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TEAM SUMMIT PRO STOCK DRIVERS VISIT TROOPS OVERSEAS: Just one week removed from the season-ending Auto Club NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, former Pro Stock world champions Jason Line and Warren Johnson, along with Pro Stock driver Rickie Jones and legendary Bigfoot monster truck driver Dan Runte, have begun a three-day Thanksgiving Week visit of the KaiserSlautern Military Community in Frankfurt, Germany. The group will distribute 1,500 souvenir gift bags and sign autographs during the visit before heading back home on November 25, Thanksgiving Day. On the first day of the trip the group visited Ramstein Air Force Base, then moved on to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center on the second day of the visit and met with troops being treated there as well as doctors and medical personnel working there. “Having served in the Air Force, I know how much it means to have any contact from home, so we’re going to do our best to put smiles on the faces of as many people as possible,” said Line. “I want to thank Summit, the USO and the Army Special Forces Association Chapter 64 for putting this together and feel very honored to be chosen to make the trip.” A blog of their activities will be posted on NHRA.com throughout their visit. To see where their next stop will be and to meet the people and troops they’re working closely with, visit NHRA.com.
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DIXON, McCLENATHAN, BROWN HELP BUILD A HOUSE WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY: Just days removed from earning his third NHRA Full Throttle Top Fuel world championship, Al-Anabi Racing driver Larry Dixon, along with fellow Top Fuel drivers Antron Brown and Cory McClenathan and Firestone Indy Lights drivers Dan Clarke, Charlie Kimball and Martin Plowman, lent their construction skills to help Habitat for Humanity of Greater Indianapolis. During the event, the drivers worked on a home being constructed just north of downtown Indianapolis. The home will be dedicated to Sherry McClure and her family on December 8. McClure and her oldest daughter were there working on the house with the drivers as well. Dixon and McClenathan were charged with helping paint walls on the inside, while Matco Tools driver Brown worked his magic on the power tools outside the home, helping to cut and install siding on the home. Below are quotes from the three Top Fuel drivers on their experience: LARRY DIXON: “This was my first time ever volunteering for a Habitat home. I can’t wait to get involved in the next one. The IMA (Indiana Motorsports Association) asked if I would be interested in helping out, and I am thrilled they did. Great day, but I don’t think I will give up my day job.” ANTRON BROWN: “This was a great day. I am working on a new garage for myself, and it was great to meet Sherry and see how much this home is going to mean to her and her kids. We got so much done in just one day and that was because of the total team effort. The other drivers, Habitat staff, IMA and Indy Partnership all worked together to get a lot accomplished—total team effort!” CORY McCLENATHAN: “To get to meet Sherry and see how excited she is for this home to be built for her and her family made it special,” said McClenathan. “Cold, windy, and it even rained, so it wasn’t the nicest of days to work outside. That is why I stayed inside to paint and let Antron climb a ladder and work on the outside of the house.”
COMING ATTRACTIONS
KRAGEN O’REILLY AUTO PARTS NHRA WINTERNATIONALS, AUTO CLUB RACEWAY AT POMONA, February 24–27, 2011: The 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series and 60th anniversary season of NHRA kicks off at historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona at the 51st running of this event. Defending event winners include Larry Dixon (Top Fuel); John Force (Funny Car); and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock). For tickets, call 800/844-NHRA or online at NHRATIX.com. For media credentials, please contact Director of Public Relations Michael Padian at mpadian@nhra.com.
HE SAID, SHE SAID
THE END OF A LEGENDARY DUO: Fifteen-time NHRA Full Throttle Funny Car world champion John Force on the departure of longtime crew chief Austin Coil: “There are highs and lows in life. Winning my 15th Funny Car championship was a high and I received a letter from Austin Coil two days later that was a low in my life. It hurt me. I tried to call him, but he didn’t want to talk. I told him I would respect that. We had 26 great seasons together, and that is what I will remember.”
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
5: Only five different drivers in the Top Fuel category and also the Pro Stock Motorcycle category won an NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing national event this season, compared to 10 different winners in Funny Car and nine in Pro Stock.
DID YOU KNOW…
…that zMAX Dragway was the only track in 2010 that Funny Car world champion John Force didn’t win both events at? Force won both the Kragen O’Reilly NHRA Winternationals and Auto Club NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals and the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but only won the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway. Cruz Pedregon took home the Wally at the fall event at zMAX, the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals. For more information, contact NHRA Media Relations at 626/914-4761 or visit the NHRA Media Center online.