NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

TOP FUEL ROUND ONE

The weather conditions on Sunday at Summit Motorsports Park are drastically different than what racers experienced on Friday and Saturday, but that didn’t prevent the opening race from being a barn burner as Doug Kalitta drove to a 3.745 to 3.804 win over Billy Torrence. Crew chief Alan Johnson was making adjustments to the Mac Tools dragster up until the time where Kalitta was preparing to stage.

Justin Ashley put a couple hundredths on Tony Stewart off the starting line but that’s about the last thing that went right for the SCAG team as Ashley smoked the tires while Stewart racked up the round win with a 3.758.

Josh Hart and the Speedmaster team were certainly not happy with a 3.962, but it was enough to get the job done after Scott Farley shut off early.

On his round one bye, Shawn Langdon flexed his muscles with a 3.736 at a booming 337.07 mph. Langdon will have lane choice against Kalitta Motorsports teammate Doug Kalitta in round two.

The best race of the round?  Antron Brown’s 3.763 to 3.781 win over Leah Pruett certainly garners a few votes. Brown was the No. 14 qualifier, but the Bristol winner was able to make his best run of the weekend when it mattered most.

Maddi Gordon’s team spent a couple of extra minutes dealing with an apparent air leak, but the Carlyle Tools team managed to get it locked down in time to make their race against Spencer Massey, who waited to fire until told by NHRA officials to do so. Gordon was able to put the distraction behind her and advance with a 3.854.

Will Smith and Tony Schumacher combined for the first pedal-fest of the round and that’s where Schumacher’s experience paid off as he rolled to a 4.350 to 4.648 win. Smith decked the throttle on the Blue Bird Turf entry, but it began to get sideways and he was forced to lift.

The round ended with Clay Millican taking a 3.842 win over Shawn Reed, who got loosed and collected a couple of timing blocks at the finish line.

Round two pairings (lane choice first): Shawn Langdon vs. Doug Kalitta; Tony Stewart vs. Maddi Gordon; Antron Brown vs. Tony Schumacher; Clay Millican vs. Josh Hart

FUNNY CAR ROUND ONE

Jordan Vandergriff didn’t do anything wrong with a .060 light and a 3.946, but that wasn’t enough to turn on the win light as 2018 world champ J.R. Todd delivered an impressive performance that included a .043 light and a 3.951 in the DHL Toyota to claim a win in the first pair of the round.

Daniel Wilkerson left on Matt Hagan and rolled to a 3.935 win in a wild race. Hagan’s Dodge got sideways before the finish line and he actually crossed the centerline after the 1,000-foot mark. It’s hard not to notice that Wilkerson’s fortunes have improved dramatically lately as he seeks to become NHRA’s latest first-time winner.

Spencer Hyde probably deserved a better fate after his 3.936 wasn’t enough to get past Jack Beckman’s quick 3.917. Beckman also topped 330-mph in the Peak Performance Chevy.

Low qualifier Austin Prock had his work cut out for him when the Ford Performance entry dropped a cylinder and slowed to a 4.031 in a narrow win against Jeff Arend, who matched his qualifying performance with a 4.071.

Ron Capps powered to a 3.927 to take out Bobby Bode, who smoked the tires and Alexis DeJoria won in a similar fashion with a 3.918 after Blake Alexander also knocked the tires loose.

Cruz Pedregon deep staged against Chad Green and gained a sizable advantage, but Green prevailed with a 3.938 to 3.993 victory.

Round two pairings (lane choice first): Jack Beckman vs. Daniel  Wilkerson; Ron Capps vs. J.R. Todd; Alexis DeJoria vs. Chad Green;   
Del Worsham vs. Austin Prock. 

PRO STOCK ROUND ONE


The first pair took their time pulling into the beams, but it was worth the wait for Matt Latino, who eventually went in first and pulled off the win over Derick Kramer with a 6.620 at 206.45 run. Kramer laid down a 6.691 at 205.47 mph pass.

Jeg Coughlin Jr., who is the all-time holeshot winner, beat his opponent Greg Stanfield on the Christmas Tree with a .042 reaction time and a 6.616 at the finish line stripe. Stanfield left with a .059 and crossed the finish line with 6.614.

In the marquee matchup, Aaron Stanfield beat Erica Enders on a holeshot. Stanfield left the starting line with a .011 to Enders’ .029. Aaron ran a 6.600, while Enders laid down a 6.591.

The red-light foul bit another pair, and this time it was Troy Coughlin Jr. He turned it red by one-thousandth of a second against freshman Pro Stock racer Cody Anderson. Anderson went on to run a 6.590, which will earn him lane choice against Aaron Stanfield in round two. Meanwhile, T.J. made a respectable run at 6.599 at 208.20 mph.

Matt Hartford, who has either been eliminated in the first round or has gone on to win this year, bested Eric Latino on a holeshot, who was a full gear behind Hartford during the run. It seemed like Hartford might’ve hurt a second engine this weekend, as his timeslip will only show a 6.678 at 201.67 mph.

Fresh off of his GETTRX Pro Stock All-Star Callout win, Dallas Glenn will move on as his 6.599 outran Stephen Bell’s 6.606.

Kenny Delco will once again this year advance to the second round on a holeshot. This time, he beat six-time world champ Greg Anderson on a holeshot. Delco’s left with a .001 reaction time while Anderson recorded .073. Declo made a 6.632 at 206.32 mph pass, and Anderson crossed the finish line with a 6.591 at 206.95.

Round two pairings (lane choice first): Delco vs. BYE; Cody Anderson vs. Aaron Stanfield; Dallas Glenn vs. Matt Latino; Jeg Coughlin Jr. vs. Matt Hartford

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE ROUND ONE

In the marquee matchup, Jianna Evaristo bested Steve Johnson with her 6.890, while Johnson ripped off a 6.927.

Angie Smith will move on to the next round as her Denso Matt Smith Racing Buell 6.853 outran Wesley Wells’ 7.065.

Though Geno Scali made his best run of the weekend, it won’t be enough to beat John Hall. Hall made a 6.878 pass while Scali rode to a 6.950.

Chase Van Sant won on a holeshot against Ryan Oehler. Van Sant left with a .021 reaction time, earned a 7.007 E.T. Oehler had a .081 reaction time and a 6.790 E.T.

Brayden Davis’ 6.859 at 197.31 mph pass defeated Marc Ingwersen’s 6.969 at 191.57 mph ride.

Joey Gladstone made a solo pass as Bud Yoder didn’t make the call. He recorded a 6.888, which was the slowest of the Matt Smith Racing bikes.

Oodolph Daniels had trouble with his bike at the starting line, so Richard Gadson made an opposing run of 6.811.

Gaige Herrera, who earned the bye run, rode to a 6.795 and earned lane choice over Jianna Evaristo.

Round two pairings (lane choice first): Gaige Herrera vs. Jianna Evariso; Angie Smith vs. Brayden Davis; Richard Gadson vs. Chase Van Sant; John Hall vs. Joey Gladstone