The NHRA Countdown- Getting It Right

***Ed Blown Vert*** · 08-06-2008, 10:20 AM

The NHRA Countdown- Getting It Right

Here's a little Drag Racing History 101. In days gone by, NHRA champions in the pro categories were determined by winning a single race. With the arrival of Winston in the '70s, a season-long points race ensued, which established true champions while also helping to expand the sport's appeal and importance.
When tobacco marketing was legislated out of motorsports and Powerade came on the scene, the same season-long, earn-the-most-points-and-become-the-champion format continued-until NASCAR came up with its chase program. While NHRA is in vehement denial that the program they introduced in 2007 has anything whatsoever to do with the NASCAR concept, their similarities can't be ignored.
Despite the hoopla that surrounded last year's inaugural Countdown to the Championship, there was widespread displeasure in the racing community due to the format. Lo and behold, their worst fears were realized when, in the year's penultimate race, three of the four Funny Car drivers eligible for the title went out in the first round and the fourth, Tony Pedregon, won. That negated all suspense at the finals. Top Fuel, however, gave the NHRA-and the fans-the result they were hoping for when the championship came down to the final round at Pomona, with Tony Schumacher taking the title.
To avoid a repeat of the '07 season, NHRA, reportedly working with input from the PRO racer's group, tweaked the system in a very positive manner. Since last year's format is moot, we'll try to avoid referencing it from here on out. It's dead and gone. In its place is a straightforward series of 18 Powerade Series races in which competitors in all four pro categories will earn points in the usual manner. Formally titled the Countdown to 10, the media, racers, and fans refer to the program as simply the Countdown.
At the conclusion of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend, only the Top 10 points earners in each category will remain eligible for the championships. In reality, of course, the likelihood of anyone outside the Top 10 being able to leapfrog into contention in the year's remaining half dozen events under any circumstances can be outlined in three words: slim and none. So every racer's pressing need is to be among those 10 drivers by Indy time. That the U. S. Nationals is drag racing's most prestigious event has been driven home so many times that we need not emphasize its importance once again, but there is little doubt that this year's race could be one of the most exciting ever for more than one reason. Not only is winning Indy a major goal for every racer, but this time around there are probably going to be three or four competitors who will be at least theoretically in reach of the Top 10 when the race begins, so their every move will be intensely watched by the fans. A race that is already a nail-biter is likely to be even more so in 2008.
Amassing a million-marker margin going into Indy will do the leader little good, because following the race, the points will be artificially tightened up to just 10 between each competitor. However, that points leader will get some benefit in the form of an additional 20 points. A 30-point margin is the equivalent of a round and a half of racing. The margin between No. 2 and No. 9 will be but a half round, so the potential for movement between positions, including all the way to the top of the charts, is definitely there. One bad outing might not do in a driver's chances, but two? Three? He-or she-will be the one mouthing the clich, "Wait till next year!"
After the U.S. Nationals, there will be six races remaining on the schedule, including one at Bruton Smith's brand-new facility in Charlotte, North Carolina. There will be no reduction in drivers eligible for the championship as there was last year, nor will there be another tightening up of the points. It'll be a straightforward, get-out-of-the-way-I-want-it-more race to the wire. There will be 24 rounds of racing between Indy and Pomona. Our guess is that the driver who can win, say, 14 or more of them will take it all.
Here's the point in our story where, under some circumstances, we'd open our mouths to insert a lower appendage by making foolish predictions. It's not that we don't have the guts; it's that the racing has been so competitive and exciting thus far that no one appears to have even the slightest advantage over his foes. Take, for example, Funny Car, where the stunningly good-looking Ashley Force is at the top of the charts and was number one in points before winning at Atlanta. At the same time, four spots behind her was her father, 14-time champ John, while out of the Top 10 at present is former champ Gary Scelzi. Ahead of Gary is rookie driver Bob Tasca III. Predict that one? No way!
OK, we'll take on Top Fuel, where champion Tony Schumacher and master tuner Alan Johnson usually start slow and then come on like gangbusters. One problem: They've already won twice. When Gary Scelzi was a rookie Top Fuel driver and Alan Johnson was his car owner/tuner, he won the championship, but rookies rarely fare that well. So how, then, do we explain Antron Brown? He won 17 races in Pro Stock Motorcycle before being named to drive the Matco Tools car tuned by Lee Beard, but really, there were no expectations for this year-until he won in Houston and then made the final round in Las Vegas. The bottom line? At least 13 of the current Top 15 in points are capable of winning it all. Predict which one? Not us!
Ya know what's fun? Watching mail-order giants Summit and Jegs battle it out in Pro Stock. As of this moment-bound to change in the next 10 minutes-Jeg Coughlin and Summit team driver Jason Line are tied for the lead, but behind them are the likes of Kurt and Warren Johnson, running better than ever before. And then there are the Dodges of Allen Johnson and V. Gaines (who's already won once). Pick 'em, boys!
Despite the announcement of a weight break change in the two-wheeled category, we do feel confident in predicting the winner will be aboard a Buell or Harley-Davidson. Right now the Suzuki riders are playing catch-up, and they appear to have a long way to go. Angelle Sampey, arguably the best and most popular rider in the class, stepped off a Suzuki last year when the Army sponsorship ended and is now on a Buell. When she masters it-which will be soon-the question will be whether or not she can climb back into real contention. We think she will.
Has the Countdown to the Championship achieved the goals NHRA had hoped for? If the question were being asked about last year's program, the answer would have been a halfhearted "sort of." But with the changes that have been made, we're already willing to shout a resounding "yes!" Everyone's paying attention to where drivers are on those all-important Top 10 lists, and while it seems contrary, all eyes are more on the drivers at the bottom rather than the top. Right now all that counts is your favorite being in that Top 10 come Labor Day Monday afternoon, 'cause if your guy (or girl) makes it that far, anything can happen from there. "

Photo Gallery: Drag Racing's NHRA 2008 Countdown - Hot Rod Magazine

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