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20th annual O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals Sept. 14-16
Memphis Motorsports Park
Memphis, TN.
“If you had to pick a race on the schedule that I get really excited about, it’s Memphis . It was the site of my first victory, we qualified No. 1 last year, and it’s close to where I grew up. It’s a fun town and they have fun fans at Memphis . You’ve got Beale St. and all the great food and I love hot weather. We expect to win and get our points lead back. It’s nice to have the pressure of Indy behind us and to go race.”
Fuller Memphis Notebook
Two weeks ago at the prestigious U.S. Nationals, Fuller raced his MacAllister CAT dragster to the No. 6 qualifying position with a run of 4.524-seconds. He advanced to the semifinals for the 13th time this season.
Fuller enters the Memphis race ranked third in the NHRA Countdown to Four standings. He trails Tony Schumacher by 34 points. It is the first time since the Topeka , Kan. race on June 3 that Fuller isn’t leading the standings.
Two years ago at Memphis Motorsports Park , Fuller knocked off a tire-smoking Schumacher to collect his first career NHRA Top Fuel victory with a run of 4.612 second at 313.02 mph.
Last August, Fuller earned his second career pole with a pass of 4.575 at 318.54 mph. He paced the Top Fuel field heading into eliminations, but his dragster was shut off at the starting line during a first round match with Bob Vandergriff, Jr.
The Las Vegas racer has two wins ( Phoenix and Denver ) in five final-round appearances this season. He also has four poles ( Atlanta , Norwalk , St. Louis and Reading ). Fuller has an average starting position of 3.39 this year.
Fuller was runner-up in Super Gas at Memphis Motorsports Park in 1998.
Fuller on Memphis …
Memphis :
“ Beale St .”
Memphis Motorsports Park :
“My first Top Fuel win”
Favorite local restaurants:
“Rendezvous”
Favorite Memphis Motorsports Park racing memory:
“Beating (Tony) Schumacher in the final round in ‘05”
Favorite activity while at Memphis :
“Going to Beale St .”
2007 NHRA Top Fuel Standings – Countdown To Four
1. Tony Schumacher (5) 2,178 - - -
2. Larry Dixon (2) 2,147 -31
3. ROD FULLER (2) 2,144 -34
4. Brandon Bernstein (5) 2,092 -86
5. Bob Vandergriff, Jr. 2,076 -102
6. J.R. Todd (2) 2,040 -138
7. Doug Herbert (1) 2,032 -146
8. WHIT BAZEMORE 2,020 -158
Rod Fuller’s Career Results at Memphis Motorsports Park
Year Qualified Finish & Winning Driver
1995 DNQ
2005 No. 3 WINNER—def. Tony Schumacher
2006 No. 1 First round*—Bob Vandergriff, Jr.
*broke
Fuller’s Memphis Schedule
Date & Time Event and Location
Wed., Sept. 12 NHRA Press Tour, Little Rock , Ark.
Fri., Sept. 14, 4:30/7 p.m. TF Qualifying 1/2, M.M.P.
Sat., Sept. 15, 12:45/3:15 p.m. TF Qualifying 3/4, M.M.P.
Sun., Sept. 16, 11 a.m. Final Eliminations, M.M.P.
Fuller’s Career-Best Performances
E.T.—4.464 seconds Joliet , Ill. June 2007
MPH—331.61 MPH Chandler , Ariz. Feb. 2007
E.T.—4.575 seconds Memphis , Tenn. Aug. 2006
MPH—318.54 MPH Memphis , Tenn. Aug. 2006
O’Reilly Mid-South TV Schedule (ESPN2)
Date & Time (ET) Coverage
Sun., Sept. 16, Midnight-2 a.m. Qualifying Highlights
Sun., Sept. 16, 11-11:30 a.m. NHRA Race Day
Sun., Sept. 16, 7-10 p.m. Final Eliminations Coverage
The Fuller Times
20th annual O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals Sept. 14-16
Memphis Motorsports Park
Memphis, TN.
