BAYTOWN, Texas - John Force became the third driver in auto racing
history to claim 100 victories by winning the O'Reilly Spring Nationals
presented by Pennzoil at Houston Raceway Park. Force’s 100th
victory came with a pass of 4.991 seconds at 310.20 mph and outran Tommy
Johnson Jr. who ran a slower 5.170 at 288.77.
Kenny Bernstein, Mike Edwards and Craig Treble also won their
respective categories at the $1.9 million race, the fifth of 23 races in
the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
With the milestone victory, Force, 52, joins two other auto racing
legends as the only drivers in history to earn 100 victories or more in a
major motorsports series. NASCAR Winston Cup drivers Richard Petty (200)
and David Pearson (105) claimed the majority of their wins in the 1960’s
and '70’s. Force, the most successful driver in the modern era, has
scored all 100 victories in the last 15 years, an impressive feat in
itself.
"I’m glad to get it over," said Force, the owner and driver
of the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang. "The driver always gets all the
credit, and that’s why I brought (crew chief Austin) Coil here with me.
I hired Coil 17 years ago and we’ve won all 100 of our races with Austin
and Castrol GTX."
By comparison, Darrell Waltrip won 84 times during a brilliant NASCAR
career, while the late Dale Earnhardt claimed 76 victories. Two of the
most versatile and talented race drivers in history -- A.J. Foyt (77) and
Mario Andretti (65) -- won often, but never reached the 100-win plateau.
After starting his career in 1978 with little success, Force lost nine
final round decisions during a nine-year span before he won for the first
time in 1987. Force made winning a habit soon after and several more
victories opened the door to the first of many championships in 1990. This
season Force is chasing his 12th Funny Car series crown, and 10th
consecutively -- both NHRA records.
"I want to give credit to Austin Coil." Force said. "He
never panics in the heat of battle, like me. He always puts this thing
together with the combination of John Medlen, Jimmy Prock now, Dickie
Venables and Bernie Fedderly, talking to him in the car making changes.
They adapted to what it took to win."
During an 11-win season in 1993 Force won for the 36th time, and
overtook Don 'The Snake' Prudhomme as the most successful Funny Car driver
ever. Force enjoyed perhaps his greatest season in 1996 when he won 13
times, advanced to 16 finals in 19 races and was named Driver of the Year
by a select panel of national motorsports media. He remains the only drag
racer ever to receive the prestigious honor. In 2000, he passed Pro Stock
legend Bob Glidden as the winningest driver in NHRA history, earning his
86th victory. He has compiled an astonishing round win-loss record of
768-255 during his career and currently holds the national performance
record for a quarter-mile run at 4.731 seconds.
Force beat Dale Creasy Jr. Del Worsham, and Whit Bazemore before facing
Johnson Jr. in the final round. Force often gives credit to Austin Coil,
but Coil gives credit to the team that Force has compiled over the years.
"The team is doing a great job and they give us the time to
concentrate on the problem at hand," Coil said. "What keeps this
machine keep on rolling is just buckets of money. As long as the sponsors
keep feeding John the buckets of money, he keeps spending it on his race
team. Some guys are prone to try to sock it away for their old age. For
all the budget meetings we’ve had, there isn’t anything left over at
the end of the year."
The win extends Force’s lead in the 2002 NHRA POWERade Funny Car
points. Force’s 423 points leads second place Del Worsham by 83 points.
Bernstein won his 62nd career NHRA national event in Top
Fuel as his Budweiser King dragster covered the quarter-mile in 4.695 at
319.37 to defeat Tony Schumacher who was late on the starting line and ran
4.900 at 304.94.
In a season where rival Larry Dixon has advanced to the final round in
each of the first four races, Bernstein was able to make up some ground on
Dixon. Dixon was the victim of an upset earlier in the day, losing to
Mitch King in the first round.
