Jason Line had to wait to Monday, but he picked up the Pro Stock victory in the Auto Plus NHRA Nationals At Maple Grove Raceway. Photo courtesy NHRA
Jason Line collected his sixth win of the season and second in the Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s playoffs, during a rain delayed final round Monday at the Auto Plus NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.
Spencer Massey (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also collected victories at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event.
Not only did the Pro Stock point leader collect his second career win at Maple Grove, he also set the national E.T. record with the quickest run in Pro Stock history Monday morning as his Summit Racing Pontiac GXP went 6.477 seconds at 212.49 mph. Line slowed to a 6.484 at 212.79 in the final round, but it was still enough to outrun Ronnie Humphrey, who posted a 6.530 at 212.16 in his Genuine Hot Rod Hardware GXP.
“That’s the second time we qualified No. 1, set the record, and won the race,” Line said. “It feels really good to do that, because there is a very small club of guys who’ve done it. I like going into the last three races with the amount of points we have because it’s not as much pressure. It’s not over by any means but I wouldn’t trade my position for anyone else’s.”
Line extended his series lead over Summit Racing teammate Greg Anderson to 181 points.
“My guys have done a phenomenal job,” said Line. “I don’t know what’s going on, but this car can make a bad run and still go fast. The car is bad to the bone. I didn’t mess it up too much, and it feels awful good right now.”
Spencer Massey topped Del Worsham for the Top Fuel victory. Photo courtesy NHRA
The Top Fuel final round was the quickest side-by-side race in NHRA history as Del Worsham’s Al-Anabi Racing dragster recorded the quickest run in NHRA history, with a time of 3.735 at 323.81. However race winner Massey used a quicker reaction time on the starting line to combine with a performance of 3.770 at 323.12 in his FRAM dragster to take the victory.
“I just try to be consistent on the tree no matter who I’m racing,” said Massey of his fourth win of the season. “(Crew chiefs) Phil (Shuler) and Todd (Okuhara) do an awesome job tuning the FRAM dragster, and we get a lot of confidence from each other. We started off going for the record in qualifying, but at one point we said, ‘You know, let’s just try to win rounds.’ The car was on a string. You could have put ‘3.77’ on the wing.”
Worsham earned a 20-point bonus for his final round run, which was quick enough to become the national record in Top Fuel. Worsham, who moved to third in the points order, posted a time earlier in the weekend that certified the run as the record per NHRA rules.
“Alan Johnson and Del Worsham did an amazing job in the other lane to make their car run as fast as it did,” Massey said. “It makes it that much sweeter of a win, in a way, for the win light to come on in our lane with a 3.77. I saw his nose out there at about 200 feet and never saw him again until I looked over after the finish line.”
Massey leads the Top Fuel point standings while Don Schumacher Racing teammate Antron Brown sits 65 points back in second and Al-Anabi Racing driver Larry Dixon is fourth.
A happy Robert Hight celbrates Monday's Funny Car victory. Photo courtesy NHRA
In Funny Car, Auto Club driver Hight took his Ford Mustang to the winner’s circle for the first time in the Countdown since 2009. The 2009 champ’s 4.065 at 302.62 was just too much for Johnny Gray’s Service Central Dodge Charger as it lost traction and recorded a 9.836 at 73.91.
“We know that this was our last-chance race,” said Hight. “If we lose early again here, it’s over. You put yourself in such a hole when you lose first round in the first few races in the Countdown. It was also in our mind that we didn’t win a single round in the Countdown last year. You’ve got to get that off your back.”
Hight knows what it’s like to come from behind and win the championship. He did it in 2009 when he started from the 10th and final position in the Countdown and went on to win the championship, so this victory has him feeling confident even though his team is in fourth place.
“Jimmy Prock, Mike Neff, and all the teams have been working so hard and so well together to turn this car around,” Hight said. “We’d been struggling. But once Jimmy Prock’s got it, he’s got it. We’re back in this thing. We have five wins this year. That’s the most I’ve ever had in my career out here. It wasn’t the greatest run of my career (in the final). I got a little outside the groove and started spinning, but we got the win light. It’s a great feeling to hear Eric Lane (co-crew chief) get on the radio and tell you we won.”
DieHard Dodge Charger driver Matt Hagan leads the Funny Car point battle by two points over Castrol GTX Mustang driver Mike Neff and they are followed by Snap-on Tools Toyota pilot Cruz Pedregon, who sits third.
