2016 NHRA DODGE NATIONALS - EVENT RESULTS
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SUNDAY - JOHNSON JR., BROWN, NOBILE AND KRAWIEC RACE TO VICTORY AT DODGE NHRA NATIONALS
Tommy Johnson Jr. raced to the Funny Car victory at the Dodge NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway on Sunday.
Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Vincent Nobile (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were also victorious in their respective categories at the 21st event of 24 on the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. The Dodge NHRA Nationals is the third race of the six-race NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
Johnson Jr. powered his Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T to a 3.895-second pass at 330.63 mph in the final round to defeat teammate and points leader Ron Capps’ 3.911 at 324.12 at the controls of his Napa Auto Parts Dodge Charger R/T. Johnson Jr., who has raced to the final round in all three NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship events, claimed his 14th career victory, second of the season and first at Maple Grove Raceway. He is second in the points trailing Capps by only 24. Johnson Jr. beat Cruz Pedregon, Mike Smith and Jack Beckman en route to his fifth final round of the season.
“You want to have a strong start in the Countdown; we knew that going into it,” said Johnson Jr., who was runner-up at this event in 2014. “We went from seventh to fourth in Charlotte – a runner-up is good – then we went to St. Louis and got a another runner-up and went to second, and I said I’d be happy with four more runner-ups, but when you look in the other lane and it’s Capps, who’s leading the points, it’s a must-win. You’ve got to gain some ground.”
Capps outlasted Vegas-winner Alexis DeJoria, two-time 2016 winner Tim Wilkerson and No. 1 qualifier Matt Hagan in the earlier rounds.
Jack Beckman is third in points and is followed by Hagan in fourth, reigning world champ Del Worsham in fifth and 16-time Funny Car world champ John Force in sixth.
In Top Fuel, Brown raced his Matco Tools dragster to a 3.721 at 317.34 to beat Brittany Force’s 3.721 at 324.67 in her Monster Energy dragster. Brown had a better reaction time and won on a holeshot. The defending and two-time world champion tallied his 60th career win, sixth of the season and second consecutive at Maple Grove. Brown held on to his first-place standing in Top Fuel with the win. He raced past Sonoma winner J.R. Todd, Clay Millican and three-time 2016 event winner Shawn Langdon in the earlier rounds.
“St. Louis didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to, and there’s still plenty of time left in this championship race,” said Brown, who was knocked out in the first round last weekend. “There’s three more races left and we’re going to have to fight hard. Ain’t nobody going to give you the championship.”
Force, who won in Gainesville, Fla., and Brainerd, Minn., outlasted Larry Dixon, who was making his first appearance of the season, three-time 2016 winner Doug Kalitta and Phoenix winner Leah Pritchett en route to the final round.
Kalitta, in second place, trails Brown by 77 points, while Force is in third, Langdon is in fourth and eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher is fifth.
Nobile earned his first victory of 2016 by posting a 6.575 at 209.85 in his Mountain View Tire Chevy Camaro to defeat seven-time 2016 event winner Greg Anderson’s 6.582 at 210.37 in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro. Nobile entered the event with two-runner up finishes on the season and ended a 56-race drought with the win. It marks the 10th victory of his career and first at Reading. Nobile, who qualified No. 1, moved to third in the Pro Stock points standings behind Jason Line and Anderson, respectively. He beat 2015 top rookie Drew Skillman, back-to-back and reigning world champion Erica Enders and Shane Gray before meeting Anderson in the final.
“It was a big day for Mountain View Racing and NAPA Auto Parts,” said Nobile. “We got the Chevrolet in the winner’s circle, and I’m semi-speechless. We turned it around right at the right time. Don’t get me wrong, at the beginning of the year we were like, ‘Give us our carburetors back.’ It certainly was a pain in the butt, not necessarily for me as a driver but for the crew chiefs and the guys working on the car.”
Anderson qualified second and knocked down five-time world champion Jeg Coughlin, John Gaydosh and teammate Line in the earlier rounds.
