HOT STREAK HAS TOP FUEL’S RICHIE CRAMPTON EXCITED FOR RETURN TO TOYOTA NHRA SUMMERNATIONALS

ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. — Richie Crampton has enjoyed a tremendous start to his NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Top Fuel career, which includes winning the prestigious Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals and the Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future award as the NHRA’s top rookie in 2014.

Two more wins have followed in the early stages of 2015 in Crampton’s 10,000-horsepower Lucas Oil dragster, but every breakout story must have a beginning and Crampton’s first trip to the spotlight came at tradition-rich Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.

Crampton picked up his first Top Fuel victory a year ago in Englishtown, a moment made even more special since he became the 100th different Top Fuel winner in NHRA history in the process. Those good vibes, coupled with a stellar start to 2015, have Crampton eager for this weekend’s 46th annual Toyota NHRA Summernationals.

“Coming off of a win in Topeka and going back to the place where I won my first event and became No. 100 on that list is pretty awesome,” Crampton said. “It's hard to keep that momentum rolling when you win a race, so I'm excited to get there and see how we go.

“It's pretty neat to have won four events. Top of the moon right now, but I've still got a little bit to learn as a new driver. I still consider myself a rookie, but I drive a championship-caliber race car for a championship-caliber team.”

Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) joined Crampton as last year’s winners of the event that will once again be televised nationally on ESPN2. It marks the ninth of 24 events during the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Series season and Crampton has already proven to be a worthy championship contender.

He won two events and qualified for the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship a year ago, but Crampton appears to have taken a strong step forward in 2015. The team has boasted consistency and performance from the outset, winning the most recent event in Topeka and earlier in the year in Las Vegas.

Crampton looks even more comfortable behind the wheel and that is in part due to a top-notch team, led by crew chief Aaron Brooks.

“I believe our Lucas Oil team has a great all-around package right now,” Crampton said. “Aaron Brooks has obviously shown to do very well for us in cool-weather conditions, but we've always seen some very good times laid down by our team in the hot-weather races as well. We're expecting some warmer weather in New Jersey, and I think the key to going some rounds will be that hot-weather tune-up that I am extremely confident that Aaron Brooks has."

That consistency is evident in how the team has performed through the first eight events. Crampton has only one first-round loss, and is currently third in points. To extend it even further, the Australian native who became a naturalized U.S. citizen a few years ago was just the second driver in the loaded class to reach two wins, doing it a week after series leader Antron Brown accomplished it.

He has qualified no lower than eighth this season and was brilliant in Topeka, qualifying second with a 3.744 and then posting four straight runs in the 3.70s to claim the victory.

“We've got all the tools to win races and all the staff to make it happen,” Crampton said. “I'm happy with my progression, but I still need to knuckle down and try to do a better job in the race car.”

Crampton won’t stay content but he won’t have a chance to in the star-studded class that starts with eight-time and defending world champion Tony Schumacher. Other standouts include points leader and local favorite Brown, Doug Kalitta, who won in 2000 and 2003, 2013 winner Shawn Langdon, 2011 Englishtown winner Spencer Massey, 2012 winner Steve Torrence, J.R. Todd and Brittany Force.

But Crampton has shown marked improvement at nearly every race and leads a confident team into Englishtown.

“I definitely have a bit more spring in my step,” Crampton said. “It’s good to get wins, and it’s huge for everyone. Being the driver, I still consider myself a rookie and am trying to learn more and more and more. To get a couple wins early in 2015 has been a really good feeling, and I’m really confident we can continue to do it."

In Funny Car, Cruz Pedregon, who has three wins at the event, dominated the weekend at Englishtown last season, qualifying No. 1 and storming to the event win over Del Worsham. Four of John Force’s record 142 career victories have come in New Jersey, but he hasn’t won the event since 1999. Two-time and defending world champ Matt Hagan has enjoyed past success at Englishtown, winning the event in 2013, and other class stars are points leader Ron Capps, ’07 E-town winner Tommy Johnson Jr., Alexis DeJoria, Courtney Force, Robert Hight, Jack Beckman, who won the most recent event, and Atlanta winner Tim Wilkerson.

Greg Anderson leads the Pro Stock category with five career wins at Raceway Park, while teammate Jason Line has three wins in New Jersey. Defending world champ Erica Enders, who took over the points lead with a win in Topeka, is looking to add the Toyota NHRA Summernationals to her career victory total, while 2011 winner Allen Johnson, 1994 winner and recent Charlotte winner Larry Morgan, Las Vegas runner-up Vincent Nobile, Houston runner-up Chris McGaha, Shane Gray and Jonathan Gray also figure to be major players in the ultra-competitive factory hot rod class.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Andrew Hines took home his second Englishtown victory last season en route to his fourth career world championship. Hines is currently second in points to teammate and Bayonne, N.J. native Eddie Krawiec, a 2012 winner of this event. Former Englishtown bike winners Matt Smith, Angelle Sampey, Shawn Gann and Michael Ray will all be in pursuit of more success at the event. Meanwhile, Hector Arana Jr., Karen Stoffer, LE Tonglet and Scotty Pollacheck are among a group of riders who are ready to claim a breakthrough E-town victory.

The NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series will hit the track for its fourth race of the 2015 season. The Toyota NHRA Summernationals also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, where the future stars of the sport earn their racing stripes.

As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they’re granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and enjoy some cherished face time and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.

Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying begins Friday, June 5, with sessions at 4 and 6:15 p.m. The final two qualifying sessions will take place Saturday, June 6, at 12:45 and 3:15 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 7.

To purchase general-admission or reserved seats, call Old Bridge Township Raceway Park at (732) 446-7800 or visit www.racewaypark.com. For more information about the NHRA visit www.NHRA.com.

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