HIGHT, DIXON AND EDWARDS WIN FORD NHRA THUNDER VALLEY NATIONALS
BRISTOL, Tenn. – Robert Hight raced to his fourth Funny Car victory of the season Sunday and in the process set the national speed record at the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers.
Larry Dixon (Top Fuel) and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) also were winners at Bristol Dragway in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.
Hight gained momentum with a consistent string of powerful runs throughout the rain-delayed day of racing and finished off final-round opponent Jack Beckman with another strong run in his Auto Club Ford Mustang. Hight powered to a 4.092-second run at 314.90 mph while Beckman trailed with a 5.615 at 152.66 in his Aaron’s/Valvoline Dodge Charger. Hight’s final-round speed certified his earlier performance of 316.45 as the national record.
Hight defeated Ron Capps, teammate and series leader Mike Neff and Jeff Arend en route to the final round.
“We finally got Bristol, how about that?” said Hight of his 22nd victory. “I’ve had trouble with all the races that start with 'B' like Bristol or Brainerd, but we got this one. There’s nothing better than to win this race since it’s now Ford-sponsored. We made eight great runs, and when we needed it the most, Jimmy [Prock, crew chief] pulled it off. I’ve never set any kind of a record before, so that’s pretty cool, too. I know there are no points for a speed record, but it’s still cool to have.”
Despite his second-round exit, Neff maintained his series lead, with runner-up Beckman moving to second and Hight remaining in third.
In Top Fuel, Dixon claimed his first win of the season and his sixth Father’s Day victory by outrunning Antron Brown in the final round. Dixon took his 61st victory and second at Bristol Dragway with a 3.836 at 318.09 in his Al-Anabi Racing dragster to finish just in front of the hard-charging Brown, who posted a 3.851 at 306.19 in his Matco Tools dragster.
“Great job by the team, for one,” said Dixon, who beat Rod Fuller, Morgan Lucas and Spencer Massey in the first three rounds. “Since the beginning of the year, even last year, I think we've had a great car, but for one reason or another, we haven't been able to get to the winner's circle and last [race], that was all on me. This weekend, it's Father’s Day. It's unbelievable from that standpoint. It's been so long I don't even think this tower was built the last time I won at Bristol. I'm very elated. I'm really, really happy.”
With the win, defending world champ Dixon moved into second place in the standings, 31 points behind series leader Del Worsham, Dixon’s teammate who lost in the quarterfinals to Massey.
Edwards claimed his third consecutive Bristol Dragway win and 30th of his career and in the process denied Erica Enders a milestone victory as she tried to become the first woman to win in the history of the 41-year-old factory hot rod category. Enders left the starting line first in her ZaZa Energy Chevy Cobalt, but the car lost power near midtrack while Edwards sped down the track to finish in 6.685 at 205.79 in his Penhall/Interstate Batteries Pontiac GXP.
“We made some ugly runs, and somehow we were able to turn the win light on,” said Edwards of his second win of the season. “Some days, no matter how bad you do, you still win. That’s the kind of day we had today. Congrats to my team. They fought hard. This car has given us so many headaches. I hope we can build on this. We have the K&N Horsepower Challenge next week, so hopefully we can build off of this and something good will happen.”
Edwards moved to second in the series standings with the victory and trails Jason Line by 24 points.
The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series continues June 23-26 with the fifth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio.
BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Final finish order (1-16) for professional categories at the 11th annual Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers at Bristol Dragway. The race is the ninth of 22 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.
TOP FUEL:
1. Larry Dixon; 2. Antron Brown; 3. Spencer Massey; 4. Tony Schumacher; 5. Del Worsham; 6. Brandon Bernstein; 7. Morgan Lucas; 8. Chris Karamesines; 9. Shawn Langdon; 10. Austin Lambright; 11. Doug Kalitta; 12. David Grubnic; 13. Bob Vandergriff; 14. Rod Fuller; 15. Terry McMillen; 16. Pat Dakin.
