Five things we learned at testing
Silly Season Scorecard
A look at the Funny Car performance surge
Does Winternationals success equal season success?
Intriguing storylines to kick off the 2017 season
2016 Champions By the Numbers
2016 Pro Stock Qualifying by the Numbers
2016 Nitro Qualifying By the Numbers
Saving the best for last
It all comes down to Pomona
One down, three to go
Rookie report card
Thinning the herd
Survival of the fastest
A St. Louis Shake-up
Welcome to the Countdown
Land of 10,000 horsepower
Upset winners
Emerald City makeover
Heard it through the grapevine
Prime-time players
Sweeping the Western Swing
Chi-Town Turnaround
Funny Car milestones
'Eastern Swing' MVP
A storm is a-brewin'
Super Summernationals
An epic Epping
Holding the Line
Record weekend
Chi-Town Turnaround
The K&N Filters Route 66 Nationals in Chicago is a super-sized event with days full of action that include all four NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series categories on hand and 10 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series categories competing for both the event and JEGS Allstars special event titles. Twenty-four trophies were given out to 23 different drivers (Shane Westerfield earned the JEGS double-up bonus in Top Alcohol Funny Car).
Perhaps the biggest win celebrated was in the Funny Car category. Jack Beckman finally put the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger in the winner’s circle for the first time this season.
To others in the category, Beckman’s win may have seemed like yet another Don Schumacher Racing victory, the seventh consecutive Funny Car win for the juggernaut and a double-up win for the organization with Antron Brown also winning in Top Fuel. However, the victory signified a large personal triumph for the team.
The tuning trio of Jimmy Prock, John Medlen, and Chris Cunningham had been the tide that raised all ships in one of the most exciting calendar years in the history of the Funny Car class. They turned the category on its head at the Sonoma event last season with an incredible performance that, in turn, popularized laid-back-style headers. (A large discussion across the class is some teams suggesting the standardization of header dimensions, but that’s another topic of conversation.) They continued to innovate in that and other areas this season, yet they seem to keep raising the platform from which other teams cash in.
Last season, Beckman was even more dominant from the Western Swing through the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals than the KB Racing team currently is in Pro Stock. The championship seemed like a foregone conclusion, but the first team to close the gap on them in performance, the DHL Toyota Camry driven by Del Worsham, capitalized during the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs and outraced Beckman for the title.
The NHRA New England Nationals marked a frustrating stretch for Beckman in another sense, as he started the first race of the four-week "Eastern Swing" with a massive explosion during Saturday qualifying that tested his hard-working crew. Beckman’s victory in Chicago rewarded their persistence and gave the whole group a much-needed taste of the fruits of their efforts.
"I thought we had so much momentum, and we haven't seen a winner's circle since Reading last year," said Beckman. "We were struggling. We've ran well at times this year, with four No. 1 qualifying positions and setting the national record, but we haven't been able to put it all together."
Beckman fired a shot in qualifying with a booming 333.25-mph speed, and he made four runs on Sunday between 3.923 and 3.955. Against teammate and points leader Capps, Beckman broke a 15-race winless streak by scoring the victory live on FOX Sports 1. Whether or not he is able to crawl his way back to the front of the standings in time to earn a berth in the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout, Beckman and his team once again showed their resilience.
The Matco Tools team, led by co-crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald, always had a good fastball, but their best stretches of racing occur when they show good command on it like they seem to have at the moment. They are able to take whatever the track gives them, and Brown puts an exclamation point at the end with razor-sharp reactions.
"We're starting to go in the right direction and peaking at the right time," said Brown. "The car responds to everything that our Matco crew does to it. We've got to keep on going strong with the routine. We really wanted to be great here with a lot of sponsors, friends, and family here. We made all the right calls and made all the right moves, and now we have to focus on getting better, better, and better."
Brown and DSR teammates Tony Schumacher and Leah Pritchett seemingly had J.R. Todd surrounded in the semifinals. Todd threw a haymaker at “the Sarge” in the semifinals to advance the SealMaster dragster to its third final round of the season. Unfortunately for Todd, he met an opponent that he had only beaten one time in 14 prior matchups. Brown got the best of him again in a 3.777 to 3.798 decision.
