Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Jason Line (Pro Stock) continue to be the hottest drag racers in the NHRA, capturing their fourth and seventh wins, respectively, of 2016 in the final round of Sunday’s Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio.
With a 3.956 second/317.49 mph final round effort, Capps opened up a 130-point lead in the Funny Car point standings over runner-up and former points leader Courtney Force (4.010 seconds at 314.17 mph) at Summit Racing Equipment Park.
“What (crew chief) Rahn Tobler is doing right now is hard work,” Capps said in a NHRA media release. “This guy has been working his tail off. It is big picture to him, he is not just a good crew chief, he is a good racer and I love that. When he is pointing at me in the windshield before a run, it gives me all the confidence in the world.”
The win was Capps’ 49th of his career, tying him with former boss Don “The Snake” Prudhomme for 11th place on the all-time NHRA wins list.
“He was my hero growing up,” Capps said of Prudhomme. “These wins happen and you are told you have tied someone you are completely enamored with growing up, so when you are mentioned like that it blows me away. It doesn’t seem possible: to be mentioned with someone like Snake is crazy.”
Sunday’s final rounds marked the halfway mark of the 24-race NHRA season. Six more races remain for drivers in all categories to qualify for the NHRA Countdown to the Championship.
As for Pro Stock, Line is virtually unstoppable. He earned his seventh victory of the season (6.678 seconds at 208.42 mph), defeating teammate Greg Anderson (6.717 seconds at 208.36 mph).
Even though Line continues to make this season’s efforts look easy, Sunday was anything but, he said.
“It was a hard today, it was very hot out there,” Line said. “We didn’t run as well as we would have liked today and there were cars that were very close to us.
“They are getting closer and to win at the Summit race, in a Summit Car, at a Summit track is a huge deal. Greg (Anderson) and I have been very fortunate to make that happen a bunch of times. It’s fun.”
In Top Fuel, Shawn Langdon won his second straight race and 13th of his career. Langdon (3.846 seconds at 319.75 mph) defeated J.R. Todd (3.937 seconds at 285.05 mph).
“I think we are starting to see a little luck go our way, we really should have been out first round,” Langdon said. “We were just fortunate Troy Buff red-lit and we went back and looked at everything and couldn’t find out why it did what it did.
“We went back to what we did in qualifying on Saturday with a hot weather tune up. We were able to put together three good straight runs and felt like we had a very strong car today.”
Lastly, in Pro Stock Motorcycle, Eddie Krawiec earned his third win of the season (6.926 seconds at 194.72 mph), defeating Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley Davidson teammate and defending PSM champ Andrew Hines (6.937 seconds at 193.29 mph).
In an ironic twist, Krawiec rode into the pea gravel run-off in both his semifinal and winning rounds, unable to stop in time.
“We went back to the pit and had to take out 30 pounds of pea gravel,” Krawiec said of his semifinal run. “We put new brake pads on it, checked the fluid, drained everything and made sure it was 100 percent.
“We stopped fine in the lanes and everything. I see my fourth round win light against my teammate and went ‘not again’. I pulled the clutch in and went in for a ride.”
The NHRA enjoys next weekend off before resuming action July 7-10 with the Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois.
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FINAL FINISHING ORDER:
TOP FUEL: 1. Shawn Langdon; 2. J.R. Todd; 3. Doug Kalitta; 4. Brittany Force; 5. Tony Schumacher; 6. Antron Brown; 7. Leah Pritchett; 8. Pat Dakin; 9. Tripp Tatum; 10. Troy Buff; 11. Chris Karamesines; 12. Richie Crampton; 13. Clay Millican; 14. Luigi Novelli; 15. Terry McMillen.FUNNY CAR: 1. Ron Capps; 2. Courtney Force; 3. Robert Hight; 4. Tommy Johnson Jr.; 5. John Force; 6. Alexis DeJoria; 7. Del Worsham; 8. Cruz Pedregon; 9. Tim Wilkerson; 10. John Hale; 11. Matt Hagan; 12. Jack Beckman; 13. Brandon Welch; 14. Jeff Diehl; 15. Chad Head.
