Funny Car

Wilkerson and Bernstein lead Phoenix fields into eliminations

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Tim Wilkerson, who surprised the Funny Car field by qualifying No. 1 at the season-opening event in Pomona, repeated those heroics Saturday at the 24th annual Checker Schuck’s Kragen NHRA Nationals at Firebird Int’l Raceway outside of Phoenix after an abbreviated two sessions of qualifying following Friday’s rainout. It is the 12th No. 1 spot … Read more

T. Pedregon eager to move on

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The national media spotlight was burning bright for Funny Car champion Tony Pedregon after the NHRA season opener in Pomona, Calif, on Feb. 10. Pedregon’s Impala SS exploded in the first round of eliminations, prompting appearances for the reigning Powerade Series champ on NBC’s Today show, CNN and Inside Edition. Pedregon, who suffered only minor … Read more

Schumacher takes victory in Top Fuel

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POMONA, Calif. — Defending Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher raced to his 42nd career victory Sunday in the Carquest Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals, while Funny Car champion Tony Pedregon escaped serious injury in a spectacular explosion. Pedregon sustained burns to his right hand but was otherwise OK after the wild ride in a first-round loss … Read more

Schumacher, Hight, Anderson grab first 2008 POWERade glory in Pomona

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Five-time NHRA POWERade champion Tony Schumacher moved into second-place on the all-time NHRA Top Fuel wins list Sunday with a big victory at the season-opening 48th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals. Funny Car star Robert Hight and Pro Stock frontrunner Greg Anderson joined Schumacher in the winner’s circle of historic Auto Club Raceway atPomona … Read more

Mike Neff profile

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Mike Neff, who won his first NHRA Funny Car championship from outside the cockpit, hopes to win his next one from the inside as a member of John Force Racing’s Next Generation of professional drivers. A native of Hemet, Calif., where he grew up racing dirt bikes and off-road trucks, Neff will contest the 2008 … Read more

Robert Hight profile

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Officially, Robert “Top Gun” Hight lost the NHRA POWERade Funny Car Championship last year by 19 points, roughly the equivalent of one racing round. Unofficially, he lost it by .001 of a second, the margin by which he fell short of the one per cent backup run that would have certified a season-opening… Read full … Read more

NHRA ready to test repaved Firebird

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NHRA drivers – including John Force – will begin to test the limits of a new 700-foot concrete launch pad during the National Time Trials today through Sunday at Firebird International Raceway. Force, a 14-time Funny Car champion, plans to be back in his Castrol Ford Mustang for the first time since suffering multiple foot, … Read more