Perhaps the biggest win celebrated was in the Funny Car category. Jack Beckman finally put the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger in the winner’s circle for the first time this season.
To others in the category, Beckman’s win may have seemed like yet another Don Schumacher Racing victory, the seventh consecutive Funny Car win for the juggernaut and a double-up win for the organization with Antron Brown also winning in Top Fuel. However, the victory signified a large personal triumph for the team.
The tuning trio of Jimmy Prock, John Medlen, and Chris Cunningham had been the tide that raised all ships in one of the most exciting calendar years in the history of the Funny Car class. They turned the category on its head at the Sonoma event last season with an incredible performance that, in turn, popularized laid-back-style headers. (A large discussion across the class is some teams suggesting the standardization of header dimensions, but that’s another topic of conversation.) They continued to innovate in that and other areas this season, yet they seem to keep raising the platform from which other teams cash in.
Last season, Beckman was even more dominant from the Western Swing through the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals than the KB Racing team currently is in Pro Stock. The championship seemed like a foregone conclusion, but the first team to close the gap on them in performance, the DHL Toyota Camry driven by Del Worsham, capitalized during the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs and outraced Beckman for the title.
The NHRA New England Nationals marked a frustrating stretch for Beckman in another sense, as he started the first race of the four-week "Eastern Swing" with a massive explosion during Saturday qualifying that tested his hard-working crew. Beckman’s victory in Chicago rewarded their persistence and gave the whole group a much-needed taste of the fruits of their efforts.
"I thought we had so much momentum, and we haven't seen a winner's circle since Reading last year," said Beckman. "We were struggling. We've ran well at times this year, with four No. 1 qualifying positions and setting the national record, but we haven't been able to put it all together."
Beckman fired a shot in qualifying with a booming 333.25-mph speed, and he made four runs on Sunday between 3.923 and 3.955. Against teammate and points leader Capps, Beckman broke a 15-race winless streak by scoring the victory live on FOX Sports 1. Whether or not he is able to crawl his way back to the front of the standings in time to earn a berth in the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout, Beckman and his team once again showed their resilience.
The Matco Tools team, led by co-crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald, always had a good fastball, but their best stretches of racing occur when they show good command on it like they seem to have at the moment. They are able to take whatever the track gives them, and Brown puts an exclamation point at the end with razor-sharp reactions.
"We're starting to go in the right direction and peaking at the right time," said Brown. "The car responds to everything that our Matco crew does to it. We've got to keep on going strong with the routine. We really wanted to be great here with a lot of sponsors, friends, and family here. We made all the right calls and made all the right moves, and now we have to focus on getting better, better, and better."
Brown and DSR teammates Tony Schumacher and Leah Pritchett seemingly had J.R. Todd surrounded in the semifinals. Todd threw a haymaker at “the Sarge” in the semifinals to advance the SealMaster dragster to its third final round of the season. Unfortunately for Todd, he met an opponent that he had only beaten one time in 14 prior matchups. Brown got the best of him again in a 3.777 to 3.798 decision.
13 going on 30?: The utter decimation of the competition by the KB Racing team continues in Pro Stock with Greg Anderson earning the team’s 13th consecutive victory in yet another all-KB final. Anderson’s career tally of 84 wins is within one of Bob Glidden’s legendary mark.
Friday the 13th is an iconic film in the horror genre, and the scary performance of the Summit Racing Camaros also features a character named Jason as the lead protagonist. For only the second time this season, points leader Jason Line was not a participant in the final round. Teammate Bo Butner was able to do what no other driver besides Anderson has done all season by putting Line on the trailer in the semifinal round.
On the other side of the ladder, Anderson stopped the biggest threat to end KB Racing’s winning streak by defeating Shane Gray. Gray took the No. 1 qualifying position away from the team for the first time this season. However, he lost traction early in his run against Anderson. Anderson, who likely would have been pleased to see Butner earn his first career win, has no dimmer switch on his killer instinct. He left the starting line first and triggered the win light in a 6.644 to 6.667 decision.
