JOHN FORCE STAYS NO. 1 AT HOUSTON

JOHN FORCE STAYS NO. 1 AT HOUSTON

BAYTOWN, TX — John Force and his Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang held onto the top qualifying spot at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals, the 137^th of his legendary career. It was Force’s third No. 1 in a row and has him one behind the all-time record set by Pro Stock legend Warren Johnson. Force’s top elapsed time of Friday night, 4.097 seconds, held up and the closest challenger today was two-time Funny Car champion Cruz Pedregon who recorded a 4.11 second pass.

“I am excited for my team led by Dean “Guido” Antonelli and Ron Douglas. They gave me a good car and it should be able to win a race. It is going down the race track,” said Force a 137-time No. 1 qualifier.

Tricky track conditions had Force thinking of his match racing days and the valuable skills he learned barnstorming the country.

“I still drive my car with the brake handle and mostly with the foot. When the crew chief says to me I don’t know if it will go that is when I get excited,” joked Force. “Now you are giving it to me. I’ll make some magic and get through here. Even if I don’t I want to believe that. You look at some of the guys that made the show they are match racers. A big high horsepower car isn’t what you need right now unless we get a cold front in here.”

“We weren’t trying to run a 4.0 then we were just trying to run a teen. You could call this a match racers race. The big dogs might step up if the cold front comes in and everybody will try and run ohs. This could be anybody’s race day. I still match race to keep sharp. It helps you because the car talks to you. That is what I am trying to teach (youngest daughter) Courtney. It really does talk to you.”

On Force’s last qualifying run his parachutes deployed early negating an apparently strong run but the 15-time Funny Car champion was not perturbed. At the top end when asked by co-crew chief Dean “Guido” Antonelli if he was upset Force was not even miffed.

“I knew it was parachutes. I didn’t jump on the radio and ask if it smoked the tires. There is only one thing that causes that sound. That is when you put a load against it,” said Force. ”That is not anything that will make me mad because a parachute just popped out. That car was going to make a pretty decent run in the heat. Guido asked if I was upset and I said no because of one mistake out of fifty runs. When you do crash you want something to save you. I’ll take that any time.”

For a driver that has set almost every record in the category new experiences are hard to come by. Force will face a new opponent tomorrow in the first round. Brian Thiel will become the 127^th different Funny Car driver to race Force.

The star of the day for JFR was crew chief and driver Mike Neff who recorded the quickest run of the final session, a 4.142 second run. In the heat of the day on a track that was giving all the nitro teams fits Neff powering his Castrol GTX Mustang down the track for that time was impressive.

“The track is real tricky right there. Not too many guys were going down it. It shouldn’t have been because of the conditions. I tried to do some stuff that I haven’t even tried before. I wanted to make sure it went down the track and it got through that part that we know wasn’t very good,” said Neff, the 2011 Gatornationals winner. “It ended up making a good run. That is encouraging. The biggest thing for us is getting the engine to look good. The engine hasn’t been looking good the last couple of races. That has caused us some problems. It was hurting a piston or putting a cylinder out. We finally got it to make a good clean run. That was the most encouraging thing about that run.”

Robert Hight and the AAA Texas Ford Mustang had the most pressure on his back going into the last qualifying sessions as the clouds formed over Royal Purple Raceway and some rain drops even briefly attacked the track. Hight did not carry any qualifying times over from Friday and even if they would have they were not impressive. In the first run of the session Hight raced solidly into the show and could take a deep breath knowing that he would be in the show on Sunday.

“Tomorrow will be huge. It was nerve wracking this morning. You are seeing a chance of rain and it is spitting. Knowing there is a chance you might only get one qualifying run today,” said Hight the points leader. “You don’t want to get down to the last run. (Track specialist) Lanny (Miglizzi) kept coming up and saying the track was peeling up a little bit out there. That is why a bunch of cars were having trouble out there. That doesn’t sit very well when you are not qualified. That doesn’t help your confidence.’

“We were weak the first two runs. It is pretty rare that you shake weak on a 119 degree track. We did that yesterday. Usually the way Jimmy (Prock) is he is on the other side of that. We had to get after it today. That is when the track is not real good and rain is coming. You don’t want to come here and not qualify when you have AAA Texas on the side of your Mustang. I’m the points leader and that would just be bad.”

Hight has one of the toughest first round match-ups squaring off with 2010 championship runner-up Matt Hagan in the first round. It is a challenge that Hight relishes and he hopes to keep one of his pre-season goals alive with a first round win.

“I like racing Matt Hagan. That is a big first round. I have had a goal for this season and to this point I am doing well. I don’t want to lose first round. I don’t want any first round loses, that is how you will win a championship, no first round losses. I need to keep that streak alive

THE DRIVERS

JOHN FORCE, 61, Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang

Final Qualifying: 1^st at 4.097 seconds, 310.27 mph

Bonus Qualifying Points: +6 (Quickest of Q1 and Q2)

First Round Opponent (W-L): Brian Thiel (0-0)

Quotable: “We are just going to come out here tomorrow and hope we have a beautiful day. We hope we pack the stands. That is what this is all about. We want to entertain the fans. You have war, tornados and the economy we just want to entertain the folks tomorrow. Somebody will get a Wally tomorrow and they will go home.  Maybe it will be this old man.” – JOHN FORCE

MIKE NEFF, 44, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang

Final Qualifying: 4^th at 4.131 seconds, 293.66 mph

Bonus Qualifying Points: +4 (3^rd quickest of Q2 and quickest of Q4)

First Round Opponent (W-L): Tony Pedregon (4-7)

Quotable: “The biggest thing for us is getting the engine to look good. The engine hasn’t been looking good the last couple of races. That has caused us some problems. It was hurting a piston or putting a cylinder out. We finally got it to make a good clean run. That was the most encouraging thing about that run.” – MIKE NEFF

ROBERT HIGHT, 41, AAA Texas Ford Mustang
Final Qualifying: 12^th at 4.216 seconds, 305.08 mph   
First Round Opponent (W-L): Matt Hagan (5-3)

Quotable: “I know NHRA is working on the track tonight. It will be right back to top shape for tomorrow morning. We’ll see if we can take Hagan down. That will be a big deal winning from the No. 12 spot.” –

RACE SCHEDULE:

 Sunday, May 1

Final Eliminations                      11 a.m.

FORCE CROWNED PROV NO. 1 AT ROYAL PURPLE RACEWAY

FORCE CROWNED PROV NO. 1 AT ROYAL PURPLE RACEWAY

BAYTOWN, TX — John Force is recognized by many fans as drag racing royalty. Today at Royal Purple Raceway he was the king of the class recording the quickest runs of both Funny Car qualifying sessions, 4.174 seconds and then 4.097 seconds. Force picked up six all important qualifying bonus points and when the final qualifying points are theoretically factored in he moved around Johnny Gray into the No. 6 position in the Full Throttle point standings.

As the leader of the team that has won three of the first four races of the season including all three contested in the traditional head to head format Force is focused on getting his first win of the season.

“I haven’t had a win this year, Robert (Hight) has gotten two in the Auto Club Mustang and (Mike) Neff has one in the Castrol GTX Mustang, but I am excited to be with the young team,” said Force, the 132-time winner. “Ashley (Force Hood) started with these guys a few years back. (Co-crew chief) Dean Antonelli was taught by Austin Coil and he is the best. He reminds me so much of this thinking like Austin. Teaming him up with Ron Douglas they just really get the job done. It is a young team but it is my daughter’s hot rod. She (Ashley) always lets me know that.”

If the provisional No.1 turns into the official No.1 it would be Force’s third No. 1 in a row and 136^th of his career two behind Pro Stock legend Warren Johnson on the all-time list. The last time Force recorded three No. 1 qualifying efforts in a row was 2004 – Indianapolis, Dallas and Chicago. This year he has scored No. 1s at Las Vegas and Charlotte. The all-time record does not consume the 15-time Funny Car champion because he has so much respect for Johnson.

“I don’t drive Pro Stock so I don’t chase Warren Johnson. He is one of my heroes and I like having those records out there. I do what I do in Funny Car and that is about it.”

With Force in the top spot and Mike Neff in the provisional No. 3 spot JFR has a legitimate shot at recording its 200^th Funny Car win as a team on Sunday. Force would take that in stride just like he did nine years ago when he was on the brink of winning his 100^th personal Funny Car national event.

