NHRA preseason showdown set for LVMS
The only preseason competition in professional drag racing begins today at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the third annual Pro Stock Showdown.
Most of the top Pro Stock teams begin qualifying today for Saturday’s championship eliminations. The event allows teams to prepare for the NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series opener next weekend in Pomona, Calif., in a competitive atmosphere.
Winners of every NHRA Pro Stock title since 1995 will be in the field. Among those entered are: reigning series champion Jeg Coughlin Jr., who also won the title in 2000 and 2002; Jason Line (2006 champion); Greg Anderson (2003 to 2005); Warren Johnson (1995, 1998, 1999, 2001) and Jim Yates (1996, 1997).
Other entrants include: Mike Edwards, Tom Hammonds, Allen Johnson, Kurt Johnson and Larry Morgan, who won last year’s Showdown.
“It feels like a real race, and it is, but at the same time you don’t have that do-or-die feeling like you sometimes feel at national events,” Coughlin said.
An NHRA Sportsman Nationals will run in conjunction with the Showdown.
Today’s racing features three rounds of Pro Stock qualifying, with a fourth session set for 10 a.m. Saturday before the 16-car elimination rounds start at 1 p.m.
A free Pro Stock driver autograph session is set for 7 to 8 p.m. today in the sports lounge at the Suncoast.
• NHRA — The sale of the NHRA’s professional racing assets — including rights to the Powerade series — and various race tracks to HD Partners Acquisition Corporation fell through Thursday when HD stockholders voted against the transaction. The deal, announced in May, would have paid NHRA about $120 million. …
NHRA announced starting times for 21 of its 24 national events will fall into “prime time” on the East Coast for the first time in several years, with regular time slots of 7 to 11 p.m. All races will air on ESPN2 (Cable 31) and ESPN2HD. …
John Force capped four months of intensive rehabilitation from injuries suffered in his September crash by recording a run of 4.782 seconds at 327.51 mph during testing Monday at Firebird International Raceway near Phoenix.
The best run in Top Fuel was by Las Vegas resident Rod Fuller (4.468, 331.36).