DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Four Wide Nationals April 5-7 2019

Photo Credit Dicken Wear

Photo Credit Dicken Wear

·       RON CAPPS
Driver of the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat

Noteworthy:

• Five-time Las Vegas event winner:
• Spring: 2009 
• Fall: 2001, 2006, 2011, 2012

Quotable:
"These past few weeks off have been much-needed for a lot of teams. A year ago, as we were headed to the inaugural Vegas Four-Wide race, we were all excited because we were going to a brand-new race track. We found out once we got there just how good of a job they did building four fantastic lanes. This year, leaving Gainesville, we’ve had an uncharacteristically slow start to the season for our NAPA AUTO PARTS team. We’re ninth in points, but I really feel like we’re on the verge of a win at any given time. We’ve fought some bugs here and there the first three races, and we’re still really trying to get a feel for these new DSR chassis. We’ve run both cars with our new Dodge Hellcat body and it’s showing us it’s got a lot more downforce with less drag. I feel like we left Gainesville with a lot of really good information that (crew chief Rahn Tobler is going to put to good use.
 
"The best part about this upcoming weekend is the weather. We’ve had cold weather the first three races, much colder than we’ve ever had before. I think a lot of the teams are really pumped to see high 70s, low 80s for the first time this season. This event starts a string of a lot of back-to-back races over the next few months, and I think we’re going to see our NAPA team make a run up in the points. Couldn’t think of a better place to start that run than one of my favorite tracks that we go to, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway."

Photo Credit DSR Racing PR.

JACK BECKMAN
Driver of the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat

• Jack Owns the Las Vegas Funny Car E.T. and speed records
• E.T.: 3.854-secs, Las Vegas II, 2017 
• Speed: 335.57-mph, Las Vegas II, 2017
• Career-best 
• Raced to his first professional victory (Funny Car) at the 2006 Fall event

·      

Quotable:
“I’m really looking forward to Vegas. Twice a year we get a shot at a totally unique format. I’ve won a four-wide event a couple of times and I enjoy being taken out of our element and getting thrown a little bit of a curve-ball. Plus, I just love Vegas. My first-ever nitro win was there and I haven’t been back to the Vegas winner’s circle since then. It’s been over 12 years so I’d like to end that drought this time at Vegas."
(Story copy courtesy DSR Racing PR)

(Photo Credit Gary Nastase, Courtesy JFR-PR.)

BRITTANY FORCE ENTERS LAS VEGAS NHRA FOUR-WIDE NATIONALS

WITH ADDED CONFIDENCE

LAS VEGAS (April 3, 2019) — The 2017 Top Fuel World Champion Brittany Force and her Advance Auto Parts team are heading to the DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals ready for their first Wally of the 2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing season.

After starting the season with two first round exits at the Winternationals and Arizona Nationals, Force and the Advance Auto Parts team put their struggles behind them at the recent 50th anniversary Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. They put together four stellar passes over two days of qualifying including a 3.680-second pass which earned her the No. 1 qualifier and held up as the quickest of the weekend in the Top Fuel category. Force and the Advance Auto team’s efforts also earned them a spot in the history books, when she became the first woman in 40 years to snag the No. 1 qualifier position in Top Fuel at the Gatornationals.

“We qualified No. 1, made six solid passes getting down the race track all weekend and got to the second round. We definitely picked up our pace in Gainesville and we’re starting to figure this race car out,” said Force. “My entire Advance Auto Parts team and I, we’re all really excited to get to the DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals and go some rounds on race day.”

At last year’s inaugural four-wide event at The Strip, Force qualified third but had a first-round exit after smoking the tires and pedaling her dragster to the finish line. Even though she has yet to get a win at the facility, Force came close in 2017 when she finished runner-up at the fall event and eventually went on to win the season championship just two weeks later. She’s also the first woman in her category to win the four-wide format, she picked up the victory at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte in 2016. Heading into the Las Vegas event Force could pick up another first, the first woman to win in the four-wide format at two different tracks.

