Hagan Wins, Takes Funny Car Points Lead At Maple Grove

MOHNTON, PA – Matt Hagan took over the Funny Car point lead in dramatic fashion while NHRA Top Fuel points leader Tony Schumacher extended his points lead while as the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship rounded into the homestretch on Sunday with the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.

Rodger Brogdon (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also went to the Winners Circle in the fourth of six events in the Countdown.

In Funny Car, Hagan scored his third win of the season and his second in Countdown with a spectacular victory over Tommy Johnson, Jr.

Hagan jumped out to an early lead at the start of the final round and was easily out in front after Johnson got loose and had to get off the throttle to reign his car back in. Moments later, Hagan’s engine let go, engulfing his Dodge Charger in a ball of flame. Johnson gathered up his car and tried to make a run at Hagan’s unpowered car, but Hagan managed to get across the finish line first – while still on fire – with a time of 4.333 at 215.00mph.

“I don’t know what happened in the final, probably a part broke,” said Hagan, who beat out Tony Pedregon, Jack Beckman and Alexis DeJoria to make it to the finals. “It just went kaboom and it’s such a crazy feeling. You look over, and you’re on fire, and T.J. (Johnson) wasn’t there and you’re just waiting on it to get to the finish line before you hit the brakes and pull the fire bottles. It catches you off guard a little bit because you’re so focused on the groove and leaving the starting line.

“It is just a wild way to win. That’s probably the wildest way I’ve ever won out here on the NHRA circuit.”

It was the 13th win of his career for Hagan, who entered the event third in points and ends the weekend as the points leader with a 36-point lead over John Force, who drops from first to second in the standings.

Schumacher bested Brittany Force in a pedal-fest in the Top Fuel final to earn his fifth win of the season and his third in the last four races to move out to a 134-point lead in the Top Fuel standings.

Starting the day as the No. 1 qualifier, Schumacher defeated Bob Vandergriff, Steve Torrence and Doug Kalitta to face Force, who was competing in her fourth-career final round – still looking for her first victory.

In the final, Schumacher was out in front by .006 seconds at the start but both dragsters were up in smoke just past the starting line. Both drivers jumped off the throttle and tried to settle down their cars, but Schumacher was able to get back to the gas first to stay out in front and managed to pedal his US Army dragster to the finish line for the victory, posting a 4.440 at 291.13 mph to earn his 77th-career NHRA victory extend his points lead to 134 points over Doug Kalitta, who lost out to Schumacher in the semi-finals.

“Luckily I don’t have the give up attitude,” said Schumacher, “I got back in it. I think I pedaled it twice and finally got it to hook up a little bit. I’ve been working on that a long time. That’s the first one of those I’ve won in a long time, I’ve been taken a beating. You’ve got to win those.”

Schumacher has now won 12 out of 16 rounds in the first four races of the Countdown; his only stumble being a first-round loss to Terry McMillen last weekend at St. Louis.

“We’re just living the dream,” said Schumacher. “We have three wins in the Countdown with two more coming up, so that gives us a shot at winning five. We don’t want to leave anything on the table and show why we’ve won the championships that we have. It’s amazing.”

Despite a loss in the semis, Kalitta managed to jump from fifth to second in the points standings ahead of Steve Torrence, while Shawn Langdon fell from second all the way to fourth after an opening-round loss to Richie Crampton.

In the Pro Stock final, Rodger Brogdon played the role of championship spoiler with a victory over Allen Johnson to collect his second-career NHRA victory.

Brogdon, who is currently outside the Countdown field, bested Richie Stevens before taking down series points leader Jason Line and then got a bye after Greg Anderson broke during the burnout in the semi-finals to reach his first final round since winning at Bristol last season.

Facing each other for the first time in the finals, Johnson was first off the line but got into a severe tire shake and had to shut it down, giving Brogdon an easy run to the finish, turning in a low ET of 6.516 at 212.13 mph.

“I think that we can’t be taken for granted,” said Brogdon. “We’re working on hopefully a three-year deal with Owens Corning and this win definitely had to help.”

Line retains the points lead by 35 points over Erica Enders-Stevens, who moves up to second past Dave Connolly.

Eddie Krawiec made up some ground in his championship battle with teammate Andrew Hines following a victory in the Pro Stock Motorcycle final over Scotty Pollacheck.

Krawiec picked up round wins over Shawn Gann, Adam Arana and Matt Smith to advance to his fourth final round in the last six events and move on to his second-career final round showdown against Pollacheck.

In the final, Pollacheck got nailed a .011 light to get the early lead, but Krawiec caught up by the 330-foot mark and powered past for the victory, going 6.793 at 197.13mph for his fifth win of the season and 27th of his career.

Krawiec managed to cut his deficit to 25 points under Hines, who red-lighted in his semi-final matchup against Pollacheck.

NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series
Maple Grove Raceway – Mohnton, PA
Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals – Oct. 5, 2014

Final Finish Order (1-16)

TOP FUEL
1. Tony Schumacher; 2. Brittany Force; 3. Doug Kalitta; 4. Spencer Massey; 5. Khalid alBalooshi; 6. J.R. Todd; 7. Steve Torrence; 8. Richie Crampton; 9. Bob Vandergriff; 10. Dom Lagana; 11. Antron Brown; 12. Terry McMillen; 13. Leah Pritchett; 14. Larry Dixon; 15. Shawn Langdon; 16. Clay Millican.

FUNNY CAR
1. Matt Hagan; 2. Tommy Johnson Jr.; 3. Alexis DeJoria; 4. Jeff Arend; 5. Cruz Pedregon; 6. Bob Tasca III; 7. Tim Wilkerson; 8. Jack Beckman; 9. John Force; 10. Del Worsham; 11. Robert Hight; 12. Chad Head; 13. Ron Capps; 14. Courtney Force; 15. John Bojec; 16. Tony Pedregon.

PRO STOCK
1. Rodger Brogdon; 2. Allen Johnson; 3. Erica Enders-Stevens; 4. Greg Anderson; 5. Vincent Nobile; 6. Shane Gray; 7. V. Gaines; 8. Jason Line; 9. Dave Connolly; 10. Jeg Coughlin; 11. Frank Gugliotta; 12. Larry Morgan; 13. John Gaydosh Jr; 14. Richie Stevens; 15. Kenny Delco; 16. Jonathan Gray.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
1. Eddie Krawiec; 2. Scotty Pollacheck; 3. Matt Smith; 4. Andrew Hines; 5. Chaz Kennedy; 6. Adam Arana; 7. Jerry Savoie; 8. Hector Arana Jr; 9. John Hall; 10. Steve Johnson; 11. Shawn Gann; 12. Hector Arana; 13. Angie Smith; 14. Joe DeSantis; 15. Angelle Sampey; 16. Brian Pretzel.

Sunday’s Final Results
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Top Fuel — Tony Schumacher, 4.440 seconds, 291.13 mph def. Brittany Force, 4.652 seconds, 269.94 mph.

Funny Car — Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.333, 215.00 def. Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 5.456, 152.31.

Pro Stock — Rodger Brogdon, Chevy Camaro, 6.516, 212.13 def. Allen Johnson, Dodge Dart, 10.270, 90.64.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.793, 197.13 def. Scotty Pollacheck, Buell, 6.853, 193.82.

Final Round-By-Round Results

TOP FUEL

ROUND ONE — Steve Torrence, 3.796, 322.73 def. Larry Dixon, 10.137, 81.09; Richie Crampton, 3.734, 325.06 def. Shawn Langdon, 10.488, 75.15; Spencer Massey, 3.765, 327.59 def. Leah Pritchett, 9.578, 83.46; Khalid alBalooshi, 3.777, 323.12 def. Antron Brown, 4.388, 180.74; J.R. Todd, 3.741, 323.50 def. Dom Lagana, 3.879, 315.12; Brittany Force, 3.886, 313.37 def. Terry McMillen, 8.158, 90.71; Tony Schumacher, 3.735, 327.35 def. Bob Vandergriff, 3.863, 286.68; Doug Kalitta, 3.759, 326.71 def. Clay Millican, broke;

QUARTERFINALS — Kalitta, 3.749, 326.08 def. alBalooshi, 3.751, 324.90; Massey, 3.757, 321.50 def. Todd, 3.767, 321.19; Schumacher, 3.752, 325.30 def. Torrence, 3.767, 326.40; Force, 3.972, 249.58 def. Crampton, 4.223, 305.56;

SEMIFINALS — Force, 3.733, 329.91 def. Massey, 8.867, 73.80; Schumacher, 3.739, 326.71 def. Kalitta, 3.718, 329.91;

FINAL — Schumacher, 4.440, 291.13 def. Force, 4.652, 269.94.

FUNNY CAR

ROUND ONE — Tommy Johnson Jr., Dodge Charger, 4.040, 321.50 def. Ron Capps, Charger, 6.128, 114.19; Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.279, 306.19 def. Chad Head, Toyota Camry, 5.380, 210.28; Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 4.408, 203.80 def. Robert Hight, Mustang, 5.248, 145.56; Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.079, 313.15 def. John Force, Mustang, 4.210, 261.62; Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 4.057, 305.36 def. John Bojec, 12.535, 57.48; Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.035, 319.37 def. Tony Pedregon, Camry, broke; Jeff Arend, Charger, 4.598, 221.45 def. Courtney Force, Mustang, 9.146, 77.38; Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 4.676, 200.17 def. Del Worsham, Camry, 4.983, 201.67;

QUARTERFINALS — Arend, 4.096, 308.85 def. Wilkerson, 4.147, 292.96; Johnson Jr., 4.008, 316.52 def. C. Pedregon, 4.077, 312.35; DeJoria, 4.084, 309.34 def. Tasca III, 4.115, 301.13; Hagan, 4.039, 315.05 def. Beckman, 5.560, 128.52;

SEMIFINALS — Hagan, 4.043, 319.60 def. DeJoria, 4.032, 312.64; Johnson Jr., 8.610, 62.22 def. Arend, foul;

FINAL — Hagan, 4.333, 215.00 def. Johnson Jr., 5.456, 152.31.

