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Tommy Johnson Jr. raced to his first Funny Car victory of the season and 13th of his career Sunday at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway.

Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel) and Jason Line (Pro Stock) were also winners of their respective categories at the 11th of 24 events on the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.

Johnson posted a 4.038-second pass at 313.22 mph at the controls of his Make-A-Wish Foundation Dodge Charger R/T to defeat teammate and two-time 2016 winner Matt Hagan’s 4.030 at 317.57 in his Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots Dodge Charger R/T in the final round. Johnson, a two-time Bristol winner, is currently seventh in the points standings.

“We’re just slow starters, but we’re strong finishers,” said Johnson, who has one win in two final-round appearances this year. “The guys kept working hard and have kept their heads down. We got hot in Epping with a runner-up finish, and we are on a roll now and we’re looking good.”

Johnson raced past two-time world champ Cruz Pedregon, Gainesville winner Robert Hight, and Las Vegas winner Alexis DeJoria in the earlier rounds. The win secured Johnson the seventh spot in the specialty NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout event. The eighth and final spot of the lucrative bonus event held at the prestigious Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend is decided by a fan vote.

Hagan, a two-time world champion with back-to-back wins earlier this season, outlasted two-time 2016 winner Tim Wilkerson, Houston winner Courtney Force, and points leader Ron Capps en route to meeting Johnson in the final. Hagan moved up two spots to sit fourth in the points standings.

In Top Fuel, Langdon, making his first final-round appearance of the year, raced to a 3.838 at 322.19 in his Red Fuel Powered by Schumacher/Sandvik Coromant dragster to defeat teammate and eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher’s 3.934 at 310.70 in the final round. Langdon, who won this event in 2014, claimed his 12th career victory and moved up to sixth in the points standings. 

“We really did struggle at the beginning of the year,” said Langdon, the 2013 Top Fuel world champion. “Everybody at Don Schumacher Racing came together and everybody there helped out; it’s a big team. I have to thank all the other crews and our Red Fuel crew. This is a big win for us, and we are excited.”

Langdon, who secured the sixth spot in the Top Fuel Traxxas Nitro Shootout bonus event, beat Gainesville runner-up Terry McMillen, two-time 2016 winner Brittany Force, and points leader Doug Kalitta to make his way to the final round.

Schumacher, who powered his U.S. Army dragster to a runner-up finish last weekend in Englishtown, drove by J.R. Todd, two-time 2016 winner Steve Torrence, and reigning world champ Antron Brown to make his second consecutive final-round appearance. Schumacher is fifth in points.

In Pro Stock, Line powered his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro to his sixth victory of the season and 43rd of his career by outlasting teammate Greg Anderson in the final round. Line sprinted to a 6.668 at 207.59 to better Anderson’s 6.694 at 207.62 in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro. Line, who won this event in 2006, was the No. 1 qualifier. This was his 10th final-round appearance of the year, and the victory extends his points lead.

“It’s been amazing,” said Line, who has raced to every final round this season except one. “I am so thrilled to be up here, you just can’t imagine. I am living my dream. The fact that I am getting to do this and have been so successful this year is awesome.”

Line won on a single in the first round when Dave River’s car had a mechanical problem and he couldn’t make the call, had a bye in the second round, and sprinted past 2014 top rookie Drew Skillman in the semifinals to meet Anderson in the final.

Anderson, a five-time 2016 winner who sits second in the points standings, outlasted John Gaydosh Jr., Shane Gray, and five-time world champ Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the earlier rounds.

The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continues with the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, June 23-26, in Norwalk.

Mike Castellana raced to victory Sunday in the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series portion of the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. This weekend’s Pro Mod racing at Bristol Dragway is presented by the Real Pro Mod Association. This is the fifth of 10 Pro Mod events on the 2016 season.

Castellana won in his Al-Anabi Racing ’69 Chevy Camaro when Bob Rahaim crossed the centerline in his late-model TLC Waste Disposal Services Chevy Corvette. Castellana claimed his first victory of 2016 and sixth win of his career.

“My crew did an awesome job this weekend, and we got a little lucky in the finals,” said Castellana, who won his first race since the 2014 season opener in Gainesville. “That’s all it takes. It feels great. We never gave up. My team, they kept pushing. We struggled a little bit, but now we’re back, and hopefully we can stay.”

Castellana qualified third and outlasted Doug Winters, Chip King, and recent Englishtown winner Troy Coughlin to make his first final-round appearance of the season. Castellana jumped to sixth in the points standings.

Bob Rahaim, who was the No. 1 qualifier, sprinted past Steven Whiteley, local favorite Von Smith, and Michael Biehle in the earlier rounds. Rahaim is fourth in the points standings.

Two-time 2016 winner Rickie Smith is still first in the points standings. Smith is followed by Coughlin and Steve Matusek in second and third, respectively.

The NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series continues with the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, June 23-26, in Norwalk.