Countdown 2014 Volume VIII, Issue 1 Feb. 11, 2014

Mello Yello Series Schedule J. Force wins Pomona in record-setting style REGULAR SEASON alBalooshi and Line also victorious in season-opening Mello Yello Series event CIRCLE K NHRA WINTERNATIONALS Winners: alBalooshi, J. Force, Line The 2014 Mello Yello Drag victory at the 2014 season Racing Series began in style for opener. CARQUEST AUTO PARTS NHRA NATIONALS Racing with the Teammate Khalid alBalooshi Feb. 21-23 at Phoenix powerhouse team defeated a murderer’s row of taking its fifth straight Circle K opponents in seven-time Top AMALIE OIL NHRA NHRA Winternationals event The Staging Lane Fuel champ Tony Schumach- March 13-16 at Gainesville, Fla. victory in dominating fashion. What’s next: CARQUEST er, Al-Anabi teammate Lang- SUMMITRACING.COM NHRA NATIONALS John Force started the event Auto Parts NHRA Nationals don, Steve Torrence and event When: Feb. 21-23, 2014 March 28-30 at Las Vegas as the No.1 qualifier and ruled No. 1 qualifier Doug Kalitta to NHRA FOUR-WIDE NATIONALS Where: Wild Horse Pass the weekend from start to finish. Motorsports Park, Phoenix record his third career Top April 11-13 at Charlotte, N.C. In qualifying, Force powered his TV: ESPN2HD, Feb. 23, Fuel win. O’REILLY NHRA SPRINGNATIONALS Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford qual., 8 a.m. (ET); Feb. 23, "I feel like our car got better April 25-27 at Houston elims, 8 p.m. (ET) SUMMIT RACING SOUTHERN NATIONALS Mustang to a top speed of Notable: 2013 FC winner and better and better each May 16-18 at 324.12 mph, the fastest speed Ron Capps is looking to round," alBalooshi said. "When rebound following his big NHRA KANSAS NATIONALS in Funny Car history. Force also I won the first round against had the quickest time of the explosion in Pomona… Tony, I felt like my day was May 23-25 at Topeka, Kan. Tony Schumacher is the TOYOTA NHRA SUMMERNATIONALS weekend at 3.965 seconds in defending event open.” May 29-June 1 at Englishtown, N.J. his final round win over Matt winner while Erica Enders- In , Jason Line FORD THUNDER VALLEY NATIONALS Hagan, the driver who defeated Stevens is the defending found more success in Pomo- June 13-15 at Bristol, Tenn. Force in the Auto Club NHRA Pro Stock winner... John na by claiming his third career Force holds the record for AUTO-PLUS NEW ENGLAND NATIONALS finals just three months ago. most victories at Wild Horse Winternationals victory, defeat- June 19-22 at Epping, N.H. Force certified both of those Pass Motorsports Park with ing V. Gaines in the final. O’REILLY ROUTE 66 NHRA NATIONALS performances as national rec- eight. Line dedicated the win to his June 26-29 at Chicago ords. The E.T. mark gave him a Summit Racing Chevy Camaro SUMMIT RACING NHRA NATIONALS 20-point bonus. Winternationals. teammate Greg Anderson, July 3-6 at Norwalk, Ohio “We’re back in the game and In Top Fuel, Al-Anabi Rac- who is at home recovering MOPAR MILE-HIGH NHRA NATIONALS we’re excited,” Force said. ing has been a trendy presea- from heart surgery and is ex- July 18-20 at Denver “Everything is going well. What son pick as one of the favor- pected to miss the first three NHRA SONOMA NATIONALS a good time to flex your mus- ites in Top Fuel for 2014, but it months of the season. The July 25-27 at Sonoma, Calif. cles.” wasn’t Shawn Langdon (last victory gives Line at least one O’REILLY NHRA NORTHWEST NATIONALS For Force, it was his 139th year’s NHRA Winternationals win in 11 straight seasons, Aug. 1-3 at Seattle career victory, 16th victory at winner and 2013 Top Fuel currently the longest active LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS Aug. 14-17 at Brainerd, Minn. Pomona and seventh win at the world champion) taking the streak in the series. CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE U.S. NATIONALS Aug. 27-Sept. 1 at Indianapolis 2014 NHRA MELLO YELLO SERIES POINT STANDINGS (Following first of 24 races) COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP Top Fuel Funny Car Pro Stock 2013 Pro Stock Bike Driver Pts Driver Pts Driver Pts Rider Pts NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS 1. alBalooshi(1) ...... 113 1. J. Force (1) ...... 144 1. Line (1) ...... 118 1. M. Smith (4)...... 2,633 Sept. 12-14 at Charlotte, N.C. 2. Kalitta ...... 107 2. Hagan ...... 94 2. V. Gaines ...... 96 2. Ray (2)...... 2,510 AAA TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS 3t. Massey ...... 75 3. Worsham ...... 76 3. Nobile ...... 86 3. Krawiec (2) ...... 2,492 Sept. 18-21 at Dallas 3t. Torrence ...... 75 4. Tasca III ...... 71 4. Gray ...... 73 4. Arana Jr. (4) ...... 2,464 AAA MIDWEST NATIONALS 5. Langdon ...... 65 5. Hight ...... 61 5t. Connolly ...... 55 5. Arana Sr...... 2,456 Sept. 26-28 at St. Louis 6. Crampton...... 52 6. Capps ...... 55 5t. Coughlin ...... 55 6. Pollacheck ...... 2,385 NHRA NATIONALS 7t. Grubnic ...... 51 7. Johnson Jr...... 54 5t. Enders-Stevens ...... 55 7. Tonglet ...... 2,383 Oct. 2-5 at Reading, Pa. 7t. Millican ...... 51 8. Densham ...... 51 8. Morgan ...... 51 8. Hall (2) ...... 2,351 NHRA TOYOTA NATIONALS 9. Brown ...... 40 9. DeJoria ...... 39 9. A. Johnson ...... 45 9. Gann (1) ...... 2,247 Oct. 30-Nov. 2 at Las Vegas 10. Vandergriff ...... 36 10. C. Pedregon ...... 38 10. Brogdon ...... 33 10. A. Arana ...... 2,244 AUTO CLUB NHRA FINALS

Nov. 13-16 at Pomona, Calif. NOTE: Wins in parentheses.