JOHN FORCE RACING, INC. Pre-Race Statistical Package Mac Tools Lucas Oil Raceway

TEAM CASTROL/AUTO CLUB/TRAXXAS
JOHN FORCE RACING, INC.
Pre-Race Statistical Package for the 58th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals
Aug. 31-Sept 3, 2012
Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Ind.
17th event in the 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, final event before the start of the Countdown to 1 playoffs.

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2012 Season-to-Date

Driver                   MIKE NEFF                                                    JOHN FORCE
Car                      Castrol GTX Ford                                Castrol GTX HIGH MILEAGE Ford
Crew Chief(s)       Mike Neff (Bernie Fedderly)                  Dean Antonelli (Danny DeGennaro)
Residence           Fishers, Indiana                                  Yorba Linda, California
Date of Birth         September 13, 1966                           May 4, 1949

Driver                   ROBERT HIGHT                                          COURTNEY FORCE
Car                      Auto Club of Southern California Ford   Traxxas Ford
Crew Chief(s)        Jimmy Prock (Eric Lane)                     Ron Douglas (Dan Hood)
Residence            Yorba Linda, California                        Yorba Linda, California
Date of Birth         August 20, 1969                                 June 20, 1988

Mike Neff                              Robert Hight                      John Force                           Courtney Force
Q-F-Pos-Perf.                    Q-F-Pos-Perf.                  Q-F-Pos-Perf.                    Q-F-Pos-Perf.

4th-RU-2nd-4.036/316.97   1st-9-9th-4.060/316.52      6th-W-1st-4.080/315.64      12th-7-6th-4.143/313.88
2nd-RU-1st-4.072/309.91   8th-W-2nd-4.132/307.02    5th-11-3rd-4.115/307.51      12th-4-6th-4.099/307.30
4th-4-1st-4.065/313.00       3rd-W-2nd-4.039/317.12    7th-10-5th-4.114/309.49     11th-12-7th-4.136/306.12
7th-11-2nd-4.153/310.70    1st-W-1st-4.105/313.00     9th-12-5th-4.196/305.77     4th-9-7th-4.147/309.91
3rd-5-2nd-4.084/314.02      1st-W-1st-4.014/320.81     7th-4-5th-4.106/315.42       12th-12-9th-4.151/301.47
9th-W-2nd-4.166/306.81     6th-3-1st-4.119/309.63      14th-14-7th-4.212/296.05    7th-6-9th-4.126/309.98
DNQ-2nd-4.357/240.55      1st-RU-1st-4.104/308.35    13th-14-8th-4.190/301.87    9th-7-10th-4.138/309.42
3rd-7-3rd-4.063/311.05       9th-3-1st-4.050/315.27      12th-12-8th-4.136/306.60    8th-10-9th-4.109/310.13
7th-6-3rd-4.052/312.71       2nd-3-1st-4.013/318.02     11th-8-8th-4.066/311.85      13th-4-9th-4.098/311.70
2nd-9-3rd-4.072/310.70      9th-11-1st-4.124/304.12    5th-10-8th-4.094/312.71      13th-14-9th-4.131/304.60
11th-11-5th-4.134/307.93   4th-7-1st- 4.060/312.50     1st-5-10th-4.050/310.77      12th-RU-7th-4.116/310.13

2nd-W-3rd-4.112/309.42     16th-8-1st-4.446/271.24    9th-11-10th-4.196/300.40    6th-6-8th-4.140/304.80

6th-7-3rd- 4.208/301.20      2nd-5-1st- 4.135/304.53    5th-4-10th- 4.188/302.82     7th-RU-6th-4.212/297.94

10th-12-4th-4.102/307.72   9th-6-1st-4.090/309.34      13th-14-10th-4.168/306.67  5th-10-7th-4.059/312.71

6th-10-5th-4.161/293.35     13th-14-1st-4.226/292.27  10th-4-9th-4.193/291.57      13th-W-6th-4.164/301.33

7th-8-5th-4.072/313.15 10th-10-2nd-4.090/310.98      6th-RU-8th- 4.067/311.85    13th-12-6th-4.100/310.41

Q – Qualifying position.  F – Finishing position (W, winner; RU, runner-up; 3-4, semifinal loser; 5-8, second round loser; 9-16, first round loser; DNQ, Did Not Qualify)
Pos – Position in Full Throttle points at conclusion of the event
Perf – Best individual elapsed time and speed of the event (underlining indicates best of the race)

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Flashback to . . . .Sept. 6, 1993

After 13 years of disappointment that included a pair of DNQs, John Force wins drag racing’s biggest event, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals by driving his Castrol GTX Oldsmobile past the Chevrolet of Kenji Okazaki in the final round.  The win came a day after Force won $50,000 as champion of the Big Bud Shootout bonus race.  By doubling up, he earned a $25,000 bonus from the NHRA.