Hector Arana, Jr. scored his second Pro Stock Motorcycle victory of 2011. Photo courtesy NHRA
Rookie rider Arana, Jr. collected his second Pro Stock Motorcycle victory of the season in a rematch of the semifinals in Dallas with Matt Smith. The rookie of the year contender ran a 6.781 at 195.82 on his Lucas Oil Buell to beat veteran Smith’s 6.795 at 194.24, also on a Buell.
“Right now, we have a lot of momentum,” Arana Jr. said. “My runs have been improving and we plan to keep this streak going. This should help me for the rookie of the year and give me a good chance for the championship. I finally got to qualify No. 1 and win the race. That’s something I’ve been trying to do all year long.”
With the win, Arana, Jr. moved up to second in points, 35 behind leader Eddie Krawiec. With the runner-up finish, Smith moved up to third.
The NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship continues Oct. 14-16 with the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird International Raceway near Phoenix.
NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
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Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals – Oct. 3, 2011
TOP FUEL
1. Spencer Massey; 2. Del Worsham; 3. Larry Dixon; 4. David Grubnic; 5. Bob Vandergriff; 6. Tony Schumacher; 7. Antron Brown; 8. Clay Millican; 9. Doug Kalitta; 10. Dom Lagana; 11. Shawn Langdon; 12. Morgan Lucas; 13. Brandon Bernstein; 14. Rod Fuller; 15. Pat Dakin; 16. Bruce Litton.
FUNNY CAR
1. Robert Hight; 2. Johnny Gray; 3. Jeff Arend; 4. Bob Tasca III; 5. Tony Pedregon; 6. Dale Creasy Jr.; 7. Matt Hagan; 8. Mike Neff; 9. Jim Head; 10. Ron Capps; 11. Leah Pruett; 12. Cruz Pedregon; 13. Tim Wilkerson; 14. Jack Beckman; 15. Blake Alexander; 16. John Force.
PRO STOCK
1. Jason Line; 2. Ronnie Humphrey; 3. Greg Anderson; 4. Rodger Brogdon; 5. Erica Enders; 6. Mike Edwards; 7. Larry Morgan; 8. Greg Stanfield; 9. Ron Krisher; 10. V. Gaines; 11. Vincent Nobile; 12. Allen Johnson; 13. Warren Johnson; 14. Bob Benza; 15. Kurt Johnson; 16. Shane Gray.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
1. Hector Arana Jr; 2. Matt Smith; 3. Andrew Hines; 4. Jerry Savoie; 5. Michael Phillips; 6. Chip Ellis; 7. Eddie Krawiec; 8. Matt Guidera; 9. Angie Smith; 10. Bailey Whitaker; 11. LE Tonglet; 12. Karen Stoffer; 13. Shawn Gann; 14. Hector Arana; 15. Jim Underdahl; 16. Steve Johnson.
Final Round Results
Top Fuel — Spencer Massey, 3.770 seconds, 323.12 mph def. Del Worsham, 3.735 seconds, 323.81 mph.
Funny Car — Robert Hight, Ford Mustang, 4.065, 302.62 def. Johnny Gray, Dodge Charger, 9.836, 73.91.
Pro Stock — Jason Line, Pontiac GXP, 6.484, 212.79 def. Ronnie Humphrey, GXP, 6.530, 212.16.
Pro Stock Motorcycle — Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.781, 195.82 def. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.795, 194.24.
Round By Round Results
TOP FUEL
ROUND ONE — David Grubnic, 3.828, 309.34 def. Morgan Lucas, 4.198, 267.53; Bob Vandergriff, 3.813, 317.05 def. Doug Kalitta, 3.830, 314.97; Tony Schumacher, 3.774, 323.35 def. Brandon Bernstein, 8.250, 91.13; Clay Millican, 3.859, 317.94 def. Rod Fuller, 8.443, 70.54; Del Worsham, 3.760, 322.96 def. Shawn Langdon, 4.094, 284.56; Antron Brown, 3.773, 321.58 def. Bruce Litton, 9.355, 85.86; Spencer Massey, 3.783, 311.85 def. Dom Lagana, 3.876, 315.05; Larry Dixon, 3.795, 324.36 def. Pat Dakin, 9.116, 69.63; QUARTERFINALS — Dixon, 3.786, 323.43 def. Vandergriff, 3.806, 322.88; Massey, 3.778, 324.90 def. Schumacher, 3.883, 321.50; Grubnic, 3.824, 315.19 def. Brown, 4.095, 201.64; Worsham, 3.764, 322.65 def. Millican, 9.573, 71.95; SEMIFINALS — Massey, 3.773, 322.11 def. Dixon, 3.784, 322.11; Worsham, 3.777, 321.96 def. Grubnic, 3.830, 313.80; FINAL — Massey, 3.770, 323.12 def. Worsham, 3.735, 323.81.