“Every time we tried to get that 100^th win (NHRA President) Tom Compton came to all those races and bought those plane tickets and every week I couldn’t win. I don’t think about (winning 200^th). It is like trying to set a record. You go out there and you drive your car because you love it. I really do,” said Force. “Just to see these young kids energy at the end of the track when we run good. Maybe I still take it for granted. You don’t push it to make it do nothing it just kind of does its thing. The crew chiefs push it and the driver drives it. I am fortunate but I am excited because I want to win a race. I want to get 200.”

Mike Neff bounced back from a subpar opening run with a solid 4.131 second pass that landed him in the No. 3 spot and scored him a bonus qualifying point. For the driver-crew chief the effort was what he expected from his young team.

“I knew before the run it was going to be pretty good or we would have to get it right tomorrow,” said Neff. “I knew these guys would give me a great Mustang I just needed to make a good call on the tune up. Force’s run was great and I am pleased we wound up where we did. We feel good going into tomorrow.”

Robert Hight struggled in the AAA Texas Ford Mustang smoking the tires on both his qualifying efforts. He will get two more shots tomorrow to grab one of the four remaining spots in the 16-car field.

* * * *

THE DRIVERS

JOHN FORCE, 61, Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang

Friday Qualifying: 1^st at 4.097 seconds, 310.27 mph

Bonus Qualifying Points: +6 (Quickest of Q1 and Q2)

MIKE NEFF, 44, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang

Friday Qualifying: 3^rd at 4.131 seconds, 293.66 mph

Bonus Qualifying Points: +1 (3^rd quickest of Q2)

ROBERT HIGHT, 41, AAA Texas Ford Mustang

Friday Qualifying: 20^th quickest at 7.609 seconds, 85.39 mph   
 

INDYCAR STANDINGS

Current Standings

After 37th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach – Sun 04/17/11

Rank	Driver	Points	Behind
1	Dario Franchitti	122	-
2	Will Power	115	-7
3	Tony Kanaan	87	-35
4	Oriol Servia	80	-42
5	Mike Conway	74	-48
6	Alex Tagliani	73	-49
7	Scott Dixon	66	-56
8	Ryan Briscoe	66	-56
9	Simona De Silvestro	66	-56
10	Vitor Meira	64	-58
11	Danica Patrick	57	-65
12	Raphael Matos	57	-65
13	Takuma Sato	56	-66
14	Helio Castroneves	56	-66
15	Marco Andretti	54	-68
16	JR Hildebrand	49	-73
17	James Hinchcliffe	44	-78
18	Justin Wilson	44	-78
19	Charlie Kimball	44	-78
20	Sebastian Saavedra	43	-79
21	Graham Rahal	42	-80
22	Ryan Hunter-Reay	40	-82
23	James Jakes	40	-82
24	Sebastien Bourdais	34	-88
25	EJ Viso	34	-88
26	Ana Beatriz	28	-94
27	Simon Pagenaud	24	-98
28	Paul Tracy	14	-108

INDYCAR Changes to Sao Paulo

Changes to Sao Paulo course should improve race: Alex Lloyd’s recent tweet — Make sure all your fillings are securely in place (paraphrased) — was sound advice for the five IZOD IndyCar Series drivers who will compete for the first time over 75 laps on the 2.6-mile street circuit in São Paulo, Brazil, this weekend.

Hopefully, according to circuit designer Tony Cotman of NZR Consulting, a bone-rattling racing surface won’t be an issue for the second visit of the series to South America’s largest city. Multiple city government-backed infrastructure upgrades have been completed for the benefit of competitors and spectators.

“The entire course has been paved, and unlike last year when we were really struggling with time this year it’s been paved with the Interlagos mix so the pavement will hold up much better,” said Cotman, referring to the permanent road course in the southern part of the state of São Paulo. “But it’s a difficult thing. You pave and one hour later there are cars running on it. One day later you’ve had 30,000 cars travel over it.”

Because of that heavy traffic – there are 7 million vehicles in use in the city — the event will be held on the weekend only.

Cotman is seeking a balance between the pavement being too smooth – “it would be too slippery for the cars; no grip” – and drivers losing their grip on the wheel because of unevenness. Additionally, crews have ground grooves in the concrete Anhembi Sambadrome (the permanent stadium section of the course that is chiefly used for the parades of Carnival) to alleviate the slippery conditions quickly discovered in the inaugural event.

Turn 1 (a left-hander exiting the Sambadrome straight) also is wider with more run-off area, and curbs have been removed from Turns 6, 7 and 9.