“I’m super pumped to get to Las Vegas. Its an exciting race and the second time The Strip has hosted the four-wide so its still new. It gives the West Coast fans a chance to come out and get a taste of what four-wide is all about,” said Force. “We had a decent run last year but we’re hoping to make it to the final quad this time and ultimately get the Advance Auto Parts dragster in the winner’s circle.”

Qualifying at the DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals starts Friday and Saturday with sessions at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. both days. Eliminations are scheduled to begin Sunday at 12 p.m. NHRA coverage will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET and Sunday at 11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. ET. Tickets can be bought through LVMS.com. (DSR and JFR Driver info Courtesy their respected Race Teams. Re-Posted as a courtesy of Dicken Wear and The Motorsports Report.)

Force and Pritchett Dominate Nitro Spring Training

COURTNEY FORCE AND LEAH PRITCHETT DOMINATE NITRO SPRING TRAINING

CHANDLER, Ariz. --- Nitro Spring Training came to an end Saturday at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Ariz. where NHRA Funny Car and Top Fuel teams put all their off-season hard work to the test one week before the start of the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.

Leah Pritchett had the unofficial quickest run in NHRA history in her Papa John’s Pizza Top Fuel dragster Saturday morning. Pritchett and her crew put down a 3.654-second pass at 331.85 mph during their first try of the day after they ran the two quickest passes Friday with a 3.677 and a 3.685.

“I have to be totally honest, we didn’t come out here to be the quickest,” said Pritchett, who won her first Top Fuel event at Wild Horse Pass in 2016. “That wasn’t the goal. The goal was to get the power that we created in the offseason to the track. We exceeded our expectations yesterday and today we did the same. For it to blast off at .65 on a warmer day today, man I’m stoked for (my team), that’s a lot of hard work and they just put it on the track.”

With a track temp of 104 degrees on Saturday afternoon, Pritchett ran a 3.697 at 327.51 to give her ownership to four of the top five times of the weekend. 

Steve Torrence, who holds the Top Fuel ET national record at 3.671, had the second quickest machine when he ran a 3.691 on Friday. Brittany Force, pilot of the Monster Energy dragster for John Force Racing, had the third quickest with a 3.695 narrowly out running  Doug Kalitta, who finished second in the points standings in 2016, and his Mac Tools dragster with a 3.697 on Saturday. Defending world champion Antron Brown was fifth with his 3.701 run from Thursday in his Matco Tools dragster.

Rookie Troy Coughlin Jr., who will be racing a full season for Kalitta Motorsports, closed out testing with his best run of the weekend posting a 3.763 at 317.42 in his SealMaster Top Fuel dragster.

Courtney Force and her Advance Auto Parts Chevy Camaro SS ran the weekend’s quickest time for the Funny Car class. Her 3.804 at 333.33 from Friday is unofficially the quickest run in Funny Car history. She was also quickest Friday with a 3.841 and then a 3.847.

“It was a pretty unbelievable run,” Force said. “It’s all thanks to (my crew); I’m just the one piloting the car down to the other end. But it was really exciting hearing them come on the radio and be so excited about it. I feel like I had my hands full on multiple runs, but it’s really great being able to make so many great passes just in testing – the 3.84s and then the 3.80 unofficially. It’s a great feeling. I’m proud of my guys; it’s all because of them.”

Defending Funny Car world champion Ron Capps’ NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger R/T was the second quickest Funny Car with a 3.854 pass on Friday. Force’s father and 16-time world champion John Force had a 3.856 in his PEAK Chevy Camaro SS to take the third spot from teammate Robert Hight who ran a 3.859 Friday in his Auto Club Chevy Camaro SS.

J.R. Todd, who is making the transition from Top Fuel to Funny Car racing the DHL Toyota Camry for Kalitta, made a 3.909 pass at 312.93 for his best run at testing on Friday and Del Worsham, now racing for his family team, Worsham Racing, tested Friday and made a 4.060 pass at 283.01.

