COURTNEY FORCE REACHES FIRST FINAL IN CHICAGO

Rookie of the Year candidate Courtney Force and her Traxxas Ford Mustang pushed veteran Jeff Arend and his DHL Toyota to the limit in the final round of the O’Reilly Route 66 NHRA Nationals but in the end she came up just a bit short dropping a close race 4.454 to 4.131. The youngest Force advanced to her first final round in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series in only her eleventh race. She is the ninth different John Force Racing Funny Car driver to reach the final round after John Force, Tony Pedregon, Eric Medlen, Gary Densham, Robert Hight, Ashley Force Hood, Mike Neff and Phil Burkart Jr.

She was one round win away from being the eighth different driver to win a Full Throttle tour event in a John Force Racing Ford Mustang. By comparison sister Ashley Force Hood went to her first Funny Car final in her 20th race and won in her 27th. Her father, John Force, went to the finals in his fourth pro race, as did brother-in-law Robert Hight. Teammate Mike Neff was a finalist in his seventh race as a driver.

This is the fourth straight year JFR has had a car in the Chicago final. JFR has won six times previously at Route 66 Raceway. Courtney started this week from the No. 12 position. She defeated Bob Tasca III, Robert Hight, and Alexis DeJoria en route to her final round appearance with Arend.

She would have become just the third female winner in Funny Car after sister Ashley and Melanie Troxel. “We had a good weekend. We stumbled a little during qualifying. We found a couple of malfunctions on our car, got them fixed and we were able to make the show. You know what, we had a good weekend overall. Making it to Sunday; going all the way to the final round was a huge accomplishment for us. I definitely think we could have got that win in the final round, but there’s always next weekend,” said Force. We’ll be out there in Norwalk and we’ll be fighting to make this car better, but looking at the times, everything was good for this car. It was on a good run and it just so happened that Arend got the win. He had a great pass and he’s had a great car all weekend too. We’re just going to have to go back and get after them in Norwalk.”

Courtney moved from 9th to 7th in the Full Throttle Funny Car standings and she is just two points behind Arend in 6th place. She is the highest positioned non-winner in the Funny Car class.The semi-final race between the two females in the Funny Car category was a must see event with the win going to Force. The anticipation leading up to the race was palpable at Route 66 Raceway. Heading into the semis Force was excited but also anxious.

“I am really hoping to get this win against Alexis. She has a great race car. We have a pretty competitive one too with this Traxxas Ford Mustang. These guys have been busting their butts putting a great car together. I really hope we can go out there and make it to our first final. I wish her the best of luck but I really want this win and I want to get this Ford Mustang to the final,” said Force.

“It is a little bit of a bummer. I hate going up against her but once you get on the line everything changes. I want to get that win and I know she wants to win. We have to get our game face on and go after it for our sponsors. We will do the best we can and battle it out until the end.”

This was the second time these two Auto Club Road to the Future Award candidates have squared off but this race was the most pressure packed. DeJoria grabbed a quick starting line advantage in the race but Force’s Traxxas Ford Mustang quickly closed the gap and Force kept it right in the middle of the groove for the win, 4.123 to 4.191.

Team leader John Force was ousted in the second round by Alexis DeJoria and at the end of the day he was content with the turnaround weekend for his four car Funny Car team.

“Good weekend anytime you can get to a final. I’m really proud of my girl the most. She’s driving like a veteran. I got bumped down to 10th in points because Arend passed me with that win, but Courtney moved up to 7th putting that Traxxas Ford in the final and doing a pedal job,” said Force, the winningest driver in NHRA history and proudest dad. “She left on time, cut a good light on the other driver, all part of it, but mainly pedaling it and getting it down the race track. Robert is locked up there in the top and Neff is right behind him a round or two. So, we’ll go from here and see what happens.”

In the second round Hight made a strong run at beating his sister-in-law and teammate for the fourth consecutive time but at about 700 feet his Auto Club Ford Mustang overpowered the track. He had made the quickest run of the opening session a great 4.087 second run at 312.50 mph.

