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Torrence, Capps, Anderson win again; Sampey breaks victory drought in E-town

12 Jun 2016
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Angelle Sampey raced to her first Pro Stock Motorcycle victory since 2007 on Sunday at the NHRA Summernationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) also were winners of the 10th NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event of the season.


Angelle Sampey

Sampey powered her Star Racing Buell to a 6.876-second pass at 194.41 mph to defeat Jerry Savoie’s 6.928 at 177.21 on his Savoie’s Alligator Farm Suzuki. The win was her first since 2007 in Houston and 42nd of her career. She became the fifth female racer to win an event this season while the NHRA Summernationals is the sixth event of the year to feature a female victor.

“I know this is my 42nd win, but it feels like my first ever,” said Sampey, the winningest female racer in NHRA history. “I don’t feel like I had any wins before today. I’m starting all over again, and I had something to prove, and it took a while.

“I feel totally responsible to show my daughter what she can do with her life,” Sampey continued. “Now I can show her that even if you aren’t winning every weekend but if you just keep trying, you’re going to get it. Showing her and being her role model — I don’t have the words for it.”

Sampey had to race past the Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson team of Andrew Hines and Eddie Krawiec, who have collectively claimed the first three victories of the season, in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, to get to the final.


Steve Torrence

In Top Fuel, Torrence piloted his Capco Contractors/Torrence Racing dragster to 4.037 at 281.71 for his second win of the 2016 season and seventh of his career. Torrence outlasted Tony Schumacher’s 4.234 at 268.28 in his U.S. Army dragster in the final. Torrence claimed the seventh victory his career and second at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park. He is third in the points standings.

“This is huge,” said Torrence. “This is home for my team; I’m proud to have contributed to this win. I got it for them. We’ve been so fortunate and blessed. We’ve got a race car that has been impeccable, and the only fault has been me some of the time. We are going to count our blessings and just keep going.”

In the earlier rounds, Torrence had to race past Smax Smith, J.R. Todd, and two-time winner this season Brittany Force. Schumacher faced off against Terry McMillen, teammate and defending world champion Antron Brown, and Shawn Langdon to get to the final round.


Ron Capps

Capps picked up his second consecutive victory and third of the season with a 3.954 at 316.90 in his NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger R/T by defeating Jack Beckman’s 7.894 at 85.05 in his Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T in the final round. Capps, who tallied his 48th career win, took over the points lead with the victory.

“It’s great,” Capps said. “It’s something you hope will happen at the end of the day. With the competition, you can’t imagine it will go as planned or easy. We’re just taking it a little bit at a time. I almost felt embarrassed driving this car today because it’s just so good. You don’t want to mess up when it’s that good. It’s your race to lose.”

En route to his win, Capps defeated John Hale, 16-time world champion John Force, and defending world champion Del Worsham. Beckman was tasked with getting past Las Vegas winner Alexis DeJoria, Atlanta and Topeka winner Matt Hagan, and Jeff Diehl to get to the final.


Greg Anderson

In Pro Stock, Anderson won his fifth victory of the season, 83rd of his career, and seventh at Englishtown with a 6.610 at 210.93 in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro over teammate Jason Line, who red-lighted. Anderson has raced to seven final-round appearances so far this season.

“It’s unreal,” Anderson said, “It’s just absolutely been a dream season. I keep wanting to pinch myself. It’s just cool, and we’ve had such a great run. This was another great weekend. It’s just one more time that Englishtown tells me how much it loves me and how much the fans up here appreciate Pro Stock.”

Anderson’s win continues the Ken Black Racing domination of the season. He and Line have won all 10 of the events so far. Line holds the points lead with Anderson in second, and their KB Racing teammate Bo Butner is third.

NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing will continue, June 17-20, with the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol.

Troy Coughlin Sr. raced to his first victory of the 2016 season on Sunday during the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series portion of the NHRA Summernationals. This weekend’s Pro Mod racing is the fourth of 10 events on the 2016 season.

Coughlin, making his first final-round appearance of 2016, powered his JEGS.com late-model Corvette to a 5.878-second pass at 255.29 mph to defeat Bill Glidden’s 7.320 at 137.92 in his Mickey Thompson Ford Mustang.

"What a day," Coughlin said. "For the whole JEGS.com team, coming into this race fifth in points and with a race car that's a competitor, it's great to get this win. We've just had a couple burdens here and there, but [crew chief] Steve [Petty] got it fixed up, and Mike [Rees] and Kyle [Pettis] put it together. We had a good hot rod all race. I'm pretty excited about it, for sure."

