AUTO CLUB NHRA FINALS TO FEATURE THE WORLD’S BEST DRAG RACING ACTION AND EXCITING OFF THE TRACK ACTIVITIES AT SEASON FINALE

GLENDORA, Calif. — RIS - The 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season has been one of the most exciting in recent memory and the six-race NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship playoffs has been no different.

 

In Top Fuel, Don Schumacher Racing teammates Antron Brown and eight-time and defending champ Tony Schumacher are in first and second place in points, respectively, but anything can happen in the 10,000 horsepower nitro-burning category before the final race of the season.

In Funny Car, Del Worsham leads Jack Beckman by only 38 points. The duel of the two drivers has been one of the main storylines of the Countdown to the Championship, providing some of the most competitive racing in NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series history. At the most recent event in Dallas, Worsham and Beckman faced each other five times – four times in qualifying and then Sunday’s final round – and all were incredible side-by-side contests where photo finishes were needed to determine the winner.

Noted crew chief Jimmy Prock became the tuner of Beckman’s Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T at the end of last season – nicknamed the “Prock Rocket” – and guided Beckman to seven wins this season. Worsham’s “Yella Fellas” hit the right combination in the DHL Toyota Camry to open the Countdown, winning three of the first four playoff races. Both drivers have championship pedigrees and if Worsham, the 2011 Top Fuel world champion, can claim the title, he will become the third driver to win a championship in both nitro classes.

In Pro Stock, Erica Enders has had a record-setting season and is hoping to make history again by earning her second consecutive world championship while the Pro Stock Motorcycle category has featured some of the most competitive racing all year as first and third place are currently separated by a mere 31 points.

Before the Christmas tree hits green and the fireworks explode over the track to signify the end of another thrilling season at the Auto Club NHRA Finals, fans will have the opportunity to meet multiple stars of the Mello Yello Series at the NHRA Fanfest at Lordsburg Taphouse in downtown La Verne, Nov. 12., from 6:45-8 p.m. Beckman, 16-time Funny Car champion John Force, Courtney Force, Brittany Force and Robert Hight will be signing autographs and mingling with fans while Hight’s AAA Chevy Camaro SS Funny Car and Schumacher’s U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster will be on display. Ticket giveaways and food and drink specials will be offered and everyone who attends will also receive a free Mello Yello t-shirt.

Race fans will also have the chance to meet living legend and four-time NHRA Funny Car champion Don “The Snake” Prudhomme in the Snake Skybox with the purchase of a Skybox Pass. Skybox Passes include the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch nitro qualifying and eliminations with Prudhomme in an air conditioned suite, as well as an autograph session and a photo opportunity. Don “The Snake” Prudhomme goodie bags will be handed out and each ticket includes free catered meals daily with non-alcoholic beverages. Limited space is available in the Snake Skybox. Passes can be purchased by calling the NHRA Ticket Office at 800-884-NHRA.

The NHRA’s Hot Rod Junction will also make its return to the Auto Club NHRA Finals, offering nostalgic entertainment for race fans. The Hot Rod Junction will feature photo opportunities with past and present NHRA celebrities, a remarkable display of historic race cars and hot rods, and daily Cacklefest shows that will rattle the senses. Cacklefests will take fans back to the early days of drag racing with amazing sights and sounds. First-time Cacklefest spectators call it a sensory overload when dozens of nitro-burning historic, front-engine dragsters and other classic race cars are fired up simultaneously, creating a roar of engines and flame-throwing headers. All spectators attending the Auto Club NHRA Finals will have free access to the Hot Rod Junction.

A variety of drivers will also participate in the Night of Champions at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, Calif., Friday night after racing has concluded. Drivers will be on hand to answer questions from fans and share some of their most cherished memories from the track. Beckman will moderate the Night of Champions.

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 get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.

Fans also will want to visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create a carnival atmosphere, with interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.

NHRA’s Baptism by Nitro campaign will make its second appearance of the season at Pomona. Inspired by the popular phrase “baptism by fire”, commonly used to describe when an individual is thrust into a new situation, experience or environment, Baptism by Nitro is NHRA’s call to encourage longtime fans to introduce a family member or friend to the heart-pounding atmosphere of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

Throughout the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season, NHRA fans are encouraged to share first-time Baptism by Nitro fan experiences on social media. Prizes will be given all year to the best rookie reactions captured in the pits or in the grandstands and posted to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. All posts should include the hashtag #BaptismbyNitro and tag @NHRA.

Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying begins Friday, Nov. 13, with sessions at noon and 3 p.m. The final two qualifying sessions will take place Saturday, Nov. 14, also at noon and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 15.

To purchase tickets, call (800) 884-NHRA (6472), or visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. For more information about the NHRA visit www.NHRA.com.

Dusty Brandel

President of the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association, Inc. Worked with Mike Hollander since Tapsis, Compuserve, etc. and has posted to the website since the beginning. First Female photo-journalist to be given a garage and pit pass for the NASCAR garage, 1972 at Ontario Motor Speedway. One of first seven female writers, photographers given access to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway garage and pits in 1971. Past President of Greater Los Angeles Press Club, 1992-96, and first female editor of the 8-Ball publication for the Press Club

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Volume 2015, Issue 10, Posted 7:33 PM, 10.31.2015