Topeka: Goodyear Racing summary

ASHLEY LEADS SIX GOODYEAR WINNERS IN TOPEKA NHRA RACE

TOPEKA, Kansas (June 3, 2007) -- Mike Ashley claimed his first NHRA Funny Car victory and set a record along the way as cars racing on Goodyear tires won six times in the O'Reilly Summer Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka today.

The wins brought Goodyear's total in NHRA National events to 38. That's the best count among tiremakers.

The professional winners included Brandon Bernstein (in Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock), Ashley and Brad Personett (Pro Rear Wheel Drive).

The Lucas Oil Sportsman series winners using Goodyear tires were Jim Whiteley (Top Alcohol Dragster) and Bob Newberry (Top Alcohol Funny Car).

Ashley beat Jim Head in the final, sparking a happy celebration. He set a HPT record in the category when he was clocked at 327.11 mph during qualifying.

Bernstein's victory was his third in the last four races. He knocked off J.R. Todd in the final.

Anderson set track records for speed (206.48 mph) and elapsed time (6.709 seconds) on his way to his fifth win in the last eight races.

Whiteley's victory was his first in TAD. It made him the 115th to win a race in the category.

Newberry won for the 44th time in his career. The Goodyear loyalist had a perfect light in the semi-finals (an official reaction time of 0.000 of a second) and his worst reaction time in four rounds of eliminations was the .071 of a second he recorded in the first round.

-credit: goodyear racing