CHEVROLET AT CHARLOTTE
What:
NHRA Carolina Nationals
When:
Friday, Sept. 15-Sunday, Sept. 17
Where:
zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina
TV:
FS1: Qualifications live – 6 p.m. ET Friday
FS1: Eliminations and finals live – 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday
Chevrolet Aims for Fast Start in Countdown to the Championship
Team Chevy drivers begin pursuit of Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock titles
DETROIT (Sept. 13, 2017) – Drew Skillman, who carries a trunk load of momentum into the National Hot Rod Association’s six-race playoff, says success in the opening round of the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship is critical in the big picture.
Skillman, driver of the Ray Skillman Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro SS, enters this weekend’s event sixth in Pro Stock points as he seeks his maiden NHRA professional title. Nine Chevrolet drivers qualified for the 10 spots in the Pro Stock championship chase, while all three John Force Racing Chevrolet entries advanced in Funny Car and Brittany Force qualified in Top Fuel.
The NHRA Carolina Nationals is the second event this season at zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina, and a recent test venue for many Team Chevy drivers.
“You have to come out swinging at Charlotte,” said Skillman, a four-time winner this season, including three of the past five events. “Charlotte is the first race and the most important race to start the Countdown. There have been guys who go in first (place) into the Countdown and lose in the first round at Charlotte and they can’t ever come back, so our goal is to win the first race and do well for the rest of the season.”
Chevrolet won all 18 regular-season Pro Stock events, featuring nine different drivers visiting the winner’s stage. Skillman and rookie teammate Tanner Gray (Gray Motorsports Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro SS) have combined to win the past six events. Bo Butner (Jim Butner Auto Chevrolet Camaro SS) is the No. 1 seed entering the Countdown.
Points were reset following the regular-season finale – the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals – with first-place drivers starting the playoffs with 2,110 points, followed by 2,080 for second on down to 2,000 for 10th place. Champions will be crowned Nov. 12 at the conclusion of the Auto Club NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, California.
“The team has really come together, and the whole package is what it takes in this sport because it is so fast and so close. If you miss a little bit, you’re off a mile,” Skillman added. “The driver is back and the car is good. We’re going for a championship.”
Five-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. this weekend will join Greg Anderson and Allen Johnson as the only Pro Stock drivers with 400 career starts.
Robert Hight (Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS) leads the John Force Racing Funny Car contingent with two victories and a pair of NHRA national event records in the past five events. Courtney Force (Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS) has two semifinal appearances in the past four events as she seeks to cross 150 career elimination-round wins, while John Force (PEAK Coolant & Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS) aims to repeat his September 2016 victory at zMAX Dragway.
Hight is the second seed, with Courtney Force at No. 6 and her father at No. 7. Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster who won at zMAX Dragway in April, is the No. 6 seed in Top Fuel.
“It’s pretty important to leave Charlotte with some momentum,” Hight said. “If you can get out of there with a win, boy, look out. That sets the tone for the rest of the Countdown. But there’s nine other drivers with the same outlook.”
Drivers of Chevrolet COPO Camaros representing the host state in the 56-car Stock Eliminator include Adam Badgett of Mount Airy and Darren Poole-Adams of Shelby. Also entered in their COPO Camaros are 2016 Stock Eliminator champion Jeff Strickland of Red Bay, Alabama, Emily Volkman of Campobello, South Carolina, and Vic Cagnazzi of New York City.
Competing in Super Stock in his Chevrolet COPO Camaro will be Jeff Myers of Decatur, Indiana.
FS1 will telecast qualifications live at 6 p.m. ET Friday and will telecast eliminations and finals at 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday.
CHEVROLET RACING ENGINEERING PREVIEW
ROGER ALLEN, CHEVROLET RACING NHRA PROGRAM MANAGER: “It’s the first race of the Countdown to the Championship and adrenaline and expectations are running high among Chevrolet drivers and crew members in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock. Team Chevy has 13 drivers in the hunt for titles in the three professional classes, and we’re looking forward to seeing who gets off to a fast start in the six-race playoffs. Robert Hight in Funny Car and Drew Skillman in Pro Stock carry a great deal of momentum into the NHRA Carolina Nationals, and we’re all eager to watch how all the teams respond after the exciting Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals.”
CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT
TOP FUEL:
BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET TOP FUEL DRAGSTER (won at New Hampshire and runner-up at Phoenix; qualified sixth or better in four of the final five races of regular season; won at track in April 2016; sixth in points entering the Countdown): “Right now, since Indy is done and the Countdown has begun, this is where it all takes off. The team really has to pull together and fight for that championship. This is what we’ve been waiting for all season long, and finally it’s here. We’re locked into the Countdown and now it’s game on. Knowing that we won the Four-Wide there, it sets your mind at ease a little bit for everyone on the team. Knowing that we did it before, it’s our plan to do it again.”
FUNNY CAR:
COURTNEY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, ADVANCE AUTO PARTS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 or 2 qualifier in nine of the 18 regular-season races, including Charlotte1; two-time runner-up and four-time semifinalist; has 149 career round wins; holds track elapsed time record; sixth in points entering the Countdown): “We’re focused on making the start of the Countdown to the Championship count. This race kicks it off, and we can start things all over in Charlotte. We’re ready to go after that championship. That’s the most important thing for us at this point. We’re excited to get the Advance Auto Parts team back to Charlotte.”
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK COOLANT & MOTOR OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (won at Gainesville and three-time semifinalist; has 1,280 career round wins; won 2016 event; seventh in points entering the Countdown): “Very simple – win five races, win six races, you win the championship. It’s important to win them all. It’s a great racetrack; we’ve had good luck there. We’re coming in thre with guns blazing and we’ll see where it goes.”
ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (has won two of past five races; two-time runner-up; set Funny Car national speed record at Sonoma and elapsed time record at Brainerd; holds track speed record; second in points entering the Countdown): “We’ve got to go in and get it done. I like the way my car’s running. If we do everything right, we have an advantage. We’ve wrked hard all year, and it’s time to race. Now is when it counts. We got up to No. 2 in the regular season, so there’s only one place to go in my mind, and that’s up.”
PRO STOCK:
BO BUTNER, JIM BUTNER AUTO, BUTNER AUTO SALES CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (three-time winner and five-time runner-up, including three of past six events; three-time No. 1 qualifier; competing in 60th career race; No. 1 seed entering Countdown): “I’m feeling awesome going into the Countdown. The competition is right there, but we’re getting it together with all three of these KB Racing cars. I’d love to win this first race of the playoffs and stay ahead of everybody, but we’ll see how it goes. Right now, I’m focused on qualifying well, then we’ll work on going rounds.”
TANNER GRAY, GRAY MOTORSPORTS, VALVOLINE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (won at Las Vegas to become youngest winner in NHRA history; also won at Topeka, Sonoma and Brainerd; runner-up at New Hampshire; second in points entering Countdown; leading candidate for rookie of year): “We had a great regular season, with four wins in five final rounds and three No. 1 qualifiers. Our Gray Motorsports guys have really figured it out and just at the right time. Between Drew (Skillman) and I, we have won the last six races. We tested at zMAX this last week and put up some impressive numbers, so between our test session and the round wins we are looking to continue this momentum heading into the Countdown.”
GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (won at Englishtown for second victory of season and 88th of career; five-time runner-up; has 748 career round wins; holds track speed record; third in points entering Countdown): “I have a lot of confidence in my Summit Racing Chevy Camaro. The last couple of races, I’ve made mental errors and couldn’t close the deal, and that’s inexcusable. But I feel good going into the Countdown because I have such a good car. I had a little hiccup last week that cost me, and I should have won the last two races, but I’m not dwelling on that. I’m going into the next six knowing exactly what I need to do.”