“It is always tough to race your teammate. This was the fourth time we raced each other this year and she finally got around me. Our goal coming into this race was to erase Bristol and I think we did that. We have a car going to the semis and we got three cars out of the first round,” said Hight. ”I got a round on Capps and that was big. I wanted to get the win here but luckily one of my teammates still has a chance to get a win. This Auto Club Mustang made a great run in the heat this morning and that run was just a little too strong. We’ll be ready for Norwalk.”

Hight’s first round win over Cruz Pedregon was big when it was combined with a first round loss by surging Ron Capps. Hight extended his points lead and after his win he was fired up about trying to put some distance between himself and Capps. He busied himself before the delayed first round by spending time with fans in his pits.

“When it was raining I spent time with all the great fans that stuck around. We had a lot of them in our pits so they could avoid the bad weather. It is awesome to get a win especially after a first round like we had in Bristol. What we have to do is stop Capps. He is like a little dog nipping at your heels. We have to get rid of that little thing.”

Mike Neff and the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang made one of their better runs of the weekend but it wasn’t enough to get around Johnny Gray. Neff posted a solid 4.164 second pass in the first round but Gray’s 4.120 was a little better. For the driver and crew chief it was a weekend he is glad to get behind him and he is turning his focus to Norwalk next weekend.

“I felt really confident going into the first round. I tuned off the run last night. It was going to run quicker but it burned up the backside of one of the pistons. I definitely thought we were in position to get that win,” said Neff, the defending O’Reilly Route 66 NHRA Nationals. “I am looking forward to getting back on the track in Norwalk. This was just a tough race. We had a couple issues but nothing we can’t fix before Norwalk.”

Enders becomes first woman to win NHRA Pro Stock race

After 20 years of racing, eight years in the ultra-competitive Pro Stock class and six final-round appearances, KLR Group driver Erica Enders won the O'Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway on Sunday.

Enders beat nemesis Greg Anderson – who knocked off Enders in Chicago's final one year ago – to become the first women to win a Pro Stock national event in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

"For pioneers like Shirley Muldowney and Shelly Anderson-Payne, they were my heroes growing up, and all the women who paved the way," Enders said. "There are a lot of little kids who look up to me. I'm blessed enough to be in the position to be a role model for them through the Disney movie. I hope that they see me win and know that no matter what, anything is possible. You've just got to set your mind to it and follow your dreams. With hard work, anything's possible."

To top the historic win off, longtime boyfriend Richie Stevens proposed Sunday night, and Enders accepted. A December wedding is in the works.

Enders began racing at the age of 8, after convincing her father, Gregg Enders, to buy her a Jr. Dragster to able to compete in the new class NHRA created for younger drivers. Enders moved up the ranks into NHRA Sportsman classes, winning a Super Gas national event in 2004. The next year, she moved to Pro Stock with Cagnazzi Racing, becoming the first woman to reach the final round in Chicago in 2005.

In 2011, after being reunited with the Victor Cagnazzi-owned team, Enders raced Anderson in the final round at Chicago in one of her three finals in 2011. But Anderson won that day, saying after the race that he didn't want to be the first driver to lose to Enders in a Pro Stock final.

Sunday, though, the tables were turned, as Enders left first and outran the four-time champion with a run of 6.627 seconds at 207.40 mph. Anderson came up short after a pass of 6.641 at 208.36 mph.

"It's awesome. I think if I could've planned it, I would've asked to run Greg in the finals," Enders said. "He made it clear that he didn't want to lose to me. He's a very competitive guy, and I love him, but I couldn't wait to beat him.

"I'm really glad it was here in Chicago. This is actually the place of my first final in Pro Stock in 2005, so it's nice to circle back around and get it done here."

Anderson was gracious in defeat.

"He grabbed my shoulder and said, 'Well deserved,'" Enders said. "That means a lot coming from an eight-hundred-billion-time champion and somebody I've been trying to beat for eight years since I first let the clutch out in one of these cars.

"To have him in the other lane when I got my first win is awesome. Steve Torrence had Tony Schumacher in the other lane when he got his first (Top Fuel) win. Two Texas kids who dreamed of doing this our entire lives, to be able to beat the best in the finals like that, I couldn't have asked for a better situation."

