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2016 NHRA Mello Yello champs

14 Nov 2016
National Dragster staff
Poll Position

Four new NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series champs have been crowned, each with his own unique story, but which one was the most special or most deserving?

While it’s easy to say that the sentimental favorite is Ron Capps, who finally scored his long-awaited first Funny Car championship after nearly 20 years and 500 races encompassing 50 wins and four second-place finishes, there’s a lot to be said about the other three champs, too.

Jerry Savoie joined Capps as a first-time champion and had to wrestle the title from the twin Harley threats of Eddie Krawiec and Andrew Hines, who have won four of the last five championships. The dramatic season finale in Pomona provided a storybook ending. Savoie’s championship aboard his White Alligator Racing Suzuki is the first for the brand since 2010.

Antron Brown’s Top Fuel championship, the third of his career and second straight, made him the first repeat champ in the fuel dragster class since Tony Schumacher in 2008-09, and Brown’s dominating performance in the Countdown to the Championship this season won’t soon be forgotten.

Jason Line capped one of the most dominating seasons in Pro Stock history with eight event titles and 65 round-wins to earn his third season championship. If it wasn’t for teammate Greg Anderson's equally amazing season (eight event titles, 64 round-wins), there’s no telling how much greater Line’s numbers may have been.