JASON LINE, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (reigning Pro Stock champion; won season opener at Pomona; six-time semifinalist; four-time No. 1 qualifier; has 549 career round wins; 2016 winner of event; fifth in points entering Countdown): “Throughout history, I’ve somehow managed to have some pretty good races at zMAX Dragway. Of course, that’s always the goal – especially for the first race of the Countdown. I’ll have my work cut out for me if I’m going to defend the championship. I certainly have to get my car a little better, and I’m going to have to drive better. There are a lot of things that have to happen, but all of those things are very doable because we have a great team and great folks behind us at Summit Racing. We’ll just have to do what we’ve done in the past and pull it together right now. Now is the time, that’s when it matters. The moment is here.”
JEG COUGHLIN JR., ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JEGS.COM ELITE PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (two-time runner-up and four-time semifinalist; three-time No. 1 qualifier; competing in 400th career event); seventh in points entering Countdown): “The Countdown represents a fresh start for everyone. It’s the NHRA’s version of the stick-and-ball playoff system and in the 10 years it’s been around it’s done exactly what they wanted, which is add a ton of drama to the end of the season. Most champions of this era haven’t been crowned until the last race in Pomona (Calif.) so every year we’re seeing battles right to the end. We’ve been fortunate to win this deal three times since they instilled the playoff system. We’ve started at the front and come up empty and we’ve also started from the front and a few rows back and won it all so we know anything can happen. It’s all about how your team performs from Charlotte forward.”
VINCENT NOBILE, MOUNTAIN VIEW RACING, MOUNTAIN VIEW TIRE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (runner-up at Topeka; has 198 career round wins; competing in 164th career event; eighth in points entering Countdown): “The Countdown is here and we are starting from the eighth spot. My team has been working around the clock to get our Chevrolet Camaros dialed in. I wouldn’t say a championship is off the table but we’re going to need step it up if we want a shot at it. Early in my career, Charlotte race has been decent to me. With a little luck and decent race car, I’m confident we can have a solid finish if not a win.”
DREW SKILLMAN, RAY SKILLMAN MOTORSPORTS, RAY SKILLMAN AUTO GROUP CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (four-time winner this season, including three of past five events; No 1 qualifier in two of past five events; fourth in points entering Countdown): “My team and Gray Motorsports have been killing it. Consistency in this sport is super hard and we have a car that for some reason keeps repeating. We’re going to keep moving forward in the same direction we’ve been going. Our program is consistent. We’re not always the fastest car but it’s very consistent. We’ll come out swinging. I want to win Charlotte or get close to it at least.”
ERICA ENDERS, MELLING PERFORMANCE/ ELITE MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (two-time Pro Stock champion; won at New Hampshire; three-time runner-up); competing in 241st career race; sixth in points entering Countdown): “It’s just more changes and it’s throwing us for a loop, and we have to work on it. Pro Stock has had a lot of significant changes in the last two years, but we just have to keep working at it and do our vest to just roll with the changes. Rick and Ricky (Jones, crew chiefs) will get it figured out. They always do. Our Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports team is resikient and certrainly knows how to win championships. We’ll get things straightened out.”
ALEX LAUGHLIN, GAS MONKEY RACING, GAS MONKEY GARAGE/360 WRAPS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (competing in seventh race of season; won at Bristol and semifinalist at Indianapolis): “The car is running good and I always seem to run pretty good at Charlotte. I love the facility. There will be a little less pressure than there was at the U.S. Nationals (he’s not in the Countdown). We’ll see what we can get done.”
SHANE TUCKER, TUCKER RACING, AUZMET ARCHITECTURAL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (Aussie is competing in fifth event of the season; DNQ at Indianapolis): “zMAX Dragway is another home track for us since my parents live in Statesville, North Carolina. This track will always be special to me and I’ve always wanted to run well there and win. I absolutely want to be a point spoiler during the Countdown. We run our own engines now so we don’t have to worry about that coming into play when we line up against someone. We learned a lot by Indy and we’re ready to come back swinging.”