NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Schedule | Tickets | Entries | Results

Team reports | Notebook/photos

Richie Crampton powered to the No. 1 qualifier in Top Fuel Saturday at the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park just outside of St. Louis.

Robert Hight (Funny Car), Shane Gray (Pro Stock), and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were also No. 1 qualifiers at the 20th event of 24 on the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. The AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals is the second race of the six-race NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship.

Crampton used his Friday night performance of 3.733 seconds at 323.50 mph in his Lucas Oil dragster to earn his second No. 1 qualifier of the season and fifth of his career. Crampton, from Adelaide, South Australia, posted a runner-up finish earlier this year in Sonoma but has not won an event in 2016. He will look to improve on his 10th-place points standing as he opens eliminations against Kebin Kinsley Sunday morning.

Richie Crampton

“We were trying to get down the racetrack today, and it just didn’t work out, but to get a good run on the board Friday night is really important,” said Crampton, a seven-time event winner. “It was a good run yesterday, and I’m sure we left a little bit on the table today. We were just a little underpowered today in both sessions and maybe just treaded a little bit too lightly.”

Tony Schumacher, an eight-time Top Fuel world champion, qualified second with a 3.740 at 325.30 in his U.S. Army dragster. The two-time St. Louis winner will open eliminations against the ageless Chris Karamesines.

Sonoma winner J.R. Todd sits in the No. 3 spot with a 3.750 at 321.58 in his SealMaster dragster. Todd is paired with Kyle Wurtzel in the first round. Three-time St. Louis winner and three-time 2016 event winner Doug Kalitta is fourth and matched up with Terry McMillen, and Shawn Langdon is fifth and will battle reigning champion and current Top Fuel points leader Antron Brown Sunday morning.

Robert Hight

In Funny Car, Hight also used his Friday night performance to head into Sunday’s eliminations as the category’s No. 1 qualifier. Hight’s 3.893 at 328.38 in his Auto Club Chevy Camaro during Friday’s second session was enough to earn him his first top qualifier of the season and 48th of his career. The Gainesville event winner will go up against John Hale to open eliminations.

“Saturday is more conducive to what you’re going to race in on Sunday,” said Hight. “Basically, three of the four runs we were low e.t., and that gives you a lot of confidence. That third run, we were still pushing hard. Sometimes it’s nice to know your limit so you don’t find that limit on Sunday. It’s been a great weekend, and I’m excited about tomorrow. I’m more excited about tomorrow’s race day than I have been in a long time.”

Jack Beckman qualified second in his Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger R/T with a 3.907 at 325.22. The 2012 event winner and 2015 season runner-up will race Dale Creasy Jr. in the first round of eliminations.

Points leader Ron Capps is third with a 3.910 at 322.81 in his NAPA Dodge Charger R/T and will battle John Bojec Sunday morning. Tim Wilkerson is fourth and will meet Brian Stewart, and Matt Hagan is fifth and paired with Cruz Pedregon.

Shane Gray

Shane Gray earned his second No. 1 qualifier of the season in Pro Stock with a 6.604 at 209.42 in his Gray Motorsports Chevy Camaro. Gray, who raced to the top spot in Chicago, has seven No. 1 qualifiers in his career and is seventh in points. He will race David River in the opening round of Sunday’s eliminations.

“I’m real confident with the car for tomorrow,” said Gray, who has never won in St. Louis. “The way I see it now is the only person that can screw this up is me. We’ve got a good car, and it’s making good runs. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.”

Bo Butner, who has four runner-up finishes this season in his Jim Butner Auto Chevy Camaro, is second with a 6.605 at 209.17. Butner is fourth in points and will meet Mark Hogan Sunday morning.

Greg Anderson qualified third with a 6.605 at 209.07 in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro. The seven-time 2016 event winner will go heads-up with Alan Prusiensky in the first round. Vincent Nobile, looking for his first win of the season, is fourth and paired with Deric Kramer, and Alex Laughlin is fifth and matched with Seattle event winner Aaron Strong.

Pro Stock points leader Jason Line is qualified sixth and will face back-to-back and reigning world champion Erica Enders.

Eddie Krawiec

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Krawiec rode his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson to a 6.819 at 197.02 to earn his sixth No. 1 qualifier of the season and 33rd of his career. The two-time St. Louis winner and three-time world champion is fourth in points after a first-round loss last weekend in Charlotte. He will open eliminations against Joe DeSantis.

“We didn’t think we were going to run that number, but we were picking away at it a little bit at a time,” said Krawiec, who has two top qualifiers at Gateway Motorsports Park. “This last session, it was drying out a little more. That definitely helped aspirate the motorcycle. We didn’t think it was going to run that fast, but all the stars aligned. We know we have a great motorcycle; it’s just up to us to tune it right, and it’s easier said than done.”

Angelle Sampey qualified second with a 6.831 at 197.02 on her Star Racing/Precision Service Equipment Buell. Sampey, who claimed her first victory since 2007 this season in Englishtown, leads the category with three wins at Gateway Motorsports Park and is third in points. She will race Angie Smith in the first round.

Charlotte winner Chip Ellis is slotted third with a 6.850 at 196.53 on his PiranaZ/ Pippin Motorsports Buell. Ellis, in second place, is paired with Jim Underdahl to open eliminations. Alligator farmer Jerry Savoie is fourth and will race veteran Steve Johnson, and Matt Smith is fifth and will battle rookie Melissa Surber Sunday morning. Points leader Andrew Hines qualified sixth and will race defending event winner Hector Arana Jr. in the first round.

Eliminations for the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park are set to begin at 11 a.m. Sunday.