A timely maternity leave has legendary crew chief Mike Neff back behind the wheel and his sights firmly set on his maiden funny car world title.
Neff, 44, replaced Ashley Force Hood in January in one of John Force Racing’s three funny car entries, after Ashley learned she was pregnant with her first child.
Neff jumped from John Force’s 2010 championship crew chief into Ashley’s car for the season opener in February, and in 11 events he has won four, including the past two, and is a division-best 29-7 on Sundays with two runner-up results.
He leads the standings with 1,005 points, comfortably ahead of Jack Beckman (833) and teammate Robert Hight (786), who is married to Force’s eldest daughter.
“This all started off at the last minute, in January when we found out Ashley was pregnant,” Neff said. “We got off to a great start, and it’s been a lot better than we could have expected.”
In 2007, Neff retired as Gary Scelzi’s longtime crew chief to join John Force Racing (JFR) as the team’s fourth driver. In 2010, Neff left the driver’s seat to become crew chief for John Force, helping the NHRA’s all-time winningest driver to a record-extending 15th funny car world title.
This year, Neff also is serving as crew chief for the car he drives.
“It is easier,” he said of the duel duties. “Just one less person involved. Not that the driver causes any grief, but it’s one less thing to have to explain. It’s helpful for me doing both because I have a good understanding of what we’re trying to accomplish. There is no guesswork for me.”
JFR has won a combined nine times at Bandimere, including Hight’s final-round victory over Force a year ago.
Sarge struggling.
Seven-time top fuel champion Tony “The Sarge” Schumacher is looking for his first event win of the season to snap a 12-race drought since the final race of last season. The 67-time winner finished second in the standings last year after winning the previous six titles.
He is fifth in the current points with a 17-11 elimination-round record.
Schumacher stayed at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill., after losing in the first round at the July 10 finals of that race, and he turned in some solid runs.
“We worked on a laundry list of things and posted some good numbers,” he said. “It’s time for us to stand up and be counted in this Countdown to the Championship.”
32nd Mopar Mile-High Nationals
What: 12th of 22 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
When: Through Sunday
Where: Bandimere Speedway, Morrison
Defending champions: Doug Kalitta (top fuel), Robert Hight (funny car), Allen Johnson (pro stock) and Andrew Hines ( motorcycle)
Qualifying: Today, 4:45 and 7:15 p.m.; Saturday, 1:45 and 4:15 p.m.
Eliminations: Sunday, 11 a.m.
Television: Saturday ESPN2, 5-7 p.m. (tape delayed); Sunday; 5-8 p.m. (tape delayed)
Tickets: Call 1-800-664-UWIN or visit or
TRACK RECORDS:
Top fuel — 3.862 seconds by Antron Brown, July 2009; 318.39 mph by Brown, July 2009
Funny car — 4.121 seconds by Ron Capps, July 2009; 303.37 mph by Jack Beckman, July 2009
Pro stock — 6.957 seconds by Mike Edwards, July 2009; 198.64 mph by Allen Johnson, July 2010
Pro stock motorcycle — 7.238 seconds by Michael Phillips, July 2010; 186.54 mph by Ryan Schnitz, July 2005
POINTS STANDINGS
Top fuel 1. Del Worsham 1,003
2. Spencer Massey 872
3. Larry Dixon 867
4. Antron Brown 809
5. Tony Schumacher 764
Funny car
1. Mike Neff 1,005
2. Jack Beckman 833
3. Robert Hight 786
4. Cruz Pedregon 742
Pro stock 1. Jason Line 858
2. Greg Anderson 804
3. Mike Edwards 781
4. Vincent Nobile 765
Pro stock motorcycle 1. Eddie Krawiec 485
2. Karen Stoffer 479
3. Matt Smith 424
4. Andrew Hines 401
(tie) LE Tonglet 401
Local tracks
Race or watch
The following Front Range motorsports venues are located within 50 miles of Denver:
Bandimere Speedway ( 1/4-mile drag strip, Morrison), 303-697-6001 or
Colorado National Speedway ( 3/8-mile paved oval, Dacono), 303-665-4173 or
I-76 Speedway ( 1/4-mile dirt track, Fort Morgan), 970-867-2101 or
Thunder Valley (motocross park, Lakewood), 303-697-1003 or
Watkins Motocross (motocross park, Watkins), 303-341-6309 or
This week’s races
INDYCAR Edmonton Indy
Site: Edmonton, Alberta; TV: Noon Sunday, Versus
NASCAR Nationwide Series Federated Auto Parts 300
Site: Gladeville, Tenn.; TV: 5 p.m. Saturday, ESPN
CAMPING WORLD TRUCKS Lucas Deep Clean 200
Site: Gladeville, Tenn.; TV: 6 p.m. Friday, Speed
On the move: allen Johnson
Mile-High star
The NHRA pro stock driver has appeared in the finals at Bandimere the past four years, winning in 2008, 2009 and 2010. By doing the math, that’s a 15-1 elimination-round record since 2008. “We’ve tested for years here — just hard, hard, hard to try to develop a combination,” Johnson said at Thursday’s kickoff luncheon. “We’ve extended the funds it took to do that, to develop that combination, and we’ve been able to keep it for a few years now. . . . We feel confident coming in here. Can we come here every week?”
Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
Spotlight: Jalen and Jordan Dyer
Successful siblings
Brothers Jalen, 16, and Jordan, 13, of Denver are drag racers who won their divisions at last weekend’s NHRA Mopar Junior Drag Racing Series Western Conference Finals at Bandimere Speedway. According to their father, Mike, his sons are the first brother combination to win a major NHRA junior dragster event on the same weekend.
