Dodge Stratus driver Gary Scelzi wins big and makes a significant move in POWERade Funny Car points when he drives Don Schumacher’s new look Oakley/Mopar machine to victory lane. Scelzi ambushes the field from the middle of the pack after qualifying #9 and easily takes out Eric Medlen in the championship final round: 4.740 secs at 330.80 mph (top speed) to 4.805 secs at 321.73 mph. The victory is Scelzi’s 2nd of the season and vaulted the California-based racer to #2 in points behind John Force. Scelzi’s event title of a picture of consistency including steady and fast wins over Bob Gilbertson, Robert Hight and Tommy Johnson Jr.

Points leader Force was upset in round one when he had mechanical woes racing along side Dale Creasy Jr. Force’s 3-car team had been favorites entering eliminations after dominating qualifying action taking the 1-2-3 positions. Force’s understudy/son-in-law Robert Hight set low ET of the event while taking the pole at 4.726 secs.

FC racing featured a strong field with a total of 23 machines attempting qualifying runs. The event includes another strong showing by Canada’s Jeff Arend who runs the CMKX-extreme Chevy Monte Carlo to 4.823 secs in qualifying and then advances to the “final four” on Sunday with wins over Phil Burkhart and Dale Creasy. Arend comes close to making his second final round of the season when he leads Eric Medlen to the 1000’ mark before being edged out.

Scott Kalitta drove the Jesse James/Mac Tools dragster to an impressive victory in Top Fuel – his second win of the season. Kalitta denies “Hot Rod” Fuller in the final round with a winning 4.518 secs at 330.15 mph which prevailed over Fuller’s 4.602 secs at 323.58 mph. The runner-up finish was Fuller’s second final round appearance of his Pro career.

Driving his special commemorative U.S. Army-sponsored dragster, Tony Schumacher paced the Top Fuel field with a 4.508 secs effort. He set both low ET (4.500 secs) and top speed (333.33 mph) during Sunday’s eliminations before being upset by Rod Fuller in round number two.

Top Fuel racing at Joliet was a very quick program with racers producing a bump spot of 4.709 secs. The field included a number of inspiring runs including qualifying effort by up-and-coming drivers Jack Beckman, Tim Cullinan and Bobby Lagana Jr.

NHRA’s AMS Staff Leasing/TLR Pro Mod Challenge continued at Joliet. Overall points leader Mike Ashley continued his domination as he racked up his 4th straight victory driving the Torco-sponsored Ford Mustang. Ashley beat first time circuit finalist Joey Martin in the championship run winning easily with at stout 6.152 secs at 229.86 mph.

Ashley had set low ET of the meet in earlier action running a 6.141 secs. California’s Kirk Kuhns drove his supercharged Dodge Viper to top speed at 230.76 mph.

David Connolly won the event’s special King Demon Crown for Pro Stock racers during Saturday’s schedule. Driving his now Torco Race Fuels sponsored Chevy Colbalt, Connolly collected a first prize of $50,000 when his final round opponent Jason Line fouled out in the final round. Connolly ran a winning 6.823 secs at 202.55 mph while Line wasted a superior 6.775 secs at 203.22 mph with a -.020 RT. David Connolly had beaten Mike Edward and Kurt Johnson in earlier rounds.

Jason Line was however able to shrug off his untimely red-light foul in the King Demon final, by winning the event’s overall Pro Stock title on Sunday. Line, now driving a Pontiac Grand-Am with full Summit Racing Equipment sponsorship just like his teammate Greg Anderson, ran down the Jegs Mail Order Dodge Stratus driven by Jeg Coughlin in the final round. Line clocked a winning 6.783 secs at 203.09 mph to edge out Coughlin’s 6.800 secs at 202.48 mph. Line’s final round win did avenge Coughlin’s victory over stable mate Greg Anderson in the semi final round.

Pro Stock racing at Joliet drew the biggest field of the season so far with no less then 33 machines making qualifying attempts. Warren Johnson paced the program with a 6.762 secs run driving the GM Performance Parts Pontiac. Warren’s son Kurt set top speed for the breed at 204.60 mph driving his ACDelco Chevy Colbalt. Jason Line’s 6.745 secs in round one was low ET of the meet.

Chip Ellis, riding for George Bryce and the G-Squared Star Racing, won in Pro Stock Motorcycle with his Buell. For Ellis, who is a former AMA ProStar circuit champion, the win was his second career NHRA victory, matching his win at Las Vegas last fall. Ellis outgunned the Suzuki driven by Geno Scali in the final round.

The Screamin’ Eagle V-Rod motorcycle of Andrew Hines paced the PSM field with a 7.123 secs and also set top speed at 192.93 mph. However it was Matt Smith (son to Pro Stock racer Rickie Smith),that earned low ET overall when he ran a 7.115 secs in round one. Smith however lost out to Scali in the next frame.

Top Alcohol Dragster racing produced the first career national event title for Canadian Ken Perry. The Toronto-area driver wheeled his supercharged “Iceman” dragster past opponent David Wells for the title hitting a winning 5.423 secs at 260.21 mph. Perry’s impressive first national title also included wins over fellow Canadian driver Jeff Veale, Richard Putz and Jeff Wilson.

Bob Newberry won the TAFC program when he drove the all-new Valvoline-sponsored Chevy Monte Carlo to victory. Newberry ran 5.695 secs at 252.71 mph to easily beat Steve Gasparrelli for the title as Gasparrelli had problems and shut down. Newberry’s top class rival, Frank Manzo set both low ET and top speed for TAFC when he sped to a 5.620 secs at 259.66 mph during qualifying. Manzo then fell however in a major round one upset to Steve Addleman.