Championship Drag Racing

Mac Tools U.S. Nationals
Indianapolis, Ind.
(August 27-September 1)

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Dave Grubnic Optima Batteries dragster

Indianapolis, pre-race: Native Australian Dave Grubnic, driver of the bright yellow, nitro-fueled, 8,000-horsepower DHL Top Fuel dragster, knows that this weekend’s, Aug. 27-Sept. 1, annual running of the famed Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis is special enough as it is as the most prestigious drag racing event in the world, but he also knows it’s “make it or break it” time for him and his DHL team to make the Countdown to the Championship in the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

“Well, here we go. It’s Indy time again – the Big Go,” Grubnic, a 46-year old resident of Ennis, Mont., said. “It's the race we, as drivers, all want to win, even more so in my case as my DHL team is fighting for a position in the Countdown. Winning Indy would certainly bring a welcome breath of fresh and victorious air to my Connie Kalitta (team owner, tuner, drag racing legend and 1994 Indy Top Fuel champion) -led DHL team.

“We’re going to go out there and fight with all our might to keep our spot in the top ten. Every lap counts and every millisecond counts, so we have to be at our best all of the time with no exceptions. This DHL team is up to the test, and I’m looking forward to facing this and every challenge with them.”

The Mac Tools U.S. Nationals is the final event in the 2008 Countdown to 1. Grubnic is in 9th place in POWERade championship points, while his Kalitta Motorsports teammate, Doug Kalitta, holds the 10th spot. Only the top ten pro drivers in points in their respective classes will be eligible for the 2008 Countdown to the Championship “playoffs” that begin at the following event in Concord, N.C., Sept. 11-14. Grubnic is four points ahead of Kalitta and Kalitta is six points ahead of the driver in 11th place. An elimination round-win is worth 20 points.

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