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Force keeps Western Swing sweep hopes alive at highlight-filled Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals

31 Jul 2016
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John Force continues his midseason surge and raced to his second consecutive Funny Car win of the year in front of a sold-out crowd at the Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals.
 
J.R. Todd (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock), and LE Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were winners of the 15th NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event of the season in Sonoma.
 
Force secured his 145th career victory in the category when he defeated Ron Capps in his NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger R/T in a tightly contested race. Force powered his Realtree Peak Antifreeze Camaro to a winning pass of 3.948 seconds at 324.59 mph to the losing run of Capps at 3.960, 320.13.
 
“We won Denver and that got me motivated,” said Force. “My daughter [Courtney] and Robert [Hight] were outrunning me in Denver, but we got the win. We knew it was going to be a different animal here. We got down here, and I was amazed.” 
 


John Force


J.R. Todd


Greg Anderson


LE Tonglet

This is his second win in the daunting three race stretch of the Western Swing, which concludes next weekend in Seattle. In 1994, Force became the only Funny Car in NHRA history to sweep all three events. 
 
Capps, who raced to his third runner-up finish on the season, along with his category leading four wins, retains his points lead in Funny Car. Capps, along with Courtney Force of John Force Racing who is second in the points, become the first two Funny Car competitors to earn berths in the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship.
 
Todd piloted his SealMaster Top Fuel dragster to his first win in nearly a year when he defeated Richie Crampton in the final. His winning run of 3.745 at 324.83 to the losing effort of Crampton with a 3.806 at 313.07 earned Todd his ninth career Top Fuel victory. This was the first win for Todd since he defeated Shawn Langdon in Seattle last season.
 
“It has been a long time coming for these SealMaster boys,” said Todd. “We have been to a few finals and haven’t been able to close the deal. I had all the faith and confidence in Connie Kalitta and Rob Flynn, and they made the right calls all day.”
 
Steve Torrence, the No. 1 qualifier who raced to a semifinal appearance, and Brittany Force, who has two wins on the season, also gained entry in the Countdown to the Championship on Sunday.
 
In Pro Stock, Anderson continued his dominating season in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro when he defeated his KB Racing teammate Bo Butner for his seventh win of the season. Anderson, who notched his 85th win, raced to victory with a pass of 6.580 at 210.54 to the trailing run of 6.622 at 210.70 by Butner.
 
The win ties Anderson with Bob Glidden as the second winningest Pro Stock racer in history behind Warren Johnson with 97 victories. This is the fifth career win in Sonoma for Anderson, and he is the Pro Stock points leader.
 
“This track has been magical to KB Racing, not just to me but Jason Line, too,” said Anderson. “This place is special to me and magical. It is everything a Pro Stock racer wants. It is a great racetrack, great weather conditions, and full grandstands. You don’t get any better than that. It cranks us up and gives us a lot of energy.”
 
Butner retains his third-place position in the points and joins Anderson and Line as the first three racers in Pro Stock to lock in a position in the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship.
 
Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Tonglet won his first race since the Brainerd event in 2011, defeating Andrew Hines in the final. Tonglet, who is the 2010 Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion, had the winning run of 6.813 at 196.73 to the losing run of 6.864 at 194.52. Tonglet faced Katie Sullivan, Hector Arana, Eddie Krawiec, and Hines to secure the win. 
 
“It has been five years since we have won, and to bring home the Wally after beating Andrew and Eddie back to back is just huge for our team,” said Tonglet. “We just come out here to have fun, and it wasn’t getting fun. We had to change somethings up and started getting round-wins, and it is just great.”
 
The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing will resume Aug. 5-7 with the Protect the Harvest NHRA Northwest Nationals in Seattle.
 

 
2016 NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES STANDINGS
Updated 7/31/2016 (Following the 15th of 24 events; Season victories in parentheses)
 
TOP FUEL
PlaceDriverPoints
1.Antron Brown, Indianapolis, Matco Tools dragster (3)1204*
2.Doug Kalitta, Ypsilanti, Mich., Mac Tools dragster (3)1167*
3.Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contactors dragster (2)1072*
4.Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Monster Energy dragster (2)1008*
5.Tony Schumacher, Austin, Texas, U.S. Army dragster (1)971
6.J.R. Todd, Indianapolis, SealMaster dragster (1)897
7.Shawn Langdon, Indianapolis, Red Fuel/Sandvik dragster (2)836
8.Richie Crampton, Indianapolis, Lucas Oil dragster754
9.Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Denso/Great Clips dragster715
10.Leah Pritchett, Danville, Ind., Mopar/Pennzoil dragster (1)586
 
FUNNY CAR
1.Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger (4)1214*
2.Courtney Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Traxxas Chevy Camaro (1)1084*
3.Jack Beckman, Norco, Calif., Infinite Hero Dodge Charger (1)1031
4.Del Worsham, Villa Park, Calif., DHL Toyota Camry960
5.John Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Peak Chevy Camaro (2)937
6t.Matt Hagan, Christiansburg, Va., Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Dodge Charger (2)936
6t.Robert Hight, Yorba Linda, Calif., Auto Club Chevy Camaro (1)936
8.Tommy Johnson Jr., Avon, Ind., Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger (1)888
9.Tim Wilkerson, Springfield, Ill., Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Mustang (2)827
10.Alexis DeJoria, Austin, Texas, Tequila Patron Toyota Camry (1)765
 
PRO STOCK
1.Greg Anderson, Mooresville, N.C., Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro (7)1587*
2.Jason Line, Mooresville, N.C., Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro (7)1583*
3.Bo Butner, Floyd Knobs, Ind., Jim Butner Auto Chevy Camaro1065*
4.Allen Johnson, Greeneville, Tenn., Marathon Petroleum Dodge Dart (1)939
5.Vincent Nobile, Dix Hills, N.Y., Mountain View Tire Chevy Camaro811
6.Drew Skillman, Bargersville, Ind., Ray Skillman Chevy Chevy Camaro805
7.Shane Gray, Mooresville, N.C., Valvoline/Nova Services Chevy Camaro737
8.Chris McGaha, Odessa, Texas, Harlow Sammons of Odessa Chevy Camaro718
9.Jeg Coughlin Jr., Delaware, Ohio, Magnetimarelli/JEGS Dodge Dart644
10.Alex Laughlin, Granbury, Texas, Gas Monkey Garage/360 Wraps Chevy Camaro627
 
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE (following the eighth of 16 events)
1.Eddie Krawiec, Brownsburg, Ind., Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson (3)824*
2.Andrew Hines, Brownsburg, Ind., Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson (3)735*
3.Angelle Sampey, Mathews, La., Precision Service Equipment Buell (1)595*
4.Jerry Savoie, Cut Off, La., Savoie's Alligator Farm Suzuki556
5.LE Tonglet, Metairie, La., Nitro Fish Suzuki (1)484
6.Hector Arana Sr., Milltown, Ind., Lucas Oil Buell427
7.Chip Ellis, Brownsburg, Ind., PiranaZ Buell422
8.Matt Smith, King, N.C., Nitro Fish Victory344
9.Hector Arana Jr., E. Northport, N.Y., Lucas Oil Racing TV Buell305
10.Steve Johnson, Irondale, Ala., RaceTheVote.com Suzuki300
 
* Clinched berth in NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship