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I was at the Indy Nationals in 69 and 70. Mickey Thompson was running a funny car then. One of those years I was in the pits behind the lights near the front of the staging lanes.

There was a lull in the action and Funny Cars were getting ready to qualify. Mickey went walking on the track near the Christmas Tree to check track conditions and people were happy to see him out in the open. Those were the days when you mixed nitro and gas. I don't know it they still do that.

People were yelling at him to put pure nitro in his car (or as pure as it comes). They were yelling "Put the label in the tank, Mickey"! And he was smiling and waving to the crowd, a big favorite with the fans.

Racing Las Vegas Pre-Race
Thursday, 06 April 2006
TEAM CASTROL/JOHN FORCE RACING
Pre-Race

Event: 7th annual Summitracing.com Nationals, fifth of 23 events in the 2006 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
Site: The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Dates: April 7-9, 2006

Track Records:

Funny Car – 4.746 seconds by Gary Scelzi, Oct., 2005; 328.22 mph by Del Worsham, Oct., 2004.

Top Fuel – 4.472 seconds by Scott Kalitta, April, 2004; 335.57 mph by Doug Kalitta, April, 2004.

Pro Stock – 6.775 seconds by Jason Line, Oct., 2004; 203.09 mph by Greg Anderson, Oct., 2004.

Top Alcohol Dragster – 5.367 seconds, 269.29 mph by Morgan Lucas, April 2003.

John Force Racing Team History at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

Victories – 4. One by John Force for Castrol GTX (fall race in 2002); two by Tony Pedregon for Castrol SYNTEC (spring and fall races in 2003); fall race in 2000; one by Gary Densham for the Auto Club of Southern California (spring race in 2002).

Current points:

NHRA POWERade Series:

FUNNY CAR – 1. Ron Capps, 395; 2. John Force, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, 327; 3. Robert Hight, Team Castrol/Automobile Club of Southern California Ford Mustang, 258; 4. Phil Burkart Jr., 249; 5. Eric Medlen, Castrol SYNTEC Ford Mustang, 221; 6. Tommy Johnson, 214; 7. Del Worsham, 213; 8. Bob Gilbertson, 205; 9. Tony Pedregon, 174; 10. Cruz Pedregon, 171.

Skoal Showdown (top eight drivers will compete for a $100,000 top prize on Sept. 3, 2006, at Indianpolis):

FUNNY CAR – 1. John Force, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, 1,380; 2. Eric Medlen, Castrol SYNTEC Ford Mustang, 1,285; 3. Robert Hight, Team Castrol/Automobile Club of Southern California Ford Mustang, 1,235; 4. Gary Scelzi, Oakley Dodge, 1,215; 5. Tommy Johnson Jr., Skoal Chevrolet, 1,210; 6. Tony Pedregon, Quaker State Chevrolet, 1,185; 7. Ron Capps, Brut Dodge, 1,175; 8. Del Worsham, CSK Chevrolet, 1,145; 9. Whit Bazemore, Matco Dodge, 1,120; 10. Gary Densham, Racebricks Chevrolet, 950.

Full-Throttle Pit Crew Challenge:

FUNNY CAR – 1. Castrol GTX Ford Mustang (John Force), Austin Coil/Bernie Fedderly, 166; 2. CSK Chevrolet (Del Worsham), Chuck Worsham, 129; 3. Matco Tools Dodge (Whit Bazemore), Brian Corradi, 128; 4. CSK Chevrolet (Phil Burkart Jr.), Chris Cunningham/Mark Denner, 127; 5. Brut Dodge (Ron Capps), Ed McCulloch, 126.

NHRA Lucas Sportsman Series:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER – 1. Aaron Olivarez, 307; 2. Ashley Force, Castrol Dragster, 265; 3. Steve Torrence, 234; 4. Tie, Randy Meyer and Duane Shields, 202 each; 6. Arthur Gallant, 191; 7. Tie, Chris Demke and Bill Reichert, 170 each; 9. Sean O’Bannon, 160; 10. Spencer Massey, 159.

Television (all on ESPN2):

Saturday, April 8 – Qualifying highlights, 8-10 pm (ET).

Sunday, April 9 – NHRA 2Day, 11:30 am (ET); Pro racing highlights, 7-10 pm (ET).

Tuesday, April 11 – Repeat race highlights, 2:30-4:30 am (ET).

Sunday, April 16 – Sportsman highlights, 12 noo-1 pm (ET).

Thursday, April 27 – Repeat sportsman highlights, 2-3 am (ET)