"We got a break today when Larry went out in the first," said
Bernstein, the only NHRA driver to win championships in both Top Fuel and
Funny Car. "The door opened up and it gave us a chance to make up a
little room. You hope that you can take advantage of it.
By Bernstein earning the win, he closed the gap between he and Dixon to
65 POWERade points. Entering the O’Reilly Spring Nationals Bernstein
trailed Dixon by 105 points. The win marks the first win in 2002,
Bernstein’s final year as a driver entitled ‘Forever Red, A Run to
Remember’.
"It doesn’t make it hard (to retire)," Bernstein said.
"My focus is still on winning the NHRA POWERade championship. This is
only the fifth race out of 23 and we have a long way to go. The decision
was made two years ago to do what we are doing now and we laid out the
game plan. I’m looking to the future."
Edwards earned his 10th career Pro Stock victory with a pass
of 6.892 at 199.70, edging out fellow Chevrolet Cavalier driver Kurt
Johnson and his pass of 6.910 at 200.77.
"This is a great win for not only our team but for the kids that
come out here and get to see this car and get to watch this thing go down
the track," Edwards said. "It’s been an awesome day for us. I
got my first win here and got my tenth win here. It’s pretty
special."
Edwards becomes the fifth different Pro Stock winner in as many races
joining George Marnell, Bruce Allen, Darrell Alderman and Ron Krisher as
event winners. Not since 1990 and 1974 have there been five different Pro
Stock winners to open the season. There have never been six different
winners in Pro Stock in the first six races.
Treble picked up his second win in a row and the third of his career in
the Pro Stock Motorcycle category. Treble’s Suzuki was quicker than Geno
Scali, running a 7.246 at 184.37 to Scali’s Kawasaki 7.322 at 179.33.
The two wins puts Treble solidly in the first place in the NHRA POWERade
points standings.
"Like a wise bracket racer once told me, just do them one at a
time," Treble said. "We‘ll take a look back at the end and
when all the smoke settles, we’ll see where we are at."
The next NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series event is the second annual
Mac Tools Thunder Valley Nationals, April 26-28 at Bristol Dragway in
Bristol, Tenn.
BAYTOWN, Texas -- Final finish order (1-16) for professional categories
at the 15th annual O'Reilly Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil at
Houston Raceway Park. The $1.9 million race is the fifth of 23 events in
the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
TOP FUEL:
1. Kenny Bernstein; 2. Tony Schumacher; 3. Cory McClenathan; 4. David
Grubnic; 5. John Smith; 6. Mitch King; 7. Doug Kalitta; 8. Mark Kinsella;
9. Bruce Litton; 10. Melanie Troxel; 11. Scott Weis; 12. Doug Herbert; 13.
Andrew Cowin; 14. Darrell Russell; 15. Larry Dixon; 16. Ken Zeal.
FUNNY CAR:
1. John Force, Ford Mustang; 2. Tommy Johnson Jr., Chevy Camaro; 3.
Whit Bazemore, Pontiac Firebird; 4. Tony Pedregon, Mustang; 5. Del
Worsham, Firebird; 6. Johnny Gray, Firebird; 7. Gary Scelzi, Toyota
Celica; 8. Scotty Cannon, Firebird; 9. Ron Capps, Camaro; 10. Dale Creasy
Jr., Firebird; 11. Dean Skuza, Dodge Stratus R/T; 12. Gary Densham,
Mustang; 13. Todd Paton, Camaro; 14. Cruz Pedregon, Firebird; 15. Bob
Gilbertson, Firebird; 16. Frank Pedregon, Firebird.
PRO STOCK:
1. Mike Edwards, Chevy Cavalier; 2. Kurt Johnson, Cavalier; 3. Jim
Yates, Pontiac Grand Am; 4. Warren Johnson, Grand Am; 5. Greg Anderson,
Cavalier; 6. Darrell Alderman, Dodge Neon R/T; 7. Bruce Allen, Grand Am;
8. V. Gaines, Cavalier; 9. Ron Krisher, Cavalier; 10. Troy Coughlin,
Cavalier; 11. Steve Schmidt, Grand Am; 12. Jeg Coughlin, Cavalier; 13.