Such amendments could enhance the action (there were 93 passes in the 2010 race) on an 11-turn course that features multiple overtaking zones. The nearly mile-long backstretch is the longest on the series’ calendar, with a 180-degree right-hand turn at its terminal point.

“I think it’s great and the reason is you can pass,” said Team Penske’s Will Power, who won the race last year from Row 3. “Every circuit should be built with a massive straight like that because you don’t have to stress about being on pole. It doesn’t really matter where you qualify; you know you can get through the pack. You know you’ll be able to pass. I knew that if I was in that bunch at the end I would have a chance at winning. That’s what I love about that place.”

Power didn’t mind the bumpy racing surface, comparing it to the airport runway utilized as part of the St. Petersburg course.

“It added to the character how rough the surface was,” he said. “The main thing is how good the racing was.”

Added A.J. Foyt Racing’s Vitor Meira, who was the highest-finishing Brazilian (third) last year: ”When I go to a street course I’m thinking they’re not for race cars but to serve the public so we are the ones who have to adapt to it, whether it’s bumpy or slippery or whatever to make a good show. I hope there are fewer bumps, but I don’t try to put any expectations on it and we have to adapt.”

2. Sun Drop Citrus Soda to serve as co-primary sponsor of Hunter-Reay’s car for rest of 2011: Dr Pepper Snapple Group and Andretti Autosport announced April 26 that Sun Drop Citrus Soda will join DHL as the co-primary sponsor of Andretti Autosport’s No. 28 entry for the remainder of the 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season.  

Sun Drop, along with DHL, was positioned as the co-primary sponsor of the car driven by Ryan Hunter-Reay during the first three events of the season.  

Sun Drop is part of a broader marketing effort employed by Dr Pepper Snapple Group with Andretti Autosport. Venom Energy Drink occupies the primary sponsorship position on the #26 car of Marco Andretti, while Snapple is an associate sponsor of both Andretti and Hunter-Reay. 

“Our partnership with Dr Pepper Snapple Group is something we are very proud of and excited about,” said John Lopes, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Andretti Autosport. “Its iconic brands are a great fit with our program and we are grateful for the enthusiasm that everyone at Dr Pepper Snapple Group shows toward our team. Our mission is to continue developing unique and impactful programs that lift sales for brands such as Venom and Sun Drop among our fan base.”

IZOD IndyCar Series prepares for return to Brazil

IZOD IndyCar Series prepares for return to Brazil

The Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300 presented by Nestle will mark the IZOD IndyCar Series’

 second visit t South America. Indy car racing has been extremely popular in Brazil;

CART hosted five races on a 1.864-mile oval in Rio de Janerio from 1996 to 2000.

The Sao Paul Indy 300 will feature five Brazilian drivers – Ana Beatriz,

 Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, Raphael Matos and Vitor Meira.

Will any of these drivers make their way toVictory Lane in their home country?

The Franchitti factor:

The Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300 is the fourth and final street/road event of the IZOD IndyCar Series’first quarter. With a win at St. Petersburg and consecutive third-place finishes

at Barber and Long Beach,

Dario Franchitti is in a familiar spot atop the points. Franchitti won the pole at Sao Paulo in 2010.

Will he see the checkered flag first in 2011?

Power returns to site of breakthrough victory

Last year, Will Power signaled his return to the IZOD IndyCar Series with a win in his first race

back from a serious injury. Power returns to the track in 2011, hoping to keep pace in the championship hunt.

 Can Power repeat the win, and maintain his status as one of the series’ top road/street racing stars?

Meira looks for return to the podium

Vitor Meira was the top Brazilian finisher in last year’s Sao Paulo Indy 300 after he finished third for

A.J. Foyt Racing. Meira, a native of Brasilia, finished third in front, hopes improve on that finis

 this year. Can Meira pull off another impressive finish in front of the hometown crowd?

Andretti Autosport rising:

Last year at Sao Paulo, Andretti Autosport placed a pair of drivers in the top 10,

including a podium finish for Ryan Hunter-Reay (second). Mike Conway (race winner)

 and Danica Patirck (seventh

 posted season-high finishes at Long Beach on April 17, giving the team another boost

 as it heads to Brazil.

 Can the team continue its momentum on another temporary street course?

INDYCAR RACE NOTES

 Race Notes:The Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300 presented by Nestle will be the second IZOD IndyCar Series

sanctioned event conducted in Sao Paulo, Brazil.Will Power won the race in 2010, while Dario Franchitti

claimed the PEAK Performance Pole Award.

