Dallas: Goodyear Racing final report

WHITELEY ONE OF FOUR GOODYEAR WINNERS IN TEXAS ENNIS, Texas (Sept. 23, 2008) -- Jim Whiteley's bid to win the NHRA's Top Alcohol Dragster championship took a decided step forward as he captured victory in the ...

WHITELEY ONE OF FOUR GOODYEAR WINNERS IN TEXAS

ENNIS, Texas (Sept. 23, 2008) -- Jim Whiteley's bid to win the NHRA's Top Alcohol Dragster championship took a decided step forward as he captured victory in the O'Reilly Super Start Batteries Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex.

Whiteley, racing in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series for sportsman racers, was one of four drivers who raced to victory on Goodyear tires. The others were in the POWERade Drag Racing Series for professional categories.

Goodyear's other winners included J.R. Todd (in Top Fuel), Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car) and Greg Stanfield (Pro Stock).

Whiteley's win was his second national event win this season and the fourth of his career. Whiteley was very consistent. The elapsed times for his last three passes were separated by just .018 of a second.

Whiteley leads the Lucas Oil TAD national standings. Defending champion Bill Reichert, a Goodyear loyalist, is second.

Todd's victory over Tony Schumacher in the final round ended perhaps the greatest string of races in drag racing history. Schumacher had won 31 consecutive rounds. After two races of the NHRA's Countdown to One playoff format, Schumacher leads the Top Fuel category with 2,295 points. Antron Brown is next with 2,198.

Wilkerson beat Tony Pedregon in the final round and remains undefeated against Pedregon in the finals. The victory vaulted Wilkerson four positions forward in the Countdown standings and he now leads in Funny Car with 2,235 points. Pedregon is second with 2,224.

Stanfield's win had historic significance, as he became only the fourth driver in NHRA history to win a national event in five categories. The final round came at the expense of Jeg Coughlin, who had never lost to Stanfield in 11 previous races. Still, Coughlin moved forward two spots in the Pro Stock standings and assumed the lead with 2,225 points. Kurt Johnson fell from first to second with 2,211 points.

More information on Goodyear Racing is available at www.racegoodyear.com. More information on the NHRA and the Countdown to One is available at www.nhra.com.