NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Rookie Report Card after Seattle

A look at the stats of the 2017 rookie class through the NHRA Northwest Nationals, race 16 of 24 on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.
08 Aug 2017
Candida Benson, NHRA.com Managing Editor
News
Seattle Rookie Report Card

The field of contenders for the 2017 Auto Club Road to the Future Award got a little bigger in Seattle, where Top Fuel runner Mike Salinas entered his fifth event of the season, making him eligible for the award that recognizes the top rookie in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Salinas and four of the other contenders -- fellow Top Fuel pilots Troy Coughlin Jr. and Shawn Reed, Funny Car's Jonnie Lindberg, and Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Joey Gladstone -- face an uphill battle in the contest because Pro Stock rookie sensation Tanner Gray has had a strong 2017 campaign that includes three wins and clinching a spot in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

In Seattle, Gray just added to his favorite status when he qualified No. 1 in the Pro Stock field, his second top start this year, and tallied two more round-wins to bring his season total to 30. Salinas was the only other rookie competitor to advance out of the first round, doing so when he defeated former Top Fuel world champ Shawn Langdon on a holeshot. Coughlin, Reed, and Lindberg all exited in round one. The Pro Stock Motorcycle class, which has completed eight of 16 events on the season, was not in competition at the NHRA Northwest Nationals.

Following are the season-to-date stats for all six Auto Club Road to the Future Award candidates.

 CoughlinSalinasReedLindbergGrayGladstone
Events attended165712168
Best qualifying position5911413
Round-wins4229306
Event wins000030
Runner-ups000210
Holeshot W/L*0/12/00/00/03/31/1
DNQs000000
Points position1017131238
*Does not include NHRA Four-Wide Nationals