Hudson Toyota: Toyota NHRA Chicago Preview

What: NHRA OReilly Auto Parks Route 66 Nationals
When: Friday, July 8 Sunday, July 10
Where: Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, Ill.
Television: SPN2 - Qualifying 7/9, 9:30 p.m. 11:30 p.m. ET ESPN2 - Eliminations 7/10, 9:00 p.m. 12 midnight ET

WORSHAM RUSHIN TOWARD THE COUNTDOWN After earning his fourth victory of the season at Norwalk, Del Worsham continues to lead the NHRA Top Fuel point standings by 61 points a lead he has maintained since winning at Gainesville in March. The long-time Funny Car driver-turned-Top Fuel pilot could all but clinch his berth in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs in Round 11 this weekend. The top 10 drivers advance to the playoffs and Worsham currently owns a 500-point lead over 11th place.

Racing in Top Fuel for the first time since 1995, Worsham leads the series in wins (five), number one qualifying positions (three), finals appearances (five) and elimination round won-loss percentage (23-6, .793). The Al-Anabi Racing driver advanced to the semi-finals or beyond in seven of the 10 races this season.

PEDREGON RESURGENCE CONTINUES By taking his Snap-On Toyota Camry Solara to its third straight trip to the semi-finals or finals at the most recent event at Norwalk, Cruz Pedregon is now within 49 points of second-place as the NHRA heads to Chicago this weekend. With his Norwalk run, Pedregon has advanced to the semi-finals or beyond in six of 10 events this season, as well as earning two number one qualifying positions. With six races remaining in the regular season, the two-time FC champ has almost certainly punched his ticket for this years Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Thats a far cry from last year when the Route 66 Raceway event marked round 10 of the championship. Pedregon didnt qualify at Chicagoland and hadnt advanced past the second round in any of this year first 10 events. He would go on to fall short of qualifying for the playoffs for the second consecutive year after winning the 2008 title.

TOYOTA TOP FUELERS FIND WINNING WAYS - Toyota-sponsored Top Fuel drivers have won eight of the first 10 events this season. Four of the nine events have featured all-Toyota final. Overall, Toyota drivers have garnered 14 of the 20 finals spots in Top Fuel events this season. In addition, four of the five drivers have at least one win and each of the five drivers has appeared in at least one final this season.

DIXON LOOKS FOR CHICAGO REPEAT Larry Dixon will be looking for his second consecutive Route 66 Raceway victory this weekend after outlasting the competition a year ago in a weekend that saw rain drops take to the track as often as race cars. A rain storm came in after the second round of Sundays eliminations, which resulted in a five-hour delay, but it didnt slow Dixon, who saved his best for last registering a pair of 3.7 runs, knocking off Doug Kalitta in the semis with a 3.78 pass and then earning the victory with a 3.77 to defeat Tony Schumacher in the finals. The win was Dixons 53rd and moved him past Joe Amato for second all-time among Top Fuel drivers.

Toyota-Sponsored Cars at Chicago

Top Fuel:
Antron Brown, Don Schumacher Racing, Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster
Larry Dixon, Al-Anabi Racing, Al-Anabi Racing Toyota Top Fuel Dragster
Del Worsham, Al-Anabi Racing, Al-Anabi Racing Toyota Top Fuel Dragster
Shawn Langdon, Morgan Lucas Racing, Lucas Oil/Dixie Choppers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster
Morgan Lucas, Morgan Lucas Racing, GEICO/Lucas Oil Toyota Top Fuel Dragster

Funny Car:
Cruz Pedregon, Cruz Pedregon Racing, Snap-On Tools Toyota Camry Solara Funny Car

2011 Wins (8) Morgan (1): Pomona; Worsham (4): Gainesville; Charlotte; Houston, Norwalk; Brown (2): Las Vegas, Atlanta; Dixon (1): Bristol
2011 Top Qualifiers (7) Dixon (2): Pomona, Las Vegas; Worsham (3): Charlotte, Englishtown, Norwalk; Pedregon (2): Pomona, Englishtown

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