INDIANAPOLIS – The drama and excitement of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series returns to historic Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis for the 58th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Auto Plus, Aug. 29-Sept. 3. The world’s most prestigious drag race is the final opportunity for racers to earn a berth into the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Thousands of fans were in attendance last year to witness Top Fuel racer Antron Brown power his dragster to his first win in the category to join his two wins in Pro Stock Motorcycle (2004, 2000). He outran Del Worsham for his fifth of six wins during the season. Mike Neff brought home another Mac Tools U. S. Nationals win for John Force Racing when he defeated Bob Tasca in the finals. It was the fourth consecutive year a John Force Racing Funny Car has won the event, including wins by Robert Hight in 2008 and Ashley Force Hood in 2009 and ’10. In Pro Stock, Greg Anderson in his Summit Racing Equipment Pontiac GXP faced teammate Jason Line in the final round of eliminations and Anderson held on for his sixth Mac Tools U. S. Nationals presented by Auto Plus victory (2011, 2006-2003, 2001). In his rookie season, second generation Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Hector Arana, Jr. raced to his first victory at ‘The Big Go’, when he defeated fellow rookie Jerry Savoie. This was his second of three wins in the 2011 season and he joined his father as a Mac Tools U. S. Nationals winner. Racers in Top Fuel and Funny Car will be under more pressure to perform as they will be racing for $100,000 in prize money per category, in the new Traxxas Shootouts. These special races within a race will feature the top eight racers in each class and the star studded line-up will include John Force and Ron Capps in Funny Car, and Antron Brown and Tony Schumacher in Top Fuel. The Top Fuel drivers will battle it out starting on Saturday Sept. 1 at 4 p.m. with the Funny Car racers taking center stage on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. The biggest names in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series will blast their way toward the finish line in search of the most coveted victory in all of drag racing. Stars like seven-time Top Fuel world champion and eight-time Mac Tools U.S. Nationals winner Tony Schumacher will be looking to stand alone atop the list of all time winningest drivers in Mac Tools U. S. Nationals history when he goes for his ninth win. His teammate and current Top Fuel points leader Spencer Massey will be aiming to keep Schumacher out of the winner’s circle en route to his first victory at the track. The Funny Car category is led by Hight in his Auto Club Ford Mustang and the surging Capps will be looking for momentum going into the Countdown to the Championships. In Pro Stock, Allen Johnson is on a hot streak with four wins in five final round appearances and is shaping up as a strong championship contender. Andrew Hines and Eddie Krawiec have been dominant thus far in Pro Stock Motorcycle and would like nothing more than racing their Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidsons to another victory at this historic event. As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they’re granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. * SCHEDULE: Pro qualifying will run at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 31; 2:30 and 6 p.m. on Saturday Sept. 1; on Sunday Sept. 2 at 11 a.m, and 2:30 p.m. Final professional eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 3. * TICKETS: Tickets are available by calling NHRA at (800) 884-NHRA, or online at extremetix.com. * ON THE WEB: Get instant results, access to photos, video and audio clips and the latest news updates from every NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event on the Internet at www.nhra.com.
