A large group of fans crowded into the PBIR facility and watched Hillary Will return to the seat of the Bote Family Nitro Top Fueler. (Adam Cranmer photo)

PR reps Elon Werner, Rob Geiger and Jeff Wolf contributed to this report
Photos by Steve Gruenwald and Adam Cranmer

The 2nd annual PRO Winter Warm-Up for NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car teams was staged at the IHRA-sanctioned Palm Beach International Raceway in front of standing room only crowds January 20-21. The record crowd at PBIR (estimated at between 10-12,000 fans total for both nights) found around 25 total NHRA “Big Show” Fuel Coupes and dragsters on site with absolutely no doorslammers as part of the program.

Robert Hight  (Steve Gruenwald photo)

2009 NHRA Funny Car champ Robert Hight recorded two of the quickest runs of the two-day event for fuel coupes, including a 4.034-second effort against arch JFR rival Jack Beckman in his DSR Funny Car.

In the first session on Friday, Hight ran next to two-time NHRA Funny Car Champ Cruz Pedregon’s Snap-on Tools-backed entry. The former champs each recorded a 4.06-second run with Hight edging Pedregon 4.062 to 4.068. Hight’s mile per hour was a very respectable 315.56, the second fastest speed for the Funny Cars at the Winter Warm-Up.

Defending NHRA World Champ Matt Hagan, driving for Don Schumacher Racing with Aaron’s backing this season, recorded the fastest speed in the second session at 315.71 mph.