The 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season kicks off this weekend, Thursday through Sunday, February 9th through 12th, at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, California. Two of last year’s overall champs will be on hand to begin the defense of their titles, while a third 2011 champ will begin the next phase of his career as crew chief for one of the series’ up-and-coming drivers.
2011 champs Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Jason Line (Pro Stock) will start their title defenses, while Top Fuel champ Del Worsham moves to crew chief on the Patron Tequila Funny Car for Kalitta Motorsports and rookie driver Alexis DeJoria.
Line took the first Pro Stock race of 2011 at Pomona, joined on the podium by Morgan Lucas (Top Fuel) and Robert Hight (Funny Car). Line will have some competition for the Wally this weekend with the return of Jeg Coughlin Jr. to the Pro Stock ranks, after Coughlin took 2011 off. Coughlin has six wins at Pomona, including two in the Winternationals. Line also has two Winternationals wins, the other coming in 2009.
Larry Dixon won the Top Fuel division in 2010, preceded by Doug Kalitta in 2009. Hight’s boss and father-in-law John Force took the Funny Car event in 2010, with Ron Capps taking the win in 2009. Mike Edwards won in Pro Stock in 2010.
Follow the progress of this weekend’s event at www.nhra.com.
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