Pro Stock driver Jason Line and Top Fuel pilot Doug Kalitta continued to dominate their respective drag racing classes, taking home victories in Sunday’s finals of the NHRA Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka.
Line is the hottest driver in the entire sport, earning his fifth win of 2016, the 42nd of his career and his first career win at Kansas.
It was also Line’s eighth final round appearance in as many races thus far this season. Line (6.664 seconds at 207.85 mph) defeated teammate Greg Anderson (6.687 at 207.02) for the second straight race.
Line was also the No. 1 qualifier for the race.
“It was the perfect weekend,” Line said in an NHRA media release. “It was an exciting weekend for me and we didn’t mess it up. It’s a big deal to me. It’s nice to win at someplace you’ve never done well. I really can’t stop smiling right now. There were times I had good cars here but didn’t drive well. This weekend everything came together.”
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Kalitta, meanwhile, won his third consecutive Top Fuel race of the season, defeating defending 2015 Top Fuel season champ Antron Brown.
Both drivers lost traction early in their run, but Kalitta was able to hold on despite a relatively slow run of 5.452 seconds at only 238.85 mph.
“It’s a seat of your pants kind of deal and you try to stay off the centerline and not hit the wall,” Kalitta said. “I think I had it more sideways than I’ve ever had a Top Fuel car before. It finally straightened out and we were fortunate to get the win.”
Brown (5.687 at 298.60) was faster but he also lost traction, allowing Kalitta to pass him approaching the finish line.
“It’s one of those deals you take what you can get as quick as you can do it,” Kalitta said. “I don’t think my car ever hooked up. It was exciting. These wins don’t come easy, that’s for sure. I am just real happy to do it here at Topeka.”
It was Kalitta’s 41st career win, his second at Topeka and he also increased his lead to 95 points over second-ranked Brittany Force in the Top Fuel point standings.
This is the first time Kalitta has won three races in a row in his Top Fuel career.
“We’ve got momentum,” Kalitta said. “We want to just keep doing what we’re doing and hope it lasts as long as it can go. This is a really good car, and a really good team.”
https://youtu.be/5mklT82dtss?list=PL2CE0jAO4lqQJlteWY9k5heHCMhAg1MWG
In Funny Car, 2014 season champ Matt Hagan continued his recent resurgence, earning his second consecutive win of the season, the 20th of his career and his first career triumph in Topeka.
Much like Kalitta’s match with Brown, Hagan (5.724 seconds at 179.09 mph) lost traction in his final round run against teammate Jack Beckman (6.560 seconds at 146.75 mph), who also lost traction.
“It was wild,” Hagan said of the final round. “It’s important to put everything in perspective. We set world records for (elapsed time: 3.862 seconds) and speed (335.57 mph, both marks coming Friday during qualifying) and then to come back out here to win this race is a tribute to my guys and their hard work. My butt was puckered pretty good on that last run.”
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The NHRA National Event Tour skips next weekend and returns June 3-5 with the NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway in Epping, N.H.
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FINAL FINISHING ORDER:
TOP FUEL: 1. Doug Kalitta; 2. Antron Brown; 3. Steve Torrence; 4. Richie Crampton; 5. Tony Schumacher; 6. Shawn Langdon; 7. Brittany Force; 8. Clay Millican; 9. J.R. Todd; 10. Scott Palmer; 11. Terry McMillen; 12. Rob Passey; 13. Luigi Novelli; 14. Terry Haddock; 15. Smax Smith.FUNNY CAR: 1. Matt Hagan; 2. Jack Beckman; 3. Courtney Force; 4. Tim Wilkerson; 5. Robert Hight; 6. Alexis DeJoria; 7. Tommy Johnson Jr.; 8. Del Worsham; 9. John Force; 10. Bob Tasca III; 11. Brian Stewart; 12. John Hale; 13. Chad Head; 14. Ron Capps; 15. Dale Creasy Jr.; 16. Cruz Pedregon.
PRO STOCK: 1. Jason Line; 2. Greg Anderson; 3. Allen Johnson; 4. Shane Gray; 5. Bo Butner; 6. Alex Laughlin; 7. Erica Enders; 8. Vincent Nobile; 9. Aaron Strong; 10. Chris McGaha; 11. Deric Kramer; 12. Drew Skillman; 13. Jeg Coughlin; 14. Dave River; 15. V. Gaines; 16. Mark Hogan.
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FINAL RESULTS:
Top Fuel -- Doug Kalitta, 5.452 seconds, 238.85 mph def. Antron Brown, 5.687 seconds, 298.60 mph.
Funny Car -- Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 5.724, 179.04 def. Jack Beckman, Charger, 6.560, 146.75.
Pro Stock -- Jason Line, Chevy Camaro, 6.664, 207.85 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.687, 207.02.