Like every successful athlete, Enders' career has had difficult moments. She raced part-time in 2007-2010 as she looked for sponsorship and the right situation. Finally, sponsor Gaston Kearby helped back an effort with Cagnazzi for the 2011 season, and Enders has emerged as one of the top talents in the sport.

"I'm a Christian, and I'm not shy to admit," Enders said. "I believe there's a plan bigger than mine. I always have faith that there's a reason that things happen. Am I disappointed when we lose six times in a row? Absolutely. But I thank God for the blessings and the safety and focus on the things He puts on front of me. I'm a firm believer that he doesn't give you what you can't handle. This is 20 years of racing and eight years in Pro Stock, and it finally came together. I said my prayer before the final round: 'If it's your will, Lord, it's my way. I can't wait.'"

Enders, who moved up to fifth in the Pro Stock points standings, now has one win, two final-round and four semifinal appearances this season. She's won at least one round in each of the last five races and has reached the semis in the last three.

"My guys back at the shop have been really working their butts off to get us power, and we've been trying some new R&D stuff that we've been trying to figure out for forever," Enders said. "We did a last-minute test at Rockingham last week with over 100-degree weather. I guess it was good that we went there and prepared for this hot mess.

"I'm so excited. The testing is really paying off. Pro Stock's tough. It'll humble you in an instant. You think you've got it figured out, and you go to Bristol and blow all your things up. I can't say enough for my guys. They're amazing, and I love them. I couldn't be more proud for them."

The victory was a popular one for the 28-year-old from Houston who now lives in New Orleans. Enders is one of the most liked figures in the sport, among fans and competitors alike.

"When I hit my chutes – I hit them before we crossed the finish line – I went straight from focusing on the end of the track to the wall where the win light is," Enders said. "When I saw that thing come on, I was like, 'Oh, my God.' My guys are screaming in my helmet. I'm like, 'Thank you guys so much.' They're the reason why I'm able to do what I do.

"When I came around the track, the guys who are turning us off are all pumping their fists - all the Safety Safari guys were lined up around the corner, and the NHRA employees.

"It was just like everything came together. I dreamed of this day my entire life. When I can't sleep at night, I think about winning and planning my speeches. It's so awesome that it finally came true."

Asked where the Wally trophy will go, Enders said she’ll give it to Gregg Enders.

"That one goes to my dad, who's been my rock and my best friend," Enders said. "He's the reason I am who I am and why I'm in this position."

Anderson Pads Points Lead with Runner-Up Finish in Joliet

Greg Anderson and the Summit Racing team overcame a three-hour rain delay and horsepower-robbing hot and humid conditions on Sunday to score a runner-up finish at the NHRA Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, Illinois.  Starting from the eighth position, Anderson used a combination of solid performance and strong driving to advance to his eighth final round of the 2012 season, where he would square off against Erica Enders in a rematch of last year’s Joliet final.

Just as he had in the previous rounds, Anderson left the line in unison with Enders, who was looking to become the first woman to win a Pro Stock national event.  Although he was able to make a competitive 6.641-second, 208.30 mph run, it was not enough to hold off his opponent, who used a 6.627-second, 207.40 mph pass to score the win.

“We rebounded well today and had a pretty good hot rod, but just couldn’t seem to get near the top cars,” said Anderson.  “To this Summit Racing team’s credit, we raced hard and tough, and probably made it further than we should have to be honest, because we just didn’t have the performance we needed to put us over the top.

“I had said a million times before that Erica was going to win a race, and that I just didn’t want it to be against me.  However, you certainly can’t take today’s performance away from her – she earned it.  She went out there and took it, with both she and her team doing a better job, and they won the race, and I congratulate them.  It’s one for the history books.”

Anderson’s road to the final showed the resilience and determination of both he and his KB Racing crew.  After opening with a relatively easy win against Ron Krisher, the four-time champion was paired against No. 1 qualifier Allen Johnson, who had been the dominant car throughout the weekend.  However, using a lightning-quick .016 reaction time and a 6.634-second, 208.46 mph pass, Anderson was able to upset his higher-ranked opponent on a hole shot, with Johnson posting a 6.612-second time and 209.04 mph speed in the losing effort. 