George Marnell, Grand Am; 14. Tom Hammonds, Cavalier; 15. John Geyer, Neon
R/T; 16. JR Carr, Pontiac Firebird.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:
1. Craig Treble, Suzuki; 2. Geno Scali, Kawasaki; 3. Angelle Savoie,
Suzuki; 4. Steve Johnson, Suzuki; 5. Shawn Gann, Suzuki; 6. Antron Brown,
Suzuki; 7. Matt Hines, Suzuki; 8. Mike Berry, Suzuki; 9. Thomas Miceli,
Suzuki; 10. Reggie Showers, Suzuki; 11. Michael Phillips, Suzuki; 12.
Blaine Hale, Suzuki; 13. Brian DeLong, Suzuki; 14. Chris Reuter, Suzuki;
15. Terry Kizer, Suzuki; 16. Joe DeSantis, Suzuki.
BAYTOWN, Texas -- Sunday's final results from the 15th annual O'Reilly
Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Houston Raceway Park. The $1.9
million race is the fifth of 23 in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag
Racing Series:
Top Fuel -- Kenny Bernstein, 4.695 seconds, 319.37 mph def. Tony
Schumacher, 4.900 seconds, 304.94 mph.
Funny Car -- John Force, Ford Mustang, 4.991, 310.20 def. Tommy Johnson
Jr., Chevy Camaro, 5.170, 288.77.
Pro Stock -- Mike Edwards, Chevy Cavalier, 6.892, 199.70 def. Kurt
Johnson, Cavalier, 6.910, 200.77.
Pro Stock Motorcycle -- Craig Treble, Suzuki, 7.246, 184.37 def. Geno
Scali, Kawasaki, 7.322, 179.33.
Top Alcohol Funny Car -- Steve Gasparrelli, Pontiac Firebird, 5.725,
253.14 def. Jay Payne, Chevy Camaro, 5.710, 250.64.
Top Alcohol Dragster -- Duane Shields, 5.472, 261.17 def. Alan
Bradshaw, 5.616, 256.06.
Competition Eliminator -- David Rampy, Ford Bantam, 7.226, 176.72 def.
Scott Tidwell, Chevy Camaro, 7.834, 173.43.
Super Stock -- Peter Biondo, Pontiac Firebird, 10.283, 128.47 def. Jeff
Hefler, Pontiac Grand Am, 11.346, 110.83.
Stock Eliminator -- Jeff Hefler, Pontiac Firebird, 11.345, 108.01 def.
Marion Stephenson, Oldsmobile Cutlass, 13.379, 94.95.
Super Comp -- Jim Hughes, Dragster, 8.904, 158.82 def. Larry Scarth,
Chevy Beretta, 8.885, 159.12.
Super Gas -- Joe Harper, Dodge, 9.880, 159.72 def. Gary Risk, Buick,
9.868, 150.43.
Super Street -- Jeremy Wilson, Chevy Corvette, 10.924, 134.58 def. Paul
Martinez, Chevy Chevelle, 10.889, 121.10.
BAYTOWN, Texas -- Final round-by-round results from the 15th annual
O'Reilly Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Houston Raceway Park,
the fifth of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing
Series:
TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE -- David Grubnic, 4.847, 285.47 def. Scott Weis, 4.896,
287.78; John Smith, 4.898, 272.56 def. Darrell Russell, 5.265, 202.12;
Mark Kinsella, 4.777, 306.81 def. Doug Herbert, 4.897, 263.72; Tony
Schumacher, 4.755, 308.99 def. Melanie Troxel, 4.800, 303.23; Kenny
Bernstein, 4.668, 319.98 def. Bruce Litton, 4.773, 314.24; Mitch King,
6.314, 172.72 def. Larry Dixon, 7.175, 223.65; Cory McClenathan, 4.699,
312.28 def. Andrew Cowin, 4.905, 305.15; Doug Kalitta, 4.730, 311.13 def.
