomona eliminations unfolded, had a theory about why his Don
Schumacher-owned Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger ran hot and cold this season and
finally couldn't carry him to a Round 1 victory Sunday morning against Tommy
Johnson Jr.

"Like I've been saying all along, the thing either smokes
the tires or hauls ass," he said, "and now it's not hauling ass."

It
wasn't cooperating in Sunday morning warm-ups.

"I'm honored to race against Ron Capps," he said, referring to the man he took
the points lead from and beat in the second round after a
down-to-the-last-minute battle. Capps finished third in the Funny Car
standings.

"The kid worked hard," the 14-time champion said.

Then
Force once again turned philosophical.

"I've heard two things in my life,
by two legends" he said. "Richard Petty was one, and I never question a legend.
Richard Petty believed women should stay in the kitchen. I never agreed with
that. My children [youngest three daughters] are coming down this road. They
love this sport. And it's because of the Melanie Troxels and the Hilary Wills
and the Shirley Muldowneys. Women earned that right. And they've done it well.

Dan Olson has never been one to turn away from a drag racing
challenge. A quiet man, he’s not the best known tuner in the business
but he could be one of the more conciliatory members of a very volatile
fraternity.

Chosen by NHRA to succeed Ray Alley as technical director for the Top
Fuel and Funny Car nitro categories, the Fresno, Calif. native is
looking forward to bringing the two classes added competitiveness
without inflicting additional costs. “I am excited to work with the
entire racing community to find solutions and new approaches to the
complex issues” of NHRA POWERade racing, he said.

Olson was “looking for a new challenge at this stage of my life,” and
is keenly happy to be returning home to the Pacific time zone when he
takes over his post on December 1st. “I’ve been working in Indy and
think I’ve been home perhaps 45-50 days this past year.” His son has
taken over the family business, Olson said.

Following his Round 1 victory over Jim Head in the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang,
John Force couldn't help but talk about his chief rivals in this championship
hunt.

"I'm going to get emotional here," Force, at the time one round-win
away from clinching his unprecedented 14th series title, said. "You know how
much I love [Ron] Capps and how much I lover Robert [Hight]. Then he referred to
those two drivers' last-ditch efforts to knock him aside to claim a first
championship: "You've got to throw a Hail Mary. But I've seen Hail Marys before,
so I'm going to keep my mouth shut."

John Force dedicated his Funny Car triumph Sunday to Bryan Brewster, a U.S. Army
sergeant killed May 5 in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. The young soldier is
the son of longtime motorsports writer Louis Brewster, sports editor of the
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin in Ontario, California, and the San Bernardino Sun.

"I was even praying to your son, Louis," Force told Louis Brewster, his
friend for years. "I have a trophy for him, and I think you deserve
that.

Doug Kalitta sat silent on his golf cart at the top end of the track, watching
the final-round results. And even Tony Schumacher, who had a gracious moment
with the man whose goal he stole after exiting the car, couldn't help sympathize
with the Mac Tools Dragster.

"I felt so bad. I love the guy. Of all the
people to battle with, if I couldn't win it, I'd pray for him to win it. He's so
deserving."