Khalid alBalooshi Scores First NHRA Top Fuel Victory

Khalid alBalooshi raced to his first-career NHRA Top Fuel victory while Mike Neff kept his championship hopes alive with a win in Funny Car during Monday’s rain-delayed 28^th annual Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, PA.

The Pro Stock final saw veteran V.Gaines return to victory lane, but the Pro Stock Motorcycle final was won by Mother Nature as rain postponed the final.

Drivers continued to re-write the record books on Monday following record-setting runs in Top Fuel and Funny Car during the weekend qualifying sessions, with cooler-than-normal temperatures leading to excellent track conditions and drivers looking to be the next new record holder and the bonus point that come with it with just two races left in the Countdown to the Championship.

In Top Fuel, alBalooshi – a native of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and a rookie in the Top Fuel division this year – was eyeing his first career win rather than a new national record, having never advanced past the quarter-finals in 20 previous career starts and going up against series points leader Antron Brown in the final.

Following a ninth-place qualifying effort on Saturday, alBalooshi squared off against Spencer Massey, Ike Maier and Shawn Langdon to advance to face Brown, who had already set a mark to beat earlier in the day.

After taking down Steve Torrence and Morgan Lucas, Brown went up against Brandon Bernstein in the semi-final and pulled off a stunning run of 3.701 seconds, easily eclipsing the mark of 3.728 set on Saturday by David Grubnic to set a new National ET Record and advance to his 73^rd-career final round.

In the final, it looked like Brown used up his best stuff in the record-breaking effort, smoking the tires right off the line to hand the victory to alBalooshi, who went 3.910 at 312.42 mph.

“I give my team owner, the crew guys and all the people who work with us thanks for making this win,” alBalooshi said. “I try my best, and I know that everybody on the team is trying their best, and finally, I won my first race.”

Brown gained 20 bonus points for the National Record and leaves Reading with a 104 point advantage over Massey.

In Funny Car, Mike Neff raced to his fourth victory of the season and 10^th of his career with a win over Johnny Gray to breathe new life into his championship hopes.

Sitting third in points and trailing leader Jack Beckman by 99 points coming into this weekend’s event, Neff faced an uphill challenge after Beckman solidified a new National Record in qualifying and earned a 20-point bonus.

Neff easily cruised to the finals with round wins over Tony Pedregon, Jim Head and his car-owner John Force to advance to the finals against Gray, who beat out Bob Tasca III, Matt Hagan and Beckman to reach the money round, but Gray’s final performance was over almost as soon as he hit the throttle, the rear tires going up in smoke as Neff completed the run with a 4.030 at 317.94 mph.

With the victory, Neff easily made up the ground lost to Beckman, although still third in points but now 54 points back, while Ron Capps sits second just 23 points behind.

“You have to have it all right to get a win any more,” said Neff. “The biggest thing is it will be exciting. I want to be able to head out west with a chance. It would be a downer if we were out of it at this point. It is nice to be alive for the championship.”

In Pro Stock, V.Gaines ended a four-year victory drought with a victory over Dave Connolly, who red-lighted in the final to hand Gaines his 10^th-career victory.

Gaines, who last went to victory lane at Phoenix in 2008, reached the finals for just the second time this season with victories against Warren Johnson, Greg Anderson and defending race winner Jason Line to face Connolly for their first final round meeting since 2007.

In the final, Connolly tripped the red light by .016 seconds, while Gaines went 6.515 at 212.26 mph to collect the Wally.

“We didn’t qualify for five of the first of seven races, but then we started making improvements and began to run better and better,” Gaines said. “We were a bit worried about running in cold weather conditions because you know that we’re from Denver where it is 5,000 feet high. We were really uncertain. But we showed this weekend that we can compete in the cold weather, and we’re just ecstatic.”

Points leader Allen Johnson was eliminated in the quarter-final by managed to hang onto an 82-point advantage over Line.

Pro Stock Motorcycle saw the records fall in that division as Andrew Hines set a new National Record with a low ET of 6.742 seconds against Wesley Wells in the opening round, going on to back it up with a quarter-final victory over Chip Ellis. Hines then went on to beat Matt Smith for his second-straight final round matchup against teammate and points leader Eddie Krawiec, who outran Craig Treble, Karen Stoffer and Hector Arana, Jr.

Before the finals could begin, rain moved in forcing officials to postpone the final until the event at Las Vegas in two weeks, where Hines will hope to hold onto the National Record and the 20-point bonus to close the gap on Krawiec, trailing by just 17 points.

“That 6.72 was the best run of my career,” Hines said. “I had my best 60-foot time, but if I had run the back half like Eddie, it would have been a 6.70. I’m glad to get the record because this is probably the last time we’ll see it set this year. It’s not going to happen in Las Vegas and it would take some extraordinary conditions for it to happen in Pomona. Those 20 points could come in handy at the last two races.”

NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
Maple Grove Raceway – Reading, PA
Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals – Oct. 8, 2012

Final Finishing Order

TOP FUEL
1.  Khalid alBalooshi; 2.  Antron Brown; 3.  Brandon Bernstein; 4.  Shawn Langdon; 5.  Tony Schumacher; 6.  Doug Kalitta; 7.  Ike Maier; 8.  Morgan Lucas; 9.  Spencer Massey; 10.  Steve Torrence; 11.  Larry Dixon; 12.  Terry McMillen; 13.  Bob Vandergriff; 14.  Clay Millican; 15.  Dom Lagana; 16.  David Grubnic.

FUNNY CAR
1.  Mike Neff; 2.  Johnny Gray; 3.  Jack Beckman; 4.  John Force; 5.  Ron Capps; 6.  Jim Head; 7. Matt Hagan; 8.  Todd Lesenko; 9.  Bob Tasca III; 10.  Jeff Arend; 11.  Cruz Pedregon; 12.  Tony Pedregon; 13.  Mike Smith; 14.  Robert Hight; 15.  Alexis DeJoria; 16.  Courtney Force.

PRO STOCK
1.  V. Gaines; 2.  Dave Connolly; 3.  Jason Line; 4.  Jeg Coughlin; 5.  Allen Johnson; 6.  Erica Enders; 7.  Greg Anderson; 8.  Ronnie Humphrey; 9.  Frank Gugliotta; 10.  Ron Krisher; 11.  Vincent Nobile; 12.  Larry Morgan; 13.  Kurt Johnson; 14.  Warren Johnson; 15.  Shane Gray; 16.  Mike Edwards.

Final Round Results

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Funny Car — Mike Neff, Ford Mustang, 4.030, 317.94  def. Johnny Gray, Dodge Charger, 9.305, 77.88.

Pro Stock — V. Gaines, Dodge Avenger, 6.515, 212.26  def. Dave Connolly, Chevy Cobalt, foul.

Round-By-Round Results

TOP FUEL

ROUND ONE — Khalid alBalooshi, 3.754, 322.81 def. Spencer Massey, 3.772, 320.81; Antron Brown, 3.745, 327.66 def. Steve Torrence, 3.775, 323.12; Brandon Bernstein, 3.749, 327.11 def. Larry Dixon, 3.816, 317.19; Morgan Lucas, 3.744, 330.39 def. Dom Lagana, 7.894, 87.68; Ike Maier, 5.699, 202.18 def. David Grubnic, 9.098, 75.46; Tony Schumacher, 3.744, 326.71 def. Terry McMillen, 3.822, 314.17; Doug Kalitta, 3.802, 325.22 def. Clay Millican, 3.880, 303.43; Shawn Langdon, 3.741, 324.51 def. Bob Vandergriff, 3.822, 318.77;

QUARTERFINALS — alBalooshi, 3.966, 328.46 def. Maier, 5.081, 197.54; Bernstein, 3.736, 330.31 def. Schumacher, 3.821, 309.70; Brown, 3.722, 325.69 def. Lucas, 5.859, 115.84; Langdon, 3.712, 334.15 def. Kalitta, 3.861, 324.51;

SEMIFINALS — Brown, 3.701, 328.78 def. Bernstein, 3.740, 326.08; alBalooshi, 3.735, 327.43 def. Langdon, 10.942, 75.34;

FINAL — alBalooshi, 3.910, 312.42 def. Brown, 9.818, 75.99.

FUNNY CAR

ROUND ONE — Jim Head, Toyota Solara, 7.171, 205.26 def. Alexis DeJoria, Toyota Camry, 7.780, 149.71; Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.057, 311.20 def. Courtney Force, Ford Mustang, 14.636, 30.03; Mike Neff, Mustang, 4.032, 316.82 def. Tony Pedregon, Camry, 4.781, 194.10; Todd Lesenko, Charger, 4.299, 284.75 def. Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 4.733, 197.22; Jack Beckman, Charger, 3.986, 318.54 def. Mike Smith, Dodge Stratus, 4.896, 174.64; Johnny Gray, Charger, 4.138, 285.83 def. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.249, 247.75; John Force, Mustang, 4.081, 310.41 def. Robert Hight, Mustang, 5.222, 162.68; Ron Capps, Charger, 4.249, 310.48 def. Jeff Arend, Camry, 4.480, 233.24;

QUARTERFINALS — J. Force, 4.138, 313.22 def. Lesenko, 10.240, 59.80; Gray, 4.066, 314.09 def. Hagan, 7.962, 89.00; Neff, 4.024, 315.71 def. Head, 5.215, 156.01; Beckman, 4.042, 316.08 def. Capps, 4.576, 196.96;

SEMIFINALS — Gray, 4.026, 319.45 def. Beckman, 4.025, 318.02; Neff, 4.031, 316.45 def. J. Force, 8.355, 83.33;

FINAL — Neff, 4.030, 317.94 def. Gray, 9.305, 77.88.