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 JOHN FORCE, 63, is trying to win the sport’s most prestigious event for the first time since 2002 and, at the same time, insure his 28th straight Top 10 finish.  He can accomplish the latter by earning for his Castrol GTX HIGH MILEAGE Ford Mustang for one of the final transfer spots in the NHRA’s Countdown to 1 playoffs.  .

 MIKE NEFF, 45, returns to Indianapolis as the reigning champion at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, one of five John Force Racing drivers to have won the Funny Car championship in the world’s most prestigious single event.  A two-time winner this season, Neff serves as both the driver and crew chief on the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang.

 
ROBERT HIGHT, 43, is hoping to recapture the magic that has been his at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, an event in which he has taken the Auto Club Ford Mustang to final round four times with wins in 2006 and 2008.  It will be the 2009 Full Throttle Champion’s first competitive appearance since celebrating his 43rd birthday and will offer him the chance to reclaim the points he lost two weeks ago to Ron Capps.

 COURTNEY FORCE, 24, can lock up a Countdown berth in her rookie season in the Traxxas Ford Mustang simply by making a qualifying attempt in the 58th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.  Already a winner this season, the youngest of John Force’s four daughters will try to score on drag racing’s biggest stage in an event in which sister Ashley Force Hood won back-to-back in 2009 and 2010.

 

Traxxas Nitro Shootout

The inaugural Traxxas Nitro Shootout will be contested Saturday and Sunday prior to Monday’s Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.  The winner will earn $100,000.

Seven of the eight positions in each field were determined by performance in the 16 events leading up to Indy. The eighth starting position in each race was determined by a lottery.
John Force Racing has a history of success in NHRA bonus races including All-Star races contested in the Winston Drag Racing Series, the Big Bud Shootout and its successors, the Skoal Showdown and the U.S. Smokeless Shootout.

John Force earned the biggest single event payday in NHRA racing history when he won the 1999 Winston Showdown ($210,000).  Overall, JFR drivers won eight times in the Big Bud/Skoal/U.S. Smokeless races and five times in Winston All-Star events.

Traxxas Nitro Shootout pairings in Funny Car:

1. Ron Capps, NAPA Dodge, versus 8. To Be Determined by raffle drawing
2. Robert Hight, Auto Club Ford, versus 7. Jeff Arend, DHL Toyota
3. Jack Beckman, Valvoline Dodge, versus 6. John Force, Castrol GTX HIGH MILEAGE Ford
4. Johnny Gray, NTB Dodge, versus 5. Mike Neff, Castrol GTX Ford

Traxxas Nitro Shootout pairings in Top Fuel:

1. Antron Brown, Matco Tools dragster, versus 8. To Be Determined by raffle drawing
2. Spencer Massey, FRAM dragster, versus 7. David Grubnic, Optima Batteries dragster
3. Tony Schumacher, U.S. Army dragster, versus 6. Morgan Lucas, GEICO Powersports dragster
4. Steve Torrence, Capco Contractors dragster, versus 5. Doug Kalitta, Mac Tools dragster

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FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS  (After 16 of 17 events leading up to the Countdown to 1 playoffs)

*1. Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., NAPA Dodge Charger, 1228
*2. Robert Hight, Yorba Linda, Calif., Auto Club Ford Mustang, 1175
*3. Jack Beckman, Norco, Calif., Valvoline Dodge Charger, 1068
*4. Johnny Gray, Artesia, N.M., NTB Dodge Charger, 999
*5. Mike Neff, Fishers Ind., Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, 988
6. Courtney Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Traxxas Ford Mustang, 883
7. Cruz Pedregon, Brownsburg, Ind., Snap-on Tools Toyota Camry, 861
8. John Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang, 842
9. Jeff Arend, San Dimas, Calif., DHL Toyota Camry, 781
10. Bob Tasca III, Cranston, R.I., Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang, 770

Also:
11. Matt Hagan, Christiansburg, Va., Aaron’s Dodge Charger, 751
12. Tim Wilkerson, Springfield, Ill., Levi, Ray and Shoup Ford Mustang, 742

*clinched playoff berth.

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TELEVISION (all on ESPN2, all times Eastern Daylight):

Qualifying highlights – Sunday, Sept. 2, 11-2 pm and 5-7 pm
Race highlights – Monday, Sept. 3, 12 noon-6 pm

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JFR by the numbers

1     Win this season for rookie Funny Car driver Courtney Force
2     Mac Tools U.S. Nationals victories for JFR driver Robert Hight (2006 and 2008).
3     U.S. Nationals victories for Ashley Force Hood including a 2004 win in Top Alcohol Dragster
4     Consecutive Mac Tools U.S. Nationals Funny Car wins for JFR drivers
5     Different JFR Funny Car winners at the U.S. Nationals in the last 10 years (John Force, Gary Densham, Robert Hight, Ashley Force Hood and Mike Neff)
10     Years since John Force last won the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals
11     Times John Force has qualified a Castrol GTX Funny Car No. 1 at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.
100     Points separating five drivers, including John Force, who are vying for the last three positions in the NHRA’s Countdown to 1 playoffs.

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