At least 18 drivers entered in the event have competed in last year’s IZOD IndyCar Series race at Sao Paulo. Five of those drivers led laps:

Dario Franchitti (29), Ryan Hunter-Reay (20), Will Power (4), Ryan Briscoe (4) and Simona de Silvestro

(4)At least eight drivers will compete in their first race at Sao Paulo:

Sebastien Bourdais, JR Hildebrand, James Hinchcliffe, James Jakes,

Charlie Kimball, Graham Rahal, Sebastian Saavedra and Oriol Servia

.Season to Date:

•Mike Conway led the final 14 laps to claim his first IZOD IndyCar Series win at theToyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

• Will Power led flag-to-flag to claim his first win of 2011 at Barber Motorsports Parkin the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama.

• Dario Franchitti won the season-opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

• Will Power is the only driver to win a pole this season, claiming pole at St. Petersburg,

Barber and Long Beach – his 1th, 17th and 18th  career Indy car poles, respectively.

• Two drivers (James Jakes and Charlie Kimball) started their first career IZOD IndyCar Series

race at St. Petersburg. Two more drivers (James Hinchcliffe and Simon Pagenaud) made their debuts at Barber Motorsports Park.

• One driver –Dario Franchitti – has finished on the podium in each event of the 2011 season.

• Four drivers –Franchitti, Will Power, Tony Kanaan and Oriol Servia – have finished in the top-10 in each event.

• Seven drivers – Franchitti, JR Hildebrand, Kanaan, Vitor Meira, Power, Servia and

Alex Tagliani – have finished on the lead lap in every race this season.

• Drivers from five different teams are in the top-five in points entering Sao Paulo.

• Drivers for eight different teams are in the top-10 in points entering Long Beach.

• There were a season-high six race leaders at Long Beach.

Milestones & Records:

• Mike Conway

won the first race of his Indy car career when he won at Long Beach on April 17.

HIGHT WANTS TO TAME TEXAS

HIGHT WANTS TO TAME TEXAS

HOUSTON, Texas – It looked like current Full Throttle Funny Car points leader Robert Hight was going to own Royal Purple Raceway when after just four professional starts the Northern California native qualified No. 1 and then won his first Funny Car national event in 2005. On that race day Hight defeated Bob Gilberston, veteran and former boss Tommy Johnson Jr. then Funny Car champions John Force and Cruz Pedregon. It was heady stuff for the crew man turned test driver turned full-time Funny Car racer.

“The win in 2005 was unbelievable. You always believe you can win but until you do it you never know. John Force put me with a great team led by (crew chief) Jimmy Prock. I remember that day and beating Cruz in the final after beating John was more than I expected,” said Hight. “Houston hasn’t been that kind to me since that day.”

In the ensuing five races Hight has recorded exactly one round win. It is the worst post win stretch for Hight at any track where he has won. The five year stretch includes a DNQ (2008), a skipped race in 2007 after Eric Medlen’s tragic testing accident, and two first round losses (2006 and 2009). Hight won the Mile High Nationals in Denver in 2005 and last season he picked up his second win at Bandimere Speedway. Last season he improved slightly with a No. 3 qualifying effort but dropped a second round match-up with Kalitta Racing’s Jeff Arend.

“We had just hit a bad patch in Houston. It is a very fast track and we have just been a little off. The lowest I think I have been was 2008 when we didn’t qualify but you can’t dwell on that stuff. We bounced back and were in championship contention at the end of the season. This season is a brand new season and we already have two wins and I think we have some momentum. My team is ready and Jimmy has been non-stop working on getting our tune-up right,” said Hight.

Hight opened the season with a win at the Winternationals in Pomona and then picked up his second win of 2011 and 20^th of his career at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In between those two wins teammate Mike Neff won the Tire Kingdom Gatornationals. After four races John Force Racing has three wins and sits on the cusp of NHRA history, one win away from 200 Funny Car win at a track that has some serious JFR history.

“We’ve had a lot of success there, but Houston is a great facility. When the air is good it’s actually below sea level. That just produces huge numbers and horsepower, so it all plays right into our hands,” said Hight. “I was doing the clutch on John’s car when he got his 100^th win in Houston, and now we go to Houston with the chance for the team to have our 200^th Funny Car win, which to me is mind-boggling. Since 1996, we’ve been a multi-car team, and we have 199 wins right now. But what’s really, really amazing is how many John has as a driver himself. To me, it would be the best scenario for John Force Racing to get their 200^th win at Houston where John got his 100^th, where I got my first.”