FUNNY CAR:
1. Robert Hight; 2. Jack Beckman; 3. Jeff Arend; 4. Cruz Pedregon; 5. Mike Neff; 6. Melanie Troxel; 7. Bob Tasca III; 8. Matt Hagan; 9. Jim Head; 10. Johnny Gray; 11. John Force; 12. Tim Wilkerson; 13. Tony Pedregon; 14. Ron Capps; 15. Paul Lee; 16. Daniel Wilkerson.
PRO STOCK:
1. Mike Edwards; 2. Erica Enders; 3. Allen Johnson; 4. Greg Anderson; 5. Ron Krisher; 6. Jason Line; 7. Vincent Nobile; 8. Rodger Brogdon; 9. Ronnie Humphrey; 10. Shane Gray; 11. V. Gaines; 12. Greg Stanfield; 13. Richard Freeman; 14. Larry Morgan; 15. Warren Johnson; 16. Steve Kent.
BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Sunday's final results from the 11th annual Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers at Bristol Dragway. The race is the ninth of 22 in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:
Top Fuel -- Larry Dixon, 3.836 seconds, 318.09 mph def. Antron Brown, 3.851 seconds, 306.19 mph.
Funny Car -- Robert Hight, Ford Mustang, 4.092, 314.90 def. Jack Beckman, Dodge Charger, 5.615, 152.66.
Pro Stock -- Mike Edwards, Pontiac GXP, 6.685, 205.79 def. Erica Enders, Chevy Cobalt, 11.863, 72.89.
Pro Modified -- Melanie Troxel, Chevy Corvette, 5.928, 250.83 def. Danny Rowe, Chevy Camaro, foul.
Super Stock -- Mike Saye, Pontiac Firebird, 10.559, 115.00 def. Dan Fletcher, Chevy Camaro, foul.
Stock Eliminator -- Dan Fletcher, Chevy Camaro, 11.648, 101.07 def. Joe Santangelo, Camaro, 11.149, 98.93.
Super Comp -- Shane Carr, Dragster, 8.946, 160.08 def. Riley Ledbetter, Dragster, 8.936, 172.96.
Super Gas -- Tommy Phillips, Chevy Corvette, 9.968, 134.83 def. Scott Lawton, Chevy Roadster, broke.
Top Dragster -- Jenifer White, Dragster, 6.632, 203.61 def. Casey Spradlin, Dragster, foul.
Nitro Harley -- Tommy Grimes, Harley, 6.328, 224.32 def. Damian Cownden, Harley, 12.222, 71.11.
BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Final round-by-round results from the 11th annual Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers at Bristol Dragway, the ninth of 22 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:
TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE -- Tony Schumacher, 3.883, 322.34 def. Shawn Langdon, 3.910, 303.64; Morgan Lucas, 3.883, 315.78 def. Terry McMillen, 7.963, 88.17; Antron Brown, 3.918, 309.56 def. Bob Vandergriff, 6.095, 113.80; Chris Karamesines, 4.058, 298.27 def. Doug Kalitta, 5.158, 171.69; Brandon Bernstein, 3.884, 308.14 def. Austin Lambright, 4.043, 292.96; Larry Dixon, 3.883, 314.90 def. Rod Fuller, 6.787, 88.95; Spencer Massey, 3.871, 318.62 def. Pat Dakin, 10.294, 56.01; Del Worsham, 3.883, 316.45 def. David Grubnic, 5.937, 106.87;
QUARTERFINALS -- Brown, 3.876, 314.02 def. Karamesines, foul; Dixon, 3.883, 316.15 def. Lucas, 3.930, 295.34; Schumacher, 3.869, 319.29 def. Bernstein, 3.880, 311.77; Massey, 3.844, 320.97 def. Worsham, 3.868, 314.75;
SEMIFINALS -- Brown, 3.832, 321.04 def. Schumacher, 3.872, 320.20; Dixon, 3.843, 317.64 def. Massey, 3.866, 320.20;
FINAL -- Dixon, 3.836, 318.09 def. Brown, 3.851, 306.19.
