From Pomona to Indy, revisiting the Road to the Countdown
Countdown to the Championship fields set in dramatic final eliminations at Indy
Indy qualifying fills more Countdown spots; Monday drama to decide the rest
Four more drivers clinch Countdown berths; battles set for regular-season finale in Indy
Who will make the Countdown to the Championship
Nine more drivers clinch Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship berths
Five drivers clinch Countdown berths in Sonoma
Hagan, Anderson, Tonglet clinch Countdown berths in Denver
Torrence, Pritchett, Brown, Capps, and Butner clinch Countdown playoff spots
Four more drivers clinch Countdown berths; battles set for regular-season finale in Indy
John Force, Hector Arana Jr., Jerry Savoie, and Matt Smith all clinched their berths in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd. Force, Arana, and Savoie cinched their spots based on their qualifying efforts, while Smith earned his berth based on eliminations.
The Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis over Labor Day weekend is the last place for drivers to earn points. After that event, the points will be reset, and only the top 10 drivers in each class will be eligible to compete for NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series championships in the Countdown. After Brainerd, seven of the 10 positions in both Top Fuel and Funny Car have been clinched, while eight of 10 in Pro Stock, and just five of 10 in Pro Stock Motorcycle have been spoken for.
The following drivers have clinched their spots in the 2017 Countdown to the Championship:
TOP FUEL
Steve Torrence
Leah Pritchett
Antron Brown
Tony Schumacher
Brittany Force
Doug Kalitta
Clay Millican
FUNNY CAR
Ron Capps
Matt Hagan
Robert Hight
Jack Beckman
Tommy Johnson Jr.
Courtney Force
John Force
PRO STOCK
Bo Butner (clinched No. 1 spot)
Greg Anderson
Tanner Gray
Jason Line
Jeg Coughlin Jr.
Drew Skillman
Erica Enders
Vincent Nobile
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
LE Tonglet
Eddie Krawiec
Hector Arana Jr.
Jerry Savoie
Matt Smith
In Indy, Terry McMillen, Scott Palmer, Troy Coughlin Jr., and Shawn Langdon will battle for the final three open spots in Top Fuel.
Funny Car will be a seven-driver battle for the three open slots between Tim Wilkerson, J.R. Todd, Cruz Pedregon, Alexis DeJoria, Jim Campbell, Jonnie Lindberg, and Del Worsham.
Allen Johnson, Chris McGaha, Alan Prusiensky, and Shane Gray will compete for the final two positions in the Pro Stock playoffs.
With five spots still open in Pro Stock Motorcycle, Indy will be a eight-rider war between Scotty Pollacheck, Andrew Hines, Joey Gladstone, Karen Stoffer, Angie Smith, Steve Johnson, Angelle Sampey, and Cory Reed.
The six-race Countdown to the Championship begins Sept. 15 with the NHRA Carolina Nationals in Charlotte and comes to a climactic conclusion Nov. 9-12 at the Auto Club NHRA Finals in Pomona.