NHRA IN USA TODAY
Thu, 2008-08-28 12:29
The world’s most prestigious drag race, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals,
will once again serve as the centerpiece of a special pull-out section
in the largest-circulation newspaper in the United States, USA Today.
The 54th running of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals will run from Aug. 27 to Sept. 1 and the special section will be published in USA Today on Friday, Aug. 29, the first day of qualifying for drivers in the NHRA POWERade Series. The special section will include advertisements from the Coca-Cola Company/POWERade, ESPN/ESPN2HD, JEG’s Mail Order and Harley-Davidson.
The Mac Tools U.S. Nationals is the longest-running race in the NHRA POWERade Series and for many years, beginning in the early days of the sport when teams competed regionally, it was the one race during the year when all of the top teams descended on a single site to compete against one another.
Historically, then, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals became the race to win, drag racing’s equivalent of The Masters or Wimbledon, and it remains that way today. The world’s most prestigious drag race, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, will once again serve as the centerpiece of a special pull-out section in the largest-circulation newspaper in the United States, USA Today.
The 54th running of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals will run from Aug. 27 to Sept. 1 and the special section will be published in USA Today on Friday, Aug. 29, the first day of qualifying for drivers in the NHRA POWERade Series. The special section will include advertisements from the Coca-Cola Company/POWERade, ESPN/ESPN2HD, JEG’s Mail Order and Harley-Davidson.
The Mac Tools U.S. Nationals is the longest-running race in the NHRA POWERade Series and for many years, beginning in the early days of the sport when teams competed regionally, it was the one race during the year when all of the top teams descended on a single site to compete against one another.
Historically, then, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals became the race to win, drag racing’s equivalent of The Masters or Wimbledon, and it remains that way today.
“When I started driving, Indy was the one race every year you wanted to run and you wanted to win and nothing’s changed. You want to win the Countdown, but even if you didn’t make the Countdown, winning Indy can save your season,” said NHRA icon John Force, who will be making his 29th appearance at the historic race this weekend and looking for his fifth career Mac Tools U.S. Nationals win. He previously won in 1993, 1996, 1998 and 2002.
The prestigious race has added significance in 2008 with its position as the 18th and final race in the 18-race Countdown to the Championship regular season so it will set the 10-driver fields for the NHRA Playoffs, the Countdown to 1.
Close races for the final playoff berths remain in Top Fuel dragster, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle – only in Funny Car has the 10-driver playoff field been set – and Top Fuel is the closest race to call with only 10 points separating three drivers competing for the last two spots.
Teammates Dave Grubnic (736 points) and Doug Kalitta (732 points) are the last two in entering the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals and 11th-place Morgan Lucas (726) will be looking to bump his way in.
“I’m trying to block out the points in my head, but I know things are intense,” said Lucas, who will be sporting a special Lucas Oil Stadium paint scheme on his dragster. “We’re going into this race with the same strategy as we do with all of the races and that is to win … (and) you know a U.S. Nationals win carries a special value.”
Additionally, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals serves as the host race for the $100,000 U.S. Smokeless Showdown, the bonus race for Funny Cars, and the $25,000 Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle, the bonus race for Pro Stock Motorcycles.
“I’m really excited to get to participate in (the U.S. Smokeless Showdown) this year,” said Ashley Force, who will meet her father John in the first round of the Showdown. “It’s one of my strongest memories I probably have growing up. We always got to the Indy race, and it was always such a big weekend for us.”
The 54th running of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals will run from Aug. 27 to Sept. 1 and the special section will be published in USA Today on Friday, Aug. 29, the first day of qualifying for drivers in the NHRA POWERade Series. The special section will include advertisements from the Coca-Cola Company/POWERade, ESPN/ESPN2HD, JEG’s Mail Order and Harley-Davidson.
The Mac Tools U.S. Nationals is the longest-running race in the NHRA POWERade Series and for many years, beginning in the early days of the sport when teams competed regionally, it was the one race during the year when all of the top teams descended on a single site to compete against one another.
Historically, then, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals became the race to win, drag racing’s equivalent of The Masters or Wimbledon, and it remains that way today. The world’s most prestigious drag race, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, will once again serve as the centerpiece of a special pull-out section in the largest-circulation newspaper in the United States, USA Today.
The 54th running of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals will run from Aug. 27 to Sept. 1 and the special section will be published in USA Today on Friday, Aug. 29, the first day of qualifying for drivers in the NHRA POWERade Series. The special section will include advertisements from the Coca-Cola Company/POWERade, ESPN/ESPN2HD, JEG’s Mail Order and Harley-Davidson.
The Mac Tools U.S. Nationals is the longest-running race in the NHRA POWERade Series and for many years, beginning in the early days of the sport when teams competed regionally, it was the one race during the year when all of the top teams descended on a single site to compete against one another.
Historically, then, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals became the race to win, drag racing’s equivalent of The Masters or Wimbledon, and it remains that way today.
“When I started driving, Indy was the one race every year you wanted to run and you wanted to win and nothing’s changed. You want to win the Countdown, but even if you didn’t make the Countdown, winning Indy can save your season,” said NHRA icon John Force, who will be making his 29th appearance at the historic race this weekend and looking for his fifth career Mac Tools U.S. Nationals win. He previously won in 1993, 1996, 1998 and 2002.
The prestigious race has added significance in 2008 with its position as the 18th and final race in the 18-race Countdown to the Championship regular season so it will set the 10-driver fields for the NHRA Playoffs, the Countdown to 1.
Close races for the final playoff berths remain in Top Fuel dragster, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle – only in Funny Car has the 10-driver playoff field been set – and Top Fuel is the closest race to call with only 10 points separating three drivers competing for the last two spots.
Teammates Dave Grubnic (736 points) and Doug Kalitta (732 points) are the last two in entering the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals and 11th-place Morgan Lucas (726) will be looking to bump his way in.
“I’m trying to block out the points in my head, but I know things are intense,” said Lucas, who will be sporting a special Lucas Oil Stadium paint scheme on his dragster. “We’re going into this race with the same strategy as we do with all of the races and that is to win … (and) you know a U.S. Nationals win carries a special value.”
Additionally, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals serves as the host race for the $100,000 U.S. Smokeless Showdown, the bonus race for Funny Cars, and the $25,000 Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle, the bonus race for Pro Stock Motorcycles.
“I’m really excited to get to participate in (the U.S. Smokeless Showdown) this year,” said Ashley Force, who will meet her father John in the first round of the Showdown. “It’s one of my strongest memories I probably have growing up. We always got to the Indy race, and it was always such a big weekend for us.”
Categories:
