Schumacher Takes Away the Intrigue

Tony Schumacher clinched his first Winston Drag Racing top fuel championship Saturday when he qualified No. 2 for today’s Auto Club NHRA Finals at the Pomona Fairplex. All he needed was to make the 16-car field to dethrone two-time champion Gary Scelzi, the top qualifier.

John Force clinched his ninth funny car championship and Warren Johnson his fifth in pro stock last month in Dallas.

So what is left for championship contention today?

How about pro stock motorcyles, matching a woman from New Orleans who weighs barely 100 pounds against the son of one of the most successful motorcycle racing teams in history, who is looking for his third consecutive title?

Angelle Seeling, 29, who has been riding motorcycles since she was 6, holds a precarious 14-point lead over Matt Hines, 27, going into today’s final round.

Hines qualified first at a track record 7.198 seconds elapsed time, and Seeling third at 7.247, so if they meet, it will be in the final round with $30,000, next year’s No. 1 plates and bragging rights at stake. Both ride Suzukis.

After 14 events, the points are so close that if they meet in the finals, the winner will be champion. Or, if they both lose in the same earlier round, Seeling will become the second woman to win an NHRA pro category, joining Shirley Muldowney.

Muldowney, who limits most of her competition these days to match racing, won the top fuel championship in 1977, 1980 and 1982.

“I think it would be perfect in the year 2000--the new millennium--to have a No. 1 on the side of an NHRA drag racing vehicle driven by a woman,” Seeling said. “I have a lot of respect for what Shirley Muldowney did for the sport and the women in it. It would be a perfect start to a new century of drag racing.

“It’s been such a long and tough battle with Matt, if I’m lucky enough to leave Pomona with the Winston championship, I’m really going to enjoy it. If I win and they come at me with that bottle of champagne, I’m going to have to lie on the ground because I’ll be so overcome.”

Seeling and Hines have met three times this year, all in final rounds, and Seeling holds a 2-1 edge.

Hines’ father, Byron, is his crew chief and a business partner of Terry Vance in the Vance & Hines racing enterprises. Vance won 24 NHRA motorcycle events.

Other top qualifiers are Scelzi in top fuel, Ron Capps in funny car, Troy Coughlin in pro stock and Bob Panella in pro stock truck.

Drag Racing Notes

All 10 spectators who were transported to area hospitals following an explosion in Doug Herbert’s top fuel dragster Friday at Pomona Fairplex during the Auto Club NHRA Finals were treated and released, reported NHRA track emergency services officials.

Auto Club

NHRA Finals Facts

* When: Today, final eliminations, 11 a.m. (ESPN2, noon).

* Where: Pomona Raceway, Pomona Fairplex.

* Last year: Chuck Etchells won in the funny car division, Kenny Bernstein won in top fuel, Richie Stevens in pro stock, Matt Hines in pro stock motorcycles and Brad Jeter in pro stock trucks.