This is Coughlin’s seventh career victory. He qualified seventh and raced past Mike Janis, two-time 2016 winner Rickie Smith, who exited the starting line and did not make a pass due to a problem with his dragster, and Steve Matusek en route to the victory. He is now second in the points standings behind Smith.

Glidden, the No. 13 qualifier, outlasted Bob Rahaim, Khalid alBalooshi, and Jim Whiteley in the earlier rounds. Glidden is eighth in the points standings.

Matusek is third in the standings, Michael Biehle is fourth, and Danny Rowe is fifth.

The NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series will make its fifth appearance of the 2016 season at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, June 17-19, at Bristol Dragway in Bristol.
 

Top Fuel final

 

Funny Car final

 

Pro Stock final

 

Pro Stock Motorcycle final

 

 

2016 NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES STANDINGS
Updated 6/12/2016 (Following the 10th of 24 events; season victories in parentheses)
 
TOP FUEL
PlaceDriverPoints
1.Doug Kalitta, Ypsilanti, Mich., Mac Tools dragster (3)847
2.Antron Brown, Indianapolis, Matco Tools dragster (2)798
3.Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contactors dragster (2)782
4.Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Monster Energy dragster (2)693
5.Tony Schumacher, Austin, Texas, U.S. Army dragster577
6.J.R. Todd, Indianapolis, SealMaster dragster528
7.Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Denso/Great Clips dragster507
8.Richie Crampton, Indianapolis, Lucas Oil dragster483
9.Shawn Langdon, Indianapolis, Red Fuel/Sandvik dragster478
10.Leah Pritchett, Danville, Ind., FireAde dragster (1)377
 
FUNNY CAR
1.Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger (3)758
2.Jack Beckman, Norco, Calif., Infinite Hero Dodge Charger731
3.Courtney Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Traxxas Chevy Camaro (1)687
4.Tim Wilkerson, Springfield, Ill., Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Mustang (2)660
5.Del Worsham, Villa Park, Calif., DHL Toyota Camry639
6.Matt Hagan, Christiansburg, Va., Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots Dodge Charger (2)615
7.Robert Hight, Yorba Linda, Calif., Auto Club Chevy Camaro (1)586
8.John Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Peak Chevy Camaro581
9.Tommy Johnson Jr., Avon, Ind., Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger558
10.Alexis DeJoria, Austin, Texas, Tequila Patron Toyota Camry (1)516
 
PRO STOCK
1.Jason Line, Mooresville, N.C., Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro (5)1,133
2.Greg Anderson, Mooresville, N.C., Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro (5)1,065
3.Bo Butner, Floyds Knobs, Ind., Jim Butner Auto Chevy Camaro719
4.Allen Johnson, Greeneville, Tenn., Marathon Petroleum Dodge Dart614
5.Drew Skillman, Bargersville, Ind., Ray Skillman Chevy Chevy Camaro550
6.Chris McGaha, Odessa, Texas, Harlow Sammons of Odessa Chevy Camaro491
7.Vincent Nobile, Dix Hills, N.Y., Mountain View Tire Chevy Camaro480
8.Jeg Coughlin Jr., Delaware, Ohio, Magneti Marelli/JEGS Dodge Dart424
9.Alex Laughlin, Granbury, Texas, Gas Monkey Garage/360 Wraps Chevy Camaro413
10.Erica Enders, New Orleans, Elite Motorsports Dodge Dart406
 
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE (following the fourth of 16 events)
1.Eddie Krawiec, Brownsburg, Ind., Screamin' Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson (2)436
2.Jerry Savoie, Cut Off, La., Savoie's Alligator Farm Suzuki310
3.Angelle Sampey, Mathews, La., Precision Service Equipment Buell (2)297
4.Andrew Hines, Brownsburg, Ind., Screamin' Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson (1)290
5.Chip Ellis, Brownsburg, Ind., PiranaZ Buell269
6.Hector Arana Sr., Milltown, Ind., Lucas Oil Buell239
7.LE Tonglet, Metairie, La., Nitro Fish Suzuki196
8.Karen Stoffer, Gardnerville, Nev., Big St. Charles Motorsports/SEP Suzuki150
9.Scotty Pollacheck, Central Point, Ore., Petrolhead Apparel Buell149
10.Steve Johnson, Irondale, Ala., RaceTheVote.com Suzuki147