PRO STOCK

ROUND ONE — Ronnie Humphrey, Pontiac GXP, 6.537, 212.23 def. Mike Edwards, GXP, 17.777, 41.39; Jeg Coughlin, Dodge Avenger, 6.522, 211.86 def. Ron Krisher, GXP, 6.540, 211.49; Allen Johnson, Avenger, 6.526, 212.43 def. Vincent Nobile, Avenger, 6.547, 211.36; Dave Connolly, Chevy Cobalt, 6.522, 212.43 def. Frank Gugliotta, Ford Mustang, 6.536, 211.30; V. Gaines, Avenger, 6.525, 212.49 def. Warren Johnson, GXP, 7.255, 152.64; Erica Enders, Cobalt, 6.525, 212.56 def. Kurt Johnson, GXP, 6.596, 210.60; Jason Line, Chevy Camaro, 6.482, 213.64 def. Shane Gray, GXP, 8.502, 116.02; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.487, 212.86 def. Larry Morgan, Mustang, foul;

QUARTERFINALS — Connolly, 26.684, 25.96 def. A. Johnson, foul; Coughlin, 6.523, 211.63 def. Enders, 6.589, 212.43; Gaines, 6.489, 212.96 def. Anderson, 13.683, 51.32; Line, 6.527, 214.35 def. Humphrey, 14.243, 42.91;

SEMIFINALS — Connolly, 6.535, 212.19 def. Coughlin, 6.526, 211.99; Gaines, 6.511, 212.36 def. Line, 6.502, 212.76;

FINAL — Gaines, 6.515, 212.26 def. Connolly, foul.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE

ROUND ONE — Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 21.988, 99.31 def. Michael Ray, Buell, no time; Chip Ellis, Buell, 6.920, 191.48 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.329, 152.37; Matt Smith, Buell, 6.851, 194.72 def. Scotty Pollacheck, Buell, 6.937, 173.94; John Hall, Buell, 6.864, 194.30 def. LE Tonglet, Suzuki, foul; Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 7.009, 162.72 def. Shawn Gann, Buell, 11.942, 66.52; Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.758, 196.22 def. Craig Treble, Buell, 6.992, 190.30; Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.742, 198.73 def. Wesley Wells, Suzuki, 14.601, 42.20; Hector Arana, Buell, 7.214, 194.35 def. Michael Phillips, Suzuki, 7.300, 188.94;

QUARTERFINALS — Arana Jr, 6.843, 195.42 def. Hall, broke; Smith, 6.838, 195.51 def. Arana, 13.941, 44.96; Krawiec, 6.777, 198.15 def. Stoffer, 6.934, 192.99; Hines, 6.783, 198.03 def. Ellis, 6.906, 192.28;

SEMIFINALS — Hines, 6.728, 198.17 def. Smith, 6.841, 196.04; Krawiec, 6.730, 198.17 def. Arana Jr, 6.865, 179.54;

FINAL — Hines vs. Krawiec to be contested at 12th annual Big O Tires NHRA Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Oct. 25-28.

Point Standings

Top Fuel
1.  Antron Brown, 2,491; 2.  Spencer Massey, 2,387; 3.  Tony Schumacher, 2,355; 4.  Shawn Langdon, 2,351; 5.  Brandon Bernstein, 2,314; 6.  Morgan Lucas, 2,267; 7.  Doug Kalitta, 2,228; 8.  Steve Torrence, 2,212; 9.  David Grubnic, 2,193; 10.  Bob Vandergriff, 2,149.

Funny Car
1.  Jack Beckman, 2,437; 2.  Ron Capps, 2,414; 3.  Mike Neff, 2,383; 4.  Johnny Gray, 2,246; 5. Cruz Pedregon, 2,244; 6.  John Force, 2,217; 7.  Courtney Force, 2,216; 8.  Robert Hight, 2,211; 9. Tim Wilkerson, 2,207; 10.  Jeff Arend, 2,180.

Pro Stock
1.  Allen Johnson, 2,502; 2.  Jason Line, 2,420; 3.  Erica Enders, 2,377; 4.  Vincent Nobile, 2,325; 5.  Greg Anderson, 2,272; 6.  V. Gaines, 2,235; 7.  Mike Edwards, 2,214; 8.  Jeg Coughlin, 2,187; 9.  Ron Krisher, 2,161; 10.  Larry Morgan, 2,157.

Pro Stock Motorcycle
1.  Eddie Krawiec, 2,523; 2.  Andrew Hines, 2,506; 3.  Hector Arana Jr, 2,384; 4.  Hector Arana, 2,326; 5.  Karen Stoffer, 2,282; 6.  Michael Ray, 2,251; 7.  Scotty Pollacheck, 2,209; 8.  Matt Smith, 2,192; 9.  LE Tonglet, 2,182; 10.  Shawn Gann, 2,177.