Massey, Prestone/FRAM team ready to give it all they’ve got during Traxxas Shootout, U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis

August 28

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Aug. 28, 2012) – When Spencer Massey straps in his 8,000-horsepower Prestone/FRAM Top Fuel dragster he always gives it 100 percent.

But Massey thinks 100 percent won’t be enough when it comes to the most prestigious race on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series tour. This year, the U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway near Indianapolis is even bigger with the addition of the Traxxas Nitro Shootout on Saturday when Massey will be one of eight drivers trying to win $100,000.

“Obviously it’s a huge weekend for a number of reasons,” Massey said. “We’ve got the Traxxas Shootout and it’s the U.S. Nationals. The shootout field is extremely tough. So the Traxxas Shootout field is the best of the best. It’s going to be anyone’s game.”
Massey thinks crew chiefs Todd Okuhara and Phil Shuler have the right plan when it comes to the race within a race.

“We tested last week (at Indy) and were trying to get data and get ahead of the game. Everything went great during testing. Todd is extremely happy. Whenever he’s saying that he’s pleased that means he’s learned a lot and he’s happy with how the car is running.

“We’re going to go out the for the Shootout and basically take all of our great performances from all year long and bottle it into three runs in a row so we can get that $100,000.”

But more important to Massey than the money is to earn an NHRA Wally trophy for winning the most prestigious title of the year.

“Come Monday (for eliminations) it’s game on. We want to win the U.S. Nationals. That’s our main concern. I’ve never done it before. I’ve never even been to a final round there. We need to go rounds, get points and get that win.”

With a season’s worth of momentum behind the team, including four wins in six final-round appearances, they will be giving all they can when the race known as “The Big Go” kicks off at 7 p.m. Friday with the first qualifying session.

“This is what it’s all about,” he said. “All year long we’ve been running well. We’ve set track records, we’ve set speed records. This is for all the marbles. We’re putting everything into it. Our Prestone/FRAM guys are putting in 125 percent; we’re going for it.”

SPENCER MASSEY, Prestone/FRAM DSR dragster
2011 at Indy: Qualified No. 4; lost in second round to Larry Dixon
Career at Indy: Wins 0, Runner-ups 0, Poles 0

NHRA FULL THROTTLE STANDINGS
(Through Aug. 19, Brainerd, Minn.; 16 of 23 events)
(DSR drivers in CAPS)
TOP FUEL
1. ANTRON BROWN, 1,335
2 SPENCER MASSEY, 1,277
3. TONY SCHUMACHER, 1,196
4. Steve Torrence, 1,139
5. Doug Kalitta, 971
6. Morgan Lucas, 945
7. Shawn Langdon, 874
8. David Grubnic, 809
9. Brandon Bernstein, 800
10. Bob Vandergriff, 664

NHRA TRAXXAS NITRO SHOOTOUT – Top Fuel
Saturday, (4 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m.)
No. 1. ANTRON BROWN vs. No. 8 fan vote/lottery winner
No. 2. SPENCER MASSEY vs. No. 7 David Grubnic
No. 3. TONY SCHUMACHER vs. No. 6 Morgan Lucas
No. 4. Steve Torrence vs. No. 5 Doug Kalitta

THIS FRIDAY – DON SCHUMACHER RACING OPEN HOUSE
The seventh annual Big O Tires presents the Don Schumacher Racing Open House is Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will feature each of the seven DSR drivers, an indoor car and bike show, Cacklefest with the legendary “Jungle Jim” Funny car, “300-mph Art & Technology” exhibits and Silent Auction to benefit Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health and Camp Riley.
The annual Open House and other DSR functions have raised more than $175,000 for Riley Hospital.
The event is free to the public.
Silent auction items range from 50-inch HD, flat panel television provided by Aaron’s to the actual front end from Matt Hagan’s Aaron’s Funny Car that was featured worldwide on the Internet and television news programs after the car exploded earlier this season at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s zMAX Dragway.
The technology aspect of the Open House will allow visitors for the first time to tour the DSR CNC Machine Shop that includes high-tech machinery used to manufacture more than 200 components used on DSR Top Fuel Dragsters and Funny Cars.
The DSR 8,000-horsepower supercharger dynometer also will be operated at various times throughout the day.
DSR is located at 1681 E. Northfield Drive in Brownsburg about 4 miles west of Lucas Oil Raceway.

U.S. NATIONALS FULL THROTTLE NITRO SCHEDULE (all times ET)
WEDNESDAY: NHRA Fanfest, public press conference and autograph session, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Monument Circle, Downtown Indianapolis
FRIDAY (Aug. 31): Big O Tires Don Schumacher Racing Open House for Riley Hospital, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.; Nitro qualifying, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY (Sept. 1): Nitro qualifying, 3:30 p.m., 7 p.m.
SUNDAY (Sept. 2): Nitro qualifying, 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m.
MONDAY (Sept. 3): Eliminations, 11 a.m.

ON ESPN2
Sunday: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (ET)
Sunday: 5-7 p.m. (ET)
Monday: 12-6 p.m. (ET)

About FRAM
FRAM Group LLC has its headquarters in Perrysburg, Ohio. Its leading automotive care products include FRAM® oil, air, transmission and fuel filters; Autolite® spark plugs and ignition wire sets; Prestone® antifreeze/coolant and car care products; and Holts® car care. It maintains R&D capabilities in the United States and Europe and has a manufacturing footprint in 10 countries worldwide.

About Don Schumacher Racing
Don Schumacher Racing, headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., consists of seven professional NHRA teams: in Top Fuel, the U.S. Army dragster driven by seven-time world champion Tony Schumacher, the FRAM/Prestone dragster of Spencer Massey and the Matco Tools dragster of Antron Brown; and in Funny Car, 2011 NHRA Funny Car champion Matt Hagan in the Aaron’s Dream Machine/Mopar Dodge Charger R/T, Valvoline NextGen Dodge piloted by Jack Beckman, the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge of Ron Capps and the Service Central Dodge of Johnny Gray. DSR has won 190 NHRA national event titles and nine world championships.

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