Fuller can’t catch sharp Schumacher

Rod Fuller’s NHRA championship dream was dashed on the last pass of the 2007 season, but there won’t be any drama like that this year.

Fuller’s hope of catching six-time reigning Top Fuel series champion Tony Schumacher vanished at Memphis (Tenn.) Motorsports Park on Sunday when he lost to Schumacher in the first round for a second consecutive NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series event.

“That has to be the baddest Top Fueler ever,” Fuller said this week of Schumacher’s dragster, which has won 13 titles this year, including eight of the last nine.

“There’s no shame in losing to him this year,” Fuller added. “He’s beating everybody. Now we can relax and focus on the last three races.”

Fuller is in eighth place 263 points behind Schumacher, who leads second-place Cory McClenathan by 166 points.

The series is off this weekend before racing next weekend near Richmond, Va., then comes to Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Oct. 30 to Nov. 2 for the NHRA ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals.

Fuller won the Las Vegas title a year ago for David Powers Motorsports.

• FEMMOTO — More than 500 female motorcycle riders are expected to be at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend for Femmoto, which was created in 2001 to introduce sport bikes to women and provide tips on how to safely ride on the streets and how to begin racing.

Among the professional motorcycle racers who will offer tips are NHRA racer Karen Stoffer of Minden, AMA Supersport and Formula Extreme rider Jessica Zalusky and stunt specialist Jessica Maine.

For more information, call (419) 340-3977 or visit femmoto.com on the Internet.

• DESERT RACING — The Southern Nevada Off-Road Enthusiasts will stage the 39th annual SNORE 250 on Saturday.

The event begins at 9 a.m. on a 60-mile course that starts near the Nellis Dunes off Las Vegas Boulevard North. There will be a spectator area near the Apex exit off Interstate 15.

Go to snoreracing.net for more information.

• DEATH VALLEY — The fall racing season at Death Valley Raceway is under way, and competition for all divisions is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday.

For more information on the one-third-mile dirt track located in Amargosa Valley near Beatty, visit DeathValleyRaceway. homestead.com on the Internet.