NHRA Concord winners: Steve Torrence, Ron Capps, Jason Line, Matt Smith

By Jerry BonkowskiOct 14, 2018, 9:55 PM EDT

From left, Matt Smith, Jason Line, Ron Capps, Steve Torrence. Photos and videos courtesy NHRA

Steve Torrence continued to be unstoppable in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, capturing Top Fuel honors in Sunday’s finals of the NHRA Carolina Nationals in Concord, North Carolina.

Torrence has now won each of the first four Countdown races and, with Sunday’s win, builds a big lead for the championship with just two races remaining in the Countdown.

Torrence (3.703 seconds at 329.67 mph) defeated 2017 NHRA Top Fuel champion Brittany Force (3.708 seconds at 329.26 mph) to remain perfect in the 2018 Countdown.

It was Torrence’s ninth win in the first 22 races of the 24-race NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule – and the 25th triumph of his Top Fuel career.

Torrence becomes the first driver in Top Fuel or Funny Car history to sweep the first four races of the Countdown. He also won at Charlotte earlier this season in the Four-Wide Nationals.

Torrence defeated Chris Karamesines, Leah Pritchett, Tony Schumacher and Force to reach the winner’s circle on Sunday.

“It’s been truly unbelievable for us to go out and accomplish what we’ve done,” Torrence said in an NHRA media release. “We’re in the middle of this thing and it’s truly remarkable.

“I did my job today, but it’s a team and it takes the whole village to make this machine work. I couldn’t be more proud of what those guys are doing. They’re pushing me to the front and it’s pretty special to be part of.

“You don’t win a championship by default. You go up there and do your job when it’s crunch time. This was the biggest race of the season for us and we needed to capitalize, and we did what we needed to do.”

Torrence now has a commanding 169-point lead over second-ranked Clay Millican with just two races left in the season: Las Vegas (Oct. 25-28) and Pomona, California (Nov. 8-11).

In Funny Car: 2016 champ Ron Capps earned his third win of 2018 and his 61st career NHRA victory. Capps (3.890 seconds at 331.20 mph) defeated J.R. Todd (4.311 seconds at 214.96 mph) in Sunday’s final round.

Capps defeated Dale Creasy Jr., 2017 Funny Car champ Robert Hight, Tim Wilkerson and Todd to capture top Funny Car honors.

“To throw down those speeds and E.T.s when we needed it, that was very cool,” Capps said. “You’ve just got to be up for everything and I was just so glad that we did what we talked about doing.”

Capps now moves into third place in the Funny Car ranks, 109 points behind series leader Hight. By reaching the final round, Todd is now just 11 points behind Hight.

“We’ve got a lot of business left and it’s not over,” Capps said. “Anything can happen and we’re going to go down fighting. I can’t wait to celebrate and get to the next race. We’re gaining momentum and it really gives me a lot of confidence.”

In Pro Stock: Jason Line (6.531 seconds at 211.89 mph) earned his first win of the season and 48th of his Pro Stock career, defeating Pro Stock points leader Tanner Gray (6.534 seconds at 211.43 mph).

Line is a three-time NHRA Pro Stock champ, but has struggled this season. However, his win on Sunday – he defeated 2017 Pro Stock champ Bo Butner, five-time Pro Stock champ Jeg Coughlin Jr., No. 1 qualifier Drew Skillman and Gray – marked the 15th consecutive season he’s won at least one race in a season.

Line also is the 10th different winner in Pro Stock in the first 22 races this season.

“It’s been a struggle for sure, so I guess the good part of that is when you do finally win you definitely appreciate it,” said Line, who now has a Pro Stock-best four wins at zMAX Dragway. “I was just trying to be calm (against Gray) and cut the best light I was capable of cutting. It was a great run and our team did a great job on my racecar today.”

Gray had won two of the first three Countdown races (and seven this season). He reached the 10th final round this season on Sunday, defeating Alan Prusiensky, Alex Laughlin and two-time Pro Stock champ Erica Enders before falling to Line in the final round.