FUNNY CAR:
ROUND ONE -- Melanie Troxel, Toyota Solara, 4.148, 309.70 def. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 4.225, 274.89; Jack Beckman, Dodge Charger, 4.157, 308.57 def. Jim Head, Solara, 4.137, 305.77; Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.148, 305.70 def. Paul Lee, Chevy Impala SS, 7.765, 84.85; Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.076, 312.28 def. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, broke; Mike Neff, Mustang, 4.114, 310.84 def. Tony Pedregon, Impala SS, 4.302, 279.85; Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.132, 312.28 def. Ron Capps, Charger, 5.447, 150.73; Jeff Arend, Solara, 4.153, 305.91 def. Johnny Gray, Charger, 4.175, 303.57; Cruz Pedregon, Solara, 4.103, 311.56 def. John Force, Mustang, 4.190, 309.20;
QUARTERFINALS -- Arend, 4.653, 278.52 def. Hagan, 5.340, 268.60; Beckman, 4.144, 311.85 def. Troxel, 4.150, 306.46; C. Pedregon, 4.110, 301.47 def. Tasca III, 4.185, 309.98; Hight, 4.062, 311.13 def. Neff, 4.082, 314.53;
SEMIFINALS -- Beckman, 4.116, 308.78 def. C. Pedregon, broke; Hight, 4.047, 316.45 def. Arend, 4.151, 305.91;
FINAL -- Hight, 4.092, 314.90 def. Beckman, 5.615, 152.66.
PRO STOCK:
ROUND ONE -- Jason Line, Pontiac GXP, 6.704, 204.20 def. Shane Gray, GXP, 6.721, 205.38; Vincent Nobile, Dodge Avenger, 6.715, 204.88 def. Ronnie Humphrey, GXP, 6.720, 204.91; Greg Anderson, GXP, 6.710, 204.32 def. Greg Stanfield, GXP, 6.726, 204.17; Erica Enders, Chevy Cobalt, 6.690, 205.41 def. Larry Morgan, Ford Mustang, 6.745, 205.10; Rodger Brogdon, GXP, 6.724, 205.51 def. Warren Johnson, Cobalt, foul; Allen Johnson, Avenger, 6.706, 206.32 def. Steve Kent, GXP, 6.758, 203.61; Mike Edwards, GXP, 6.701, 205.44 def. Richard Freeman, GXP, 6.736, 204.42; Ron Krisher, GXP, 6.724, 205.29 def. V. Gaines, Avenger, foul;
QUARTERFINALS -- Anderson, 6.702, 205.10 def. Brogdon, 6.748, 203.43; A. Johnson, 6.679, 206.45 def. Line, foul; Edwards, 6.697, 205.91 def. Nobile, 6.708, 205.19; Enders, 6.693, 205.63 def. Krisher, 6.683, 205.79;
SEMIFINALS -- Edwards, 6.708, 204.82 def. Anderson, 6.710, 204.98; Enders, 6.697, 205.26 def. A. Johnson, 6.692, 205.41;
FINAL -- Edwards, 6.685, 205.79 def. Enders, 11.863, 72.89.
BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the 11th annual Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers at Bristol Dragway, the ninth of 22 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series -
Top Fuel
1. Del Worsham, 763; 2. Larry Dixon, 732; 3. Spencer Massey, 729; 4. Antron Brown, 679; 5. Tony Schumacher, 670; 6. Doug Kalitta, 503; 7. Brandon Bernstein, 458; 8. Morgan Lucas, 426; 9. Shawn Langdon, 396; 10. Terry McMillen, 364.
Funny Car
1. Mike Neff, 765; 2. Jack Beckman, 705; 3. Robert Hight, 691; 4. Cruz Pedregon, 635; 5. Matt Hagan, 544; 6. Jeff Arend, 488; 7. Bob Tasca III, 462; 8. John Force, 451; 9. Ron Capps, 440; 10. Johnny Gray, 431.
Pro Stock
1. Jason Line, 694; 2. Mike Edwards, 670; 3. Greg Anderson, 645; 4. Greg Stanfield, 617; 5. Vincent Nobile, 598; 6. Rodger Brogdon, 571; 7. Allen Johnson, 557; 8. Erica Enders, 521; 9. Shane Gray, 437; 10. Ron Krisher, 414.