Finally, Anderson’s 6.637-second, 207.91 mph run in the semifinals was enough to defeat rival Mike Edwards, sending him to the 111th final round of his career and the encounter with Enders. 

“We obviously need a couple more races with these new Summit Racing Camaros to get them fully up to speed,” said Anderson.  “They drive really well, and race well – we just need a little more speed out of them, and we’ll keep pecking at them until we do.

“It’s obviously disappointing any time you lose a race, but the good news is that we knocked out a couple cars that are running at the top of their game right now when we aren’t, which is a good feeling.  We know we’re going to get there - the bottom line is that we need to go home and work to make our horses faster.”

HINES VICTORY AT ROUTE 66 KEEPS HARLEY WIN STREAK ALIVE

Second Win for Hines is Fifth in a Row for Screamin’ Eagle^® Team in 2012

The Harley-Davidson Screamin Eagle/Vance & Hines team remains undefeated in 2012 as rider

Andrew Hines rode his Harley-Davidson V-Rod to the Pro Stock Motorcycle win at the O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway. The win is the second for Hines in 2012 and the fifth in a row for the team in five events this season. Hines defeated GT Racing Suzuki rider LE Tonglet in the final.

“I was really feeling the pressure when we went to line for the final round,” said Hines. “I wanted to win because this is the closest race to Harley-Davidson headquarters in Milwaukee and we had a lot of fans down here. And we’ve never had a winning streak like this before, undefeated this season and really seven in a row going back to last season. That’s really special and I don’t want this moment to end.”

Hines qualified his Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson V-Rod in second position with an Elapsed Time of 6.917 seconds. Krawiec qualified the team’s other V-Rod fourth at 6.941 seconds. Lucas Oil Buell rider Hector Arana Sr. was the top qualifier at 6.884 seconds.

Hines moved through the elimination rounds with a win over Sovereign-Star Racing Buell rider Scott Pollacheck in round one, an automatic win in round two when Kuryakyn Buell rider Chip Ellis fouled at the start, and a win over Hector Arana Jr. on a Lucas Oil Buell in the semi-final round.

Tonglet had won the last two events at Route 66 and had won 11 consecutive elimination rounds at the track. But the Suzuki rider went for a quick light and left the starting line 0.004 seconds early to hand Hines the automatic win and his 27th career final-round victory.

“I had the performance advantage on him, so I’m sure he was trying to cut a good light,” said Hines. “After the last race I re-wired my V-Rod because we thought there was an electrical issue, and we had a chance to test both bikes. We’ve got a pair of strong-running Harley-Davidson motorcycles right now.”

Krawiec opened Sunday’s rain-delayed elimination rounds with a win over Matt Guidera on the Harley-Davidson of Folsom Buell. Krawiec lost in round two on a holeshot to Tonglet, who used a 0.022-second reaction time and a 6.993 ET to beat Krawiec’s 0.048/6.971 run by just 0.0047 seconds.

“The track was good today but a little tricky, and we had to pull a little clutch out of my bike,” said Krawiec. “When we do that I find it’s harder to hit the tree, so my reaction times were not where I wanted to be today. I really just lost a good drag race to Tonglet.”

Krawiec retains the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle points lead, leaving Route 66 with 522 points. Hines remains in second place with 447 points.  Arana Sr. moves up to third place with 383 points, followed by Arana Jr. with 381 points. Tonglet is fifth with 292 points.

The Pro Stock Motorcycles will be in action again on July 5-8 at the 6th Annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals atSummit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio.

LE Tonglet happy with runner-up finish at Route 66 Raceway

A rejuvenated LE Tonglet gave a reminder Sunday to the Route 66 Nationals fans of what his drive to the 2010 Full Throttle series championship resembled when he reached the Pro Stock Motorcycle finals for the first time this season.

Taking advantage of a new tune-up on the Nitro Fish/Tonglet Racing Suzuki GSXR, Tonglet combined two red-light wins with a hole-shot victory over reigning series champion Eddie Krawiec to set up a meeting with Andrew Hines. 