Even though he lost to Line, Gray still managed to extend his lead in the Pro Stock points standings to 130 points over Coughlin Jr.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle: Matt Smith rode to his third win of the season and also regained the points lead in the process. Smith (6.830 seconds at 196.64 mph) defeated Chip Ellis (fouled, red light at starting line) in Sunday’s final round.

Smith defeated Karen Stoffer, Scotty Pollacheck, Angelle Sampey and Ellis.

With his 21st career PSM win, Smith now holds a 41-point lead over LE Tonglet and a 56-point edge over 2017 PSM champ Eddie Krawiec.

“It’s pretty big if you look at the points,” said Smith, who has two playoff wins. “I went up and raced scared in Dallas (last week) and didn’t do my job, so I figured I would come here and do my job.

“All in all, the bike worked great and I just had to do my job. I said it to begin with that if we can win three races in the Countdown, I think we can win this championship. We just can’t have another first-round loss and we have to keep going rounds. We’re going to do everything we can to make this dream come true again.”

****************

FINAL FINISHING ORDER:

TOP FUEL: 1. Steve Torrence; 2. Brittany Force; 3. Tony Schumacher; 4. Mike Salinas; 5. Clay Millican; 6. Dom Lagana; 7. Doug Kalitta; 8. Leah Pritchett; 9. Antron Brown; 10. Richie Crampton; 11. Terry McMillen; 12. Scott Palmer; 13. Chris Karamesines; 14. Audrey Worm; 15. Kyle Wurtzel; 16. Pat Dakin.

FUNNY CAR: 1. Ron Capps; 2. J.R. Todd; 3. John Force; 4. Tim Wilkerson; 5. Matt Hagan; 6. Cruz Pedregon; 7. Robert Hight; 8. Dave Richards; 9. Jack Beckman; 10. Jonnie Lindberg; 11. Dale Creasy Jr.; 12. Courtney Force; 13. Bob Tasca III; 14. Tommy Johnson Jr.; 15. Jim Campbell; 16. Shawn Langdon.

PRO STOCK: 1. Jason Line; 2. Tanner Gray; 3. Erica Enders; 4. Drew Skillman; 5. Jeg Coughlin; 6. Alex Laughlin; 7. Vincent Nobile; 8. Bo Butner; 9. Fernando Cuadra; 10. Wally Stroupe; 11. Shane Tucker; 12. Alan Prusiensky; 13. Deric Kramer; 14. Greg Anderson.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: 1. Matt Smith; 2. Chip Ellis; 3. Angelle Sampey; 4. Jerry Savoie; 5. Eddie Krawiec; 6. Andrew Hines; 7. Scotty Pollacheck; 8. Angie Smith; 9. Hector Arana Jr.; 10. Hector Arana; 11. Steve Johnson; 12. LE Tonglet; 13. Joey Gladstone; 14. Karen Stoffer; 15. Jim Underdahl; 16. Ryan Oehler.

****************

FINAL RESULTS:

TOP FUEL: Steve Torrence, 3.703 seconds, 329.67 mph def. Brittany Force, 3.708 seconds, 329.26 mph.

FUNNY CAR: Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 3.890, 331.20 def. J.R. Todd, Toyota Camry, 4.311, 214.96.

PRO STOCK: Jason Line, Chevy Camaro, 6.531, 211.89 def. Tanner Gray, Camaro, 6.534, 211.43.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: Matt Smith, EBR, 6.830, 196.64 def. Chip Ellis, Harley-Davidson, Foul – Red Light.

