SEVEN DRIVERS EARN FULL THROTTLE COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP BERTHS AT NHRA SONOMA NATIONALS

Seven drivers clinched Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship playoff berths at the NHRA Sonoma Nationals, bringing the number of drivers who have secured their invitations to the playoffs to 14.

Top Fuel racers Antron Brown and Tony Schumacher, along with Funny Car driver Ron Capps, and Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Hector Arana Jr. all locked up their positions during NHRA Sonoma Nationals qualifying.

On Sunday, Pro Stock racers Mike Edwards and Vincent Nobile clinched by advancing to round two, and Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Hector Arana Sr. clinched by advancing to the semifinals.

The NHRA Full Throttle Series regular season concludes Labor Day weekend at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Auto-Plus in Indianapolis. A six-race playoff series, the Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship, will lead to the crowning of the 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series champs. The Countdown begins Sept. 14-16 at zMAX Dragway near Charlotte, N.C.

COUNTDOWN FIELDS TO DATE

Top Fuel

1. Spencer Massey

2. Antron Brown

3. Tony Schumacher

Funny Car

1. Robert Hight

2. Ron Capps

Pro Stock

1. Greg Anderson

2. Jason Line

3. Allen Johnson

4. Mike Edwards

5. Vincent Nobile

Pro Stock Motorcycle

1. Eddie Krawiec

2. Andrew Hines

3. Hector Arana Jr.

4. Hector Arana Sr.

Arana and son crowd top of Norwalk's Pro Stock Motorcycle ladder

Past world champion Hector Arana and his rookie-of-the-year son Hector Arana Jr. earned the second and third positions, respectively, on the Pro Stock Motorcycle elimination ladder of this weekend's sixth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals.

Arana has now qualified fourth or better on his Lucas Oil Buell in the six NHRA races the bikes have contested this year, a mark that includes three No. 1 qualifying efforts. He actually was No. 1 at this race until just near the end of the final qualifying session when he was nipped by Andrew Hines by .001 seconds, or about two inches. Arana's best time was a 6.962 at 188.02 mph

"I'm definitely looking forward to tomorrow," Arana Sr. said. "My major concern so far has been to make sure the bike ran well, especially at the top end, on every run. The last two runs we made, we were able to stay on it all the way through. The bike did not hiccup, and it ran good, so I think we have everything dialed in. Now, I've got to get after my clutch and get back on it so we can run those good numbers and get a win."

Like his father, Arana Jr. also has been impressive in qualifying this year with a pair of No. 2 and four straight No. 3 qualifying results. His quickest pass here was a 6.984 at 192.69 mph.

"Our goal is to be consistent," Arana Jr. said. "Our 60-foots haven't been super killer, but we've been consistent, and the bike's run consistent. If we can do that on Sunday, I think we can go plenty of rounds and maybe even get a win."

Despite their great runs, the talk in the Lucas Oil pit was of the oppressive heat that has plagued the race since it's start.

"There's no escape from it," Arana Jr. said. "We get out of the sun, but the sun's baking the trailer, so the trailer's hot and humid. When we put those leathers on, we can barely get them on. You feel claustrophobic because you can't sit in the bike all the way down because you can't get the leathers all the way on because you're sticking to them.

"You try to put on your jacket, and you can barely get in on. Gloves, you can barely get on. It's really miserable. Then you get on the bike, and you're not 100 comfortable because you're sticking. It makes you totally uncomfortable, but I'm trying to get used to it."

Thrill-seeker Arana Jr. feels right at home in Norwalk

The timid do not pick up racing a Pro Stock Motorcycle as a profession. It takes a special breed of speed freak to hurtle down a strip of concrete and asphalt at nearly 200 mph with nothing but a leather suit separating you from the pavement.

At this weekend's Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, Hector Arana Jr. gets to fuel his favorite passions: racing the Lucas Oil Buell and hitting the thrill rides at the Cedar Point amusement park.

"Norwalk is always a blast and a race we look forward to going to every year," Arana said. "We always go to Cedar Point on Thursday and ride all the rides. We're all adrenaline junkies and we're all searching for the next biggest rush.

"It's a good way to relieve all the stress and forget about the racing, and clear your mind."

Summit Motorsports Park is also a landmark track in Arana's young racing career.

"It's the track where I got my first No. 1 qualifier," he said. "I lost that first round, because I was still a rookie and I had a lot of learning to do riding. Now I'm riding this bike good and hopefully we can go to the finals this weekend."

Arana sits fourth in Pro Stock Motorcycle points this season. He's qualified second or third in every race this year and reached the semifinals in four out of the five races this year.

"We've been having a few problems with our 60-foot times lately," Arana said. "Hopefully we'll get it fixed and Cedar Point can give me the extra rush to get that next win."

NHRA TECH DEPARTMENT FORMS NITRO TECHNICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

NHRA officials announced today the formation of a Nitro Technical Advisory Council. The Nitro Technical Advisory Council will be chaired by Glen Gray, vice president of technical operations, NHRA and will provide input on rules and other technical matters.

“We believe this group of seasoned and experienced participants in the Top Fuel and Funny Car categories can assist NHRA in both the short and long-term,” said Gray. “The group understands the intricacies of the fastest accelerating vehicles on the planet and their knowledge could serve to help NHRA in rule making and technical matters that are in the best of interest of the entire sport.”

The Nitro Technical Advisory Council members represent a cross-section of the current professional nitromethane teams and include: Mike Green, crew chief, U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster; Alan Johnson, owner, Alan Johnson Racing; Mike Neff, driver and crew chief, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang; Tim Wilkerson, owner and crew chief, Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Shelby Mustang; and Del Worsham, crew chief, Tequila Patron Funny Car.

The first meeting of the Nitro Technical Advisory Council is set for this weekend during the 24th annual Dollar General NHRA Summernationals at Heartland Park Topeka.

Arana Jr. makes bold prediction

Hector Arana Jr. feels good about his chances for a victory at Atlanta Dragway.

The Lucas Oil Buell rider qualified No. 3 for Sunday's Pro Stock Motorcycle eliminations at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.

"I am going to win this race," said Arana Jr., who qualified No. 2 in Gainesville and Houston, the first two events on the PSM schedule. "I just have a good feeling."

To fulfill his own prophecy, Arana Jr. will have to make four, solid, mistake-free runs, and pick up on his best qualifying run of the weekend – a pass of 6.950 seconds at 192.85 mph.

"Yesterday when the weather was good we were off on our tune-ups, and that is why we couldn't run a better number," Arana Jr. said. "We made quite a few changes for that last pass (Saturday) and we picked up from the first pass. On top of that, I short-shifted or I would have run a lot quicker."

A runner-up last weekend in Houston, Arana Jr. will start the Atlanta race Sunday morning by facing off against Chip Ellis, whose fastest run of the weekend was a 7.075 at 188.73 mph.

"I am pretty excited about going in tomorrow," Arana Jr. said. "Tomorrow should be good. Hopefully I won't do anymore short shifting and we can go some rounds and win the race."

Being in the bottom half of the ladder, Arana Jr. will have a chance to face-off against his dad – Hector Arana Sr. – in the final round, after Arana Sr. grabbed the pole on his Lucas Oil Buell with a run of 6.894 at 193.82 mph.

"I love that one of us is No. 1," Arana Jr. said. "Don't get me wrong, I would like to the No. 1, but No. 3 is still good. And, we are going to meet in the finals and that is all I can ask for."