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FORCE, DIXON, AND EDWARDS WIN SUMMITRACING.COM NHRA NATIONALS
LAS VEGAS – John Force continued his comeback run by racing to the Funny Car victory Sunday at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Larry Dixon and Mike Edwards also were winners in their respective categories at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event.
The 60-year-old Force, the 14-time NHRA world champ who struggled on the track during the last three seasons, extended his Full Throttle Series lead with his third win of the season and 129th of his career. It is his second victory at this track.
Force defeated rival and former teammate Tony Pedregon in the final round. Force drove his Castrol GTX High-Mileage Ford Mustang to a winning performance of 4.334 seconds at 284.93 mph, while Pedregon’s Herzog/NitroFish Chevy Impala lost traction and trailed with a 5.630 at 138.34.
“The hardest thing I work for is to be able to compete and show my kids that I can still do it,” said an emotional Force, who defeated Robert Hight, Matt Hagan and Ashley Force Hood to advance to the final. “I want to show them how much I still love it. This is a great win here in front of a lot of family and friends. Now I’m back in the game, and it feels good.”
In Top Fuel, Dixon claimed his third win of the season and 51st of his career and in the process took over the series points lead by outrunning Cory McClenathan in the final round. Dixon powered his Al-Anabi Racing dragster to a 4.016 at 313.37 to hold off McClenathan’s FRAM dragster, which lost traction near mid-track and finished in 5.113 at 158.41.
“We had a great car all weekend,” said Dixon, who beat Steve Faria, Shawn Langdon and Doug Kalitta in earlier rounds. “The car was unbelievable all through qualifying, just very strong. We qualified second and made up a bunch of points on Cory in qualifying. Then, we knew that if we could make it to the final round, if we beat him we’d get the points lead, and we got both. It’s just a great, great weekend all around for everyone on the Al-Anabi team.”
Edwards continued his dominance in Pro Stock by racing to his fourth victory of the season and 24th of his career. The defending series champ posted a 6.751 at 205.51 in his Penhall/Interstate Batteries Pontiac GXP to defeat Greg Stanfield, who trailed with a 6.813 at 203.12 in his NitroFish GXP.
To reach his first career final at The Strip at Las Vegas, Edwards outran Rickie Jones, Warren Johnson and Greg Anderson.
“It feels good to come out here and win at Vegas,” Edwards said. “I’ve been coming here a long time and ran really, really well but just could never close the deal. It feels good.”
The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series continues April 30-May 2 with the AAA NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis.
LAS VEGAS -- Final finish order (1-16) for professional categories at the 11th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race is the sixth of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.
TOP FUEL:
1. Larry Dixon; 2. Cory McClenathan; 3. Doug Kalitta; 4. Brandon Bernstein; 5. Shawn Langdon; 6. Tony Schumacher; 7. Morgan Lucas; 8. Antron Brown; 9. Troy Buff; 10. Mike Strasburg; 11. Terry Haddock; 12. Steve Faria; 13. David Grubnic; 14. Steven Chrisman; 15. Terry McMillen; 16. Rob Passey.
FUNNY CAR:
1. John Force; 2. Tony Pedregon; 3. Ashley Force Hood; 4. Del Worsham; 5. Tim Wilkerson; 6. Melanie Troxel; 7. Matt Hagan; 8. Jack Beckman; 9. Gary Densham; 10. Robert Hight; 11. Bob Tasca III; 12. Cruz Pedregon; 13. Jeff Arend; 14. Jim Head; 15. Ron Capps; 16. Bob Bode.
PRO STOCK:
1. Mike Edwards; 2. Greg Stanfield; 3. Greg Anderson; 4. Ron Krisher; 5. Warren Johnson; 6. Allen Johnson; 7. Rodger Brogdon; 8. Jeg Coughlin; 9. V. Gaines; 10. Shane Gray; 11. Rickie Jones; 12. Vinnie Deceglie; 13. Jason Line; 14. Johnny Gray; 15. Bob Yonke; 16. Ronnie Humphrey.
LAS VEGAS -- Sunday's final results from the 11th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race is the sixth of 23 in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:
Top Fuel -- Larry Dixon, 4.016 seconds, 313.37 mph def. Cory McClenathan, 5.113 seconds, 158.41 mph.
Funny Car -- John Force, Ford Mustang, 4.334, 284.93 def. Tony Pedregon, Chevy Impala, 5.630, 138.34.
Pro Stock -- Mike Edwards, Pontiac GXP, 6.751, 205.51 def. Greg Stanfield, GXP, 6.813, 203.12.
Top Alcohol Dragster -- Shawn Cowie, 5.424, 262.33 def. Joey Severance, 8.700, 85.73.
Top Alcohol Funny Car -- Jay Payne, Ford Mustang, 5.673, 255.92 def. Sean O'Bannon, Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 9.550, 103.77.
Super Stock -- Justin Lamb, Chevy Cobalt, 9.210, 147.07 def. Brad Plourd, Chevy Cavalier, 8.892, 148.92.
Stock Eliminator -- Larry Gilley, Dodge Dart, 11.396, 114.84 def. Mick Alley, Chevy Camaro, 10.443, 122.19.
Super Comp -- Dick Vander Meer, Dragster, 9.065, 167.84 def. Thomas Bayer, Dragster, 9.068, 162.88.
Super Gas -- Mike Ferderer, Pontiac Pontiac Grand Am, 10.066, 160.48 def. Dennis Paz, Willys, 10.071, 131.15.