****************

FINAL ROUND-BY-ROUND RESULTS:

TOP FUEL: ROUND ONE — Clay Millican, 4.405, 244.16 def. Kyle Wurtzel, 5.574, 119.80; Leah Pritchett, 3.707, 324.67 def. Richie Crampton, 3.750, 317.79; Doug Kalitta, 3.718, 329.42 def. Scott Palmer, 3.788, 326.00; Mike Salinas, 3.725, 331.12 def. Pat Dakin, 20.722, 23.17; Brittany Force, 3.717, 323.12 def. Audrey Worm, 5.162, 157.23; Steve Torrence, 3.954, 323.81 def. Chris Karamesines, 4.121, 225.37; Tony Schumacher, 3.699, 329.91 def. Antron Brown, 3.736, 328.14; Dom Lagana, 3.716, 329.42 def. Terry McMillen, 3.780, 324.98; QUARTERFINALS — Salinas, 3.723, 329.83 def. Kalitta, 3.741, 328.30; Force, 3.702, 328.54 def. Lagana, 3.730, 329.58; Schumacher, 3.712, 330.55 def. Millican, 3.729, 328.86; Torrence, 3.716, 330.96 def. Pritchett, 4.222, 219.76; SEMIFINALS — Torrence, 3.728, 328.38 def. Schumacher, 3.718, 329.42; Force, 3.708, 330.07 def. Salinas, 3.737, 328.94; FINAL — Torrence, 3.703, 329.67 def. Force, 3.708, 329.26.

FUNNY CAR: ROUND ONE — Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 3.915, 308.28 def. Jim Campbell, Dodge Charger, 7.556, 86.70; Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.283, 279.27 def. Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 7.265, 112.70; Ron Capps, Charger, 3.926, 328.86 def. Dale Creasy Jr., Dodge Stratus, 4.041, 316.67; J.R. Todd, Toyota Camry, 3.874, 330.55 def. Jonnie Lindberg, Mustang, 3.964, 325.22; Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 4.019, 270.00 def. Courtney Force, Chevy Camaro, 4.132, 232.31; Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.891, 328.62 def. Shawn Langdon, Camry, 9.638, 78.22; Robert Hight, Camaro, 3.877, 330.96 def. Jack Beckman, Charger, 3.906, 329.26; John Force, Camaro, 3.970, 325.45 def. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.146, 256.60; QUARTERFINALS — J. Force, 3.948, 329.18 def. Richards, 4.272, 260.56; Wilkerson, 3.910, 328.46 def. Hagan, 3.903, 323.58; Todd, 3.919, 325.53 def. Pedregon, 3.943, 306.46; Capps, 3.889, 332.43 def. Hight, 3.953, 285.23; SEMIFINALS — Todd, 3.891, 326.48 def. J. Force, 3.968, 331.12; Capps, 3.903, 320.97 def. Wilkerson, 3.978, 323.97; FINAL — Capps, 3.890, 331.20 def. Todd, 4.311, 214.96.

PRO STOCK: ROUND ONE — Vincent Nobile, Chevy Camaro, 6.522, 211.30 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 18.517, 33.29; Alex Laughlin, Dodge Dart, 6.505, 211.83 def. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 16.308, 37.67; Jason Line, Camaro, 6.503, 211.96 def. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.526, 211.76; Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.499, 212.76 def. Fernando Cuadra, Camaro, 6.535, 210.77; Drew Skillman, Camaro, 6.522, 212.09 def. Shane Tucker, Camaro, 12.410, 71.33; Tanner Gray, Camaro, 6.537, 211.63 def. Alan Prusiensky, Dart, 12.705, 69.24; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.493, 212.73 def. Wally Stroupe, Camaro, 6.722, 205.79; QUARTERFINALS — Skillman, 15.965, 34.99 was unopposed; Gray, 6.563, 211.66 def. Laughlin, 6.529, 211.39; Line, 6.510, 212.16 def. Coughlin, 6.527, 211.89; Enders, 6.521, 212.26 def. Nobile, 6.585, 211.46; SEMIFINALS — Gray, 6.527, 211.20 def. Enders, 6.529, 211.36; Line, 6.527, 211.86 def. Skillman, 6.547, 211.10; FINAL — Line, 6.531, 211.89 def. Gray, 6.534, 211.43.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: ROUND ONE — Angie Smith, Buell, 6.902, 191.10 def. Ryan Oehler, Buell, 8.462, 117.98; Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.883, 194.02 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.910, 192.19; Chip Ellis, Harley-Davidson, 6.778, 197.19 def. Joey Gladstone, Buell, 6.973, 194.32; Matt Smith, 6.869, 196.67 def. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 7.010, 192.33; Scotty Pollacheck, Suzuki, 6.878, 194.18 def. Hector Arana Jr, 6.855, 197.65; Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.812, 196.53 def. Hector Arana, 6.903, 196.56; Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.848, 197.91 def. Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, 7.073, 158.99; Angelle Sampey, Buell, 6.809, 196.90 def. LE Tonglet, Suzuki, 6.940, 194.77; QUARTERFINALS — M. Smith, 6.881, 197.19 def. Pollacheck, 6.890, 194.27; Ellis, 6.831, 197.08 def. A. Smith, 6.913, 191.67; Savoie, 6.842, 194.27 def. Hines, 6.857, 195.53; Sampey, 6.834, 195.31 def. Krawiec, 6.837, 197.91; SEMIFINALS — M. Smith, 6.869, 194.86 def. Sampey, 6.922, 193.18; Ellis, 6.854, 197.13 def. Savoie, 16.849, 35.06; FINAL — M. Smith, 6.830, 196.64 def. Ellis, Foul – Red Light.

****************

UPDATED POINT STANDINGS:

TOP FUEL: 1. Steve Torrence, 2,592; 2. Clay Millican, 2,423; 3. Tony Schumacher, 2,382; 4. Leah Pritchett, 2,297; 5. Antron Brown, 2,253; 6. Brittany Force, 2,243; 7. Mike Salinas, 2,228; 8. Doug Kalitta, 2,225; 9. Terry McMillen, 2,221; 10. Scott Palmer, 2,149.

FUNNY CAR: 1. Robert Hight, 2,445; 2. J.R. Todd, 2,434; 3. Ron Capps, 2,336; 4. Tim Wilkerson, 2,334; 5. Tommy Johnson Jr., 2,296; 6. Courtney Force, 2,264; 7. John Force, 2,241; 8. Matt Hagan, 2,229; 9. Jack Beckman, 2,204; 10. Shawn Langdon, 2,152.

PRO STOCK: 1. Tanner Gray, 2,509; 2. Jeg Coughlin, 2,379; 3. Vincent Nobile, 2,373; 4. Drew Skillman, 2,356; 5. Erica Enders, 2,338; 6. Greg Anderson, 2,299; 7. Jason Line, 2,291; 8. Bo Butner, 2,186; 9. Deric Kramer, 2,168; 10. Chris McGaha, 2,096.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: 1. Matt Smith, 2,426; 2. LE Tonglet, 2,385; 3. Eddie Krawiec, 2,370; 4. Jerry Savoie, 2,326; 5. Andrew Hines, 2,291; 6. Hector Arana Jr, 2,288; 7. Angie Smith, 2,221; 8. Angelle Sampey, 2,216; 9. Steve Johnson, 2,209; 10. Scotty Pollacheck, 2,177.

Follow @JerryBonkowski

Tony Kanaan at peace with IndyCar career end: ‘I’ll always be an Indianapolis 500 winner’

By Bruce MartinMay 31, 2023, 7:00 PM EDT

INDIANAPOLIS – Few drivers in Indy 500 history have been as popular as Tony Kanaan.

Throughout his career at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway that began with his first Indy 500 in 2002, the fans loved his aggressiveness on the track and his engaging personality with the fans.

The Brazilian always got the loudest cheers from the fans during driver introductions before the Indy 500.

Sunday’s 107^th Indianapolis 500 would be his last time to walk up the steps for driver introductions. Kanaan announced earlier this year that it would be his final race of his IndyCar career, but not the final race as a race driver.

He will continue to compete in stock cars in Brazil and in Tony Stewart’s summer series known as the “Superstar Racing Experience” – an IROC-type series that competes at legendary short tracks around the country beginning in June.

Kanaan was the extra driver at Arrow McLaren for this year’s Indy 500 joining NTT IndyCar Series regulars Pato O’Ward of Mexico, Felix Rosenqvist of Sweden, and Alexander Rossi of northern California.

He had a sporty ride, the No. 66 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet that paid homage to McLaren’s first Indianapolis 500 victory by the late Mark Donohue for Team Penske in 1972.

Because Kanaan has meant so much to the Indianapolis 500 and the NTT IndyCar Series, the 2013 Indy 500 winner was honored before the start of the race with a special video.

It featured Kanaan sitting in the Grandstand A seats writing a love letter to the fans of this great event. Kanaan narrated the video, reciting the words in the letter and it finished with the driver putting it in an envelope and leaving it at the Yard of Bricks.

*Lauren Kanaan with daughter Nina before the 107th Indy 500 (Bruce Martin Photo).*

Many in the huge crowd of 330,000 fans watched the video on the large screens around the speedway. On the starting grid, Kanaan’s wife, Lauren, who bears a striking resemblance to actress Kate Beckinsale, watched with their four children.

Kanaan’s wife is an Indiana girl who was a high school basketball star in Cambridge City, Indiana.

Kanaan proposed to Lauren in 2010, and after a three-year engagement, they were married in 2013 – the year he won his only Indianapolis 500.

She has been Kanaan’s rock, and this was a moment for the family to share.

After receiving an ovation and the accolades from the crowd, Kanaan walked to his car on the starting grid and exchanged hugs with people who were important in his career.

One of those was Takuma Sato’s engineer at Chip Ganassi Racing, Eric Cowdin.

*Tony Kanaan shares a moment with former engineer Eric Cowdin (Bruce Martin Photo).*

Kanaan and Cowdin shared a longtime relationship dating all the way back to the Andretti Green Racing days when Kanaan was a series champion in 2004. This combination stayed together when Kanaan moved to KV Racing in 2011, then Chip Ganassi Racing from 2014-2018 followed by two years at AJ Foyt Racing.

Kanaan returned to run the four oval races for Chip Ganassi Racing in 2021 in the No. 48 Honda that was shared with seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson.

In 2022, Johnson ran the full IndyCar Series schedule, and Kanaan drove the No. 1 American Legion entry to a third-place finish in his only IndyCar race of the season.

Kanaan knew that 2023 would be his last Indy 500 and properly prepared himself mentally and emotionally for his long goodbye.

But one could sense the heartfelt love, gratitude, and most of all respect for this tenacious driver in the moments leading up to the start of the race.

*Tony Kanaan gets emotional during an interview after the Indy 500 (Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar/ USA TODAY Sports Images Network).*

“The emotions are just there,” Kanaan said. “I cried 400 times. This guy came to hug me, and I made Rocket (IndyCar Technical Director Kevin Blanch) cry. I mean, that is something.

“Yeah, it was emotional.”

Kanaan started ninth and finished 18^th in a race that was very clean for the first two thirds of the race before ending in disjointed fashion with three red flags to stop the race over the final 15 laps.

“Yellows breed yellows and when you are talking about the Indianapolis 500 and a field that is so tough to pass, that happens,” Kanaan said. “It’s the Indy 500. Come on. We’ve got to leave it out there.

“Every red flag, everybody goes, I’m going to pass everybody. It’s tough to pass. It’s the toughest field, the tightest field we ever had here. It was going to happen. We knew it was going to happen.

“I wouldn’t want it any different. We left it all out there. Everybody that was out left it out.”

At one point in the second half of the race, Kanaan passed Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin by driving through the grass on the backstretch.

“That was OK, right?” Kanaan said. “That is one thing I have not done in 22 years here. Even (team owner) Sam Schmidt came to me and said, ‘That was a good one.’

“That was a farewell move.”

‘@IMS gave @TonyKanaan a new job… pic.twitter.com/tRPZhzJcyH

— INDYCAR on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) May 31, 2023

On the final lap, it was Kanaan battling his boyhood friend from Brazil, four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, for a mid-pack finish.

