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Buckle Up! NHRA Countdown Begins While Artemis I Waits

The Big Go in Indianapolis came and went at the NHRA U.S. Nationals over Labor Day weekend. Now it is time for drag racing fans to brace themselves for the Countdown to the Championship. The first of six races begins with this weekend's affair at The Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Brittany Force 7 photos
Photo: NHRA.com
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The event and next week's Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals in Charlotte, North Carolina, will both take place before the next scheduled launch of Artemis I on September 27. Three straight race weekends will culminate at the Midwest Nationals in St. Louis, Missouri. The last three races include Texas NHRA Fall Nationals in Dallas, Texas, the NHRA Nevada Nationals in Las Vegas, Nevada, and finishing at the Auto Club NHRA Nationals in Pomona, California.

Drama is certain to ensue as the race for the coveted championship is up for grabs in all divisions. Brittany Force will be entering the weekend as the points leader in her Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster, but just barely. She leads second-place Mike Salinas by just 20 points. She will be faced with having to hold off the eleven other drivers who made the Countdown to earn her second championship. The points differential among the twelve drivers is a mere 120 points.

Robert Hight is the man to beat in Funny Car, but his first-place lead over Ron Capps is the same 20-point lead Force has in Top Fuel. Hight is hoping to earn his fourth world championship in his Auto Club Chevrolet SS. For his part, Capps comes in with a great deal of momentum and is looking to steer his NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Super Funny Car to his second straight championship..

Erica Enders is chasing her fifth championship in Pro Stock and hopes to continue a dominant season in the Countdown. Ironically, her lead in the points race over Aaron Stanfield is also just 20 points. Enders has won six times this season, but she will be forced to fend off 14 others drivers, including defending world champion Greg Anderson.

Matt Smith enters the Countdown in Pro Stock Motorcycle as not only the points leader but also the defending champion. Another championship for Smith would be his sixth and would tie him for most championships in Pro Stock Motorcycle history with Andrew Hines and Dave Schultz. He will have to best nine other riders in the Countdown who are separated by just 75 points.

All divisions exhibit a tremendous degree of parity in today's NHRA that results in dramatic racing at each and every event. The Countdown to the Championship adds to the drama where the margin of winning can be as little as .001 seconds.
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