“A lot of history there, and looking at the forecast, it’s going to be some great racing, good conditions, and we can’t wait. Especially with the start we’ve had to the season. JFR is 3-for-4 and we need to keep that going. I guess if I could write a script perfectly, it would be two JFR Fords in the final. You know then it’s over – you’ve got the 200^th win.”

force seeks more history in return to houston

 HOUSTON, Texas – Closing in on the last major NHRA drag racing record that is not already his, John Force returns the week to the track on which he won his 100th tour event, hoping to win his team’s 200th and, in the process, add a new chapter to one of the most compelling biographies in professional sport.
 
 Back-to-back No. 1 qualifying performances at Las Vegas, Nev., and Charlotte, N.C., in his last two starts have pulled the 61-year-old Force to within two No. 1s of Pro Stock veteran Warren Johnson’s career record of 138.

 

 Nevertheless, because he was unable to parlay either of those front-of-the-pack starts into a victory, Force rolls into Royal Purple Raceway for this week’s 24th annual O’Reilly Spring Nationals still trying to put his Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang in the winners’ circle for the first time this year; the first time with his new crew chief tandem of Dean “Guido” Antonelli and Ron Douglas.

 

 Never one to shy away from a challenge, the 15-time NHRA series champion opted this year to move over one pit spot to drive for the crew that sent his daughter, Ashley Force Hood, to consecutive titles in the sport’s most prestigious single event, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, Ind.

 

 The move also meant a change in equipment, a significantly different combination from the one that powered him to six victories last season en route to becoming the oldest champion in ANY major series. 

 

 In his first four races with Antonelli and Douglas, architects of second and third place finishes for Force Hood in 2009 and 2010, respectively, Force has yet to advance beyond the second round.  However, the 15-time Auto Racing All-America selection doesn’t believe the team is that far away from a breakthrough. 

 

 “The driver messed up at Vegas (the SummitRacing.com Nationals),” he said.  “‘Guido’ and Ron Douglas gave me a great car and I screwed it up, but I’ll make it up to them.  I like all the kids on this team and, who better to drive my baby’s race car than her dad?

 

 Force rolls into Texas with confidence.  After all, he’s won seven times at Royal Purple Raceway where, on April 14, 2002, he powered past Tommy Johnson Jr. to become the first and thus far only driver to win 100 NHRA tour events.   

 

 He is further buoyed by the fact that Royal Purple is one of the three tracks on which Force Hood has been a winner.  She prevailed in the 2009 Spring Nationals, beating her former driving instructor, “Fast Jack” Beckman, in the final round.

 

 Force Hood, who is expecting her first child in August, won’t be on hand to cheer her father, but younger sister Courtney will be.  The 22-year-old graduate of Cal State-Fullerton is in the midst of a year-long orientation program that could land her a ride in one of her dad’s Ford Mustangs.  She’ll test a BrandSource Funny Car under her father’s watchful eye on Monday.

 

 Force, who hasn’t won at Houston since celebrating No. 100, rolls into the Spring Nationals occupying the No. 7 position in the latest Full Throttle standings.   It admittedly is not what he anticipated after leading the points for all but four regular season and playoff races in 2010.

 

 “We’ve got a lot of races ahead,” said the 132-time tour winner.  “I know I’ve got a good hot rod and a great team.  It’s just a matter of getting into a rhythm.  They’re used to Ashley and now they’re having to adjust to me and the car’s a little different, so I’m learning, too.  It’s fun – facing a new challenge.”

 

neff makes historic bid in spring nationals

 HOUSTON, Texas – Although Mike Neff has enjoyed some success in his relatively short time behind the wheel of a John Force Racing Funny Car – qualifying No. 1, reaching the winners’ circle and even leading the driver points – the versatile 44-year-old this week is poised to forever make himself the answer to a drag racing trivia question.

 

 That’s because Neff’s third tour victory, if it comes in this Sunday’s 24th annual O’Reilly Spring Nationals at Royal Purple Raceway, would be his team’s 200th in the NHRA Full Throttle Series.  That would be 200 race wins in 25 seasons.  It’s simple math – eight wins a year for a quarter of a century.

