2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season explained

2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season
League:NHRA
Sport:Drag racing
League Champs:Larry Dixon (TF)
John Force (FC)
Greg Anderson (PS)
LE Tonglet (PSM)
League Champ Name:Champions
Seasonslistnames:NHRA
Prevseason Link:2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season
Prevseason Year:2009
Nextseason Link:2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season
Nextseason Year:2011

The 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Season ran from February 11 to November 14, 2010. A variety of new safety rules were implemented following the conclusion of the investigation of the Scott Kalitta death in 2008. The NHRA had planned on returning Top Fuel and Funny Car classes to 1320feet distances; however, racing in those classes remained at 1000feet distance to contain costs with the United States economy still in recession, as well as to address ongoing safety concerns.

There were 23 Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock car events, and 17 Pro Stock Motorcycle events.

Schedule

With the closure of the Memphis Motorsports Park as of 30 October 2009,[1] the Full Throttle Series is now slated for 23 events:[2] The Virginia NHRA Nationals has also been eliminated, as Virginia Motorsports Park chose to align with rival Kenneth Feld's International Hot Rod Association instead (many tracks changed sanctioning, owing to their sportsman classes). A second race at zMax Dragway, the Four Wide Nationals, was added.

2010 NHRA Full Throttle Schedule
DateRaceSiteWinners
Top Fuel DragsterFunny CarPro StockPS Motorcycle
February 11–14Pomona, CaliforniaLarry Dixon (1)John Force (1)Mike Edwards (1)N/A
February 19–22 Lucas Oil Slick Mist NHRA NationalsChandler, Ariz.Cory McClenathan (1)Jack Beckman (1)Mike Edwards (2)N/A
March 11–14Tire Kingdom GatornationalsGainesville, FlaTony Schumacher (1)Tim Wilkerson (1)Jason LineEddie Krawiec (1)
March 25–28Four Wide Nationals 1Concord, NCCory McClenathan (2)John Force (2)Mike Edwards (3)Matt Smith (1)
April 9–11O'Reilly NHRA Spring NationalsHouston, TexasLarry Dixon (2)Matt Hagan (1)Jeg Coughlin (1)Andrew Hines (1)
April 16–18SummitRacing.com NHRA NationalsLas Vegas, Nev.Larry Dixon (3)John Force (3)Mike Edwards (4)N/A
April 30 – May 2AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest NationalsMadison, Ill.Tony Schumacher (2)Robert Hight (1)Warren JohnsonMichael Phillips (1)
May 14–16Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern NationalsAtlanta, Ga.Larry Dixon (4)Robert Hight (2)Jeg Coughlin (2)Andrew Hines (2)
May 21–23O'Reilly NHRA SummernationalsTopeka, KansasTony Schumacher (3)Robert Hight (3)Mike Edwards (5)N/A
June 3–6United Association Route 66 NHRA NationalsChicago, Ill.Larry Dixon (5)Matt Hagan (2)Mike Edwards (6)LE Tonglet (1)
June 10–13United Association NHRA SuperNationalsEnglishtown, N.J.Larry Dixon (6)Bob Tasca III (1)Mike Edwards (7)Michael Phillips (2)
June 18–20NHRA Thunder Valley NationalsBristol, Tenn.Tony Schumacher (4)John Force (4)Mike Edwards (8)N/A
June 24–27Summit Racing Equipment NHRA NationalsNorwalk, OhioLarry Dixon (7)Tim Wilkerson (2)Greg Anderson (1)Matt Smith (2)
July 9–11NHRA Northwest NationalsSeattle, Wash.Cory McClenathan (3)Tim Wilkerson (3)Greg Anderson (2)N/A
July 16–18Fram Autolite NHRA NationalsSonoma, Calif.Larry Dixon (8)Ron Capps (1)Jeg Coughlin (3)Michael Phillips (3)
July 23–25Mopar Mile-High NHRA NationalsDenver, Colo.Doug Kalitta (1)Robert Hight (4)Allen Johnson (1)Andrew Hines (3)
August 12–15Lucas Oil NHRA NationalsBrainerd, Minn.Larry Dixon (9)Bob Bode (1)Jeg Coughlin (4)Andrew Hines (4)
2010 Countdown to the Championship
September 1–6Mac Tools U.S. NationalsIndianapolis, Ind.Larry Dixon (10)Ashley Force-Hood (1)Greg Stanfield (1)LE Tonglet (2)
September 16–19O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA NationalsConcord, N.C.Larry Dixon (11)Cruz Pedregon (1)Greg Anderson (3)LE Tonglet (3)
September 23–26Dallas, TexasTony Schumacher (5)Matt Hagan (3)Greg Anderson (4)LE Tonglet (4)
October 7–10Toyo Tires NHRA NationalsReading, Pa.Larry Dixon (12)Cruz Pedregon (2)Dave Connolly (1)Andrew Hines (5)
October 28–31NHRA Las Vegas NationalsLas Vegas, Nev.Tony Schumacher (6)John Force (5)Greg Anderson (5)LE Tonglet (5)
November 11–14Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA FinalsPomona, Calif.Antron Brown (1)John Force (6)Shane Gray (1)Eddie Krawiec (2)