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Krawiec rode his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson to a 6.818 at 193.88 to outlast rookie Cory Reed’s 6.958 at 186.43 on his Precision Service Equipment / Star Racing Buell in the final round. This is Krawiec’s 35th career victory, fourth of 2016 and fourth at Maple Grove Raceway. The three-time world champion started the weekend fifth in points and moved up to second behind teammate Andrew Hines. Krawiec rode past Englishtown, N.J., winner Angelle Sampey, Karen Stoffer and Sonoma, Calif., winner LE Tonglet to make it to the final round.
“My main goal this weekend here was to come win,” Krawiec said. “If you win races in the Countdown, you’re going to be fighting for the championship when you get to Pomona. This was a big day for all of our team actually, Andrew and myself getting past the first round. When you draw Angelle and Chip Ellis in round one, you don’t say, ‘Well, this should be easy. This should be no problem this weekend.’ For me, I was on a mission first round because I knew if I went past first round I could keep the momentum and keep it rolling.”
Reed beat fellow rookie Melissa Surber, Hector Arana and reigning world champ Hines in the earlier rounds.
Sampey is third in points and followed by Chip Ellis and alligator farmer Jerry Savoie in fourth and fifth, respectively.
The NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Champion continues Oct. 13-16 with the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas.
PRITCHETT, HAGAN, NOBILE AND HINES RACE TO NO. 1 QUALIFIERS ON SATURDAY AT DODGE NHRA NATIONALS
Leah Pritchett raced to her first career No. 1 qualifier in Top Fuel on Saturday at the Dodge NHRA Nationals.
Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Vincent Nobile (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were also No. 1 qualifiers in their respective categories at the 21st event of 24 on the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. The Dodge NHRA Nationals is the third race of the six-race NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
NHRA officials were forced to cancel the second session of qualifying on Saturday due to persistent showers and misting. Since Friday’s sessions were also cancelled, racers had only one session to qualify for Sunday’s eliminations, which are scheduled for noon.
Pritchett piloted her Mopar / Pennzoil dragster to a 3.705-second pass at 327.35 mph to claim her first top qualifier. Pritchett, who notched her first career victory earlier this season in Phoenix, is competing in the Countdown to the Championship for the first time in her career as well. She entered the Countdown 10th in points and is currently ninth. Pritchett will battle Shawn Reed in Sunday’s opening round.
“It feels pretty phenomenal,” said Pritchett, who was the No. 2 qualifier at this event last year. “It’s right there behind winning a race, but this is do-or-die time. This is the time of digging deep for the Countdown and to be No. 1 at one of the fastest race tracks says a lot about my team. There were a lot of things going on with that run, and to be No. 1 is really awesome, but we came here to win the race.”
Defending Top Fuel world champion and points leader Antron Brown is second with a 3.731 at 321.42 in his Matco Tools dragster. Brown is a five-time 2016 event winner and the defending Reading winner. He will go against J.R. Todd Sunday morning.
Shawn Langdon is third and will race Smax Smith while three-time 2016 event winner Doug Kalitta, who entered Maple Grove Raceway trailing Brown by 13 points, is fourth and matched with Ike Maier.
Hagan pushed his Mopar Express Lane / Rocky Boots Dodge Charger R/T to a 3.873 at 333.99 to set both ends of the track record in Funny Car at Maple Grove Raceway. Hagan, a two-time world champion, claimed his fifth No. 1 of the season and 26th of his career. This is the second time he has gone No. 1 at Maple Grove in his career. He is currently sixth in the points standings with three wins and two runner-up finishes on the year. He will open eliminations against Jim Campbell.
“I was watching everyone ahead of me shaking and blowing the tires off, and (crew chief) Dickie (Venables) leaned in and said, ‘I don’t know what it’s going to do,’ so I already had it in my mind that I might have to pedal it,” said Hagan, who won this event in 2014. “I knew I could slap it and still make a decent run and be top half of the field. It’s always fast here. You get here and you have to be in the mindset where you put your mouthpiece in, you pull your helmet on and pull your belts down tight because it’s going to be a ride if it hooks.”
