NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

A great start to the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship is imperative if a driver hopes to win a world championship and the epitome of that took place a year ago at the state-of-the-art zMAX Dragway.

All four winners of the NHRA Carolina Nationals ended their year with world titles, perfectly displaying the type of urgency a driver must have to start the NHRA’s six-race playoffs.

Top Fuel standout Doug Kalitta watched his Funny Car teammate Del Worsham win the race and get hot at the perfect time, something he would love to replicate in his 10,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster at the ninth annual NHRA Carolina Nationals, Sept. 16-18. The world-class facility has hosted the first of six Countdown to the Championships every year since 2007 and Kalitta knows how crucial a good start is.

Doug Kalitta

“It is only a six-race stretch so every race is important,” said Kalitta, who is currently second in Top Fuel points. “Del got the win in Charlotte last season and then continued the string to the top spot and the title. I would like to do the same thing with this Mac Tools Toyota team. We started strong and then have been doing some learning. I have the utmost confidence in (crew chief) Jim (Oberhofer), (assistant crew chief) Troy (Fasching) and the entire Mac Tools team. I know we have what it takes to compete for a title."

Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Worsham (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) bettered the competition a year ago of a race that will be broadcast on FS1 for the first time. That winner’s circle foreshadowed the culmination of the championship hunt that takes place over the final six races.

Kalitta’s quest for a first world championship will come against the likes of points leader Brown, eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher, Steve Torrence, three-time 2016 winner Brittany Force, Shawn Langdon, J.R. Todd, Richie Crampton and Clay Millican.

Funny Car standout Ron Capps clinched the No. 1 spot early, ensuring him a 30-point lead in Charlotte, but he doesn’t want to see a change in mindset or approach from a year that has already produced five victories.

Ron Capps

“We’ve had a great car to get the points lead and the biggest thing we need to do is stay on the offensive and not have a defensive mentality,” said Capps, who is after his first career world championship. “If we race the way we did all year we’ll be fine. You have to collect those little qualifying points. They can be make or break, and they can add up. We did a great job of that this year, so I feel good.”

Worsham took the momentum of last year’s Charlotte win and turned it into three more Countdown to the Championship victories, so Capps knows the importance of starting well in his 10,000-horsepower NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger R/T. The longtime standout also knows he’ll have his hands full dealing with the likes of Courtney Force, Jack Beckman, two-time world champ Matt Hagan, Robert Hight, Tim Wilkerson, Tommy Johnson Jr. and 16-time world champ John Force in Charlotte.

“Somebody can get hot and break away by doing well early,” Capps said. “There’s nothing like starting that first race with a win. That can really set the tone. Especially with the competition, you cannot afford a hiccup at any race. You have to be the best you’ve been all year long. There’s so many good cars that are running so well right now, but I have all the confidence in the world in my team. It’s been a great season and what gives me confidence is the consistency and the performance of the race car.”

Getting hot at the right time, and starting that in Charlotte, is on the minds of a number of Pro Stock drivers, including Vincent Nobile. The talent-filled class has watched teammates Jason Line and Greg Anderson split 14 victories this season, giving the tandem a commanding lead throughout the regular season.

But when the points reset at the NHRA Carolina Nationals, it presents a golden opportunity for a driver and Nobile, currently fifth in points, hopes to take advantage in his Mountain View Tire Chevrolet Camaro.

Vincent Nobile

“With a six-race deal, there’s literally no room for error unless you win the next five in a row and that’s nearly unheard of,” Nobile said. “To do really well at the first race is a must and if you don’t do well it can certainly cost you a championship. Our game is to go out and try to qualify No. 1 and win the race.”

That would be an ideal start for Nobile, who has come on strong lately. He has seen the type of consistency necessary to win a championship, but a victory in Charlotte won’t come easy and competition will come in the form of Line and Anderson, defending event winner Enders, four-time 2016 runner-up Bo Butner, Allen Johnson, Brainerd winner Drew Skillman, Shane Gray and Chris McGaha.

“Our car is running to its full potential finally,” Nobile said. “That’s a huge confidence-booster and going into the Countdown with a fast car is really great. What matters in the Countdown is consistency because those bonus qualifying points really add up.”

Eddie Krawiec’s goal in Pro Stock Motorcycle was to keep his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson on the top spot but teammate Andrew Hines foiled those plans with his win at the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals, where he took the points lead from Krawiec. Hines used his Charlotte win a year ago to spur a run to a fifth world championship.

Englishtown winner Angelle Sampey, alligator farmer Jerry Savoie, Sonoma winner LE Tonglet, Hector Arana, Chip Ellis, Smith and Hector Arana Jr. are definite championship contenders, but Krawiec is confident he will be prepared when the Countdown to the Championship begins.

Eddie Krawiec

“We just have to make sure everything is on point 100 percent,” Krawiec said. “There’s no room for error. You know coming out of Charlotte you can go from first or second to all the way back. You definitely need to be on your game. There’s good competition and great racing in this class, so it’s certainly not going to be easy.”

The NHRA Carolina Nationals will also feature thrilling competition in the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series as well as the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, where the future stars of the sport earn their racing stripes.

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. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand how the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.

Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 3:15 and 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 16, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Sept. 17, at 12:45 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 18.

To purchase general-admission or reserved seats, call 800-455-FANS (3267). Tickets also are available online at www.zmaxdragway.com.  Kids 12 and under are free in general admission areas with a paid adult.