State Of The Class Address: Pro Extreme

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One month, two races and eight places up for grabs.That’s what the 2010 ADRL season has come down to after a season filled with world records, runs of dominance and spectacular racing.With only two races before the LenMar Motorsports World Finals VI in October, it’s a perfect time to take a look at each of the ADRL classes and how they stack up heading into “The Battle For The Belts.”Call it the State of the Class Address or call it whatever you like. Either way, these final two races before the world finals - Simpson Dragstock VII at Rockingham Dragway (Sept. 10-11) and the Summit Racing Equipment Ohio Drags IV (Sept. 24-25) - present golden opportunities for drivers to make one final move.It’s the stretch run before one last race decides who are the best drivers in the world.Here’s a glimpse of what’s in store for what surely will be a wild finish. TODAY: Pro ExtremeHOW IT GOT HEREWith only 34 points separating the top three drivers, it’s perhaps the best way to show just how close this loaded class has been this year.Joshua Hernandez leads and has two wins this year, but is by no means the overwhelming favorite, mostly of because who is close behind.Alex Hossler is right behind - and has two wins as well - but, well, he’s not the overwhelming favorite, either.Actually, nobody can be considered such, which is why just getting into the top eight is reason enough to be considered at least somewhat of a favorite.Considering all that is at stake in such a talented field, it might also be wise to predict the eventual victor will be an experienced driver who will know how to handle themselves in pressure situations. But KH Al-Thani has proven impressive in every pressure situation in his still young and burgeoning racing career. He’s already won twice in just six ADRL events, and he talked calmly after his win at the Hardee’s Independence Drags IV about how well he races under pressure.So, there goes that theory.In truth, there are no theories or predictions that can be viewed as ironclad in a class this talented, this deep and this diverse.Gaylen Smith, Jason Scruggs and Quain Stott are currently in spots five, six and seven, respectively. Smith has rapidly improved this year and advanced to two finals, while Scruggs will surely get better as he gets more comfortable in his new ‘63 Corvette.Todd Tutterow rounds out the current top eight, though it doesn’t necessarily mean it will be the final eight.Even at the eighth spot Tutterow can’t be taken lightly. He is the reigning PX World Champion after all and, clearly, he knows how to win on the big stage.So who is looking to crack into the top eight for their shot at glory?Wes Johnston (9th), John Stanley (10th) and Bubba Stanton (11th) remain the best bets, but good luck stealing a spot from such incredible drivers.If this were a fantasy draft, everyone would end up happy and there would be no bad decisions.Unfortunately, this is an eight-driver field, meaning somebody - or several talented drivers - will be left as spectators for the World Championship.WHAT LIES AHEADRockingham will surely yield some amazing times, but will it be kinder to others?A year ago, Jason Hamstra won at the track, but he’s fallen out of the top 10 in 2010 after his big crash in Topeka, which caused him to miss the last two race weekends.In 2008, Stanton won in Rockingham and he has performed well over the past two months despite his own nasty crash in Topeka.Scruggs was the first ADRL driver to top 200 mph, doing it in 2007, but everyone in the class, including Scruggs, has now left that in the dust. It wouldn’t be surprising to see drivers hit 210-plus mph at the quick track.One thing is for certain - we will quickly find out which drivers have the mettle for a stressful September.Just two weeks after Rockingham is a trip - or perhaps a sprint - to Norwalk, OH, where it will be the last chance for a final move.The last time racers were at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk was 2008, and much has changed in the class since then.That year, Frankie Taylor won his first ADRL title, so maybe things aren’t that drastically different.But a repeat performance there would put the PX E.T. record-holder in the driver’s seat heading into “The Battle For The Belts,” where Taylor would be looking for his first world championship.The late September date will also unveil a series of new challenges for the class. Only one race - the Hardee’s Georgia Drags - was completed in cooler conditions this year, while a total of four events were completed during a scorching two-week stretch in late July and early August.The cooler northern Ohio temperatures in late September will require a different combination to be successful, which adds one more monkey wrench into the Pro Extreme equation.It will be interesting, it will be memorable and it will be exciting - just what everyone has come to expect from Pro Extreme.Tomorrow: A look at Pro Nitrous heading into the final stretch of the 2010 season(Photos by ADRL/Richards)

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