TAKE FIVE: NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

Tuesday, April 4, 2006 | 7:16 a.m.

WHERE: The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

WHEN: Friday through Sunday (Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock sessions)

TICKETS: 644-4444

1. On the line

Nearly $2 million in prize money and some really cool trophies - called "Wallys" after National Hot Rod Association founder Wally Parks - will be up for grabs at the seventh annual NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals, the fifth of 23 national events in the $50 million NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series.

Melanie Troxel (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) sit atop the points standings in their respective classes coming into the Las Vegas race.

2. Been there, done that

Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Whit Bazemore (Funny Car) and Dave Connolly (Pro Stock) are the defending champions of the SummitRacing.com Nationals in the three featured pro classes.

Dixon, a two-time Top Fuel world champion, has advanced to the final round in the spring race at The Strip each of the past four years.

3. Local knowledge

Top Fuel driver Rod Fuller is the only Las Vegas resident competing in one of the pro nitro classes. A two-time national event winner, Fuller comes into this weekend's race ranked third in Top Fuel points after four events with a decided home-field advantage.

"Familiarity is so big in this sport," Fuller said. "I'll be sleeping in my own bed at my own house instead of a hotel room, eating hotel food. Best of all, my crew chief (Lee Beard) won the spring race at LVMS last year (with Bazemore), so that's also a huge advantage."

4. Lady first

Troxel comes to Las Vegas as the hottest driver in the Top Fuel category. Troxel has advanced to the final round at each of the first four events of the season, has recorded one victory and holds a 128-point lead in the NHRA Powerade standings.

"It's kind of early in the year to talk about championship points but, at the same time, it's my goal to have a shot at the championship," Troxel said. "Every race is important; these are just as important as the races late in the year."

5. Did you know?

Warren Johnson, Pro Stock's all-time winningest driver with 96 victories, is winless in his career at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The Strip remains the only track on the NHRA circuit where Johnson has failed to win.