PRO STOCK: 1. Jason Line; 2. Greg Anderson; 3. Shane Gray; 4. Vincent Nobile; 5. Allen Johnson; 6. Alex Laughlin; 7. Erica Enders; 8. Drew Skillman; 9. John Gaydosh Jr; 10. Chris McGaha; 11. Jeg Coughlin; 12. Curt Steinbach; 13. Charlie Westcott Jr.; 14. Kenny Delco; 15. V. Gaines; 16. Bo Butner.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: 1. Eddie Krawiec; 2. Andrew Hines; 3. Jerry Savoie; 4. Angelle Sampey; 5. Matt Smith; 6. Cory Reed; 7. Hector Arana; 8. LE Tonglet; 9. Hector Arana Jr; 10. Michael Phillips; 11. Jim Underdahl; 12. Steve Johnson; 13. Scotty Pollacheck; 14. Michael Ray; 15. Chip Ellis; 16. Angie Smith.
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FINAL RESULTS:
Top Fuel:
Shawn Langdon, 3.846 seconds, 319.75 mph def. J.R. Todd, 3.937 seconds, 285.05 mph.Funny Car: Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 3.956, 317.49 def. Courtney Force, Chevy Camaro, 4.010, 314.17.
Pro Stock: Jason Line, Chevy Camaro, 6.678, 208.42 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.717, 208.36.
Pro Stock Motorcycle: Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.926, 194.72 def. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.937, 193.29.
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FINAL ROUND-BY-ROUND RESULTS:
TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE -- Shawn Langdon, 8.819, 86.59 def. Troy Buff, Foul - Red Light; Leah Pritchett, 3.884, 318.17 def. Richie Crampton, 4.133, 288.27; Antron Brown, 3.771, 321.50 def. Luigi Novelli, 6.260, 104.74; Doug Kalitta, 7.521, 110.42 was unopposed; Brittany Force, 3.776, 323.74 def. Chris Karamesines, 4.035, 293.35; J.R. Todd, 3.806, 322.04 def. Terry McMillen, 6.379, 109.36; Tony Schumacher, 3.792, 323.81 def. Tripp Tatum, 3.887, 318.09; Pat Dakin, 3.830, 316.67 def. Clay Millican, 5.267, 135.24;QUARTERFINALS -- Kalitta, 3.814, 324.05 def. Dakin, 11.088, 72.77; Todd, 3.831, 302.89 def. Pritchett, 3.881, 314.75; Force, 3.805, 321.96 def. Schumacher, 3.840, 316.15; Langdon, 3.800, 325.14 def. Brown, 3.873, 311.77;
SEMIFINALS -- Todd, 3.868, 297.09 def. Kalitta, 3.874, 312.42; Langdon, 3.808, 321.35 def. Force, 4.579, 206.16;
FINAL -- Langdon, 3.846, 319.75 def. Todd, 3.937, 285.05.
FUNNY CAR:
ROUND ONE -- Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 3.966, 317.87 def. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Solara, 6.794, 102.96; Del Worsham, Toyota Camry, 4.337, 210.50 was unopposed; Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 3.976, 319.52 def. Brandon Welch, Chevy Monte Carlo, 6.347, 110.53; Courtney Force, Camaro, 3.943, 322.42 def. John Hale, Charger, 4.638, 186.18; Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 3.980, 319.82 def. Jack Beckman, Charger, 5.710, 124.61; John Force, Camaro, 4.254, 237.71 def. Matt Hagan, Charger, 5.042, 272.78; Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 4.800, 170.34 def. Chad Head, Camry, 8.107, 91.20; Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 3.984, 317.72 def. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 3.991, 322.34;
QUARTERFINALS -- Capps, 3.990, 305.36 def. Pedregon, 4.654, 184.47; C. Force, 3.988, 317.05 def. DeJoria, 4.002, 317.19; Hight, 3.982, 318.17 def. J. Force, 3.998, 319.14; Johnson Jr., 3.958, 320.58 def. Worsham, 4.049, 320.43;
SEMIFINALS -- C. Force, 4.042, 306.19 def. Johnson Jr., 5.283, 153.37; Capps, 3.963, 316.60 def. Hight, 4.018, 275.79;
FINAL -- Capps, 3.956, 317.49 def. C. Force, 4.010, 314.17.
