Could the competition in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series be any better?
None of the point leaders in any of the top-three divisions of the country’s premier drag-racing organization visited the winner’s circle during the inaugural Summit Racing Equipment Nationals at the state-of-the-art Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park. But that was par for the course in a drag-racing series that has seen more twists and turns than some road courses.
Rod Fuller, Ron Capps and Greg Anderson lead their respective divisions as the series heads toward its first Countdown to the Championship, which will lock the top eight in points into the elimination rounds of the championship that will begin with the Big Go — the U.S. Nationals on Labor Day weekend.
The most interesting race leading up to the event at O’Reilly Raceway Park will be who gets in the Countdown, NOT who is leading the standings. But maybe the most interesting part of the summer stretch to the season that leads into Indianapolis will be finding the answers to some or all of the following questions:
1. Will 14-time Funny Car champion John Force right his sinking ship? While his team cars wheeled by daughter Ashley and son-in-law Robert Hight have performed admirably, Force has not won a race. In fact, Force has won only two rounds of competition all season.
He and veteran crew chiefs Austin Coil and Bernie Fedderly were to remain in Norwalk, Ohio, Monday afternoon to test. Force even hinted they may try a new chassis combination. He needs to find something, as he stands 15th in points — 120 markers out of eighth.
2. Can Dick LaHaie bring Team Kalitta to the Promised Land? LaHaie, a former world champion driver and tuner, came out of retirement to help the four-car Kalitta operation in May, but so far the results have been mixed. Top Fuel driver Dave Grubnic in sixth is the only Kalitta driver in a Countdown position. Hillary Will (11th) and perennial title contender Doug Kalitta (12th), who made it to the semis at Norwalk, have been consistent all season. Scott Kalitta ranks 17th in Funny Car.
3. Will both Bernsteins make the Countdown? Despite his recent struggles, Brandon Bernstein ranks third in Top Fuel, but Kenny Bernstein, who is currently 13th after a frustrating beginning to the season, has a lot of work to do.
4. Will Rod Fuller’s David Powers Motorsports team find a full-time primary sponsor? Fuller leads the Top Fuel standings, but his rail was white with no decals at Norwalk. Despite the fact, Fuller continued his championship consistency, qualifying No. 1 and racing into the final round, where he lost to Tony Schumacher.
5. When will Clay Millican take advantage of his strong qualifying performances? Millican has qualified in the top half of the ladder multiple times this season, but as he was Sunday after qualifying second, the five-time IHRA champion is frequently eliminated in the first round.
6. Will Jeff Arend qualify for every race this season? Through 11 events, Arend, who ranks only 11th in the standings, is the only driver who has made every Funny Car starting field.
7. Will it be feast or famine for Don Prudhomme Racing? One week after Larry Dixon and Tommy Johnson, Jr. swept the fuel portion of the program at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in New Jersey, both were eliminated in the first round at Norwalk.
8. Will ESPN announcer Paul Page have learned the correct names of the drivers and team owners competing in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series by the time the Countdown gets under way? Whether he does, former driver Mike Dunn will continue to do the heavy lifting on the ESPN telecasts of the straightline sport.