LAS VEGAS -- Final round-by-round results from the 11th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the sixth of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:
TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE -- Brandon Bernstein, 3.984, 308.28 def. Terry McMillen, 5.380, 129.07; Shawn Langdon, 4.020, 299.53 def. Mike Strasburg, 4.142, 288.09; Morgan Lucas, 3.994, 300.93 def. Troy Buff, 4.117, 278.81; Antron Brown, 4.325, 228.00 def. Rob Passey, broke; Larry Dixon, 4.135, 264.29 def. Steve Faria, 4.266, 260.46; Doug Kalitta, 4.039, 303.98 def. Steven Chrisman, 5.241, 140.71; Cory McClenathan, 3.906, 312.35 def. Terry Haddock, 4.153, 240.47; Tony Schumacher, 3.925, 313.07 def. David Grubnic, 5.150, 136.10; QUARTERFINALS -- Dixon, 3.976, 309.77 def. Langdon, 4.017, 305.01; Kalitta, 4.006, 307.93 def. Lucas, 5.909, 111.54; Bernstein, 4.041, 302.28 def. Brown, 8.122, 83.17; McClenathan, 3.987, 303.64 def. Schumacher, 4.286, 221.13; SEMIFINALS -- McClenathan, 3.986, 304.39 def. Bernstein, 4.062, 303.30; Dixon, 3.910, 313.88 def. Kalitta, 3.982, 309.20; FINAL -- Dixon, 4.016, 313.37 def. McClenathan, 5.113, 158.41.
FUNNY CAR:
ROUND ONE -- Melanie Troxel, Dodge Charger, 4.275, 301.33 def. Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 4.280, 288.89; Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.319, 290.07 def. Ron Capps, Charger, 5.659, 126.96; Ashley Force Hood, Mustang, 4.394, 233.68 def. Cruz Pedregon, Toyota Solara, 4.604, 231.04; Del Worsham, Solara, 4.254, 294.24 def. Jim Head, Solara, 4.725, 213.74; John Force, Mustang, 4.249, 296.63 def. Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.261, 288.95; Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.905, 167.36 def. Bob Bode, Chevy Impala SS, broke; Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.595, 280.60 def. Jeff Arend, Solara, 4.636, 223.21; Tony Pedregon, Impala, 4.247, 296.89 def. Gary Densham, Impala, 4.236, 293.66;
QUARTERFINALS -- Force Hood, 4.298, 287.96 def. Wilkerson, 4.379, 278.92; T. Pedregon, 4.316, 289.01 def. Beckman, 4.987, 194.58; Force, 4.335, 290.51 def. Hagan, 4.767, 203.52; Worsham, 4.481, 286.38 def. Troxel, 4.733, 207.11;
SEMIFINALS -- T. Pedregon, 4.413, 267.96 def. Worsham, 4.619, 263.31; Force, 4.286, 293.98 def. Force Hood, 4.419, 282.54;
FINAL -- Force, 4.334, 284.93 def. T. Pedregon, 5.630, 138.34.
PRO STOCK:
ROUND ONE -- Warren Johnson, Pontiac GXP, 6.775, 203.55 def. Jason Line, GXP, 6.787, 205.26; Jeg Coughlin, Chevy Cobalt, 6.773, 204.60 def. Bob Yonke, GXP, 6.796, 204.05; Greg Stanfield, GXP, 6.799, 203.80 def. Shane Gray, GXP, 6.774, 204.01; Greg Anderson, GXP, 6.738, 204.73 def. Vinnie Deceglie, Dodge Avenger, 6.782, 203.71; Allen Johnson, Avenger, 6.738, 205.35 def. Johnny Gray, GXP, 6.790, 204.51; Mike Edwards, GXP, 6.721, 205.38 def. Rickie Jones, GXP, 6.781, 203.49; Ron Krisher, Cobalt, 6.745, 204.70 def. Ronnie Humphrey, GXP, 6.833, 184.83; Rodger Brogdon, GXP, 6.760, 204.88 def. V. Gaines, Avenger, 6.755, 204.42;
QUARTERFINALS -- Stanfield, 6.800, 203.52 def. Brogdon, 7.012, 174.71; Krisher, 6.779, 205.13 def. Coughlin, 8.914, 109.35; Anderson, 6.763, 204.73 def. A. Johnson, 6.850, 204.91; Edwards, 6.743, 205.85 def. W. Johnson, 6.794, 203.86;
SEMIFINALS -- Stanfield, 6.796, 203.61 def. Krisher, 13.361, 63.79; Edwards, 6.735, 205.16 def. Anderson, 6.752, 204.98;
FINAL -- Edwards, 6.751, 205.51 def. Stanfield, 6.813, 203.12.
LAS VEGAS -- Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the 11th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the sixth of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series -
Top Fuel
1. Larry Dixon, 556; 2. Cory McClenathan, 555; 3. Doug Kalitta, 458; 4. Antron Brown, 441; 5. Tony Schumacher, 423; 6. Shawn Langdon, 328; 7. Morgan Lucas, 299; 8. Brandon Bernstein, 292; 9. (tie) David Grubnic, 238; Steve Torrence, 238.
Funny Car
1. John Force, 553; 2. Matt Hagan, 433; 3. Ashley Force Hood, 395; 4. Ron Capps, 379; 5. Tony Pedregon, 374; 6. Jack Beckman, 366; 7. Tim Wilkerson, 335; 8. Del Worsham, 321; 9. Robert Hight, 315; 10. Bob Tasca III, 304.
Pro Stock
1. Mike Edwards, 701; 2. Allen Johnson, 440; 3. Greg Anderson, 386; 4. Jason Line, 370; 5. Greg Stanfield, 359; 6. Jeg Coughlin, 351; 7. Ron Krisher, 338; 8. Rodger Brogdon, 309; 9. Bob Yonke, 273; 10. Shane Gray, 232.
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