Countdown 2012 Volume VI, Issue 20 Oct. 2, 2012 Full Throttle Series Schedule Brown and Massey heat up TF battle REGULAR SEASON Only 21 points separate two title hopefuls with only three Countdown races remaining Throughout qualifying and 52nd O’REILLY NHRA WINTERNATIONALS The mood is much the same Winners: Massey, J. Force, Anderson eliminations at the AAA Insur- in Funny Car as Jack Beck- 28th NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS ance NHRA Midwest Nationals man made a big move in the Winners: Brown, Hight, Line at Gateway Motorsports Park standings with a victory at 43rd TIRE KINGDOM NHRA GATORNATIONALS near St. Louis, Top Fuel team- Gateway. He now trails leader Winners: Lucas, Hight, Edwards, Krawiec mates and championship rivals The Staging Lane and teammate Ron Capps by 13th SUMMITRACING.COM NHRA NATIONALS Antron Brown and Spencer What’s next: Auto-Plus 30 points. Winners: Massey, Hight, A. Johnson Massey traded 300 mph jabs. NHRA Nationals Beckman outran defending Third NHRA FOUR-WIDE NATIONALS At the end of the event, When: Oct. 4-7 Where: Maple Grove world champ Matt Hagan for Winners: Massey, Hight, Anderson Brown came out on top, extend- Raceway, Mohnton, Pa. the playoff win and has a ton 25th O’REILLY NHRA SPRING NATIONALS ing his small series lead to 21 TV: ESPN2HD, qualifying, of confidence heading to Winners: Lucas, Neff, Nobile, Hines points in the Full Throttle Oct. 7, 12:30 a.m. and 6 Pennsylvania. 32nd SUMMIT NHRA SOUTHERN NATIONALS Countdown to the Champion- p.m. (ET); and eliminations, "It’s awesome to know that Winners: Torrence, Capps, Anderson, Krawiec Oct. 7, 7 p.m. (ET). ship. Notable: This is the fourth we have three races to go and 24th DOLLAR GENERAL SUMMERNATIONALS Brown claimed his seventh of six playoff races in the are only 30 points back," Beck- Winners: Grubnic, Beckman, A. Johnson victory of the season by outrun- Full Throttle Countdown to man said. "All we want is a 43rd TOYOTA NHRA SUPERNATIONALS ning Massey in the final round the Championship… Del fighting chance going into Po- Winners: Torrence, Gray, Anderson, Krawiec Worsham (TF) and Jason at St. Louis. mona." 12th FORD NHRA THUNDER VALLEY NATLS Line (PS) set national As NHRA Top Fuel teams records at Maple Grove Erica Enders won in Pro Winners: Schumacher, Capps, Edwards head to scenic Maple Grove Raceway last season… 15th O’REILLY ROUTE 66 NHRA NATIONALS Stock, her fourth victory of the Raceway near Reading, Pa. for John Force (FC) is a six season, but runner-up Allen Winners: Brown, Arend, Enders, Hines time winner at Maple Sixth SUMMIT RACING NHRA NATIONALS round No. 4 in the playoffs, both Grove, while Tony Johnson turned his third Winners: Massey, Neff, Nobile, Hines drivers are anticipating more of Schumacher (TF) has won straight playoff final round into 33rd MOPAR MILE-HIGH NHRA NATIONALS the same as the two first-time here four times. a 109-point lead over second Winners: Brown, Beckman, A. Johnson, Krawiec world championship title hope- place Jason Line. 25th NHRA SONOMA NATIONALS fuls try to secure a season right now they’re all in the In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Winners: Brown, Gray, A. Johnson, Krawiec crown. past. We need to go back to defending world champ and 25th O’REILLY NHRA NORTHWEST NATLS “Matching up against my the shop and get focused on points leader Eddie Krawiec Winners: Torrence, C. Force, Enders teammate [Massey] in the final these last three races. It’s just claimed his seventh victory of 31st LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS was big – we’ve been back and so competitive out here and the season and extended his Winners: Lucas, Capps, Enders, Krawiec forth in the points," Brown said. this points race is going to go lead, beating teammate An- 58th MAC TOOLS U.S. NATIONALS "It’s great to have six wins, but down to the last race.” drew Hines in the final round. Winners: Schumacher, Neff, Connolly, Hines 2012 NHRA FULL THROTTLE COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS FULL THROTTLE COUNTDOWN (points standings following third of six playoff races) TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP NOTE: Only the top 10 in each class earn championship points in the six-race playoff to determine each world champion. Fifth O’REILLY NHRA NATIONALS Top Fuel Funny Car Pro Stock PS Motorcycle (13 of 16) Winners: Langdon, Capps, Line, Hines Driver (Ws) Pts Driver (Ws) Pts Driver (Ws) Pts Rider (Ws) Pts 27th AAA TEXAS NHRA FALL NATIONALS 1. Brown (6) .............. 2378 1. Capps (4) .............. 2361 1. A. Johnson (5) ..... 2442 1. Krawiec (7) ........... 2415 Winners: Brown, Tasca, A. Johnson, Ray 2. Massey (4)............ 2357 2. Beckman (3) ......... 2331 2. Line (2) ................ 2333 2. Hines (5) ............... 2382 Inaugural AAA NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS 3. Schumacher (2) .... 2295 3. Neff (3) ................. 2262 3. Enders (4) ............ 2316 3. Arana Jr. ............... 2306 Winners: Brown, Beckman, Enders, Krawiec 4. Langdon (1) ......... 2274 4. C. Pedregon ........ 2202 4. Nobile (2) ............ 2292 4. Arana Sr. .............. 2267 5. Bernstein ............. 2238 5. Wilkerson .............. 2197 5. Anderson (4) ........ 2218 5. Stoffer ................... 2229 28th AUTO-PLUS NHRA NATIONALS 6. Lucas (3) .............. 2205 6. C. Force (1) .......... 2180 6. Edwards (2) ......... 2181 6. Ray (1) ................. 2219 Oct. 4-7 at Reading, Pa. 7. Torrence (3).......... 2180 7. Hight (4) ............... 2179 7. Krisher ................. 2129 7. Pollacheck ............ 2177 8. Morgan ................ 2125 8. Tonglet ................. 2147 12th BIG O TIRES NHRA NATIONALS 8. Kalitta ................... 2168 8. Gray (2) ................ 2149 9. Gaines ................. 2117 9. Gann .................... 2146 Oct. 25-28 at Las Vegas 9. Grubnic (1) ........... 2152 9. Arend (1) .............. 2148 48th AUTO CLUB NHRA FINALS 10. Vandergriff .......... 2117 10. J. Force (1) ......... 2143 10. Coughlin ............ 2114 10. M. Smith ............. 2118 Nov. 8-11 at Pomona, Calif. NOTE: Wins in parentheses. .