PRO STOCK

ROUND ONE — V. Gaines, Dodge Avenger, 6.503, 213.37 def. Jonathan Gray, Chevy Camaro, 26.236, 27.63; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.501, 213.60 def. Jeg Coughlin, Dodge Dart, 6.545, 212.23; Rodger Brogdon, Camaro, 6.496, 212.69 def. Richie Stevens, Camaro, 7.078, 174.12; Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.485, 213.16 def. Dave Connolly, Camaro, 6.524, 211.89; Allen Johnson, Dart, 6.512, 212.13 def. Larry Morgan, Ford Mustang, 6.594, 210.41; Jason Line, Camaro, 6.509, 213.33 def. John Gaydosh Jr, Pontiac GXP, foul; Erica Enders-Stevens, Camaro, 6.469, 213.30 def. Frank Gugliotta, Mustang, 6.579, 209.79; Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.506, 212.36 def. Kenny Delco, Chevy Cobalt, 7.629, 137.95;

QUARTERFINALS — Anderson, 6.515, 211.99 def. S. Gray, 6.499, 211.96; Brogdon, 6.505, 212.13 def. Line, 10.980, 83.26; Johnson, 6.498, 213.06 def. Nobile, 6.479, 213.27; Enders-Stevens, 6.484, 213.60 def. Gaines, 6.507, 212.69;

SEMIFINALS — Brogdon, 6.539, 211.59 def. Anderson, broke; Johnson, 6.499, 212.69 def. Enders-Stevens, 6.759, 210.87;

FINAL — Brogdon, 6.516, 212.13 def. Johnson, 10.270, 90.64.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE

ROUND ONE — Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.858, 194.77 def. John Hall, Buell, 6.862, 192.82; Matt Smith, Buell, 6.886, 192.99 def. Angelle Sampey, Buell, 7.129, 174.64; Chaz Kennedy, Buell, 6.834, 192.82 def. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.915, 190.78; Adam Arana, Buell, 6.857, 194.91 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, foul; Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.806, 197.59 def. Shawn Gann, Buell, 6.886, 193.77; Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.816, 197.48 def. Brian Pretzel, Suzuki, 7.172, 183.79; Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.849, 176.63 def. Joe DeSantis, Suzuki, 7.024, 188.83; Scotty Pollacheck, Buell, 6.978, 191.70 def. Hector Arana, Buell, 6.908, 195.70;

QUARTERFINALS — Pollacheck, 7.034, 190.30 def. Savoie, 7.354, 161.30; Hines, 6.770, 197.71 def. Kennedy, 6.862, 192.25; M. Smith, 7.564, 131.43 def. Arana Jr, foul; Krawiec, 6.806, 195.39 def. A. Arana, 6.935, 194.49;

SEMIFINALS — Krawiec, 6.809, 196.10 def. M. Smith, foul; Pollacheck, 6.840, 194.63 def. Hines, broke;

FINAL — Krawiec, 6.793, 197.13 def. Pollacheck, 6.853, 193.82.

Point Standings (Top 10)

Top Fuel
1. Tony Schumacher, 2,462; 2. Doug Kalitta, 2,328; 3. Steve Torrence, 2,319; 4. Shawn Langdon, 2,314; 5. Antron Brown, 2,292; 6. J.R. Todd, 2,288; 7. Spencer Massey, 2,273; 8. Khalid alBalooshi, 2,240; 9. Brittany Force, 2,188; 10. Richie Crampton, 2,177.

Funny Car
1. Matt Hagan, 2,423; 2. John Force, 2,387; 3. Courtney Force, 2,351; 4. Tommy Johnson Jr., 2,309; 5. Robert Hight, 2,288; 6. Alexis DeJoria, 2,268; 7. Ron Capps, 2,254; 8. Del Worsham, 2,227; 9. Tim Wilkerson, 2,207; 10. Cruz Pedregon, 2,196.

Pro Stock
1. Jason Line, 2,421; 2. Erica Enders-Stevens, 2,386; 3. Dave Connolly, 2,370; 4. Shane Gray, 2,322; 5. Allen Johnson, 2,315; 6. Vincent Nobile, 2,295; 7. Jonathan Gray, 2,279; 8. Jeg Coughlin, 2,266; 9. V. Gaines, 2,207; 10. Chris McGaha, 2,104.

Pro Stock Motorcycle
1. Andrew Hines, 2,485; 2. Eddie Krawiec, 2,460; 3. Hector Arana Jr, 2,317; 4. Steve Johnson, 2,285; 5. Matt Smith, 2,274; 6. Scotty Pollacheck, 2,268; 7. John Hall, 2,222; 8. Hector Arana, 2,210; 9. Angie Smith, 2,157; 10. Michael Ray, 2,071.