PRO STOCK:
ROUND ONE -- Alex Laughlin, Chevy Camaro, 6.697, 206.23 def. Jeg Coughlin, Dodge Dart, 6.736, 205.91; Erica Enders, Dart, 6.728, 205.76 def. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.734, 206.61; Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.681, 208.36 def. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.853, 171.71; Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.681, 207.56 def. John Gaydosh Jr, Chevrolet Camaro, 6.723, 205.79; Allen Johnson, Dart, 6.670, 208.39 def. Bo Butner, Camaro, 11.324, 79.18; Jason Line, Camaro, 6.634, 209.23 def. Curt Steinbach, Camaro, 6.748, 204.66; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.636, 209.33 def. Charlie Westcott Jr., Ford Mustang, 6.849, 202.36; Drew Skillman, Camaro, 6.650, 207.34 def. V. Gaines, Dart, 8.457, 110.82;
QUARTERFINALS -- Gray, 6.681, 207.37 def. Johnson, 6.694, 205.10; Nobile, 6.678, 207.59 def. Skillman, 9.535, 99.17; Anderson, 6.652, 208.23 def. Laughlin, 6.698, 207.88; Line, 6.662, 209.04 def. Enders, 6.737, 205.57;
SEMIFINALS -- Line, 6.675, 208.62 def. Nobile, 6.762, 207.69; Anderson, 6.675, 208.04 def. Gray, 6.699, 206.86;
FINAL -- Line, 6.678, 208.42 def. Anderson, 6.717, 208.36.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:
ROUND ONE -- Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.863, 196.10 def. Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, 7.022, 193.99; Cory Reed, Buell, 6.956, 194.24 def. Scotty Pollacheck, Buell, 7.730, 133.12; Hector Arana, Buell, 7.013, 194.07 def. Hector Arana Jr, Buell, Foul - Red Light; LE Tonglet, Suzuki, 6.915, 194.83 def. Angie Smith, Broke; Angelle Sampey, Buell, 6.914, 194.97 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.085, 192.14; Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.940, 193.54 def. Michael Phillips, Suzuki, 6.949, 195.70; Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.914, 194.80 def. Chip Ellis, Buell, Foul - Red Light; Matt Smith, 6.879, 195.36 def. Michael Ray, Buell, 8.088, 122.76;
QUARTERFINALS -- Savoie, 6.891, 194.66 def. Tonglet, 6.974, 193.77; Hines, 6.889, 194.83 def. Reed, Foul - Red Light; Krawiec, 6.909, 194.35 def. Arana, 6.951, 193.35; Sampey, 6.885, 195.31 def. M. Smith, 6.909, 192.96;
SEMIFINALS -- Krawiec, 6.891, 196.56 def. Savoie, 6.889, 195.62; Hines, 6.893, 195.79 def. Sampey, 10.165, 83.70;
FINAL -- Krawiec, 6.926, 194.72 def. Hines, 6.937, 193.29.
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UPDATED POINT STANDINGS:
Top Fuel: 1. Doug Kalitta, 1,009; 2. Antron Brown, 940; 3. Steve Torrence, 846; 4. Brittany Force, 832; 5. Tony Schumacher, 729; 6. Shawn Langdon, 711; 7. J.R. Todd, 645; 8. Clay Millican, 572; 9. Richie Crampton, 570; 10. Leah Pritchett, 463.Funny Car: 1. Ron Capps, 966; 2. Courtney Force, 836; 3. Jack Beckman, 823; 4. Del Worsham, 762; 5. Tommy Johnson Jr., 750; 6. Matt Hagan, 747; 7. Tim Wilkerson, 723; 8. Robert Hight, 722; 9. John Force, 668; 10. Alexis DeJoria, 640.
Pro Stock: 1. Jason Line, 1,389 *; 2. Greg Anderson, 1,274 *; 3. Bo Butner, 796; 4. Allen Johnson, 719; 5. Drew Skillman, 683; 6. Vincent Nobile, 613; 7. Chris McGaha, 557; 8. Shane Gray, 532; 9. Jeg Coughlin, 528; 10. Alex Laughlin, 498.
Pro Stock Motorcycle: 1. Eddie Krawiec, 557; 2. (tie) Andrew Hines, 391; Jerry Savoie, 391; 4. Angelle Sampey, 372; 5. Chip Ellis, 300; 6. Hector Arana, 291; 7. LE Tonglet, 253; 8. Matt Smith, 192; 9. Scotty Pollacheck, 183; 10. Steve Johnson, 179.
* Clinched berth in NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship.
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