Force looking for victory No. 110;

Funny Car, Pro Stock Bike titles up for grabs as

NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series heads to Las Vegas

John Force, a 12-time NHRA Funny Car world champion and one of the most popular drivers in the history of organized drag racing, is headed to the third annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on a hot streak.  Force defeated Dean Skuza in the Funny Car final to the tune of 5.013-sec./317.68 mph at the last weekend¿s O¿Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Fall Nationals in Texas.  The victory was No. 109 of Force¿s career and his third of the season.

Meanwhile, Force¿s teammate, Tony Pedregon, added 20 points to his lead in the hotly-contested 2003 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car championship fight.  Whit Bazemore is second to Pedregon, trailing by 94 points.  Force is third, 221 points behind Pedregon.

Geno Scali holds a 151-point lead over Shawn Gann in the Pro Stock Bike category with just two races remaining.

Larry Dixon (Top Fuel Dragster) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) clinched 2003 season championships in Texas last weekend, which will allow them to ¿let it all hang out¿ when they compete in Las Vegas Oct. 23-26.

The weekend begins with a free NHRA autograph session at The ESPN Zone restaurant at the New York New York Hotel & Casino on Thursday, Oct. 23, from 8-9 p.m.  Drivers and riders scheduled to appear include Reggie Showers, Frank Pedregon, Del Worsham, Phil Burkart, Arnie Karp, David Baca, Doug Herbert, Jim Yates, Mark Whisnant and Tommy Johnson Jr.

Tickets for the third annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals may be purchased online at LVMS.com, at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway ticket office at 7000 Las Vegas Blvd. No. or by phone at (702) 644-4444.