“Our combination is definitely there now,” said Tonglet, who jumped into the fourth qualifying position on his last run.  “We made one more change before racing Hines and I left four-thousands of a second too soon.  We know we are going in the right direction. We ran pretty consistently all day. 

“There was nothing for me to do in the finals but shut it off.  We didn’t want to hurt the motor.”  Hines was timed in 6.940 seconds at 192.69 mph.

Angie Smith fouled out in the first round and Tonglet motored down the quarter-mile track in 6.984 seconds at 190.22 mph.  He was ready for Krawiec, leaving with a .022-second light and finishing with a 6.993 at 190.75 to Krawiec’s .048, 6.971 at 192.03.  The winning margin was four-thousandths of a second.

In the semifinal, Hector Arana went red and Tonglet went 6.855 at 188.65. 

CHICAGO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS VISITED AL-ANABI RACING TEAM AT ROUTE 66 RACEWAY FOLLOWING CULTURAL EXCHANGE TRIP TO QATAR

Three Chicago high school students attended today’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals as guests of the Al-Anabi Racing Team following their cultural exchange trip to Qatar last fall, it was announced today.  The three students attend the Lindblom Math and Science Academy and were among a group of 19 students who traveled to Qatar with Qatar Foundation International in October 2011.

Qatar Foundation International (QFI), LLC, is a U.S.-based member of Qatar Foundation (QF) dedicated to advancing QF’s mission and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser’s vision of connecting cultures and advancing global citizenship through education.  Based in Washington, D.C., QFI focuses on Kindergarten through 12^th grade education uniting young people from Qatar and North and South America so they can work and learn together, acquire 21^st century skills and build lasting friendships.  QFI promotes teaching of the Arabic language and culture, cooperation among students and teachers in science and other fields, as well as teaching young people skills in leadership, communications, and community involvement.

QFI identified Chicago’s Lindblom Math and Science Academy as a leader in both Arabic and science studies, making it a perfect candidate for a cultural exchange with Qatari schools. With some 200 students currently studying Arabic, Lindblom has the largest Arabic program in Chicago and among all United States public schools, with the exception of a few schools serving Arab heritage communities in other cities.

Rising junior Bria Collier as well as rising seniors Jade Moore and Joshua Short attended today’s NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event – the first ever Motorsports event for all three. This morning, they spent time with Al-Anabi drivers Shawn Langdon and Khalid alBalooshi as well as other Al-Anabi Racing Team personnel and enjoyed an extensive tour of the Al-Anabi pit area.  

“Being at the race track with the Al-Anabi team was a new experience for all of us,” Collier said.  “This sport is one that we had never been exposed to before.  It was fun to see something different that we’re not used to and experience the rush of cars going faster than 300 mph.  I was surprised to learn of the drag racing program in Qatar and that the Al-Anabi team was in the United States as well. ”

“We have been very eager to work with Chicago Public Schools, including Lindblom, Lincoln Park High School and others,” QFI Director of Programs Kent Lewis said.  “Chicago is the clear leader among major U.S. cities when it comes to introducing so-called ‘critical languages,’ including Arabic, Chinese and others, which the U.S. Government has identified as critical to our future.”  QFI is supporting the creation of a resource center for teachers of Arabic at Lindblom similar to the Confucius Institute at Payton College Prep, which supports the teaching of Mandarin Chinese.

During their 10-day trip to Qatar, Lindblom students and several faculty members focused on water and marine conservation with a more specific focus on water quality in both Chicago and Doha.  Since returning from Qatar, the students have remained in touch with their Qatari counterparts and are continuing their joint research remotely.

“One of the things we learned is that water connects people across the world,” Short said.  “A motto we used while in Qatar is ‘One World, One Ocean,’ which basically means we are all interconnected in some way through water.  Our trip gave us a good chance to collaborate with students from different cultural backgrounds and actually experience the Qatari culture first hand.”

“I have learned that what we do in Chicago can ultimately affect what goes on in Doha because of ‘One World, One Ocean,’” Moore said.  “For example, if our sewage system is clogged and the trash eventually goes into the ocean, it can travel through different bodies of water and make its way to Doha which would negatively affect their water supply and harm marine life.”

