Hudson Toyota: Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals Preview

What: NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals
When: Friday, Sept. 2 Monday, Sept. 5
Where: Lucas Oil Raceway Park at Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Ind.
Television: ESPN2 - Qualifying 9/4, 11:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. ET
ESPN2 Qualifying 9/4, 5:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. ET
ESPN2 - Eliminations 8/21, 10:00 p.m. 12:30 a.m. ET

TOYOTA DRIVER SET TO CLINCH #1 SEED FOR COUNTDOWN With one race remaining before the Countdown to the Championship playoffs, a Toyota driver is assured the #1 seed. The question iswhich one? Del Worsham has all but secured the position, taking a 137-point lead into the weekend and simply needing to qualify into the eliminations field to clinch. However, Antron Brown could snatch away the coveted seed and accompanying bonus points. Brown would need to register his fifth win of the season and set a new national record for elapsed time in Indianapolis to stay in contention.
That would appear unlikely, though, as Worsham has led the series since the second race of the season at Gainesville on the strength of six victories in the seasons first 15 races. He also has one runner-up finish and four semi-finals appearances, while compiling a series-best 38-9 won-loss record in his first full season of Top Fuel competition.
Yet, Brown has been the hottest driver on the circuit of late, winning two of the last three events and advancing to the semi-finals or beyond in each of the last five races. He also recorded the fastest time at last weeks open test in Indy. He will bring a 29-point advantage over third-place into this weekends action.

FOUR DOWN, TWO TO GO Four of the six Toyota NHRA drivers are safely qualified into the Countdown to the Championship playoffs with one race remaining. Top Fuel drivers Del Worsham, Antron Brown, Larry Dixon and Funny Car driver Cruz Pedregon all have locked up spots in the Countdown. Morgan Lucas Racing teammates Shawn Langdon and Morgan Lucas are currently eighth and ninth in the standings, but both are in position to lock up playoff berths this weekend. Langdon simply needs to qualify for Mondays 16-car eliminations, while Lucas will be guaranteed a spot if the two drivers behind him dont meet in Mondays final. Each of the Top Fuel drivers participated in last years Countdown, while Pedregon will make his first appearance since winning the FC title in 2008.

LAST YEARS U.S. NATIONALS Larry Dixon defeated Cory McClenathan in the finals to win his 10th race of the 2010 season and give him his fourth career U.S. Nationals victory. With the win, Dixon went to a perfect 10-for-10 in finals in what was the first race of the 2010 Countdown. Dixon earned the number one qualifying position on Saturday night with a new track record run of 3.776 seconds and then defeated Bruce Litton, Steve Torrence and fellow Toyota driver Shawn Langdon before his showdown with McClenathan.

TOYOTA TOP FUELERS FIND WINNING WAYS - Toyota-sponsored Top Fuel drivers have won 12 of the first 15 events this season. Del Worsham currently leads the series in wins with six, while Antron Brown is second with four. Fellow Toyota drivers Morgan Lucas and Larry Dixon each have won once.

Toyota-Sponsored Cars at Indianapolis

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 (12) Morgan (1): Pomona; Worsham (6): Gainesville; Charlotte; Houston, Norwalk, Chicago, Seattle; Brown (4): Las Vegas, Atlanta; Sonoma, Brainerd; Dixon (1): Bristol

2011 Top Qualifiers (11) Dixon (2): Pomona, Las Vegas; Worsham (5): Charlotte, Englishtown, Norwalk, Denver, Brainerd; Pedregon (3): Pomona, Englishtown, Denver; Brown (1): Seattle

2011 Toyota NHRA Performance Index To Date
Date	Race	Qualified/Finished
		Brown	Dixon	Langdon	Lucas	Pedregon	Worsham
2/27	Pomona	2/Semis	1/Rd. 1	5/Finals	9/Winner	1/Rd. 2	5/Semis
3/13	Gainesville	2/Rd. 2	4/Semis	6/Rd. 2	12/Rd. 1	5/Finals	10/Winner
4/3	Las Vegas	5/Winner	1/Rd. 2	11/Rd. 1	12/Rd. 1	2/Semis	3/Semis
4/17	Charlotte	9/Rd. 2	3/Finals	6/Finals	16/Rd. 1	3/Rd. 1	1/Winner
5/1	Houston	5/Rd. 2	4/Finals	DNQ	9/Rd. 2	3/Rd. 1	6/Winner
5/15	Atlanta	7/Winner	4/Rd. 2	15/Rd. 2	13/Rd. 1	4/Semis	2/Rd. 1
5/22	Topeka	9/Rd. 2	3/Rd. 2	5/Rd. 1	11/Rd. 1	5/Rd. 2	2/Rd. 2
6/5	Englishtown	5/Rd. 2	4/Semis	7/Rd. 1	10/Rd. 2	1/Finals	1/Finals
6/17	Bristol	5/Finals	2/Winner	9/Rd. 1	10/Rd. 2	9/Semis	6/Rd. 2
6/26	Norwalk	9/Rd. 2	6/Semis	4/Rd. 2	5/Semis	8/	1/Winner
7/10	Chicago	3/Semis	4/Rd. 2	12/Semis	11/Rd. 1	7/Rd. 1	2/Winner
7/24	Denver	8/Semis	10/Rd. 1	5/Rd. 2	14/Rd. 1	1/Rd. 2	1/Rd. 2
7/31	Sonoma	3/Winner	5/Semis	11/Rd. 1	12/Rd. 1	10/Semis	7/Semis
8/7	Seattle	1/Semis	6/Rd.2	10/Rd. 2	16/Rd. 1	7/Rd. 1	2/Winner
8/21	Brainerd	5/Winner	2/Semis	11/Rd. 1	7/Rd. 2	2/Rd. 2	1/Semis

Top Fuel Drivers Championship	POINTS	BEHIND LEADER
1. Del Worsham	1337	0
2. Antron Brown	1201	-126

5. Larry Dixon	1113	-224
8. Shawn Langdon	694	-643
9. Morgan Lucas	670	-667
Funny Car Drivers Championship
4. Cruz Pedregon	970	-214