The Fuller Times The prerace release of seven-time NHRA Top Fuel winner Rod Fuller and the Caterpillar Top Fuel team Contact: Ted Yerzyk, (317) 852-6363 o, or (760) 207-9767 c ted@davidpowersmotorsports.com 20th annual O’Reilly Summer Nationals May 30-June 1, 2008 Heartland Park Topeka Topeka, Kan. Rod Fuller on Topeka “This is a big race for our team. We need to go some rounds. The points are bunched up and we’d like to separate ourselves, but more importantly we want to put on a good show for our three CAT dealers. Topeka is the one track I’ve never won a round at in Top Fuel. I want to get that monkey off our back and turn things around at Heartland Park.” Rob Flynn (crew chief) on Topeka “We’re looking forward to representing the three CAT dealers, Martin, Foley and Warren, at Topeka. After the last event at Bristol (Tenn.), we feel we have a good race car. We want to get back on track of winning rounds.” Rod Fuller Topeka NHRA Notebook Two weeks ago at Bristol Dragway, Fuller qualified his Caterpillar dragster ninth with a run of 4.584 seconds. He was defeated in the opening round by J.R. Todd when the Caterpillar dragster suffered a mechanical malfunction and slowed to a run of 4.635 seconds. It was Fuller’s third opening-round loss of the season. Fuller enters the ninth race on the 24-race schedule ranked fourth in the Top Fuel standings. Fuller’s teammate, Antron Brown, ranks second. Fuller won his seventh career Top Fuel race when he won at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis in early May. Heartland Park Topeka remains the only track on tour where Fuller has yet to advance passed the first round of eliminations. In three tries at the Topeka track, Fuller has lost to perennial title contender Doug Kalitta in the opening round twice. Last season, Fuller qualified fourth, 4.566 at 324.51, and lost a close match to Kalitta in round one, 4.549 to 4.581. Fuller has qualified for 69 consecutive NHRA Top Fuel events. The last time he failed to make the cut was at the Houston race in 1996 when he was driving the Montana Express dragster on a part time schedule. Fuller has the second longest qualifying streak in Top Fuel (Tony Schumacher) and has an average starting position of 8.7 in three races at Heartland Park. Fuller has 13 career NHRA sportsmen victories in the Super Comp (seven) and Super Gas (six) categories. He is a three-time sportsmen winner at Heartland Park. He won Super Gas in 1998 and ‘99, and Super Comp in 2004. Fuller’s father, Bob, and brother, Tony, also will be competing at the Topeka race in the sportsmen categories. 2008 NHRA Top Fuel Standings 1. Tony Schumacher (3) 726 - - - 2. ANTRON BROWN (2) 595 -131 3. Larry Dixon (1) 561 -165 4. ROD FULLER (1) 466 -260 5. Hillary Will 455 -271 6. Cory McClenathan (1) 450 -276 7. Brandon Bernstein 427 -299 8. Doug Kalitta 384 -342 9. David Grubnic 360 -366 10. Doug Herbert 343 -383 11. Morgan Lucas 296 -430 Rod Fuller’s Career Results at Heartland Park Topeka Year Qualified Finish & Winning Driver 2005 No. 8 First round—Doug Herbert 2006 No. 14 First round—Doug Kalitta 2007 No. 4 First round—Doug Kalitta Fuller’s Topeka Schedule Date & Time Event and Location Fri., May 30, 4:30/7 p.m. TF Qualifying 1/2, Heartland Park Sat., May 31, Noon/2:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 3/4, Heartland Park Sun., June 1, 11 a.m. Final Eliminations, Heartland Park Fuller’s Career-Best Performances E.T.—4.464 seconds Joliet, Ill. June 2007 MPH—331.61 mph Chandler, Ariz. Feb. 2007 Fuller’s Career-Best at Heartland Park E.T.—4.566 seconds Topeka, Kan. June 2007 MPH—323.19 mph Topeka, Kan. June 2007 O’Reilly Summer Nationals TV Schedule (ESPN2) Date & Time (ET) Coverage Sat., May 31, 5:30-8 p.m. Qualifying Highlights Sun., June 1 11-11:30 a.m. NHRA Race Day Sun., June 1, 4-7 p.m. Final Eliminations Coverage www.cat.com/dealercareers www.davidpowersmotorsports.com