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FINAL ROUND-BY-ROUND RESULTS:
TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE -- Clay Millican, 3.783, 320.74 def. Terry McMillen, 3.984, 245.58; Tony Schumacher, 3.748, 327.90 def. Luigi Novelli, Broke; Richie Crampton, 4.033, 218.72 def. Terry Haddock, Broke; Brittany Force, 3.707, 326.24 was unopposed; Doug Kalitta, 3.795, 287.23 def. Rob Passey, 14.800, 34.25; Steve Torrence, 3.800, 324.12 def. Smax Smith, Broke; Shawn Langdon, 3.915, 242.71 def. Scott Palmer, 3.940, 311.70; Antron Brown, 3.723, 319.82 def. J.R. Todd, 3.767, 322.96.
QUARTERFINALS -- Torrence, 3.770, 324.59 def. Langdon, 4.037, 248.84; Kalitta, 3.796, 325.61 def. Millican, 6.533, 89.42; Crampton, 3.781, 317.34 def. Schumacher, 3.782, 320.20; Brown, 3.753, 315.64 def. Force, Foul - Red Light.
SEMIFINALS -- Kalitta, 3.757, 329.10 def. Torrence, 3.840, 314.46; Brown, 3.784, 313.95 def. Crampton, 9.335, 76.58.
FINAL -- Kalitta, 5.452, 238.85 def. Brown, 5.687, 298.60.
FUNNY CAR:
ROUND ONE -- Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 3.935, 325.45 def. John Hale, Dodge Charger, 4.086, 314.53; Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.943, 325.69 def. Brian Stewart, Mustang, 4.065, 313.15; Jack Beckman, Charger, 3.933, 327.19 def. Dale Creasy Jr., Chevy Impala, 4.311, 239.19; Courtney Force, Chevy Camaro, 3.943, 324.44 def. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.004, 305.29; Alexis DeJoria, Toyota Camry, 3.963, 321.81 def. Chad Head, Camry, 4.188, 268.06; Del Worsham, Camry, 3.953, 327.27 def. John Force, Camaro, 3.951, 328.70; Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 4.006, 319.60 def. Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 9.397, 79.86; Robert Hight, Camaro, 3.926, 329.67 def. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.242, 229.90.
QUARTERFINALS -- Wilkerson, 3.972, 324.44 def. Worsham, 5.624, 141.82; Beckman, 3.956, 316.75 def. Johnson Jr., 4.045, 309.34; Hagan, 3.942, 323.81 def. Hight, 3.963, 325.37; C. Force, 3.961, 324.05 def. DeJoria, 3.981, 318.69.
SEMIFINALS -- Beckman, 3.936, 324.20 def. Wilkerson, broke; Hagan, 3.951, 324.05 def. C. Force, 10.747, 80.24.
FINAL -- Hagan, 5.724, 179.04 def. Beckman, 6.560, 146.75.
PRO STOCK:
ROUND ONE -- Erica Enders, Dodge Dart, 6.718, 205.19 def. Drew Skillman, Chevy Camaro, Foul - Red Light; Allen Johnson, Dart, 6.655, 208.20 def. Aaron Strong, Camaro, Foul - Red Light; Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.748, 204.66 def. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.693, 207.24; Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.653, 207.91 def. Jeg Coughlin, Dart, 6.746, 205.07; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.645, 207.66 def. V. Gaines, Dart, 6.789, 205.32; Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.683, 206.57 def. Dave River, Chevy Cobalt, 6.777, 202.42; Jason Line, Camaro, 6.647, 208.30 def. Mark Hogan, Pontiac GXP, 6.905, 198.67; Alex Laughlin, Camaro, 6.653, 206.89 def. Deric Kramer, Dart, 6.696, 205.76.
QUARTERFINALS -- Johnson, 6.676, 207.02 def. Butner, 6.716, 199.37; Gray, 6.664, 207.15 def. Laughlin, 6.719, 206.48; Line, 6.661, 207.85 def. Enders, 6.725, 204.98; Anderson, 6.660, 206.61 def. Nobile, 6.738, 205.26.
SEMIFINALS -- Line, 6.670, 207.43 def. Gray, 7.725, 135.16; Anderson, 6.672, 206.67 def. Johnson, 7.317, 144.18.
FINAL -- Line, 6.664, 207.85 def. Anderson, 6.687, 207.02.
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UPDATED POINT STANDINGS:
Top Fuel: 1. Doug Kalitta, 710; 2. Antron Brown, 615; 3. Brittany Force, 580; 4. Steve Torrence, 557; 5. (tie) Clay Millican, 440; J.R. Todd, 440; 7. Richie Crampton, 418; 8. Tony Schumacher, 403; 9. Shawn Langdon, 346; 10. Terry McMillen, 310.
Funny Car: 1. Courtney Force, 601; 2. Jack Beckman, 589; 3. Tim Wilkerson, 554; 4. Matt Hagan, 511; 5. Robert Hight, 510; 6. Ron Capps, 504; 7. Del Worsham, 485; 8. Alexis DeJoria, 451; 9. John Force, 448; 10. Tommy Johnson Jr., 404.
Pro Stock: 1. Jason Line, 942; 2. Greg Anderson, 816; 3. Bo Butner, 614; 4. (tie) Allen Johnson, 465; Drew Skillman, 465; 6. Chris McGaha, 427; 7. Vincent Nobile, 346; 8. Erica Enders, 341; 9. Jeg Coughlin, 339; 10. Alex Laughlin, 327.
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