ASHLEY GRABS HIS FIFTH POLE OF 2007 IN BRAINERD;
SCHUMACHER, LINE AND ELLIS ALSO SITTING IN TOP SPOT

Mike Ashley had the quickest Funny Car
of all four qualifying sessions to easily secure the No. 1 position in the
elimination field of the 26th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals.

Bob Gilbertson, Gastonia, N.C., qualified No. 1 in Knoll Gas Torco
Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Funny Car during the Amalie Oil North American
Nationals presented by New England Dodge Dealers. Gilbertson covered
the New England Dragway quarter-mile in 4.953 seconds at 309.91 mph,
also earning Last Man Standing in front of the capacity crowd.

Other professional No. 1 qualifiers include TJ Zizzo (Top Fuel), Mike
Janis (Pro Modified), Terry Munroe (Alcohol Funny Car) and Brian Gahm (Pro
Stock).

Trailing Gilbertson in Nitro Funny Car qualifying is Andy Kelley and
Mike Smith, two and three. Points leader Dale Creasy Jr. sits fourth, followed
by Jack Wyatt, Mitch King, Jeff Diehl and Terry
Haddock.

Zizzo topped the Knoll Gas Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Top
Fuel class with a 4.610, 320.13, which earned the
Lincolnshire,
Ill., driver Last Man Standing as well. Terry McMillen
qualified second, 4.663, followed by Scotty Cannon and Bobby Lagana Jr. Current
points leader Bruce Litton is fifth. His lead over Zizzo is less than one round,
and the two will meet in the first round of
eliminations.

Friday professional qualifying was cancelled at New England Dragway during the
Amalie Oil North American Nationals presented by New England Dodge Dealers. Cold
temperature, down-time and the on-set of dew led to the decision.

Top Fuel points leader "Hot Rod"
Fuller navigated a sweltering hot Brainerd International Raceway in 4.607
seconds Friday night to take the provisional qualifying lead at the 26th annual
Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals.

A controversy is brewing that could come to a head during this weekend’s NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota.

Last week Cory McClenathan announced that he was leaving Scott Griffin
Motorsports and forming his own team with an operation leased from Don
Schumacher Racing. McClenathan also brought backing from FRAM/Autolite,
as well as sponsorship from key associates carried over from the
Carrier Boyz Racing days.

Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com has learned through sources that Griffin
was unhappy with McClenathan’s move, considering that when he purchased
the Carrier Boyz operation it was with key sponsor and driver contracts
in place at least through 2008. McClenathan balked at that, citing that
he could not be sold as an asset. Soon afterwards he set the wheels in
motion to leave Griffin and go out on his own.

Griffin’s rig pulled through the gates of Brainerd International
Raceway this morning, and while there is no problem with that, already
parked in the pits is a refrigerator-white race rig emblazoned with the
DSR logo. The rig, and the equipment contained therein, is the basis of
McClenathan’s new operation.

As competitors gear up for the final two events in the NHRA POWERade
“Countdown to 8” to be held in Brainerd, Minn., and Reading, Pa., NHRA
has highlighted rules and policies that will shape the “Countdown to 4”
and “Countdown to 1” during the final months of the inaugural season of
the NHRA POWERade Countdown to the Championship playoff-style format.

Specifically, NHRA explained tiebreaker methods, oildown policies for
those competitors moving on in the NHRA POWERade Countdown to the
Championship and qualifying for the final six races of the NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Season.

There are incidents that tug at the heart strings of the most seasoned
individuals. For Steve Johnson, witnessing the most recent tragedy in
Minnesota hit him hard, especially headed into
this weekend's NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota.