NHRA: Anderson (Pro Stock), Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) reign at Joliet - MotorSportsTalk

JOLIET, Illinois – Like fine wine, Greg Anderson just seems to keep getting better with age.

The 55-year-old former four-time NHRA Pro Stock champion powered to his sixth win of the season in Sunday’s K&N Filters Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway.

Anderson (6.644 seconds at 209.01 mph) defeated teammate Bo Butner (6.667/209.17). Anderson now trails fellow teammate and points leader Jason Line by 80 points.

2016_Greg_Anderson — Greg Anderson won NHRA Pro Stock Sunday in Joliet, Illinois.

“We basically out raced them today and we just flat found a way to win each round,” Anderson said. “That’s what it’s all about.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the guys. It is certainly our hardest-fought win of the season. I am looking forward to the battle that’s coming. This Western Swing (Denver, Seattle and Sonoma, which starts in two weeks) should be a real battle.”

MORE: Results and standings from K&N Filters Route 66 Nationals

There were a number of upsets throughout the first three rounds, including:

* Two-time defending Pro Stock champ Erica Enders continues to struggle this season. Enders (6.686 seconds at 208.36 mph) lost in the first round to Vincent Nobile (6.643/208.55). Nobile (6.658/208.30) then lost in the quarterfinals to Shane Gray (6.622/209.72).

* In turn, Gray (21.336/36.96) lost to Anderson (6.631/209.14) in the semifinals.

* Drew Skillman (6.644/208.52) lost in the first round to former five-time Pro Stock champ Jeg Coughlin Jr. (6.641/208.23). In turn, Coughlin (6.663/207.85) lost in the quarterfinals to Jason Line (6.615/209.62).

* In one of the biggest upsets leading up to the final round, Butner (6.631/209.23) handed Jason Line (6.616/209.56) only his second defeat of the season in the semifinals.

The NHRA enjoys next weekend off before returning to action July 22-24 with the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway near Denver, Colorado.

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In Pro Stock Motorcycle, it was defending series champion Andrew Hines (6.858 seconds at 194.91 mph) who took his second win of 2016, defeating Angelle Sampey (6.893/193.40) in the final round.

“We had a good motorcycle all weekend, it was just a matter of making the straight, consistent runs that we needed to,” Hines said of his third career Route 66 win. “That’s what allows you to go out there and turn on four win lights.

Andrew Hines won Pro Stock Motorcycle Sunday at Joliet, Illinois. — Andrew Hines won NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Sunday at Joliet, Illinois.

“I’ve always loved this track and I always seem to excel at the hot racetracks. You have to be on top of your tune-up these days and you can’t cut anyone any slack.”

Among key races during the first three elimination rounds:

* Karen Stoffer (6.895 seconds at 194.77 mph) defeated Jerry Savoie (6.851/195.65) in the first round.

* Stoffer (7.173/161.48), in turn, lost in the quarterfinals to Steve Johnson (6.905/192.93).

* Johnson (8.320/108.61), in turn, fell to Hines (6.877/194.35) in the semifinals.

* Hector Arana (6.882 seconds at 194.97 mph) defeated son Hector Arana Jr. (6.886/193.82) in the first round.

* Eddie Krawiec (6.856/184.14) fell to Sampey (7.022/191.05) in the semifinals.

The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continues July 22-24 with the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway near Denver.

Follow @JerryBonkowski

Three riders remain locked in a tight battle with 17 points separating the leader Cooper Webb from third-place Chase Sexton and these are only a few Supercross numbers to consider entering Seattle.

Seattle Supercross numbers — *Chase Sexton made a statement in Detroit with his second win of 2023. – Feld Motor Sports*

For the fifth time in 10 rounds. Sexton, Webb, and Eli Tomac shared the podium in Detroit. Between them, the trio has taken 23 podiums, leaving only seven for the remainder of the field. Jason Anderson, Ken Roczen and Justin Barcia have two each with Aaron Plessinger scoring the other.

Webb and Tomac won the last four championships with two apiece in alternating years, but they were not one another’s primary rival for most of those seasons. On the average, however, the past four years show an incredible similarity with average points earned of 21.0 for Webb and 21.3 for Tomac. With five wins so far this season, Tomac (23 wins) leads Webb (19) in victories but Webb (43) edges Tomac (41) in podium finishes during this span.

Tomac has won two of the last three Seattle races and those two wins in this stadium are topped only by James Stewart. Fittingly, if Tomac gets a third win this week, he will tie Stewart for second on the all-time wins’ list. Tomac tied Ricky Carmichael for third with 48 wins at Oakland and took sole possession of that spot with his Daytona win.

Sexton still has a lot to say and after winning last week in Detroit, he is speaking up. The Supercross numbers are against him entering Seattle, however, because a points’ deficit this large after Round 10 has been erased only once. In 1983 David Bailey was 47 points behind Bob Hannah, and like Sexton he was also in third place. Bailey took the points’ lead with one race remaining.

The seven points Sexton was penalized last week for jumping in a red cross flag section in Detroit could prove extremely costly.

In fact, it has been a series of mistakes that has cost Sexton the most. In the last two weeks, he lost 10 points with a 10th-place finish to go with his penalty. Erase those, and all three riders hold their fate in their hands.

Plessinger’s heartbreak in Detroit is still fresh, but the upside of his run is that was his best of the season and could turn his fortunes around. Prior to that race, he led only seven laps in three mains. He was up front for 20 laps in Detroit with five of those being the fastest on the track.

Last week’s win by Hunter Lawrence tied him with his brother Jett Lawrence for 17th on the all-time wins’ list. With the focus shifting to 250 West for the next two rounds, Jett has a great opportunity to pull back ahead. The real test will be at the first East / West Showdown in East Rutherford, New Jersey on April 22.

Last Five Seattle Winners

450s
2022: Eli Tomac
2019: Marvin Musquin
2018: Eli Tomac
2017: Marvin Musquin
2014: Ryan Villopoto

250s
2022: Hunter Lawrence
2019: Dylan Ferrandis
2018: Aaron Plessinger
2017: Aaron Plessinger
2014: Cole Seely

By the Numbers

Detroit
Indianapolis
Daytona
Arlington
Oakland
Tampa
Houston
Anaheim 2
San Diego

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Chase Sexton wins in Detroit, penalized seven points

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