The 2017 Mello Yello Drag Racing season gets underway February 9-12 with the Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Pomona, Calif. Qualifying will be televised on FS1 at 7 p.m. ET on Friday and live on FS1 Saturday at 1 p.m. ET. The Finals will be live on FOX Sports at 4 p.m. ET.

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	Press release courtesy  the NHRA Communications Dept. Troy Coughlin, Jr.: Photo by Dicken Wear John Force: Photo by Dicken Wear John Force: Photo by Dicken Wear Jack Beckman: Photo by Dicken Wear Ron Capps  and Rahn Tobler: Photo by Dicken Wear Ron Capps: Photo by Dicken Wear Robert Hight's Auto Club Crew: Photo by Dicken Wear Robert Hight: Photo by Dicken Wear

First Day of Qualifying at New England Dragway, Epping, NH.

SCHUMACHER, JOHNSON JR. AND MCGAHA TOP QUALIFYING LEADERBOARD FRIDAY AT NHRA NEW ENGLAND NATIONALS

News From: The NHRA Communications Dept.
(Anthony Vestal & Chris Lawyer)

EPPING, N.H.  – Tony Schumacher raced to the qualifying lead in Top Fuel Friday at the NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway.

Tommy Johnson Jr. (Funny Car) and Chris McGaha (Pro Stock) also were qualifying leaders at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event near Boston.

Bob Tasca II & III - Image Credit: Dicken Wear (2015)

Schumacher ran a track record 3.742-second pass at 324.12 mph in his U.S. Army dragster to top the leaderboard after the first day of qualifying. Schumacher, the eight-time and defending world champ, is looking for his first top qualifier at Epping and second of the season.

“I think the car is excellent right now,” said Schumacher, winner of this event last season. “There was more there. You look at the computer and there is some room [to improve]. I’m sure most cars that go out there are going to find it.”

Robert Hight  - Image Credit: Dicken Wear (2015)

Schumacher debuted a new car at the national event in Atlanta last month and finally feels that his dragster is starting to pick up steam. The team has struggled since the switch, losing twice in the second round and once in the first.

“We brought the car out at Atlanta and that’s not been many races,” said Schumacher. “We haven’t gone and won rounds, haven’t been to a final with it. It’s a great car. It should benefit us when it gets warm outside. Right now, we are just maintaining.”  

Ron Capps - Image Credit: Dicken Wear (2015)

Richie Crampton currently sits second following a 3.744 at 325.92 in his Lucas Oil dragster. Shawn Langdon, the 2013 world champ, was strong with a 3.745 at 324.98 in his Knuckle Sandwich/Bass Pro Shops/AJPE dragster and is provisionally third. Steve Torrence and Spencer Massey, who reset the track speed record at 327.66 mph in his Red Fuel dragster, are fourth and fifth.

Image Credit: Dicken Wear (2015)

Johnson Jr. claimed the Funny Car top spot during the final pair of the category with his 4.047 at 319.45 in his Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T. Johnson Jr., who entered this event sixth in points, is two sessions away from securing his first No. 1 qualifier since Chicago last season and his first at Epping.

“I was expecting a lot better numbers than what we saw tonight,” Johnson Jr. said. “We got up there and thought we were going to try to run a low zero. The 4.04 was a good number and the guys had a good handle on the tune-up. Track conditions kept getting better and I was thrilled with a 4.04.”

Two-time world champ Cruz Pedregon ran a 4.052 at 306.46 in his Snap-on Tools Toyota Camry to sit second. John Force, a 16-time world champ searching for his first New England win, is currently qualified third with two sessions remaining. Fellow John Force Racing competitors Courtney Force and Robert Hight are fourth and fifth. 