 

 “Yeah,” said the man who this year is doing double-duty on the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang as both driver and crew chief, “that would be something; to be remembered for winning the 200th race for John Force Racing. 

 

 “If it happens, it happens, but I know that John and Robert (team owner John Force and current points leader Robert “Top Gun” Hight) want to do it, too.  Whoever finally does it, it won’t be easy,” said the winner of last month’s Tire Kingdom Gatornationals at Gainesville, Fla. 

 

 “We’ve got three good Ford Mustangs, but there are a lot of other cars out there that can win like Jack Beckman did (two weeks ago) at Charlotte (in the VisitMyrtleBeach.com 4Wide Nationals).”

 

 Still, Neff believes he has as good a chance as anyone else in the field.
 
 “I think I’m back up to speed (as a driver) and getting that win in Gainesville was big,” he admitted.  “That was, without a doubt, the best day of racing I’ve ever had in my life.  It was a lot of stress and a lot of nerves, but to end up winning the way we did (posting the quickest time during eliminations) was just very gratifying and just a great experience; a great feeling.” 

 

 Despite his recent success (he comes into the Spring Nationals seconds in points), Neff has no illusions.  He knows his future at JFR, his future in drag racing, in fact, is as a crew chief.  That’s why he’s trying to make the most of an opportunity that presented itself after two-time reigning Mac Tools U.S. Nationals champion Ashley Force Hood announced plans to step away from the pro tour to start a family.  She and husband Dan are expecting their first child in August.
 
 “At the end of the year, I might want to go back to being just a crew chief,” Neff said, “but I want to give (driving) a run all year.  I love tuning and that is what I will be doing for a long time.  This driving deal might be a one year deal for me (and) I’m trying to make the most of it.”

 

 Neff’s quick start this year might have been anticipated.  After all, the car he’s driving is virtually the same hybrid Ford Mustang in which Force won six races last year en route to the team’s 17th Funny Car championship in the last 21 seasons.  The only thing different is the paint – and the passenger.

 

 Of course, wearing two hats has created some new problems for Neff.

 

 “You can go up there thinking about the tuning part and not drive as well as you should,” Neff explained, “and in the end, if you don’t perform as a driver, it doesn’t really matter what you did as a tuner.  You just have to do one job at a time and not let them affect one another.”

 

 It’s a challenge that, thus far, he is managing quite well.

NHRA STANDINGS

Current Standings – Top Fuel Class

After 2nd annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals – Thu 04/14/11

Class	Rank	Driver	Points	Behind
Top Fuel	1	Del Worsham	389	-
Top Fuel	2	Larry Dixon	312	77
Top Fuel	3	Antron Brown	309	80
Top Fuel	4	Tony Schumacher	272	117
Top Fuel	5	Spencer Massey	262	127
Top Fuel	6	Shawn Langdon	244	145
Top Fuel	7	Doug Kalitta	216	173
Top Fuel	8	Morgan Lucas	210	179
Top Fuel	9	Brandon Bernstein	202	187
Top Fuel	10	Steve Torrence	171	218

Current Standings – Funny Car Class

After 2nd annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals – Thu 04/14/11

Class	Rank	Driver	Points	Behind
Funny Car	1	Robert Hight	349	-
Funny Car	2	Mike Neff	300	49
Funny Car	3	Jack Beckman	289	60
Funny Car	4	Cruz Pedregon	283	66
Funny Car	5	Matt Hagan	241	108
Funny Car	6	Johnny Gray	224	125
Funny Car	7	John Force	217	132
Funny Car	8	Bob Tasca III	212	137
Funny Car	9	Ron Capps	190	159
Funny Car	10	Jeff Arend	187	162

Current Standings – Pro Stock Class

After 2nd annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals – Thu 04/14/11

Class	Rank	Driver	Points	Behind
Pro Stock	1	Greg Anderson	336	-
Pro Stock	2	Jason Line	333	3
Pro Stock	3	Greg Stanfield	317	19
Pro Stock	4	Mike Edwards	264	72
Pro Stock	5	Vincent Nobile	253	83
Pro Stock	6	Erica Enders	221	115
Pro Stock	7	Ron Krisher	220	116
Pro Stock	8	Rodger Brogdon	210	126
Pro Stock	9	Allen Johnson	182	154
Pro Stock	10	Shane Gray	166	170