“If you had to pick a race on the schedule that I get really excited about, it’s Memphis . It was the site of my first victory, we qualified No. 1 last year, and it’s close to where I grew up. It’s a fun town and they have fun fans at Memphis . You’ve got Beale St. and all the great food and I love hot weather. We expect to win and get our points lead back. It’s nice to have the pressure of Indy behind us and to go race.”
Fuller Memphis Notebook
Two weeks ago at the prestigious U.S. Nationals, Fuller raced his MacAllister CAT dragster to the No. 6 qualifying position with a run of 4.524-seconds. He advanced to the semifinals for the 13th time this season.
Fuller enters the Memphis race ranked third in the NHRA Countdown to Four standings. He trails Tony Schumacher by 34 points. It is the first time since the Topeka , Kan. race on June 3 that Fuller isn’t leading the standings.
Two years ago at Memphis Motorsports Park , Fuller knocked off a tire-smoking Schumacher to collect his first career NHRA Top Fuel victory with a run of 4.612 second at 313.02 mph.
Last August, Fuller earned his second career pole with a pass of 4.575 at 318.54 mph. He paced the Top Fuel field heading into eliminations, but his dragster was shut off at the starting line during a first round match with Bob Vandergriff, Jr.
The Las Vegas racer has two wins ( Phoenix and Denver ) in five final-round appearances this season. He also has four poles ( Atlanta , Norwalk , St. Louis and Reading ). Fuller has an average starting position of 3.39 this year.
Fuller was runner-up in Super Gas at Memphis Motorsports Park in 1998.
Fuller on Memphis …
Memphis :
“ Beale St .”
Memphis Motorsports Park :
“My first Top Fuel win”
Favorite local restaurants:
“Rendezvous”
Favorite Memphis Motorsports Park racing memory:
“Beating (Tony) Schumacher in the final round in ‘05”
Favorite activity while at Memphis :
“Going to Beale St .”
2007 NHRA Top Fuel Standings – Countdown To Four
1. Tony Schumacher (5) 2,178 - - -
2. Larry Dixon (2) 2,147 -31
3. ROD FULLER (2) 2,144 -34
4. Brandon Bernstein (5) 2,092 -86
5. Bob Vandergriff, Jr. 2,076 -102
6. J.R. Todd (2) 2,040 -138
7. Doug Herbert (1) 2,032 -146
8. WHIT BAZEMORE 2,020 -158
Rod Fuller’s Career Results at Memphis Motorsports Park
Year Qualified Finish & Winning Driver
1995 DNQ
2005 No. 3 WINNER—def. Tony Schumacher
2006 No. 1 First round*—Bob Vandergriff, Jr.
*broke
Fuller’s Memphis Schedule
Date & Time Event and Location
Wed., Sept. 12 NHRA Press Tour, Little Rock , Ark.
Fri., Sept. 14, 4:30/7 p.m. TF Qualifying 1/2, M.M.P.
Sat., Sept. 15, 12:45/3:15 p.m. TF Qualifying 3/4, M.M.P.
Sun., Sept. 16, 11 a.m. Final Eliminations, M.M.P.
Fuller’s Career-Best Performances
E.T.—4.464 seconds Joliet , Ill. June 2007
MPH—331.61 MPH Chandler , Ariz. Feb. 2007
E.T.—4.575 seconds Memphis , Tenn. Aug. 2006
MPH—318.54 MPH Memphis , Tenn. Aug. 2006
O’Reilly Mid-South TV Schedule (ESPN2)
Date & Time (ET) Coverage
Sun., Sept. 16, Midnight-2 a.m. Qualifying Highlights
Sun., Sept. 16, 11-11:30 a.m. NHRA Race Day
Sun., Sept. 16, 7-10 p.m. Final Eliminations Coverage
