In addition to Tom McEwen's
victory at the '78 U.S. Nationals, Jim Epler
is the only other driver to win the Funny Car
category in a Chevrolet. Epler won the 2000
eliminator by defeating Whit Bazemore in an
all-Camaro final round. (Jeff Burk photo)
- Although Chevrolet's Ron Capps has never
won the race for the points on Monday, the 38-year-old
Californian is a three-time winner (1998-99,
'02), and defending champion of the Budweiser
Shootout special-bonus event for Funny Cars.
Capps has collected a hefty $310,000 in prize
money in his five Bud Shootout appearances,
all behind the wheel of a nitro-powered Chevrolet.
- Current Chevy Cavalier drivers who have previously
won the U.S. Nationals in Pro Stock include
Jeg Coughlin Jr. (2000, '02) and Kurt Johnson
(1996-97).
- Current Chevrolet Pro Stock drivers who have
previously been runner-up at the U.S. Nationals
include Ron Krisher (2000) and V. Gaines (1997).
- Ron Krisher was the No. 1 qualifier for last
year's race in a Chevrolet Cavalier setting
an IRP track-record elapsed time and speed with
a run of 6.819 seconds at 201.31 mph.
- Kurt Johnson was also the No. 1 qualifier
for the U.S. Nationals in 1997.
- Jeg Coughlin's win at Sonoma, Calif., on
Aug. 3 was Chevrolet's 116th all-time NHRA Pro
Stock victory and Chevy Cavalier's 29th all-time
win in NHRA Pro Stock competition.
- Seven GM racers currently occupy a spot in
the top-10 of the Pro Stock standings. Pontiac's
Greg Anderson leads the title race with 1,454
points, Chevrolet's Kurt Johnson is in second
place with 1,296 points, Jeg Coughlin is in
third place in a Cavalier with 1,057 points
and Warren Johnson is in fourth place in a Grand
Am with 1,012 points. Ron Krisher (Chevrolet)
is sixth with 723 points, Mike Edwards (Pontiac)
is seventh with 682 and Bruce Allen (Pontiac)
is ninth with 589.
- Last year's U.S. Nationals Pro Stock qualifying
field was separated by .052 (thousandths) of
a second.
- ACDelco Chevrolet driver Kurt Johnson has
advanced to the second round of eliminations
at 22 consecutive races, a long and impressive
streak that began at last season's NHRA Nationals
in Reading, Pa., on Sept. 15, 2002. Chevrolet's
Jeg Coughlin has the second-longest streak at
11 races.
- Coughlin can win his 250th round as a Pro
Stock competitor by advancing to the third round
of eliminations on Monday.
- Only three Pro Stock drivers have qualified
for every race this season. They are Chevrolet's
Kurt Johnson and Jeg Coughlin Jr., and Pontiac's
Greg Anderson.
- Coughlin holds the longest consecutive-qualifying
streak in Pro Stock at 29 straight races. Coughlin's
last DNQ came at the Route 66 Nationals in Joliet,
Ill., on June 1, 2002.
- In 2003, Chevy Cavalier drivers have combined
for six national-event victories and 13 final-round
appearances.
- Chevrolet national-event winners in Pro Stock
this year include Kurt Johnson (Gainesville,
Fla., Houston, Bristol, Tenn., Chicago), Ron
Krisher (St. Louis) and Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Sonoma,
Calif.)
- Chevrolet runners-up in Pro Stock this year
include Troy Coughlin (Phoenix), Jeg Coughlin
Jr. (Gainesville, Fla., Chicago, Denver) and
Kurt Johnson (Las Vegas, Topeka, Kan., Brainerd,
Minn.).
- Kurt Johnson's low qualifying effort at Brainerd,
Minn., was Chevrolet's first in Pro Stock in
2003. Johnson has now registered at least one
No. 1 qualifying effort every year since 1994.
His current Pro Stock low-qualifying streak
is second only to Warren Johnson in longevity.
- Chevrolet has won 15 NHRA Manufacturer's
Championships, the most of any automobile manufacturer
in the history of the sport including last season's
2002 NHRA title. Chevrolet also won last year's
NHRA Pro Stock driver's championship with Jeg
Coughlin Jr. behind the wheel of a Chevy Cavalier.
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