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NHRA: Courtney Force rolls to 1st win of ’16; Force sisters first to lead 2 classes at same time

NHRA Houston pic

Houston winners, from left, Doug Kalitta, Courtney Force and Greg Anderson.

After watching sister Brittany have fun winning two Top Fuel events this season, it was little sister Courtney Force’s turn Sunday in the NHRA Spring Nationals at Royal Purple Raceway in Baytown, Texas.

Force captured the Funny Car class for her first win of the season, her first since summer 2014 and her eighth overall win in the Funny Car ranks.

In addition, it marked the fifth consecutive NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event that has featured a female winner.

Force (3.913 seconds at 327.90 mph) defeated No. 1 qualifier and last week’s winner at Charlotte, Tim Wilkerson (3.943 at 323.81 mph).

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In so doing, Courtney Force is now tied with Wilkerson, a two-time winner this season, for the Funny Car points lead.

What’s more, with Brittany Force leading the Top Fuel standings, this marks the first time in NHRA history that sisters have led or are tied for the lead in their respective competition classes.

“It was a pretty amazing weekend for our Chevy Camaro team,” Force said in a media release. “I was nervous going into the final against Wilkerson. I knew what kind of numbers he could put on the board and I knew I just had to be right there with him.

“We’ve been working really hard and I feel like this one felt even better than my first ever career win. We wanted it more than anything.”

The Houston-area race marks the end of the first quarter of the 24-race NHRA national event schedule.

In addition to Courtney’s win Sunday, Brittany’s two wins, Leah Pritchett’s win in Top Fuel in March and Alexis De Joria’s recent win, that marks four different females that have won races in Top Fuel or Funny Car – the most in a single season in NHRA history.

And there’s still 18 more races for even more females to extend that new mark.

As for other winners Sunday, Doug Kalitta captured the Top Fuel class, while Greg Anderson took Pro Stock.

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Kalitta (3.813 seconds at 280.60 mph) earned his first win of 2016, his third SpringNationals triumph and his 39th career Top Fuel win, defeating No. 1 qualifier Steve Torrence (3.810 seconds at 306.81 mph).

“I actually didn’t realize I had won until I had gotten to the end and turned around and came back,” Kalitta said. “I was real happy. It’s good to get a win and get the momentum going. It just charges everybody up. It was just a really good day for us.”

Kalitta is now tied with Antron Brown and Kenny Bernstein for fourth place on the Top Fuel all-time wins list.

Finally, in Pro Stock, No. 1 qualifier Anderson (6.630 seconds at 209.43 mph) earned his third win of the season and his third career triumph in the SpringNationals, defeating Ken Black Racing teammate Jason Line (6.597 seconds at 209.95 mph).

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“It was a tremendous day today,” said Anderson, a four-time Pro Stock champion. “I was having a ball today. I just kept wondering, ‘When’s it going to rain? When’s it going to rain? Please don’t because I feel great today.’ My car is great. My car was just a dream to drive every run and I knew I had a great chance today to win an event.”

Anderson and Line have dominated Pro Stock this season, with the duo combining to win all of the first six races of 2016, with each capturing three victories apiece. Line, who has reached the final round in every race thus far this season, still leads the standings, while Anderson is second, 79 points back.

The series takes a week off before resuming May 13-15 in suburban Atlanta for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals.

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FINAL FINISHING ORDER:

TOP FUEL: 1. Doug Kalitta; 2. Steve Torrence; 3. Antron Brown; 4. Leah Pritchett; 5. Shawn Langdon; 6. Tony Schumacher; 7. Kebin Kinsley; 8. Scott Palmer; 9. Troy Buff; 10. Terry McMillen; 11. Brittany Force; 12. J.R. Todd; 13. Richie Crampton; 14. Clay Millican; 15. Terry Haddock; 16. Rob Passey.

FUNNY CAR: 1. Courtney Force; 2. Tim Wilkerson; 3. Jack Beckman; 4. Tommy Johnson Jr.; 5. Del Worsham; 6. Matt Hagan; 7. Alexis DeJoria; 8. Ron Capps; 9. Chad Head; 10. Cruz Pedregon; 11. Todd Simpson; 12. Robert Hight; 13. Bob Bode; 14. John Force; 15. Jim Campbell; 16. John Hale.

PRO STOCK: 1. Greg Anderson; 2. Jason Line; 3. Allen Johnson; 4. Bo Butner; 5. Vincent Nobile; 6. Drew Skillman; 7. Chris McGaha; 8. Alex Laughlin; 9. Erica Enders; 10. Shane Gray; 11. Jeg Coughlin; 12. Aaron Strong; 13. V. Gaines.

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FINAL RESULTS:

Top Fuel -- Doug Kalitta, 3.813 seconds, 280.60 mph def. Steve Torrence, 3.810 seconds, 306.81 mph.

Funny Car -- Courtney Force, Chevy Camaro, 3.913, 327.90 def. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 3.943, 323.81.

Pro Stock -- Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.630, 209.43 def. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.597, 209.95.