Tommy Johnson Jr., who raced to runner-up finishes at the first two Countdown events, is second with a 3.897 at 330.80 in his Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T. Johnson Jr. started the Countdown seventh in points but jumped to second after the strong back-to-back performances. He will meet Cruz Pedregon in the first round.
Reigning world champ Del Worsham is third and will race 16-time champ John Force while points leader and five-time 2016 event winner Ron Capps is fourth and paired with Alexis DeJoria.
Nobile powered to the No. 1 qualifier in Pro Stock with a 6.552 at 211.83 in his Mountain View Tire Chevy Camaro. This is his first No. 1 at Maple Grove Raceway, third of 2016 and seventh of his career. Nobile, who has two runner-up finishes this season, is fourth in points. He will go heads up with 2015 top rookie Drew Skillman.
“With the weather out here, we weren’t sure what was going to happen,” said Nobile, who has nine wins in his career but none at Maple Grove. “Honestly, we didn’t make a very good run. I’d be willing to say everybody behind me didn’t make a very good run either. I know, as a team, we’re not two-hundredths faster than the next car. I know we can be as fast and maybe a little bit faster, but with that being said, those guys definitely didn’t make a good run. All that matters is we’re on top and going into race day tomorrow No. 1.”
Pro Stock points leader Jason Line qualified No. 2 with a 6.575 at 211.20 in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro. Line, who has eight wins this season and opened the Countdown with a win in Charlotte, is a two-time Reading winner. He will race Val Smeland in the first round.
Greg Anderson, also a two-time Reading winner, is third and will go up against five-time world champion Jeg Coughlin. Shane Gray qualified fourth and will find Alex Laughlin, who claimed his first career victory last weekend in St. Louis, in the opposing lane Sunday.
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, five-time and reigning world champion Andrew Hines rode his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson to a 6.784 at 196.22 to secure the 38th No. 1 qualifier of his career and second of the year. The five-time 2016 event winner and points leader is paired with Charlotte-winner Chip Ellis, who entered the event 17 points behind Hines.
“This could be huge in the long run,” said Hines, a two-time Reading winner. “Championships have come down to just a couple of little points here in the last few years, going back the last seven or eight years since the little points were implemented. I’m going to take it right now and run with it. It was nice to bring my Harley here and make a nice, clean, straight run. It obviously puts up a big run when it goes down the track straight.”
Hines’ Harley-Davidson teammate Eddie Krawiec is second with a 6.811 at 191.29. Krawiec, a three-time winner at Maple Grove, has three wins this year in five final round appearances. He will open eliminations against Angelle Sampey, who leads the category with six career wins at the Dodge NHRA Nationals. Sampey is currently second in points behind Hines.
Sonoma winner LE Tonglet is third and paired with Joey Gladstone. Rookie Melissa Surber qualified a career-best fourth and will face fellow rookie Cory Reed on Sunday.
Catch up on all the action from today at the Dodge NHRA Nationals on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday at 2 a.m. E.T. and catch Sunday’s finals live on FOX Sports 1 at 2 p.m.
Sunday's first-round pairings for eliminations for the 32nd annual Dodge NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, the 21st of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.
Top Fuel -- 1. Leah Pritchett, 3.705 seconds, 327.35 mph vs. 16. Shawn Reed, 6.833, 90.47; 2. Antron Brown, 3.731, 321.42 vs. 15. J.R. Todd, 5.589, 125.19; 3. Shawn Langdon, 3.736, 329.42 vs. 14. Smax Smith, 5.477, 236.30; 4. Doug Kalitta, 3.750, 326.56 vs. 13. Ike Maier, 5.144, 261.72; 5. Larry Dixon, 3.791, 325.77 vs. 12. Brittany Force, 4.676, 299.80; 6. Dom Lagana, 3.811, 323.74 vs. 11. Richie Crampton, 4.168, 204.42; 7. Scott Palmer, 3.935, 310.05 vs. 10. Clay Millican, 4.067, 308.14; 8. Steve Torrence, 3.955, 325.61 vs. 9. Tony Schumacher, 3.990, 274.27.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Terry McMillen, 7.205, 197.45; 18. Terry Haddock, 13.955, 26.01.
