By Lee Elder
TOP FUEL
Brittany Force’s crew has put a new front end on Force’s dragster and the car will have a new color scheme in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. … Doug Kalitta is still searching to be the top qualifier for the 50th time in his career. One of the first 49 came at the Texas Motorplex, but that was in 2004. … Leah Pritchett sits fourth in the Top Fuel Countdown standings but she is just a point out of the lead in the NHRA Factory Stock Showdown. She’ll do double-duty again this weekend after setting a record in her Dodge Challenger Drag Pak two weekends ago at Gateway. She was clocked at 7.936 seconds. The Factory Stock Showdown’s season ends this weekend.
FUNNY CAR
Looking for a sleeper this weekend? Tim Wilkerson jumped from 10th in the Countdown standings to fourth and has a win to his credit at the Texas Motorplex. The Texas event will be race 490 for Wilkerson in a Funny Car. … If Richie Crampton makes the eliminations field, it would be his 100th Top Fuel start.
PRO STOCK
Shane Tucker will compete at the Texas Motorplex this weekend. Tucker has one attempt this season, when he did not qualify for eliminations at the US Nationals. Tucker has three previous starts in the Texas Motorplex event. … Erica Enders and her team tested at a track in Tulsa earlier this week. Enders has not advanced beyond the second round in a while and is sixth in the Countdown. … The winningest Pro Stock driver at the Texas Motorplex is Warren Johnson with five victories. Greg Anderson, who has four wins at the track, is the winningest active Pro Stock driver there. The KB team, including Anderson, tested at Rockingham Dragway this week.