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FINAL ROUND-BY-ROUND RESULTS:

TOP FUEL: ROUND ONE -- Tony Schumacher, 3.768, 325.61 def. Terry McMillen, 3.889, 306.26; Leah Pritchett, 3.817, 325.37 def. Clay Millican, 6.021, 103.86; Scott Palmer, 3.922, 309.42 def. Richie Crampton, 5.540, 133.43; Doug Kalitta, 3.763, 325.69 def. Terry Haddock, 6.200, 115.25; Steve Torrence, 3.764, 327.27 def. Rob Passey, Broke; Antron Brown, 3.823, 313.66 def. J.R. Todd, 5.054, 142.26; Shawn Langdon, 3.772, 322.42 def. Troy Buff, 3.824, 316.67; Kebin Kinsley, 4.002, 239.10 def. Brittany Force, 4.861, 185.69; QUARTERFINALS -- Brown, 3.780, 321.27 def. Palmer, 4.014, 266.69; Pritchett, 3.745, 329.18 def. Langdon, 3.762, 318.77; Torrence, 3.742, 328.30 def. Schumacher, 3.808, 318.77; Kalitta, 4.309, 200.80 def. Kinsley, Foul - Red Light; SEMIFINALS -- Kalitta, 3.755, 322.11 def. Pritchett, 4.639, 187.08; Torrence, 3.730, 327.03 def. Brown, 3.769, 309.34; FINAL -- Kalitta, 3.813, 280.60 def. Torrence, 3.810, 306.81.

FUNNY CAR: ROUND ONE -- Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 4.037, 307.02 def. Jim Campbell, Dodge Charger, 7.728, 80.43; Del Worsham, Toyota Camry, 3.946, 324.83 def. Todd Simpson, Chevy Camaro, 4.244, 284.45; Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 3.939, 321.73 def. John Hale, Charger, Broke; Courtney Force, Camaro, 3.951, 321.04 def. Bob Bode, Toyota Solara, 5.847, 125.66; Jack Beckman, Charger, 3.958, 319.67 def. Robert Hight, Camaro, 4.562, 216.20; Ron Capps, Charger, 4.032, 315.93 def. Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 4.037, 312.57; Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 3.987, 316.97 def. John Force, Camaro, Foul - Red Light; Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.998, 317.64 def. Chad Head, Camry, 4.010, 315.56; QUARTERFINALS -- C. Force, 3.962, 318.17 def. Capps, 4.674, 179.56; Johnson Jr., 3.985, 316.97 def. DeJoria, 3.971, 321.58; Beckman, 3.949, 325.22 def. Worsham, 3.944, 324.59; Wilkerson, 3.926, 323.50 def. Hagan, 3.954, 324.59; SEMIFINALS -- C. Force, 3.932, 327.03 def. Johnson Jr., 3.964, 317.34; Wilkerson, 3.906, 325.14 def. Beckman, 3.941, 322.04; FINAL -- C. Force, 3.913, 327.90 def. Wilkerson, 3.943, 323.81.

PRO STOCK: ROUND ONE -- Vincent Nobile, Chevy Camaro, 6.655, 207.50 def. Alex Laughlin, Camaro, 6.651, 208.10; Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.668, 206.26 def. Erica Enders, Dodge Dart, 6.659, 207.18; Allen Johnson, Dart, 6.635, 208.46 def. Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.661, 208.30; Drew Skillman, Camaro, 6.973, 160.63 def. Jeg Coughlin, Dart, Foul - Red Light; Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.636, 208.65 def. Aaron Strong, Camaro, 6.708, 206.61; Jason Line, Camaro, 6.608, 209.43 def. V. Gaines, Dart, 13.741, 58.89; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.597, 209.92 was unopposed; QUARTERFINALS -- Butner, 6.636, 208.84 def. McGaha, Foul - Red Light; Johnson, 6.655, 208.42 def. Skillman, 7.511, 139.57; Line, 6.602, 209.72 was unopposed; Anderson, 6.598, 210.08 def. Nobile, 6.659, 208.49; SEMIFINALS -- Line, 6.605, 209.62 def. Butner, 6.649, 208.84; Anderson, 6.604, 209.85 def. Johnson, 6.644, 208.23; FINAL -- Anderson, 6.630, 209.43 def. Line, 6.597, 209.95.

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UPDATED POINT STANDINGS:

Top Fuel: 1. Brittany Force, 464; 2. Doug Kalitta, 463; 3. Antron Brown, 445; 4. Steve Torrence, 417; 5. Clay Millican, 355; 6. J.R. Todd, 316; 7. Tony Schumacher, 295; 8. Leah Pritchett, 291; 9. Richie Crampton, 275; 10. Terry McMillen, 259.

Funny Car: 1. (tie) Courtney Force, 439; Tim Wilkerson, 439; 3. Ron Capps, 417; 4. Robert Hight, 404; 5. John Force, 384; 6. Jack Beckman, 379; 7. Del Worsham, 376; 8. Alexis DeJoria, 339; 9. Chad Head, 303; 10. Matt Hagan, 280.

Pro Stock: 1. Jason Line, 689; 2. Greg Anderson, 610; 3. Bo Butner, 508; 4. Drew Skillman, 399; 5. Chris McGaha, 339; 6. Allen Johnson, 318; 7. Vincent Nobile, 262; 8. Erica Enders, 257; 9. Jeg Coughlin, 255; 10. Alex Laughlin, 220.

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