In Pro Stock, McGaha ran a 6.520 at 212.66 in his Harlow Sammons Chevy Camaro to lead the factory hot rod field following Friday’s sessions. McGaha is searching for his fifth career No. 1 qualifier and third of the season. 

“It’s a pretty good start. Starting sometimes is the most important thing but you’ve got to finish in the end,” said McGaha. “We’ve started off No. 1 before and been able to maintain it. You never know what tomorrow leads. We will see what happens tomorrow and will go from there.”

Four-time world champ Greg Anderson, the most recent Pro Stock winner at Englishtown, is second following Friday’s action with a 6.521 at 213.30 in his Summit Racing Chevy Camaro. Two-time world champ Jason Line’s 6.530 at 212.69 in his Summit Racing Chevy Camaro was good enough for the provisional No. 3 spot. Defending world champ Erica Enders and Jonathan Gray sit fourth and fifth.

Qualifying at the NHRA New England Nationals wraps up on Saturday with sessions at 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to set the fields for Sunday’s 11 a.m. eliminations.

*** UPDATE ***

Friday's results after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the Third annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway and Motorsports Park, tenth of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.  

Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday's final eliminations.

Top Fuel -- 1. Tony Schumacher, 3.742 seconds, 324.28 mph; 2. Richie Crampton, 3.744, 325.92; 3. Shawn Langdon, 3.745, 324.98; 4. Steve Torrence, 3.765, 323.04; 5. Spencer Massey, 3.773, 327.66; 6. Antron Brown, 3.784, 316.30; 7. Doug Kalitta, 3.795, 323.12; 8. J.R. Todd, 3.813, 322.27; 9. Clay Millican, 3.817, 318.17; 10. Brittany Force, 3.819, 320.89; 11. Larry Dixon, 3.824, 321.88; 12. Leah Pritchett, 3.861, 315.05. 

Not Qualified: 13. Morgan Lucas, 3.908, 302.48; 14. Terry McMillen, 3.921, 305.70; 15. Dave Connolly, 3.968, 302.28; 16. Dan Mercier, 3.998, 295.21. 

Funny Car -- 1. Tommy Johnson Jr., Dodge Charger, 4.047, 319.45; 2. Cruz Pedregon, Toyota Camry, 4.052, 306.46; 3. John Force, Chevy Camaro, 4.055, 318.24; 4. Courtney Force, Camaro, 4.059, 319.45; 5. Robert Hight, Chevrolet Camaro, 4.068, 320.13; 6. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.070, 318.24; 7. Del Worsham, Camry, 4.073, 313.66; 8. Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 4.075, 309.42; 9. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.081, 315.42; 10. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 4.095, 310.20; 11. Tony Pedregon, Camry, 4.187, 288.15; 12. Dave Richards, Toyota Solara, 4.624, 195.17.  

Not Qualified: 13. Jack Beckman, 5.299, 139.39; 14. Dom Lagana, 5.768, 125.67; 15. John Hale, 6.585, 99.05; 16. Jeff Diehl, 6.655, 102.29; 17. Bob Tasca III, 15.097, 49.74. 

Pro Stock -- 1. Chris McGaha, Chevy Camaro, 6.520, 212.66; 2. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.521, 213.30; 3. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.530, 212.69; 4. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.543, 211.99; 5. Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.552, 211.83; 6. Jonathan Gray, Camaro, 6.553, 212.09; 7. Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.562, 211.63; 8. Allen Johnson, Dodge Dart, 6.563, 212.26; 9. Larry Morgan, Camaro, 6.569, 212.69; 10. Drew Skillman, Camaro, 6.590, 211.10; 11. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.602, 210.01; 12. John Gaydosh Jr, Pontiac GXP, 6.641, 209.49.  

Not Qualified: 13. Alan Prusiensky, 6.715, 208.81; 14. Val Smeland, 6.823, 195.14; 15. V. Gaines, 9.394, 98.19.

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[Reposted by: Dana Marino for "The Motorsports Report"]