Funny Car -- 1. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.873, 333.99 vs. 16. Jim Campbell, Charger, 15.003, 53.76; 2. Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 3.897, 330.80 vs. 15. Cruz Pedregon, Toyota Camry, 12.526, 75.47; 3. Del Worsham, Camry, 3.904, 325.77 vs. 14. John Force, Chevy Camaro, 12.185, 78.24; 4. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.192, 325.06 vs. 13. Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 12.151, 81.44; 5. Robert Hight, Camaro, 4.690, 243.24 vs. 12. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 11.102, 141.11; 6. Chad Head, Camry, 6.628, 96.51 vs. 11. Jack Beckman, Charger, 9.998, 63.76; 7. Mike Smith, Dodge Stratus, 7.562, 83.83 vs. 10. John Hale, Charger, 8.614, 75.88; 8. Courtney Force, Camaro, 8.041, 81.55 vs. 9. John Bojec, Toyota Solara, 8.428, 69.96.
Pro Stock -- 1. Vincent Nobile, Chevy Camaro, 6.552, 211.83 vs. 16. Drew Skillman, Camaro, 17.898, 110.86; 2. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.575, 211.20 vs. 15. Val Smeland, Chevy Cobalt, 12.909, 67.92; 3. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.580, 210.77 vs. 14. Jeg Coughlin, Dodge Dart, 7.147, 153.60; 4. Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.584, 210.77 vs. 13. Alex Laughlin, Camaro, 6.950, 161.30; 5. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.585, 210.73 vs. 12. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.856, 203.74; 6. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.587, 210.05 vs. 11. John Gaydosh Jr, Chevrolet Camaro, 6.706, 206.64; 7. Allen Johnson, Dart, 6.597, 210.64 vs. 10. Alan Prusiensky, Dart, 6.677, 207.21; 8. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.604, 211.00 vs. 9. Erica Enders, Dart, 6.643, 208.65.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Curt Steinbach, 21.211, 60.95.
Pro Stock Motorcycle -- 1. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.784, 196.22 vs. 16. Chip Ellis, Buell, broke; 2. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.811, 191.29 vs. 15. Angelle Sampey, Buell, 9.986, 81.35; 3. LE Tonglet, Suzuki, 6.828, 195.39 vs. 14. Joey Gladstone, Suzuki, 7.439, 187.13; 4. Melissa Surber, Buell, 6.873, 191.76 vs. 13. Cory Reed, Buell, 7.280, 146.40; 5. Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.880, 193.02 vs. 12. Hector Arana, Buell, 7.175, 194.91; 6. Matt Smith, Victory, 6.901, 191.13 vs. 11. Angie Smith, Victory, 7.081, 188.04; 7. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 6.925, 193.88 vs. 10. John Hall, Buell, 7.013, 188.75; 8. Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.959, 192.58 vs. 9. Scotty Pollacheck, Buell, 6.975, 185.33.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Steve Johnson, broke.
FRIDAY - QUALIFYING CANCELLED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER AT MAPLE GROVE
NHRA officials cancelled the first two rounds of qualifying at the 32nd annual Dodge NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway on Friday, Sept. 30, after rain and persistent mist. The Dodge NHRA Nationals is the third race of the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s six-race playoffs that will decide the 2016 world champions.
Officials consistently worked throughout the day to dry the track but as the temperature dropped and misting continued, racing for the day was called at 4:25 p.m. NHRA Mello Yello Series qualifying is set to begin as scheduled on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 11:15 a.m.
Coverage of the Dodge NHRA Nationals on NHRA All Access will begin at 8:45 a.m. ET. Qualifying coverage on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) will be at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2. Live finals on FS1 will begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Friday tickets can be exchanged for admission to the Dodge NHRA Nationals on Saturday or Sunday, but the customer is responsible for paying the difference in price. Fans must retain their tickets in order to exchange them. If Friday ticketholders are unable to attend the event on either Saturday or Sunday, please stay tuned for further information.
