NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

With just the Dodge//SRT NHRA U.S. Nationals left in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series regular season, the heat will be on at the Big Go for teams to battle into or maintain their Top 10 positions to be eligible to compete for world championships in the seven-race Countdown to the Championship that begins Sept. 9-12 at the Mopar Express Lane NHRA Nationals Presented By Pennzoil in Reading.

While 15 of the 20 spots have already filled in Top Fuel and Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle remain wide open heading into Labor Day weekend.

A maximum of 187 points is up for grabs at the event, which includes 150 points for a win, a maximum of 12 qualifying-session points (three sessions with four points given to each session’s best time), a maximum of 10 points for being the overall qualifying leader, and 15 points for competing in the event.

Eligibility for the Countdown this year has a new wrinkle that affords any driver who has made a minimum of two qualifying runs at every national event in the regular season will also be part of the Countdown, which opens some interesting scenarios in Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle.

TOP FUEL

Steve Torrence, Brittany Force, Antron Brown, Leah Pruett, Mike Salinas, Shawn Langdon, Clay Millican, and Justin Ashley have all clinched.

Billy Torrence and Doug Kalitta are sitting in the final two spots with no challengers, so they will officially clinch in Indy after making their first qualifying run. Rookie Josh Hart is in 11th, but he sits 193 points behind Kalitta, making the sealing of the field a bit of a formality.

FUNNY CAR

Matt Hagan, Bob Tasca III, J.R. Todd, John Force, Ron Capps, Robert Hight, Alexis DeJoria, Cruz Pedregon, and Tim Wilkerson have all clinched in Funny Car. 

Blake Alexander holds down the 10th and final spot, and Jim Campbell, Paul Lee, and Terry Haddock are all still mathematically alive in the battle for the Top 10 in spots 11-13.

Campbell is the lone driver in Funny Car who has made the required qualifying runs, so, assuming he makes two in Indy, he will earn a Countdown berth regardless of points position. 

If Alexander can stay ahead of Campbell, there will be 11 cars in the Funny Car Countdown. Lee and Haddock are both longshots to pass either.

PRO STOCK

Although only Greg Anderson, Aaron Stanfield, and Erica Enders have clinched spots, the 4-9 positions held by Dallas Glenn, Matt Hartford, Kyle Koretsky, Troy Coughlin Jr., Mason McGaha, and Deric Kramer all seem relatively safe.

Chris McGaha sits in 10th place but is just 61 points ahead of 11th-ranked Kenny Delco. Outside of position ranking and points adjustment, little of that will matter as, assuming they make their qualifying runs in Indy, both will have fulfilled the qualifying obligations that will advance them to the Countdown regardless of whether they finish in the Top 10.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE

Matt Smith remains the only Pro Stock Motorcycle rider to have locked down a spot in the tightly-bunched field but the top seven – which also includes Steve Johnson, defending U.S. Nationals champ Scotty Pollacheck, Ryan Oehler, Angie Smith, and Karen Stoffer – can rest pretty easy.

Only three riders –- Cory Reed, Jerry Savoie, and Jimmy Underdahl -– are within striking range of making the Top 10, which is anchored by Eddie Krawiec, Joey Gladstone, and Andrew Hines.

While it's surprising to see former world champs Krawiec and Hines in such a perilous position as they continue to sort out their new EBRs, there’s extra jeopardy for both as they did not compete at the season-opening Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, so neither would be eligible to make the Countdown based on the qualifying criteria. Gladstone also did not make all of the qualifying sessions as he had to sit out the Las Vegas event while recovering from a testing accident.

Making things even more interesting is that Reed and Savoie have to date completed the required qualifying efforts and will make the Countdown even if they can’t pass Hines. Reed is just seven points behind Hines, which is nothing in a race where 187 points are available. Savoie is 63 back of Hines.

[Complete 20211 standings entering Indy]

POINTS RESET

The racers who have secured a position in the Countdown to the Championship will have their NHRA Camping World points adjusted after the Dodge//SRT NHRA U.S. Nationals.  In Top Fuel and Funny Car, first and second place will be separated by 20 points, and each position second through 10th place will be separated by 10 points for Top Fuel and Funny Car.

Racers who have secured a spot in the Countdown to the Championship outside the Top 10 due to qualifying participation will have their points adjusted. For example, 11th place will be 1,990, 12th place will be 1,980. 10 points will separate each position for each racer securing a spot in the Countdown to the Championship.

In Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle, first and second place will be separated by 20 points while second through fifth place will be separated by 10 points and sixth place through 10th place will be separated by five points.
 

Racers who have secured a spot in the Countdown to the Championship outside the Top 10 will have their points adjusted. For example, 11th place will be 2,020, 12th place will be 2,015. Five points will separate each position for each racer securing a spot in the Countdown to the Championship.