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2024 14th Annual FABO NHRA "Pick 'Em" Game - It's NITRO Burnin' Time Again!!!

ocdart

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Are you ready to get your 2024 Nitro fix!
The season-opening event of the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Series is scheduled for March 7-10 so it's time for the "official" 2023 NHRA "Pick 'Em" Game thread to get started. Let's get more players than last year and get this game going again!
Believe it or not, this is the fourteenth year we're doing this.
Pro qualifying for the 2024 NHRA season opening Gatornationals gets underway on Friday, March 8.

No changes to the rules from the last few years as the little change in 2018 proved to be pretty good. Here they are for any new players. Returning players should check them out also just as a reminder.

Rules for the 14th Annual FABO NHRA Pick 'Em for 2024:
Your picks must be posted to this thread before the scheduled start of Pro qualifying on the Friday of each event in order to be eligible for all bonus points awarded during the event. No exceptions. For the 2024 season-opening Gatornationals, this is Friday, March 8. Pro Stock qualifying starts at 2:00pm EST (11:00am PST).

Classes:
* Top Fuel
* Funny Car
* Pro Stock
* Pro Stock Motorcycle
* Highest total point accumulation from all classes at the end of the season is the winner
* Pick one driver/car for each class for each National Event

You must post your picks to FABO no later than the scheduled start of Pro qualifying on Friday of the event weekend. Picks posted after the scheduled start of Pro qualifying on Friday will not be eligible for any bonus points awarded during the event; picks posted after the scheduled start of Pro qualifying on Friday will only earn points for Sunday race elimination rounds.
You can also "lock" your picks in for the entire season if you wish. Just post that you want them "locked". You can always "unlock" them to make a change by posting your changes in this thread. Your revised picks will then be "locked" until you make future changes.

All of us get busy from time to time, our computers may break down, or we just forget to post our picks. So, in an effort to keep everyone in the game for the "regular season", if you don't get your picks posted before the first round of Pro Qualifying for any "regular season" race after the Gatornationals I will use your picks from the previous race event. That's the benefit - you will be guaranteed to have picks for elimination rounds. The penalty is, your picks will not be eligible for event bonus points.
As said before, you still have the option of "locking in" your picks for the entire season if you think you may have trouble getting your picks posted sometime during the season. Think of it as no-cost insurance.
Your picks will be eligible for event bonus points if you "lock" them in, but not if you just forget to post them or can't post event picks for whatever reason.
This "pick carry over" feature is only in effect for the "regular season". It will not be in effect for the six-event "Countdown to the Championship" at the end of the season.

You can review the event class entry list and the event schedule on www.nhra.com. Make sure you take into account the time difference between the event location and where you are so you get your picks posted on time.

* 10 points awarded for each round won during final eliminations (40 points max. per event)

* Bonus Points:
Bonus points awarded each event based on your selected drivers final qualification position as determined by NHRA
# 1 Qualifier = 8 points
# 2 Qualifier = 7.5 points
# 3 Qualifier = 7 points
# 4 Qualifier = 6.5 points
# 5 Qualifier = 6 points
# 6 Qualifier = 5.5 points
# 7 Qualifier = 5 points
# 8 Qualifier = 4.5 points
# 9 Qualifier = 4 points
#10 Qualifier = 3.5 points
#11 Qualifier = 3 points
#12 Qualifier = 2.5 points
#13 Qualifier = 2 points
#14 Qualifier = 1.5 points
#15 Qualifier = 1 point
#16 Qualifier = 0.5 point

5 Bonus Points awarded per class to the driver posting the quickest elapsed time or fastest speed per event during either qualifying or eliminations

15 Bonus Points awarded per class to any driver establishing a new national record elapsed time or speed during an event (no longer must be backed up within 1% per revised NHRA rules)

Each professional class has an 88-point potential per event if your selected driver qualifies in the #1 position, wins the event, has the quickest elapsed time and fastest speed, and sets both ends of the national record for the class during the event. 352 points max. per event with all four professional classes; 264 points max. per event that do not include either Pro Stock or Pro Stock Motorcycle.

If your selected driver fails to qualify for an event, you receive 0 points for that class.

Like prior years, there will be special rules regarding round-win points for both Four-Wide events. Yes, BOTH. The NHRA 4-Wide Las Vegas event (April 12-14) and the Circle K NHRA 4-Wide event at Z-Max Dragway in Charlotte, NC, (April 26-28). I will post up the special rules prior to the Las Vegas event.

Also like prior years, the points will be re-set following the U.S. Nationals on Labor Day weekend, prior to the start of the 6-event "Countdown to the Championship".

And just like the past couple of years, we're going to follow what NHRA is doing with increased points for both the U.S. Nationals and the Finals. Round win points for both of those events will be 15 rather than 10. This should make for an exciting finish to the season just like last year.


