September 2008 Archives

Expect Tony Schumacher and the U.S. Army dragster to march to the title.

The NHRA's version of the postseason - The Countdown to 1 - begins with this weekend's Carolina Nationals near Charlotte, N.C.
Here's a few projections:
Top Fuel
The consensus says take Tony Schumacher and the U.S. Army dragster, and I can't argue with that. Schumacher hasn't lost since the switch to a 1,000-foot dragstrip, and I will continue to go with my previous statements that he won't lose the rest of the year.
Funny Car
Most are either going with points leader Tim Wilkerson or Robert Hight. But I still like the consistency of Tony Pedregon, who won it last year. NHRA is going to the high-speed tracks, and that's where Pedregon is usually at his best. Expect the Big Q to be in the championship circle at Pomona in November.
Pro Stock
Last season, it was Greg Anderson's title to lose, and he did just that. He won't make the same mistake this time.

Funny Car driver Ron Capps, driving a Super Comp dragster, got the best of NAPA Auto Parts teammate Thursday in a heads-up drag race at zMax Dragway near Charlotte, N.C.

Funny Car driver Ron Capps held up the reputation of the NHRA today by defeating fellow NAPA Auto Parts driver Michael Waltrip of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in a heads-up drag race on the newly-built zMax Dragway near Charlotte, N.C., site of this weekend's Carolina Nationals.
Capps, driving a 500-horsepowered Super Comp dragster rolled to a 9.85-second at 115.14 mph to defeat Waltrip, who drove his NAPA Toyota Camry stock car to a time of 11.21 at 79.38 mph.
Waltrip encountered problems near the finish line, and struck the retaining wall, but was uninjured and the car slightly damaged.
"It was a fun thing," said Capps, one of 10 Funny Car drivers who begin their quest for the NHRA's Countdown to 1 playoffs at this weekend's event. "It was scheduled originally that we were going to do a little match race. It got so serious that Michael actually brought one of his real Cup cars. So we were trying to up him a little bit by getting a Super Comp dragster, because I didn't want to show up to a gunfight with a knife. And I didn't want to get beat by Michael at our own game.
"In Michael's defense, he gave it his all, but they hadn't sprayed the track (with traction compound) and both he and I were fighting for traction. I kept seeing him out the window and I was so surprised when I looked out the corner of my eye that he was still out in front of me. And I thought, Uh, oh, this car is fast over here, I'd better stay in the gas, and luckily I got by him because I think the excitement started happening over in his lane right when I went past him."