QFI is funded by Qatar Foundation, an independent, private, non-profit chartered organization based in Doha, Qatar.  QFI implements its mission through innovative educational and volunteer programs, which inspire lasting exchanges of experience and knowledge. QFI strives to give young people in Qatar and North and South Americas skills and experiences that will help them be effective global citizens throughout their lives. QFI places hundreds of young people from diverse social, economic, and cultural backgrounds into effective, collaborative learning environments—both inside and outside the classroom, in person and online.

QFI's core program areas are Arabic Language & Culture, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math) and Youth Engagement. These areas feature the cross-cutting themes of technology, bridging cultures, community engagement, collaborative learning and partnership.

Al-Anabi Racing operates out of multiple locations in both the United States and Qatar.  In the United States, the Brownsburg, Ind.-based operation is a two-car NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series team that is managed by Alan Johnson Racing. Sheikh Khalid’s initiative has created increased international awareness of the nation of Qatar while highlighting the nation’s international sports outreach. Alan Johnson is a 14-time NHRA champion in various capacities including crew chief, team owner and team manager.  For additional information on the Al-Anabi Racing Team, team manager Alan Johnson or drivers Khalid alBalooshi or Shawn Langdon, please visit www.alanabiracing.com.  

Don Schumacher honored Funny Car pioneer, owner of current NHRA 'super team' voted into prestigious International Motorsports Hall

The Chicago area was the perfect location for the International Motorsports Hall of Fame to inform Don Schumacher that he has been selected for induction into the prestigious body's 2013 class.

Bruce Ramey, manager of Hall in Talladega, Ala., told a very surprised Schumacher and members of the Don Schumacher Racing team, family and sponsors on Sunday morning before the start of the NHRA Route 66 Nationals near Chicago, where he grew up.

"It was such a great honor when Bruce told me I had been nominated," an emotional Schumacher said. "This is overwhelming. Wow."

Ramey traveled to Joliet to personally tell Schumacher of the honor and that he will be the 12th member of the drag racing fraternity to be inducted into the Hall that includes the biggest names in all motorsports from throughout the world.

Schumacher could have remained on the ballot for five years but adding to the prestige, he was inducted on a first-ballot vote by an international panel of 120 motorsports journalists.

Schumacher, 67, grew up near Chicago. In the late 1960s he began drag racing and became a pioneer in the experimental Funny Car category. He worked out of a garaged behind his parent's house and won five NHRA national event titles while campaigning up to three Funny Cars on match-racing circuits throughout the country.

In NHRA as a driver, he won five NHRA events, including the prestigious 1970 NHRA U.S. Nationals. He won about 70 percent of 560 races from 1968 to 1974, nine International Hot Rod Association event titles and the 1973 American Hot Rod Association World Championship. In 2007, he was inducted into the Drag Racing Hall of Fame.

Today, he employs 120 at his 120,000-square-foot speed factory outside Indianapolis in Brownsburg, that includes shop space for 14 transporters - two for each team - and machine and fabrication shops, hospitality operation along with media, marketing, graphic design and merchandising departments.

DON SCHUMACHER: DRIVER/OWNER (1966-1974)
- 5 National Hot Rod Association national Funny Car event titles
- 9 International Hot Rod Association national Funny Car event titles
- Won about 390 of 560 Funny Car match races 
- 1970 NHRA U.S Nationals Funny Car champion 
- 1972 Coca-Cola Cavalcade of Stars Funny Car champion
- 1973 American Hot Rod Association Funny Car series champion
- 2007 Drag Racing Hall of Fame inductee

DON SCHUMACHER: NHRA TEAM OWNER (1998-present)
In Don's first full season as a team owner in 1999, he won the NHRA Top Fuel season championship with son Tony Schumacher driving.- 9 NHRA Season Championships
- 7 in Top Fuel Dragster: 1999, 2004-09 (all with driver Tony Schumacher)
- 2 in Nitro Funny Car: 2005 (Gary Scelzi), 2011 (Matt Hagan)
- 183 NHRA Event Titles