DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 10, 2008 – After a successful debut in 2007, the Countdown to 1 is back featuring a revised format as the National Hot Rod Association prepares to crown its champions in its four Pro categories. The new six-race championship playoff format, which kicks off this weekend in suburban Charlotte, NC, is modeled after the successful NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup. Thetop-10 drivers from the regular season (first 18 races) advance to the Countdown to 1 and each is credited with a staggered point total based on their regular season finish.
In Funny Car all eyes are on the sports’ most successful franchise and the Ford Racing factory team, John Force Racing (JFR) and its stable of stars. All four JFR entrants qualified for the Countdown to 1, marking the first time a team has landed four drivers in the NHRA playoff system.
Robert Hight, driver of the Auto Club Ford Mustang Funny Car, enters the postseason as the third seed and with a rush of momentum after capturing the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis on Labor Day for his third win of ’08. A two-time runner-up in the Funny Car championship (2006 & 2007), Hight, as JFR’s highest seeded driver, has his sights set on his first Funny Car championship.
“I know what it takes to be a champion from working on John’s [Force] Mustang (as a crew member), said Hight. “We have a team that can win a championship. I’ve had the number two on my car for the last two seasons. I’m focusing on lowering that number and the way to do that is to win a championship.”
Ashley Force, the 2007 NHRA Funny Car Rookie of the Year and driver of the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang Funny Car, missed the ’07 playoffs. This season Ashley captured her inaugural victory and she enters the Countdown to 1 as the fifth seed overall.
“Getting into the Countdown to 1 means everything,” said Ashley. “It would be a bummer to start going to races after Indy not in the points. We’ve been consistent and it paid off for us. The pressure now (is) on and it’s a personal thing I will have to work through. My car is great. My team is great. Hopefully we can go into it and have some fun and try not to stress about it.”
John Force, the 14-time Funny Car champion and driver of the Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang Funny Car, qualified eighth for the postseason and begins a personal quest to reclaim the championship one year after a dramatic accident left him injured and unable to defend his 2006 championship.
“We did our job for the sponsors and I am very proud of all of my people,” said 2008 Motorsport Hall of Fame inductee John Force. “Getting four cars in the Countdown was a big accomplishment. As for me, I worked really hard to get back into fight mode. I had great doctors and physical therapists and they’ve at least given me a shot at another championship. All my championships have special meaning. This one would be extra special only because of what I’ve come back from.”
Rookie Mike Neff, driver of the Old Spice Ford Mustang Funny Car, captured the final slot in the ’08 playoffs and due to the staggered points system will start 110 points behind the leader. Neff, the former championship winning crew chief, is searching for his first win as a driver. Armed with the new Ford BOSS 500 engine, Neff made three final rounds in the first 18 events of 2008.
“Getting in the Countdown to 1 was definitely one of our goals at the beginning of the year,” said Neff. “It feels good to get that monkey off our back. (Now) we want to try to be a contender (even though) we’re going to be spotting those guys quite a few points ahead of us. I don’t really feel we have hit our stride yet. There is a cycle to these things. I think we got a little bit going when we made it to those two finals back-to-back. Hopefully we can get hot again.”
The 2008 Funny Car champion will be crowned on during Ford Championship Weekend on Sunday, November 16 at the 44th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals at historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 229,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.