SONOMA, Calif. -- John Force reclaimed the Winston points lead in Funny
Car Sunday by recording his seventh victory of the season at the FRAM
Autolite Nationals at Sears Point Raceway.
Doug Kalitta and Kurt Johnson also were winners in their respective
categories at the $1.8 million race, the 15th of 23 events in the $45
million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series.
Force, from Yorba Linda, Calif., earned his 88th career victory when
teammate Tony Pedregon fouled at the start in the all-Team Castrol Ford
Mustang final round. Force, who last won at Sears Point in 1994, moved 75
points ahead of WWF Racing's Jerry Toliver with the victory.
"We had a great running hot rod right up until the final,"
said Force, who is seeking a record 10th NHRA Winston championship this
season. "The fans wanted a race, but he redlit and mine smoked the
tires. Tony was really upset too. I don't feel like I won. If the fans
don't get a race, I don't feel like I did my job."
It was Force's 10th win over Pedregon in 14 final round meetings, but the
veteran driver says despite what the public might think, there was no team
meeting to decide the outcome. Force said that it was just an ugly drag
race where one car jumped the start and the other one immediately lost
traction after the start.
"We've got a two car team so we can win," Force said.
"We've been fighting this old plague ever since I came up with this
two-car team. You can't win and you can't lose. One half will say that you
threw it, and the other half will say it went the other way. So when it's
over, you don't know what you did."
However, Force does know that he accomplished one very important thing
over the weekend: he moved back to his familiar perch atop the Funny Car
standings. With the victory, Force dashed 75 points ahead of Winston
championship challenger Jerry Toliver, who failed to qualify for the
event.
"Our game plan is to whip the WWF team," said Force, who earned
$40,000 for the victory, his fifth at Sears Point Raceway. "I love
Jerry and I felt real bad for him when he didn't qualify, but we want to
beat 'em this year for the Winston championship. That's what we're
after."
Kalitta, from Ypsilanti, Mich., won for the third straight year at this
event in Top Fuel, defeating Larry Dixon. It was Kalitta's second win of
the season, worth $40,000.
"I don't know what it is about this track," said Kalitta, the
only repeat Top Fuel winner in the history of the event. "I just told
the guys to go back to whatever has worked here in the past. I guess they
did that and it worked out for us."
Kalitta's machine emerged from a side-by-side, tire-smoking battle to edge
Dixon's dragster at the finish by about eight feet. Kalitta covered the
quarter-mile distance in 5.247 at 274.33 in his MGM Grand dragster, while
Dixon posted a quicker, but losing, 5.234 at 265.33 in the Miller Lite
dragster.
"We made great runs all day except the last one," said Kalitta,
who defeated Craig Smith, Don Lampus and Bob Vandergriff to advance to the
final round. "About half way down the track (against Dixon) I just
pumped (the throttle) once and held on for whatever it was worth and we
snuck by and got the win, so we're real happy."
The runner-up finish vaulted Dixon into second overall in the Winston
standings, 97 behind leader Gary Scelzi, who lost in the opening round to
upset expert Jim Cavalieri. It is the second time this season that Scelzi
has lost in the opening round to Cavalieri.
Johnson, from Lawrenceville, Ga., earned his second Pro Stock win of the
season and the 17th of his career, defeating Allen Johnson in the final.
The winning Johnson posted a 6.974 at 198.61 in his AC Delco Chevrolet
Camaro, defeating the Greeneville, Tenn. native's slower Amoco Dodge
Avenger, which covered the same distance in 7.024 at 196.67.
"It was a battle all day," said Kurt, who earned round wins over
Tom Hammonds, Mark Pawuk and Winston points leader Jeg Coughlin. "We
changed clutches, changed transmissions and changed suspensions to get
down this track. My hat's off to the AC Delco team."
Despite losing in the semifinals to the eventual winner, Coughlin
increased his Winston lead to 242 over Ron Krisher.
The next NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series event is the 19th annual
Colonel's Truck Accessories NHRA Nationals, Aug. 17-20, at The Colonel's
Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, Minn.
Final finish order (1-16) for professional categories at the 13th annual
FRAM Autolite Nationals at Sears Point Raceway. The $1.8 million race is
the 15th of 23 events in the $45 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series.
TOP FUEL:
1. Doug Kalitta; 2. Larry Dixon; 3. Bob Vandergriff; 4. Jim Cavalieri; 5.
Kenny Bernstein; 6. Don Lampus; 7. Tony Schumacher; 8. Tim Gibson; 9. Gary
Clapshaw; 10. Cory McClenathan; 11. Gary Scelzi; 12. David Grubnic; 13.
Doug Herbert; 14. Joe Amato; 15. Craig Smith; 16. Bobby Baldwin.