FUNNY CAR
ROUND ONE — Tony Pedregon, Chevy Impala SS, 4.164, 293.03 def. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 9.118, 90.04; Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.058, 313.80 def. Blake Alexander, Chevy Monte Carlo, 9.565, 70.70; Johnny Gray, Charger, 4.319, 254.57 def. Leah Pruett, Toyota, 6.662, 143.61; Dale Creasy Jr., Impala SS, 4.542, 235.43 def. John Force, Mustang, 10.461, 65.07; Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.124, 311.99 def. Jack Beckman, Charger, 9.391, 77.53; Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.041, 317.42 def. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.115, 313.22; Jeff Arend, Toyota Solara, 4.161, 289.20 def. Cruz Pedregon, Solara, 8.004, 96.72; Mike Neff, Mustang, 4.078, 313.66 def. Jim Head, Solara, 4.109, 310.70; QUARTERFINALS — Arend, 4.190, 282.54 def. Creasy Jr., 7.056, 104.99; Tasca III, 4.146, 299.20 def.
T. Pedregon, 4.727, 177.39; Gray, 4.578, 197.68 def. Neff, 8.554, 77.12; Hight, 4.096, 314.02 def. Hagan, 7.293, 89.06; SEMIFINALS — Gray, 4.022, 310.55 def. Tasca III, 4.372, 219.04; Hight, 4.053, 314.53 def. Arend, 4.112, 316.01; FINAL — Hight, 4.065, 302.62 def. Gray, 9.836, 73.91.
PRO STOCK
ROUND ONE — Erica Enders, Chevy Cobalt, 6.559, 211.26 def. Shane Gray, Pontiac GXP, 18.533, 70.10; Larry Morgan, Ford Mustang, 6.560, 211.26 def. Warren Johnson, GXP, 14.682, 60.97; Rodger Brogdon, GXP, 6.542, 210.64 def. V. Gaines, Dodge Avenger, 6.597, 210.05; Greg Stanfield, GXP, 6.542, 210.67 def. Ron Krisher, GXP, 6.531, 211.46; Ronnie Humphrey, GXP, 6.532, 211.63 def. Vincent Nobile, Avenger, 7.239, 150.33; Mike Edwards, GXP, 10.454, 136.93 def. Kurt Johnson, GXP, 18.524, 73.75; Jason Line, GXP, 6.483, 212.23 def. Bob Benza, GXP, 17.167, 31.31; Greg Anderson, GXP, 6.509, 212.46 def. Allen Johnson, Avenger, 13.026, 66.67; QUARTERFINALS — Brogdon, 6.534, 211.56 def. Edwards, 6.587, 211.46; Humphrey, 6.521, 212.49 def. Morgan, 7.946, 122.30; Anderson, 6.508, 212.93 def. Stanfield, foul; Line, 6.477, 212.49 def. Enders, 6.521, 212.33;SEMIFINALS — Humphrey, 6.489, 212.06 def. Brogdon, 6.532, 211.79; Line, 6.482, 212.19 def.Anderson, 6.500, 213.13; FINAL — Line, 6.484, 212.79 def. Humphrey, 6.530, 212.16.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
ROUND ONE — Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.971, 190.03 def. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.863, 193.40; Chip Ellis, Buell, 6.938, 190.92 def. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 7.028, 158.99; Matt Smith, Buell, 6.975, 190.70 def. Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, broke; Michael Phillips, Suzuki, 6.918, 195.93 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, broke; Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.840, 192.80 def. Bailey Whitaker, Buell, foul; Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.819, 196.22 def. Shawn Gann, Buell, 7.049, 184.50; Matt Guidera, Buell, 7.635, 131.24 def. Hector Arana, Buell, 7.878, 120.77; Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.903, 197.33 def. LE Tonglet, Suzuki, 6.970, 180.60; QUARTERFINALS — M. Smith, 6.874, 192.91 def. Guidera, broke; Hines, 6.794, 196.22 def. Phillips, 6.875, 194.27; Arana Jr, 6.844, 193.10 def. Ellis, 6.972, 191.76; Savoie, 6.949, 195.31 def. Krawiec, 7.120, 191.38; SEMIFINALS — M. Smith, 6.795, 193.77 def. Savoie, foul; Arana Jr, 6.813, 195.68 def. Hines, 6.942, 196.70; FINAL — Arana Jr, 6.781, 195.82 def. M. Smith, 6.795, 194.24.