Ken Zeal, 12.524, 78.60;
QUARTERFINALS -- Schumacher, 5.038, 298.01 def. King, 5.768, 168.20;
McClenathan, 4.766, 306.88 def. Kinsella, 6.618, 132.39; Bernstein, 4.660,
322.19 def. Smith, 4.861, 267.22; Grubnic, 5.491, 279.04 def. Kalitta,
6.506, 197.80;
SEMIFINALS -- Schumacher, 4.788, 312.64 def. Grubnic, 6.836, 112.99;
Bernstein, 4.655, 318.84 def. McClenathan, 4.823, 302.75;
FINAL -- Bernstein, 4.695, 319.37 def. Schumacher, 4.900, 304.94.
FUNNY CAR:
ROUND ONE -- Scotty Cannon, Pontiac Firebird, 5.222, 254.66 def. Gary
Densham, Ford Mustang, 7.124, 123.83; Tony Pedregon, Mustang, 4.985,
294.43 def. Todd Paton, Chevy Camaro, 8.014, 103.46; Whit Bazemore,
Firebird, 10.511, 79.40 def. Frank Pedregon, Firebird, broke; John Force,
Mustang, 4.944, 309.91 def. Dale Creasy Jr., Firebird, 5.019, 300.66; Del
Worsham, Firebird, 5.063, 301.67 def. Bob Gilbertson, Firebird, 10.303,
67.23; Tommy Johnson Jr., Camaro, 4.967, 305.36 def. Dean Skuza, Dodge
Stratus R/T, 5.168, 276.07; Johnny Gray, Firebird, 5.008, 306.95 def. Ron
Capps, Camaro, 5.018, 293.41; Gary Scelzi, Toyota Celica, 5.326, 264.86
def. Cruz Pedregon, Firebird, 8.152, 105.44;
QUARTERFINALS -- Bazemore, 5.087, 292.52 def. Scelzi, 5.499, 228.69; T.
Pedregon, 5.049, 299.86 def. Gray, 5.182, 298.87; Force, 4.922, 285.89
def. Worsham, 5.125, 294.05; Johnson Jr., 5.286, 229.35 def. Cannon,
7.042, 110.95;
SEMIFINALS -- Johnson Jr., 5.177, 289.14 def. T. Pedregon, 5.423,
267.75; Force, 5.067, 300.13 def. Bazemore, 5.208, 295.46;
FINAL -- Force, 4.991, 310.20 def. Johnson Jr., 5.170, 288.77.
PRO STOCK:
ROUND ONE -- V. Gaines, Chevy Cavalier, 6.926, 200.80 def. JR Carr,
Pontiac Firebird, 7.461, 145.05; Kurt Johnson, Cavalier, 6.895, 200.77
def. Tom Hammonds, Cavalier, foul; Darrell Alderman, Dodge Neon R/T,
6.879, 202.03 def. George Marnell, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.926, 200.08; Mike
Edwards, Cavalier, 6.976, 175.16 def. Steve Schmidt, Grand Am, 6.889,
195.79; Bruce Allen, Grand Am, 6.889, 199.88 def. Ron Krisher, Cavalier,
6.836, 202.06; Warren Johnson, Grand Am, 6.852, 201.85 def. Jeg Coughlin,
Cavalier, 6.907, 200.89; Greg Anderson, Cavalier, 6.855, 201.67 def. Troy
Coughlin, Cavalier, 6.888, 199.46; Jim Yates, Grand Am, 6.867, 201.40 def.