“Helio and I battling for 15th and 16th on the last lap like we’re going for the lead,” Kanaan said. “It was like, who’s playing pranks with us.

“We both went side by side on the backstretch after the checker and we saluted with each other, and I just told him actually I dropped a tear because of that, and he said, ‘I did, too.’

“We went side by side like twice. A lot of memories came to my mind, and I even said how ironic it is that we started it together and I get to battle him on the last lap of my last race.

*Tony Kanaan is embraced by his wife, Lauren, after finishing 16th in the 107th Indianapolis 500 ((Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar/ USA TODAY Sports Images Network).*

“It’s pretty neat. It’s a pretty cool story. He’s a great friend. My reference, a guy that I love and hate a lot throughout my career, and like he just told me — I was coming up here and he just said, who am I going to look on the time sheet when I come into the pits now, because we always said that it didn’t matter if I was — if I was 22nd and he was 23rd, my day was okay. And vice versa.

“It was a good day for me, man. What can I say? We cried on the grid.

“Not the result that we wanted. I went really aggressive on the downforce to start the race. It was wrong. Then I added downforce towards the end of the race, and it was wrong. It was just one of those days.”

After the race was over, Kanaan drove his No. 66 Honda back to the Arrow McLaren pit area and climbed out of the car to cheers of the fans that could see him. Others were focused on Josef Newgarden’s wild celebration after the Team Penske driver had won his first Indianapolis 500.

There were no tears, though, only smiles from Kanaan who closes an IndyCar career with 389 starts, 17 wins including the 2013 Indianapolis 500, 79 podiums, 13 poles, and 4,077 laps led in a 26-year career.

Kanaan came, he raced, and he raced hard.

“That’s what we did, we raced as hard as we could,” Kanaan told NBC Sports.com. “It wasn’t enough.

“The win was the only thing that mattered. If we were second or 16^th, we were going to celebrate regardless.

“In a way, being 16^th will stop people wondering if I’m going to come back.

“I’m ready to go. I’m ready to enjoy the time with my family, with my team and doing other things as well.”

Kanaan’s face will forever be part of the Borg-Warner Trophy as the winner of the Indianapolis 500.

“I won one and that is there, and it will always be there,” Kanaan said. “It was an awesome day.

“The way this crowd made me feel was unbelievable. I don’t regret a bit.”

*Tony Kanaan hugs his son Max before the Indy 500 (Grace Hollars/IndyStar/USA TODAY Sports Images Network).*

Kanaan actually announced the 2020 Indianapolis 500 would be TK’s last ride because he wanted to say goodbye to the fans.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 hit, the Indianapolis 500 was moved from Memorial Day Weekend to August 23 and because of COVID restrictions, fans were not allowed to attend the Indianapolis 500.

Three years later, Kanaan was finally able to say goodbye to this fans that were part of the largest crowd to see the Indianapolis 500 since the sold-out gathering for 350,000 that attended the 100^th running in 2016.

“That’s it, that’s what I wanted, and I got what I wanted,” Kanaan said. “This moment was so special; I don’t want to ever spoil it again.

*Tony Kanaan kisses his daughter Nina before the 107th Indy 500 (Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY Sports Images Network).*

“We’ve been building and growing this series as much as we can. I’m really glad and proud that I was able to be part of building something big and this year’s race was one of the biggest ones.”

Kanaan walked off pit lane and rejoined his family. He will always be part of the glorious history of the Indianapolis 500 and fans will be talking about Tony Kanaan years from now, not by what he did, but the way he did it.

“This is what it is all about,” Kanaan said on pit lane. “Having kids, be a good person. Even if you don’t win, it’s fine if you don’t, as long as you make a difference.

“Hopefully, I made a difference in this sport.

“I will always be an IndyCar driver. I will always be an Indy 500 winner and I will always make people aware of IndyCar in the way it deserves.”

Follow Bruce Martin on Twitter at @BruceMartin_500