So post up your picks on this thread. Here we go. Light 'em up and let's burn some more nitro!
 
Weird still having the Gators being the 1st race
March 7th to 11th

I'm in,
wonder what more team & driver changes before then still ?

Pick em' game & thanks to @ocdart for putting it on

I just printed up the NHRA schedule for 2024

good luck everyone
 
Why end my misery now? Basement Dave is in.

Thanks oc!
 
FYI - here's the lineup for the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout to be run during qualifying at the 2024 season-opening Gatornationals on Saturday, March 9:

* #1 seed - Steve Torrence
* #2 - Doug Kalitta
* #3 - Brittany Force
* #4 - Mike Salinas
* #5 - Justin Ashley
* #6 - Leah Pruett
* #7 - Antron Brown
* #8 - Shawn Langdon

Shawn Langdon moved in to the #8 seed since Austin Prock moved over to the Funny Car class in 2024.
Something new this year? The driver making the quickest winning run in Round 1 of the Callout gets to pick his opponent for the semifinal round, locking in the other semifinal matchup as well.
 
Final qualification times from the 2024 PRO Superstar Shootout at Bradenton Motorsports Park, FL:

Top Fuel (8 car field)
3.669 @ 335.57 Clay Millican
3.672 @ 333.49 Doug Kalitta
3.688 @ 328.86 Mike Salinas
3.694 @ 326.95 Antron Brown
3.696 @ 330.96 Tony Schumacher
3.706 @ 333.91 Shawn Langdon
3.713 @ 326.87 Justin Ashley
3.720 @ 329.99 Leah Pruett
DNQ: Steve Torrence, Billy Torrence, Brittany Force, Josh Hart

Funny Car (8 car field)
3.825 @ 337.41 Austin Prock
3.840 @ 341.68 Bob Tasca III
3.849 @ 332.59 John Force
3.868 @ 330.31 J.R. Todd
3.877 @ 331.36 Paul Lee
3.880 @ 329.10 Matt Hagan
3.893 @ 330.80 Alexis DeJoria
3.903 @ 326.71 Cruz Pedregon
DNQ: Chad Green, Daniel Wilkerson, Blake Alexander, Ron Capps, Dave Richards

Pro Stock (16 car field)
6.505 @ 210.21 Erica Enders
6.507 @ 210.97 Dallas Glenn
6.514 @ 211.10 Cristian Cuadra
6.515 @ 211.66 Jerry Tucker
6.519 @ 211.69 Bo Butner III
6.523 @ 211.49 Aaron Stanfield
6.523 @ 210.37 Jeg Coughlin
6.526 @ 210.47 Fernando Cuadra Jr.
6.536 @ 209.69 Matt Hartford
6.544 @ 210.64 Chris McGaha
6.546 @ 208.71 Dave Connolly
6.550 @ 210.87 David Cuadra
6.551 @ 211.86 Troy Coughlin Jr.
6.556 @ 206.62 Eric Latino
6.558 @ 205.84 Greg Anderson
6.573 @ 209.82 Camrie Caruso
DNQ: Deric Kramer, Mason McGaha

Our "Pick 'Em" game starts with the 2024 NHRA season opening Gatornationals, March 7-10, in Gainesville, FL.
Don't miss out!
 
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Event winners from the 2024 PRO Superstar Shootout at Bradenton Motorsports Park, FL:

Top Fuel (8 car field)
* Doug Kalitta, 3.706 @ 335.14, beat Clay Millican who lifter early on the way to a 4.220 ET

Funny Car (8 car field)
Austin Prock, 3.845 @ 332.42, beat Matt Hagan, 3.872 @ 329.75

Pro Stock (16 car field)
Erica Enders, 6.531 @ 210.05, beat Dave Connolly, 6.577 @ 208.81


Our "Pick 'Em" game starts with the 2024 NHRA season opening Gatornationals, March 7-10, in Gainesville, FL.
Don't miss out!
 
I'm going to try my luck this year. Been going to the drags since back in the 70s when I started going to the nationals in Indy.
 
Welcome to the group, Dan! I'm the one in the far back.
 