John Geyer, Neon R/T, 7.018, 198.03;
QUARTERFINALS -- Edwards, 6.889, 199.35 def. Allen, 6.933, 199.73; Jim
Yates, 6.855, 201.55 def. Gaines, 7.067, 166.83; K. Johnson, 6.902, 200.71
def. Anderson, 6.875, 201.25; W. Johnson, 6.872, 201.04 def. Alderman,
6.897, 201.31;
SEMIFINALS -- K. Johnson, 6.915, 200.38 def. W. Johnson, 6.891, 201.73;
Edwards, 6.904, 199.91 def. Jim. Yates, 6.871, 201.10;
FINAL -- Edwards, 6.892, 199.70 def. K. Johnson, 6.910, 200.77.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:
ROUND ONE -- Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.336, 181.67 def. Terry Kizer,
Suzuki, foul; Mike Berry, Suzuki, 7.337, 183.00 def. Michael Phillips,
Suzuki, 7.439, 188.67; Craig Treble, Suzuki, 7.209, 184.98 def. Thomas
Miceli, Suzuki, foul; Angelle Savoie, Suzuki, 8.599, 105.99 def. Joe
DeSantis, Suzuki, broke; Antron Brown, Suzuki, 7.229, 189.68 def. Reggie
Showers, Suzuki, 7.387, 182.23; Matt Hines, Suzuki, 7.237, 190.48 def.
Blaine Hale, Suzuki, 7.440, 171.90; Geno Scali, Kawasaki, 7.277, 186.61
def. Chris Reuter, Suzuki, foul; Shawn Gann, Suzuki, 7.222, 188.81 def.
Brian DeLong, Suzuki, 7.518, 181.89;
QUARTERFINALS -- Savoie, 7.203, 186.56 def. Berry, 7.324, 184.45;
Scali, 7.270, 184.65 def. Hines, 7.264, 186.20; Treble, 7.232, 184.77 def.
Brown, foul; Johnson, 7.344, 179.37 def. Gann, foul;
SEMIFINALS -- Scali, 7.254, 188.25 def. Johnson, 7.366, 181.25; Treble,
7.285, 174.46 def. Savoie, 7.259, 185.74;
FINAL -- Treble, 7.246, 184.37 def. Scali, 7.322, 179.33.
BAYTOWN, Texas -- Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional
categories following the 15th annual O'Reilly Spring Nationals presented
by Pennzoil at Houston Raceway Park, the fifth of 23 events in the $50
million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series:
Top Fuel
1. Larry Dixon, 486; 2. Kenny Bernstein, 421; 3. Tony Schumacher, 375;
4. Cory McClenathan, 355; 5. Doug Kalitta, 272; 6. David Grubnic, 243; 7.
Doug Herbert, 183; 8. Rhonda Hartman-Smith, 182; 9. (tie) Clay Millican,
179; Darrell Russell, 179.
Funny Car
1. John Force, 423; 2. Del Worsham, 340; 3. Gary Densham, 322; 4. Tommy
Johnson Jr., 321; 5. Tony Pedregon, 312; 6. Ron Capps, 285; 7. Gary
Scelzi, 281; 8. Scotty Cannon, 249; 9. Whit Bazemore, 239; 10. Johnny
Gray, 236.
Pro Stock
1. Jim Yates, 360; 2. Warren Johnson, 349; 3. George Marnell, 331; 4.
Darrell Alderman, 319; 5. Mike Edwards, 303; 6. Ron Krisher, 287; 7. Bruce
Allen, 285; 8. Kurt Johnson, 281; 9. Tom Hammonds, 274; 10. Jeg Coughlin,
219.
Pro Stock Motorcycle
Craig Treble, 229; 2. Angelle Savoie, 174; 3. Shawn Gann, 134; 4. Geno
Scali, 126; 5. Steve Johnson, 125; 6. Matt Hines, 113; 7. Antron Brown,
110; 8. Mike Berry, 106; 9. Reggie Showers, 104; 10. Terry Kizer, 64.
NHRA Communications