FUNNY CAR:
1. John Force, Ford Mustang; 2. Tony Pedregon, Mustang; 3. Dean Skuza,
Dodge Avenger; 4. Scotty Cannon, Chevy Camaro; 5. Ron Capps, Camaro; 6.
Gary Densham, Pontiac Firebird; 7. Whit Bazemore, Camaro; 8. Bruce Sarver,
Firebird; 9. Del Worsham, Firebird; 10. Jim Epler, Camaro; 11. Louis
Sweet, Avenger; 12. Dale Creasy Jr., Firebird; 13. Cruz Pedregon,
Firebird; 14. Tommy Johnson Jr., Firebird; 15. Bob Gilbertson, Camaro; 16.
Al Hofmann, Firebird.
PRO STOCK:
1. Kurt Johnson, Chevy Camaro; 2. Allen Johnson, Dodge Avenger; 3. Jeg
Coughlin, Oldsmobile Cutlass; 4. Darrell Alderman, Avenger; 5. Warren
Johnson, Pontiac Firebird; 6. John Geyer, Avenger; 7. Mark Pawuk,
Firebird; 8. Ron Krisher, Firebird; 9. Larry Morgan, Avenger; 10. Jim
Yates, Firebird; 11. Troy Coughlin, Cutlass; 12. Tony Gillig, Cutlass; 13.
Gordie Rivera, Cutlass; 14. Rickie Smith, Camaro; 15. Tom Martino,
Firebird; 16. Tom Hammonds, Camaro.
Sunday's final results from the 13th annual FRAM Autolite Nationals at
Sears Point Raceway. The $1.8 million race is the 15th of 23 events in the
$45 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series:
Top Fuel -- Doug Kalitta, 5.247 seconds, 274.33 mph def. Larry Dixon,
5.234 seconds, 265.33 mph.
Funny Car -- John Force, Ford Mustang, 9.055, 101.81 def. Tony Pedregon,
Mustang, foul.
Pro Stock -- Kurt Johnson, Chevy Camaro, 6.974, 198.61 def. Allen Johnson,
Dodge Avenger, 7.024, 196.67.
Federal-Mogul Dragster -- Steve Faria, 5.577, 249.21 def. Gary Ormsby Jr.,
5.607, 251.06.
Federal-Mogul Funny Car -- Larry Miner, Dodge Avenger, 5.844, 250.55 def.
Jimmy Bartoli, Oldsmobile Cutlass, 5.819, 238.38.
Comp Eliminator -- Craig Schuck, Dragster, 7.474, 178.10 def. Jeff Lane,
Roadster, 8.206, 158.41.
Super Stock -- Dan Fletcher, Chevy Camaro, 10.191, 127.71 def. Terry
Sherrill, Chevrolet Corvette, 8.711, 154.58.
Stock -- Jody Lang, Chevrolet Malibu Wagon, 12.912, 98.73 def. Toby Lang,
Chevelle, 12.061, 106.09.
Super Comp -- Sheldon Gecker, 8.946, 162.08 def. Mike Henderson, 8.962,
161.21.
Super Gas -- Kevin Mc Clelland, Roadster, 10.055, 120.04 def. John
Peterson, Pontiac Grand Am, 10.453, 135.33.
Sunday's final round-by-round results from the 13th annual FRAM Autolite
Nationals at Sears Point Raceway, the 15th of 23 events in the $45 million
NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series:
TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE -- Tim Gibson, 5.190, 260.86 def. David Grubnic, 5.587, 217.63;
Don Lampus, 4.875, 295.79 def. Cory McClenathan, 4.889, 304.46; Kenny
Bernstein, 4.782, 310.48 def. Doug Herbert, 5.666, 164.97; Larry Dixon,
5.372, 268.33 def. Bobby Baldwin, 11.147, 91.04; Jim Cavalieri, 4.898,
303.98 def. Gary Scelzi, 5.432, 262.33; Bob Vandergriff, 4.757, 307.72
def. Gary Clapshaw, 4.880, 302.55; Doug Kalitta, 4.661, 311.77 def. Craig
Smith, 9.115, 79.55; Tony Schumacher, 4.824, 312.71 def. Joe Amato, 6.842,
131.61;
QUARTERFINALS -- Dixon, 5.031, 278.92 def. Gibson, 12.483, 83.83;
Cavalieri, 4.812, 313.15 def. Schumacher, 6.413, 143.70; Vandergriff,
4.769, 310.13 def. Bernstein, 4.819, 303.78; Kalitta, 4.713, 308.64 def.
Lampus, 6.271,
141.64;
SEMIFINALS -- Dixon, 4.784, 308.85 def. Cavalieri, 4.888, 272.23; Kalitta,
4.765, 302.35 def. Vandergriff, 4.834, 299.66;
FINAL -- Kalitta, 5.247, 274.33 def. Dixon, 5.234, 265.33.
