Jack Beckman led the way in Friday Funny Car qualifying for the NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway. Photo courtesy NHRA Media
Jack Beckman powered his Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger R/T to the quickest Funny Car run in NHRA history Friday as he raced to the qualifying lead at the NHRA Sonoma Nationals.
Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Chris McGaha (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also were leaders in their categories at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event just north of San Francisco.
Beckman and his crew, led by Jimmy Prock, took advantage of the cool sea-level conditions and posted a Sonoma Raceway track record with an incredible time of 3.921 seconds at 323.43 mph to take the top spot.
Beckman can certify the run as an NHRA national record by posting another run within one percent of that performance during the remainder of the weekend. The current national record is 3.965 seconds set by John Force in 2014 at Pomona, CA.
“We’re in a wonderful position right now,” said Beckman, who will earn a 20-point bonus if he can set a national record. “I am the luckiest guy in a fuel coupe right now. The second session tomorrow should be good and that will be the one where we shoot for the national record. I think you will see several more threes tomorrow, definitely in the second session.”
Beckman, who earned his fourth win of the season last weekend in Denver and is second in the series standings, was quickest in both sessions with three-second runs. There were eight total three-second runs during the day, the most in a single day of qualifying, and there were two pair of side-by-side three second runs, a first in NHRA history.
Beckman’s teammate Matt Hagan, the current category points leader, qualified second at 3.967 with the fastest Funny Car speed in history, at 325.77 in his Mopar/Rocky Boots Charger. Force was third in his Blue Def Chevy Camaro SS with a 3.970 at 322.96. In the second session, Robert Hight and Alexis DeJoria became the first pair to clock side by side three second runs, with each running 3.974.
“The fans are getting a phenomenal show,” Beckman said. “I thought we had a chance to set a national record tonight, but I didn’t realize we were going to obliterate the thing.”
Brown raced to a track record time of 3.707 at 326.95 in his Matco Tools dragster to take the qualifying lead in Top Fuel. His time ties the fourth quickest run in history.
“We were definitely pushing and it’s always good when the car does what you want it to,” Brown said. “They backed it down a little. We wanted to go out there and make a good quality run. It was very aggressive at 60-foot. The car was on a really good run and she was motoring. It feels good to put that number up on the board. To come out here and have two good runs in qualifying is a great start for this weekend.”
Dave Connolly qualified second with a 3.713 at 329.10 in his C&J Energy Services dragster and he was followed by J.R. Todd, who posted a 3.724 at 328.30 in his Red Line Oil dragster. Denver winner Steve Torrence qualified fourth in his Capco Contractors machine with a 3.732 at 325.61.
McGaha posted a track record time of 6.499 at 212.36 in his Harlow Sammons Racing Chevy Camaro to lead Pro Stock qualifying.
“We figured someone could run a .49 here, but I didn’t know it would be us,” McGaha said. “I honestly thought we might be able to run 6.50 or 6.51, and I wasn’t sure if that would be enough.”
Jason Line was second with a 6.507 at 212.26 in his Summit Racing Camaro and his teammate, series points leader Greg Anderson, sits third with a 6.507 at 212.16 in his Summit Camaro. Defending world champ Erica Enders is ninth in her Elite Motorsports Camaro with a 6.534 at 212.03.
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, series points leader Krawiec took the top spot with a 6.843 at 194.27 on his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson.
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“We had a headwind all day, so that hurt us a bit,” Krawiec said. “On Q1, we made a good, clean run, but I had to correct the bike quite a bit. We went back, made an axle adjustment, and came out and ran that 6.84, but even that run was nowhere near perfect.”
Hector Arana, Jr., who led the first session, sits second with a 6.867 at 194.38 on his Lucas Oil Buell. Andrew Hines is third on his Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson, with a 6.885 at 191.10.
Qualifying continues Saturday with sessions at 1:10 and 4:15 pm for Sunday’s 11 am eliminations.
NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series
Sonoma Raceway – Sonoma, CA
NHRA Sonoma Nationals – July 31, 2015
Friday Qualifying Results
Top Fuel — 1. Antron Brown, 3.707 seconds, 326.95 mph; 2. Dave Connolly, 3.713, 329.10; 3. J.R. Todd, 3.724, 328.30; 4. Steve Torrence, 3.732, 325.61; 5. Tony Schumacher, 3.738, 325.69; 6. Clay Millican, 3.749, 323.58; 7. Larry Dixon, 3.777, 324.98; 8. Richie Crampton, 3.777, 324.20; 9. Spencer Massey, 3.780, 324.67; 10. Shawn Langdon, 3.802, 320.51; 11. Doug Kalitta, 3.913, 269.19; 12. Terry McMillen, 3.960, 298.01.
Not Qualified: 13. Jenna Haddock, 3.980, 242.02; 14. Brittany Force, 4.419, 258.96; 15. Troy Buff, 7.252, 81.25; 16. Steven Chrisman, 14.838, 60.21.
Funny Car — 1. Jack Beckman, Dodge Charger, 3.921, 323.43; 2. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.967, 325.77; 3. John Force, Chevy Camaro, 3.970, 322.96; 4. Ron Capps, Charger, 3.970, 322.19; 5. Robert Hight, Chevrolet Camaro, 3.974, 322.96; 6. Alexis DeJoria, Toyota Camry, 3.974, 320.13; 7. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 3.979, 320.81; 8. Chad Head, Camry, 4.022, 317.72; 9. Del Worsham, Camry, 4.027, 320.43; 10. Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 4.031, 317.05; 11. Courtney Force, Camaro, 4.106, 305.15; 12. Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 4.124, 297.29.
Not Qualified: 13. John Hale, 4.130, 306.33; 14. Gary Densham, 4.197, 302.21; 15. Tony Pedregon, 4.319, 256.94.
Pro Stock — 1. Chris McGaha, Chevy Camaro, 6.499, 212.36; 2. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.507, 212.26; 3. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.507, 212.16; 4. Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.525, 211.23; 5. Jonathan Gray, Camaro, 6.527, 211.76; 6. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.529, 211.86; 7. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.529, 211.46; 8. Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.533, 212.09; 9. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.534, 212.03; 10. Allen Johnson, Dodge Dart, 6.535, 211.59; 11. Deric Kramer, Dart, 6.537, 211.20; 12. Larry Morgan, Camaro, 6.558, 211.26.
Not Qualified: 13. Alex Laughlin, 6.569, 210.87; 14. Aaron Strong, 6.587, 208.91; 15. Matt Hartford, 6.617, 208.71; 16. Joey Grose, 7.370, 150.80; 17. V. Gaines, 7.986, 118.16.
Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.843, 194.27; 2. Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.867, 194.38; 3. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.885, 191.10; 4. Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.898, 193.96; 5. Hector Arana, Buell, 6.907, 191.89; 6. Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, 6.924, 195.36; 7. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 6.942, 192.08; 8. Matt Smith, Victory, 6.953, 190.06; 9. Mike Berry, Buell, 6.956, 187.21; 10. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.962, 189.44; 11. Scotty Pollacheck, Buell, 6.968, 187.44; 12. Freddie Camarena, Suzuki, 6.997, 192.88.
Not Qualified: 13. Melissa Surber, 7.059, 185.82; 14. Chaz Kennedy, 7.061, 188.28; 15. Angie Smith, 7.134, 182.70; 16. Anthony Vanetti, 7.308, 181.50; 17. Chip Ellis, 7.582, 150.72; 18. Katie Sullivan, broke.
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