I'm looking forward to it.
Thanks guys
 
Here's a cool side story about going to the drags. I have gone to the nationals in Indy almost every year since back in the 70s, and when I moved to ATL in 88 I continued and was also going to the southern nationals here as well until they sold the track*. Starting around 2010 a buddy of mine from IL and I have been going to different tracks all over the country to catch a national event. Since I worked for the big airline in ATL I would fly in (free flight benefits) and he would ride his Harley and we would meet up for the weekend. Since I worked for the airline I became a quality assurance manager that traveled all over the world as a rep overseeing our outsourced maintenance, so I was able to reap the benefits of hotel points and rental car points for several years. I used the points to bankroll our trips wherever we went. Covid shut us down for a couple of years and now my buddy is having some health issues so he has been out of commission for a while, but I continue to go. I am trying to make all of the tracks if possible, and have a real good start on it. There are 2 places I missed and are gone now, Englishtown and Kansas. Here's the ones I have left that I'm hoping to make:
Gators (I'm south of ATL and haven't made it there yet !!!)
Vegas
Sonoma
Seattle

I'm not going to make the Gators this year, but have my eye on Vegas maybe. Even though I'm retired I still have flight benefits.
Something else cool was coming home from the races, usually on a Mon, I would see Allen Johnson on the flight back into ATL on his way home usually with his wife and talked with him a few times.

* The track for the Southern nationals (Commerce) was close to where they started a new plant to make batteries for EVs which employs a bunch of people, and real-estate prices went sky high. So the NHRA being the owner of the track saw dollar signs and just up and sold out.
 
Hey all -
Here's some corrected information learned from Brian Lohnes podcast discussion this week with Leah Pruett:
Since Leah qualified for the 2024 Pep Boys Top Fuel Callout that will be run at the upcoming Gatornationals, she announced that both she and Tony Stewart are entered as participants
in the Top Fuel field.
Two Top Fuel cars to be prepped and maintained with only one crew! Both cars are currently built with the exact same parts and engine combination.
Leah explained the current plan is for Tony to run Q1 and Q2 on Friday and, hopefully, qualify toward the top of the ladder on Friday.
They would then put Tony's car in the hauler and bring hers out for the Callout that will be run prior to Q3 and Q4 on Saturday.
If she wins Callout round one, the crew will prep her car for Callout round two.
If she should lose Callout round one, her car will go back in the hauler and Tony's car will come back out to run Q4.
If Leah should go all three rounds and win the Callout then she will probably be qualified in the Top Fuel field for Sunday eliminations. and both cars will need to be prepped for Sunday.

If Tony is not qualified toward the top of the Top Fuel field after Q2 on Friday, they will have to make a decision as to if Leah will run the Callout or if Tony's car will be in Q3.

Wouldn't you love to see both Tony and Leah qualify for Sunday? And then have both cars win round 1 of eliminations and need to be prepped for round 2 by a single crew? It's going to be interesting and possibly very wild to watch.

If you haven't already, don't forget to post your driver picks before Q1 that is scheduled for 2:00pm EST (11:00am PST) on Friday, March 8.
 
Question I have? I noticed in the rules it says I have to post my picks on FABO. Is this correct?
I'm already a member there trying to sell some stuff earlier so it is no problem. Just wondering.
 
Question I have? I noticed in the rules it says I have to post my picks on FABO. Is this correct?
I'm already a member there trying to sell some stuff earlier so it is no problem. Just wondering.

Dan -
No, you can post your picks to FBBO. I routinely check both sites.
The rules should have read, "
You must post your picks to FABO or FBBO no later than the scheduled start of Pro qualifying on Friday of the event weekend."
I'll update the rules before the 2025 game the site won't allow me to update Post #1 this year.
Sorry for any confusion.
 
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Hey all -
Here's some corrected information learned from Brian Lohnes podcast discussion this week with Leah Pruett:
Since Leah qualified for the 2024 Pep Boys Top Fuel Callout that will be run at the upcoming Gatornationals, she announced that both she and Tony Stewart are entered as participants
in the Top Fuel field.
Two Top Fuel cars to be prepped and maintained with only one crew! Both cars are currently built with the exact same parts and engine combination.
Leah explained the current plan is for Tony to run Q1 and Q2 on Friday and, hopefully, qualify toward the top of the ladder on Friday.
They would then put Tony's car in the hauler and bring hers out for the Callout that will be run prior to Q3 and Q4 on Saturday.
If she wins Callout round one, the crew will prep her car for Callout round two.
If she should lose Callout round one, her car will go back in the hauler and Tony's car will come back out to run Q4.
If Leah should go all three rounds and win the Callout then she will probably be qualified in the Top Fuel field for Sunday eliminations. and both cars will need to be prepped for Sunday.

If Tony is not qualified toward the top of the Top Fuel field after Q2 on Friday, they will have to make a decision as to if Leah will run the Callout or if Tony's car will be in Q3.

Wouldn't you love to see both Tony and Leah qualify for Sunday? And then have both cars win round 1 of eliminations and need to be prepped for round 2 by a single crew? It's going to be interesting and possibly very wild to watch.

If you haven't already, don't forget to post your driver picks before Q1 that is scheduled for 2:00pm EST (11:00am PST) on Friday, March 8.
so she may still run
interesting
 
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