SCHUMACHER, HIGHT AND LINE EARN NO. 1 QUALIFYING POSITIONS AT
CHECKER
SCHUCK'S KRAGEN NHRA NATIONALS

Four-time Top Fuel
champion Tony Schumacher raced to his 37th career No. 1 qualifying position Saturday after covering
Firebird International Raceway's quarter-mile dragstrip in a track
record time of 4.430 seconds -- the fourth quickest run in NHRA history.

Robert Hight and Jason Line also earned No. 1 qualifying honors at
the Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals presented by Castrol, the
second of 23
events in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Countdown to the
Championship.
Sunday's eliminations start at 11 a.m. (MT), with television coverage
on ESPN2
at 7 p.m. (ET).

Saturday's drama came in the form of last-ditch qualifying efforts by
John Force and Doug Kalitta. With their class-leading qualifying
streaks
hanging in the balance, both drivers managed to make the starting
lineups in their respective categories during the final session. Force
powered his Castrol GTX High-Mileage Ford Mustang to a 4.818 and
Kalitta posted
a 4.547 in his Mac Tools dragster. Force has now qualified for 394
consecutive
events, while Kalitta has reached 162 straight race days.

Photographer Marty Reger had a wild day on the top-end at Firebird Raceway. It started with Cruz Pedregon and then spread to Bob Vandergriff, Jr. and Del Worsham.

Things heated up for Cruz Pedregon during Saturday's opening
qualifying session. Ace lensman Marty Reger was there to capture the
carnage.

Scott Griffin confirmed
that he will sit out the 2007 season despite making an announcement he would
field a car with Scott Weis driving. Griffin
cited the lack of available quality crew chiefs to be the deciding factor in
his decision.

The second episode of the return season of American Dragster will be cablecast
on ESPN2 Sunday, February 25th, 11:30AM EST, 8:30 PST.

Robert Hight raced to the quickest Funny Car run in
NHRA history Friday at the Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals at Firebird
International Raceway near Phoenix.

Hight's performance of 4.636 seconds at 327.74 mph
in his Auto Club Ford Mustang overshadowed Top Fuel leader Tony Schumacher's
track record time of 4.430 seconds, the fourth-quickest run ever in that
category.

Rod Fuller debuted the David Powers Motorsports monostrut wing-equipped Top Fuel Dragster during the National Time Trials test session at Firebird International Raceway near Phoenix last month. Rumor had it that the team would run the car at this weekend’s Checker Schuck’s Kragen Nationals, but Fuller and team co-crew chief Rob Flynn have denied that the car will make an appearance during the event or during Monday testing.

NHRA Pro Stock driver and team owner Tom Hammonds continues to rack up awards from his previous career.

The All Sports Association Hall of Fame of Fort Walton Beach, Fla. inducted Hammonds into the Past
Presidents Hall of Fame on Feb. 14. 
 

“We
are excited to have Tom Hammonds join us today, and are honored to have him
enshrined in the Hall of Fame,” said 2006-2007 All Sports President, Dennis
Chavez.  “He is the top of the top, both
professionally and personally.” 

Enshrined in the Hall of Fame, Hammonds
joined past inductees, former Major League Baseball’s  Hall Famer and four time all-star Don Sutton,
1996 Heisman
Trophy  winner 
and NFL player Danny Wuerffel, and former NFL player E.G. Green

In recent years the NHRA and team PR people have worked long and hard to generate exposure for the sport in what’s termed “non-traditional” outlets.  That generally means anything beyond sports-related publications.  The Flexjet Direct division of Bombardier produces a regular 12-page four color newsletter on the company’s jet charter and fractional ownership programs, with the latest issue including a full spread on the Jeg’s Mail Order operation.  The photos accompanying the story include a shot of a Jeg’s Mail Order race car parked next to