1 The rules for the Four Wide Nationals differ from other races:

Point standings

Top Fuel[3]
PositionDriverPointsPoints BackChassis
1Larry Dixon2684Hadman
2Tony Schumacher2582−102Hadman
3Cory McClenathan2551−133
4Antron Brown2460−224Hadman
5Shawn Langdon2431−253Hadman
6Doug Kalitta 2371−313Attac
7Brandon Bernstein2366−318McKinney
8Steve Torrence2289−395Hadman
9Dave Grubnic2288−396Attac
10Morgan Lucas2252−432Hadman
Funny Car
PositionDriverPointsPoints BackMake
1John Force 2621Ford
2Matt Hagan2579−42Dodge
3Ashley Force Hood2449−172Ford
4Jack Beckman 2349−182Dodge
5Bob Tasca III2395−226Ford
6Del Worsham2307−314Toyota
7Ron Capps2284−337Dodge
8Robert Hight2277−344Ford
9Tony Pedregon2251−370Chevrolet
10Tim Wilkerson2242−379Ford
Pro Stock
PositionDriverPointsPoints BackMake
1Greg Anderson2591Pontiac
2Greg Stanfield2479−112Pontiac
3Mike Edwards 2469−122Pontiac
4Shane Gray 2439−152Pontiac
5Jason Line2438−153Pontiac
6Allen Johnson2421−170Dodge
7Jeg Coughlin Jr.2395−196Chevrolet
8Ron Krisher2272−319Chevrolet
9Rodger Brogdon2245−346Pontiac
10Johnny Gray2200−391Pontiac
Pro Stock Motorcycle
PositionDriverPointsPoints BackMake
1LE Tonglet2681Suzuki
2Andrew Hines2677−4Harley-Davidson
3Ed Krawiec2559−122Harley-Davidson
4Matt Smith2450−231Zypher
5Hector Arana2442−239Buell
6Steve Johnson2332−349Suzuki
7Michael Phillips2327−354Suzuki
8Karen Stoffer2290−391Suzuki
9Craig Treble2215−466Suzuki
10David Hope2176−505Buell

Notable events

After 47 years as a driver and owner, Don Prudhomme announced his retirement from the series.[4]

Funny car driver Mike Neff stepped down as driver to become co-crew chief for John Force, the other crew chief is Austin Coil.

In the first round at Arizona, Antron Brown lost a wheel and crashed into the wall. Although Brown was uninjured in the accident, the wheel struck a female spectator who was killed. Because of weather conditions, the Pro Stock event at the same meet was cancelled after one round. The eight first-round winners competed as part of second-round qualifying at the next round.[5]

Just two days after John Force won a record 15th Funny Car world championship, his crew chief, NHRA Hall of Fame member Austin Coil, resigned from John Force Racing.[6] In his announcement, Coil stated he wanted to take at least a year off, but left the door open to a return to racing in 2012.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: DOVER MOTORSPORTS, INC. ANNOUNCES CLOSING OF MEMPHIS MOTORSPORTS PARK AND REALIGNMENT OF RACING DATES (press release) . 2009-10-30 . 2009-10-31 . 2011-07-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110724202033/http://www.dovermotorsports.com/track/press/article.php?dir=200910&id=3283 . dead .
  2. Web site: 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series schedule. 2009-11-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20091210163117/http://www.nhra.com/schedules/2010fts.aspx. 2009-12-10. dead.
  3. Web site: NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series points . 2010-11-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090208145121/http://nhra.com/points/fullthrottle.aspx . 2009-02-08 . dead .
  4. News: Prudhomme announces retirement from drag racing. 2010-01-07. 2010-02-22. nhra.com. National Hot Rod Association. 2011-07-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20110724202033/http://www.dovermotorsports.com/track/press/article.php?dir=200910&id=3283. dead.
  5. News: Spectator Killed by Crash Debris at Arizona. 2010-02-22. 2010-02-22. Inside Line. Edmunds Inc.. https://web.archive.org/web/20100224062157/http://www.insideline.com/car-news/nhra-spectator-killed-by-crash-debris-at-arizona.html. 24 February 2010 . live.
  6. News: Coil resigns from John Force Racing but eyes possible 2012 return to racing . 2010-11-16 . 2010-11-16 . National Hot Rod Association . nhra.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20101229043144/http://www.nhra.com/story/2010/11/16/coil-resigns-from-john-force-racing-but-eyes-possible-2012-return-to-racing/ . 2010-12-29 . dead .