NHRA Has A Big Show On Tap For Las Vegas

It's crunch time at the dragstrip!

NHRA has two races remaining in its 2011 season, this weekend at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and a fortnight later on the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. 

These will determine the champions in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle. In any instance, it's anyone's game, but there are some favorites for each category.

For the first instance in a long, long time, Tony Schumacher is not a major player in this year's Countdown to One six-race playoff series in Top Fuel, but he could be a spoiler. Rather, it's a chase between two Al-Anabi Racing drivers, reigning titleholder Larry Dixon and his teammate Del Worsham, who's led the class nearly from the start of the year. They're going against two Don Schumacher Racing drivers: Antron Brown and Spencer Massey.

This is a classic match-up. Dixon's coming on late, maybe Worsham's peaked too early, Massey nearly committed hari-kari at the last race by failing to qualify and Brown, well, he's been steadily winning races throughout the season, peaking, it seems, when it matters. Brown and Worsham each have six victories; nobody else comes close.

Both Al-Anabi cars will have a different look this weekend, supporting breast cancer awareness with pink paint jobs. In fact, the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is festooned in pink as the teams set up and prepare for this penultimate race.

At this point, Brown leads Dixon, with Massey, Worsham and Schumacher behind him in Top Fuel.

In Funny Car, Jack Beckman took over the top spot last race at Phoenix from protagonists Matt Hagan (now in second) and former point leader Mike Neff.  It's fair to see that trio, together with two-time champion Cruz Pedregon and Robert Hight are the only drivers still in the running for the flopper title.

Qualifying in the two pro nitro classes will be extremely difficult for everyone, as there are nearly 50 cars on-site vying for 32 spots in eliminations. Speaking with several crew chiefs on Thursday as they set up for the weekend, I've been told just making the field should be an accomplishment - whether the team is in the running for the Countdown to One or not.  Massey's failure to qualify in Phoenix might not be a fluke?

Pro Stock looks like a runaway for Jason Line, the 2006 champion.  Line, driving a Pontiac GXP has five victories thus far in the season and leads his teammate, reigning PS titleholder Greg Anderson (who also owns five wins) by almost 200 points.  But never say never, as rookie Vince Nobile, Erica Enders and Mike Edwards are hovering, ready to pounce.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle - which runs an abbreviated 16-race schedule, rather than the 22-contest season for the other three classes--Eddie Krawiec lies first but has three riders breathing down his back and hovering ready to pounce on his Harley-Davidson V-Rod.  Hector Arana, Jr, a rookie this year lies second with his Buell, while former champion Matt Smith (Buell) and regular season leader Karen Stoffer (Suzuki) are still within striking distance.

Qualifying starts at the crack of noon PDT on Friday and continues through the day, with two sessions on Saturday as well.  The weather is expected to be superb for horsepower junkies  This 11th annual Big O Tires NHRA Nationals is always a fun race - happening close to Halloween - let's see who's got the tricks and who gets the treats, the pewter, 60th anniversary Wally trophies.