CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
AAA TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS
TEXAS MOTORPLEX AT ENNIS, TEXAS
OCT. 16, 2016
Chevrolet Marches On in Pro Stock with Win in Countdown Round 4
• Drew Skillman rises from No. 9 qualifier to win in Chevrolet Camaro SS
• Pro Stock points race tightens between KB Racing teammates
• Chevrolet teams match 2015 victory total with two races remaining in the season
• No. 1 qualifier Robert Hight leads John Force Racing Funny Car trio to semifinals
ENNIS, Texas (Oct. 16, 2016) – Drew Skillman might make a fashion statement as he’ll proudly wear the custom-fitted cowboy hat awarded to the winner of the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals all across Indiana.
The second-year Pro Stock driver from suburban Indianapolis rose from the No. 9 qualifying position to win the class event at Texas Motorplex in the Ray Skillman Auto Chevrolet Camaro SS. He defeated Texas native Alex Laughlin, who was the No. 3 qualifier in the Gas Monkey Garage Chevrolet Camaro SS, in the final of the fourth round of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship with a pass of 6.661 seconds at 209.36 mph.
Chevrolet has claimed 29 national event wins this season in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock, matching its 2015 total.
Skillman, who earned his second career Pro Stock national victory at Brainerd, Minnesota, in August, became the first repeat Pro Stock winner other than KB Racing teammates Jason Line and Greg Anderson this season. Chevrolet drivers have held the Wally in the winner’s circle in 21 of the 22 events.
“This is huge for us. What a great day for our Ray Skillman Camaro. We’re just blessed,” said Skillman, who entered the event in eighth place in the Pro Stock Countdown standings. “We were down in the points and we rallied. We had a great race car this weekend and have a great team. Everyone at Ray Skillman pitched in to make this happen.”
Laughlin, who earned his maiden Pro Stock national victory last month at St. Louis, defeated No. 2 qualifier Anderson (Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS) in one semifinal. Skillman ousted Shane Gray (Valvoline/Nova Services Chevrolet Camaro SS) in the other semifinal.
No.1 qualifier Line (Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS) lost in the quarterfinals to Skillman, but the driver of the Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS retained his points lead as he seeks his third Pro Stock championship. Anderson, his KB Racing teammate, closed to 26 points of the lead, though, with two races left in the Countdown. Gray, who moved to fourth in the Pro Stock standings, has reached the semifinals in four of the past five races and nine times overall this season.
First-round winners also included Shane Tucker (Auzmet Architectural Chevrolet Camaro SS) and Bo Butner (Jim Butner Auto Chevrolet Camaro SS).
In Funny Car competition, No. 1 qualifier Robert Hight advanced to the semifinals before falling
to eventual event winner Matt Hagan. Hight, who reset the track elapsed time record in qualifications in the AAA Texas Chevrolet Camaro SS, recorded six consecutive passes in the 3.80s in qualifying and eliminations. He is a two-time winner at Texas, both after qualifying No. 1.
John Force (Advance Auto Parts PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS), who entered the event sixth in the Countdown standings and was the No. 8 qualifier, tripped the red light in his first-round matchup with Alexis DeJoria. It was the 27th time in 1,797 rounds of eliminations that Force, who has won six times at Texas Motorplex, has fouled.
Courtney Force also fouled in her quarterfinal race against Hagan. Force, who won at Texas Motorplex in 2014, was the No. 5 qualifier in the Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS.
In Top Fuel, Brittany Force secured the No. 5 qualifier spot in the Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster and won her first-round match with her quickest pass of the weekend (3.721 seconds). Force, who is fourth in the standings, fell in the second round.
Three Chevrolet COPO Camaros qualified in the top five of the Stock Eliminator class, led by Brian Massingill at No. 1. Stephen Bell was the No. 4 qualifier and advanced to the fifth round. Bell also was the No. 2 qualifier in Super Stock in his Chevrolet COPO Camaro.
Round 5 of the Countdown to the Championship – the 16th NHRA Toyota Nationals — will be contested Oct. 28-30 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. FS1 will telecast three hours of live eliminations and finals, starting at 2 p.m. ET.
ROGER ALLEN, CHEVROLET RACING NHRA PROGAM MANAGER: “Congratulations to Drew Skillman for his second victory of the season in Pro Stock. Rising from the No. 9 qualifier position and to defeat Jason Line, Shane Gray, and Alex Laughlin is no easy feat. It was another big day for Chevrolet in Pro Stock competition as the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship marches on with two races left. Also, congratulations to Robert Hight, who drove the AAA Texas Chevrolet Camaro SS to a Funny Car track record at Texas Metroplex and the No. 1 qualifier spot. His times were consistent throughout the weekend and just came up short in the semifinals in a tough class.”