"Rob Downing and the crew did a great job," said Anderson. "We basically out raced them today, and we just flat found a way to win each round. That's what it's all about. 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 should be a real battle."
Hines met Angelle Sampey in the final round for only the second time in his career in a long saga between the Vance & Hines camp and Sampey and Star Racing. The final round decided the No. 2 spot in the Mello Yello points standings behind Krawiec and the No. 2 spot on the all-time Pro Stock Motorcycle wins list behind the late Dave Schultz.
Hines won a 6.858 to 6.893 contest that his .002 reaction stretched even further. It is his third win in the Windy City.
"We had a good motorcycle all weekend; it was just a matter of making the straight, consistent runs that we needed to," said Hines. "That's what allows you to go out there and turn on four win lights. 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."
Special Awards
As if riding one of the most feared motorcycles on the planet wasn’t enough, Hines' .020 average reaction time made for an unbeatable combination.
Best run: Joey Severance’s 279.15-mph speed, JEGS Allstars Top Alcohol Dragster semifinals
It won’t go down in the history books due to it occurring in a special event that was not also an official qualifying run, but Severance recorded the fastest speed ever by a blown alcohol dragster.
Best race: Angelle Sampey vs. Cory Reed, Pro Stock Motorcycle round two
Reed is growing into the frontrunner for the Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award with riding on par with his three-time champion teammate at Star Racing. Reed cut a .006 light and gave Sampey a race in the second round that she won by a wheel at the other end.
Crew chief of the race: Rob Downing
The KB Racing team has been so dominant in the horsepower department this season that it is easy to take the roles of those who set the cars up for granted. With teams closing the gap in performance, it was another flawless race day for the Summit team due to the decisions made on race day by Downing and his team.
Friday the 13th is an iconic film in the horror genre, and the scary performance of the Summit Racing Camaros also features a character named Jason as the lead protagonist. For only the second time this season, points leader Jason Line was not a participant in the final round. Teammate Bo Butner was able to do what no other driver besides Anderson has done all season by putting Line on the trailer in the semifinal round.
On the other side of the ladder, Anderson stopped the biggest threat to end KB Racing’s winning streak by defeating Shane Gray. Gray took the No. 1 qualifying position away from the team for the first time this season. However, he lost traction early in his run against Anderson. Anderson, who likely would have been pleased to see Butner earn his first career win, has no dimmer switch on his killer instinct. He left the starting line first and triggered the win light in a 6.644 to 6.667 decision.
"Rob Downing and the crew did a great job," said Anderson. "We basically out raced them today, and we just flat found a way to win each round. That's what it's all about. 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 should be a real battle."
Hines met Angelle Sampey in the final round for only the second time in his career in a long saga between the Vance & Hines camp and Sampey and Star Racing. The final round decided the No. 2 spot in the Mello Yello points standings behind Krawiec and the No. 2 spot on the all-time Pro Stock Motorcycle wins list behind the late Dave Schultz.
Hines won a 6.858 to 6.893 contest that his .002 reaction stretched even further. It is his third win in the Windy City.
"We had a good motorcycle all weekend; it was just a matter of making the straight, consistent runs that we needed to," said Hines. "That's what allows you to go out there and turn on four win lights. 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."
Special Awards
As if riding one of the most feared motorcycles on the planet wasn’t enough, Hines' .020 average reaction time made for an unbeatable combination.
Best run: Joey Severance’s 279.15-mph speed, JEGS Allstars Top Alcohol Dragster semifinals
It won’t go down in the history books due to it occurring in a special event that was not also an official qualifying run, but Severance recorded the fastest speed ever by a blown alcohol dragster.
Best race: Angelle Sampey vs. Cory Reed, Pro Stock Motorcycle round two
Reed is growing into the frontrunner for the Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award with riding on par with his three-time champion teammate at Star Racing. Reed cut a .006 light and gave Sampey a race in the second round that she won by a wheel at the other end.
Crew chief of the race: Rob Downing
The KB Racing team has been so dominant in the horsepower department this season that it is easy to take the roles of those who set the cars up for granted. With teams closing the gap in performance, it was another flawless race day for the Summit team due to the decisions made on race day by Downing and his team.