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Unfinished business as unpredictable 2020 season heads towards the finish line

With just a handful of events left in the 2020 season, there is still a lot of action left for NHRA pro and sportsman racers including the completion several events that were postponed due to weather-related issues. Here’s a look at what’s on the docket for the next few races.
15 Oct 2020
Kevin McKenna, NHRA National Dragster Senior Editor
News
hart

To suggest that the 2020 season has not gone as planned would be a huge understatement yet in spite of the many challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and other weather-related issues, NHRA has managed to successfully host, to this point, eight Camping World Series national events, 38 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series regional and divisional event, and a pair of JEGS SPORTSnationals races.  

For all the champions that have been crowned in 2020, there are still a number of loose ends that need to be tied up before the end of the season, most notably the completion of Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle eliminations from the Mopar Express Lane NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Pennzoil. Those two eliminators will be finished during qualifying at this weekend’s AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals in Dallas.

  • Midwest Nationals action was halted midway through the second round of Pro Stock car, with Greg Anderson and Matt Hartford both advancing. The remaining two pairs in the second round of Pro Stock; Erica Enders vs. Chris McGaha and Aaron Stanfield vs. Jason Line -- will be contested at the end of the first qualifying session Saturday. Lane choice will carry over from the Midwest Nationals, but run order will be determined in Dallas. Times recorded in these two pairs will count towards FallNationals qualifying.
     

    The Pro Stock semifinals will be contested at the end of Saturday’s second qualifying session and those runs will also count towards qualifying. Lane choice will be determined from Q1 as all participants will be in like conditions. Anderson will face the winner of the Enders-McGaha race while Hartford will square off with the winner of the Stanfield-Line clash. The Pro Stock final round will be contested after the second nitro qualifying session.

    The semifinals of Pro Stock Motorcycle from the Midwest Nationals will be run as the final two pairs of Saturday’s second qualifying session. Matt Smith will race Steve Johnson and Scotty Pollacheck will take on Andrew Hines. The Pro Stock Motorcycle final round also will be run at the conclusion of the second nitro qualifying session.

  • The Dallas event will also feature the final round of Top Dragster presented by Vortech Superchargers from the NHRA Southern Nationals that was postponed by rain last month in Gainesville. Wayne Landry will take on George Ebel in the final on Friday before the start of qualifying for the Top Alcohol classes.
  • The Gainesville Top Alcohol Dragster final featuring Julie Nataas and Josh Hart (pictured) will also be run in Dallas at the end of the second Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying session on Saturday afternoon.
  • The hectic Dallas scheduled will also featured the final round of the SAM Tech.edu Factory Stock Showdown from Gainesville featuring Aaron Stanfield and teammate David Janac. That race will take place at the tail end of the second qualifying session for Factory Stock racers on Saturday afternoon.
  • Meanwhile, at the Southeast Division Lucas Oil Series event at Rockingham Dragway, the Southern Nationals finals in Super Stock and Super Gas will be completed. Robbie Draughon will take on Kevin Riner to decide the title in Super Stock while Christopher Lewis and Larry Forbes will race for the Super Gas Wally.
  • During the recent Southeast Division National Open at South Georgia Motorsports Park, Allan Ackles defeated Joe Moeckel to win the Super Comp title and Jimmy Daniel topped Jonathan Anderson to claim the victory in Super Street. The Top Alcohol Funny Car final from Gainesville was run as scheduled with two-time world champ Sean Bellemeur defeating Doug Gordon.
  • Next weekend’s Mopar Express Lane NHRA Springnationals presented by Pennzoil at Houston Raceway Park will also help tie up a few loose ends with the completion of the Pro Mod and Factory Stock Showdown classes from the St. Louis race. Qualifying was completed for both classes, but no elimination rounds have been run. All four rounds of eliminations will be run during qualifying in Houston.
  • The Houston event will also include the postponed Southern Nationals Stock final between Brenda Grubbs and Keith Bennett as well as the final in Top Sportsman presented by Vortech Superchargers featuring Darian Boesch and Sandy Wilkins although its unclear if former class champ Wilkins will attend.