FUNNY CAR:
ROUND ONE -- Tony Pedregon, Ford Mustang, 4.989, 306.74 def. Louis Sweet,
Dodge Avenger, 5.350, 276.01; Bruce Sarver, Pontiac Firebird, 5.511,
235.68 def. Al Hofmann, Firebird, 8.697, 96.16; John Force, Mustang,
4.999, 307.16 def. Tommy Johnson Jr., Firebird, 7.420, 114.10; Whit
Bazemore, Chevy Camaro, 6.095, 206.07 def. Dale Creasy Jr., Firebird,
6.353, 172.08; Gary Densham, Firebird, 5.206, 285.47 def. Jim Epler,
Camaro, 5.315, 276.24; Scotty Cannon, Camaro, 5.133, 297.68 def. Cruz
Pedregon, Firebird, 6.894, 132.59; Ron Capps, Camaro, 5.075, 303.64 def.
Del Worsham, Firebird, 5.116, 303.50; Dean Skuza, Avenger, 5.154, 292.27
def. Bob Gilbertson, Camaro, 8.179, 95.17;
QUARTERFINALS -- Cannon, 5.122, 288.58 def. Sarver, 7.564, 106.52; T.
Pedregon, 5.113, 269.73 def. Densham, 5.810, 178.85; Force, 5.038, 303.98
def. Capps, 5.156, 296.31; Skuza, 5.212, 289.88 def. Bazemore, 6.135,
205.04;
SEMIFINALS -- T. Pedregon, 5.210, 226.66 def. Skuza, foul; Force, 5.091,
304.80 def. Cannon, 14.476, 40.35;
FINAL -- Force, 9.055, 101.81 def. T. Pedregon, foul.
PRO STOCK:
ROUND ONE -- Jeg Coughlin, Oldsmobile Cutlass, 6.926, 199.35 def. Larry
Morgan, Dodge Avenger, 6.927, 199.76; Darrell Alderman, Avenger, 6.913,
199.46 def. Troy Coughlin, Cutlass, 6.977, 197.97; John Geyer, Avenger,
6.983, 198.03 def. Rickie Smith, Chevy Camaro, 7.160, 183.17; Mark Pawuk,
Pontiac Firebird, 7.203, 191.43 def. Tom Martino, Firebird, 8.654, 114.63;
Allen Johnson, Avenger, 6.946, 198.29 def. Jim Yates, Firebird, 6.971,
198.90; Warren Johnson, Firebird, 6.921, 201.16 def. Tony Gillig, Cutlass,
7.004, 196.85; Ron Krisher, Firebird, 6.958, 199.76 def. Gordie Rivera,
Cutlass, 7.029, 196.50; Kurt Johnson, Camaro, 6.947, 200.74 def. Tom
Hammonds, Camaro, foul;
QUARTERFINALS -- K. Johnson, 6.994, 199.49 def. Pawuk, 8.826, 102.80;
A. Johnson, 6.989, 197.86 def. Geyer, 7.038, 197.62; Alderman, 9.956,
112.58 def. Krisher, foul; J. Coughlin, 6.946, 199.52 def. W. Johnson,
6.992,
200.17;
SEMIFINALS -- A. Johnson, 6.993, 197.16 def. Alderman, 11.599, 76.36; K.
Johnson, 6.963, 199.55 def. J. Coughlin, 6.971, 198.76;
FINAL -- K. Johnson, 6.974, 198.61 def. A. Johnson, 7.024, 196.67.
Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the
13th annual FRAM Autolite Nationals at Sears Point Raceway, the 15th of 23
events in the $45 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series:
TOP FUEL:
1. Gary Scelzi, 1,185; 2. Larry Dixon, 1,088; 3. Tony Schumacher, 1,076;
4. Kenny Bernstein, 909; 5. Joe Amato, 892; 6. Doug Kalitta, 798; 7. Cory
McClenathan, 702; 8. Bob Vandergriff, 588; 9. Doug Herbert, 571; 10. Don
Lampus, 568.
FUNNY CAR:
1. John Force, 1,169; 2. Jerry Toliver, 1,094; 3. Tony Pedregon, 943; 4.
Ron Capps, 891; 5. Jim Epler, 772; 6. Scotty Cannon, 689; 7. Dean Skuza,
677; 8. Whit Bazemore, 650; 9. Del Worsham, 626; 10. Al Hofmann, 569.
PRO STOCK:
1. Jeg Coughlin, 1,195; 2. Ron Krisher, 953; 3. Warren Johnson, 896; 4.
Kurt Johnson, 893; 5. Troy Coughlin, 772; 6. Mark Pawuk, 749; 7. Richie
Stevens, 673; 8. Jim Yates, 648; 9. Tom Martino, 600; 10. Bruce Allen,
552.