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2011 NHRA Auto Club Finals 
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The chase for three out of four Pro Championships continued well into the cool, showery weekend of the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, the last in this years heady Full Throttle Drag Racing Series together with the Lucas Oil Sportsman battles. Rain effected part of Saturdays qualifying, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle managed to get their fourth one in but after around half a dozen pairs of Funny Car getting a fourth pass each, down came the damp stuff leaving a lot of the remaining floppers and the whole of the Top Fuel machines frustrated that their number four round was cancelled mixing up some permutations in the fields. It seems NHRA has always allowed this, differing from the FIA strategy of the round being null and void if left unfinished by rain or similar. There were a stunning number of fuel cars on the premises, a whopping fifty entertained the international crowd and on the subject of international, both Norway and Finland had contestants entered along with Australia and a bevy of Canadian machines. The rain affected the eliminations to produce a packed Sunday that had to be extended into Monday morning to finalise some of the last Sportsman rounds. Long time Chief Starter Rick Stewart clicked the starter button for the last time as he is retiring.
Round one witnessed Dave Grubnic beat teammate Doug Kalitta in a 3.846/313 win to a 3.863/308 close lose to open the day. Antron Brown managed to keep a nose ahead of Bob Vandergriff in another tight race. Morgan Lucas suffered a small flash fuel fire in the lights but lit his win light as Troy Buff limped in with the lose. Tony The Sarge Schumacher took the win as Clay Millican went up in smoke off the line. Larry Dixon had a neat break when his machine shut down and popped the chutes at one hundred feet out but still winning as rookie racer Keith Murt red lit away his chances. Del Worsham made short work of Mike Ashley, a holeshot 3.865 took out the 3.904 try. Spencer Massey kept his title hopes alive with a 3.824/324 win against Cory McClenathans 3.908/282 and finally Brandon Bernstein lost pistons and had TJ Zizzo nip past him only to then take back the lead for the all important win. The next round started with Del Worsham taking the lead off the line and never looking back, as 3.850/316 took the light as Dave Grubnics close 3.880/304 lost. Antron Brown saw his chances go away as Larry Dixon won by inches in a 3.828/320 to a 3.837/316 bout. Spencer Massey beat points outsider Morgan Lucas whose 4.206/225 suffered a small flash fire at eight hundred feet but it was Masseys winning 3.846/316 that oiled the track. The last pair had Branden Bernstein make possibly his last pass as he parks his ride due to lack of sponsors for next year, it was a disappointing up in smoke 6.644/98 as Tony Schumacher charged off to a 3.826/322 win. It was a round of big team battles as the Don Schumacher Racing guys took on the Alan Johnson Al-Anabi boys, it ended with one apiece. Tony Schumacher notched up a 3.823/322 holeshot win as Larry Dixon chased but failed to catch with his 3.828/313 timing. The other pairing saw the Full Throttle NHRA Top Fuel Championship going to Del Worsham as the 3.800/322 caught the small lead produced by Spencer Massey in the FRAM machine, a 3.808/322 came second by just inches. The final dealt the two big teams their hands and the new Champion Del Worsham was not content with the title, his quicker R/T coupled with a 3.796/318 got him the event win in the Al-Anabi car as the U.S. ARMY machine of Tony Schumacher became runner up with a close 3.799/321.
Round one saw a few surprises as firstly defending Champion John Force went out to Johnny Gray, Force left first then floundered slightly running a losing 4.271/290 as Gray charged by with a 4.090/313 win. Cruz Pedregon who sat in third spot in the point chase caught and passed Bob Tasca III, a 4.141/313 beating a 4.199/308. Melanie Troxel took the win light with a 4.151/303 from behind as Tony Pedregon lost power at four hundred feet slowing to a 5.022/162. Robert Hight met Gary Densham and beat him out of the hole staying ahead to win on a 4.149/309 to a 4.269/266. Point leader Matt Hagan managed to catch and get by a quicker leaving Jon Capps, a 4.092/309 won to the 4.602/236 lost. Alexis DeJoria got a tad too quick and red lit away her chances allowing Mike Neff a 4.150/311 win. Ron Capps and Jeff Arend carded identical R/Ts but the 4.110/311 from Capps got the nod over the 4.140/299 lose. Jack Beckman who came into the event one point behind Hagan took a grateful win of 4.522/280 as opponent Tim Wilkerson went up in smoke one hundred and fifty feet out. Johnny Gray managed to get rid of another Force machine as the holeshot 4.105/313 took out the 4.155/308 from Mike Neff kicking off the second round. Robert Hight kept one of the Force cars in contention by beating Las Vegas winner, Ron Capps 4.091/311 to a 4.114/311. Jack Beckmans championship point hopes were dashed when he met leader Matt Hagan, a 4.107/307 from behind beat Beckmans 4.142/310. Cruz Pedregon kept his title hopes alive when he advanced past Melanie Troxel, 4.079/312 to a 4.154/308 and in a bizarre incident Troxels In-N-Out Buger car re-fired in the turn off area sending her through an inflatable advertising, a fence and into a trailer, she was shaken but ok. The semis saw revenge for Team Force as Robert Hight caught and passed Johnny Gray in the Service Central Dodge Charger a 4.079/315 beat the up in smoke off the line 7.473/83. Matt Hagan made sure he stayed well ahead of point chaser Cruz Pedregon in the Snap-On/Wix Filters Toyota with a decent R/T coupled with a 4.096/309 beating the 4.113/311 this secured Matt Hagan the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Funny Car Championship. As in the Top Fuel category the event win went deservedly to the new Champion but not without a fight, Matt Hagan in the Advanced Gold DieHard Charger left another good light on the tree and stayed ahead all the way recording a stunning 4.009/317 to take the win as Robert Hight in the Automobile Club of Southern California Mustang became event runner up with a 4.031/318.
Opening round one was a red light from Vincent Nobile handing the win to Allen Johnson with a seen it 12.493/71 time. Kurt Johnson managed a 6.611/209 win as Shane Gray red lit. Greg Stanfield put down a 6.595/209 to take the win against Larry Morgans 6.587/210 whilst Rodger Brogdon ran a 6.572/210 as Ron Krisher lost with a slowing 7.203/140. Champion Jason Line carded a 6.569/210 win to see off the 6.612/209 from Steve Kent. Another red light appeared when Buddy Perkinson bulbed against Mike Edwards winning 6.546/210. Greg Anderson had a holeshot and kept ahead of the challenge from Warren Johnsons 6.955/158, a 6.565/211 won. Ronnie Humphrey won in a close race with Erica Enders, a 6.556/210 beat the 6.572/210. Greg Stanfield managed a neat holeshot and stayed ahead of Rodger Brogdon, a 6.605/209 beat the quicker 6.587/209. Greg Anderson failed to catch the great leave by Kurt Johnson whose 6.595/209 beat the 6.581/210. Jason Line managed a 6.552/210 win as Ronnie Humphreys 6.580/209 was not quite enough. Mike Edwards was the next to suffer a red light against Allen Johnson, Johnsons 6.603/210 getting the nod. Greg Stanfield continued his march through the ranks with another good leave getting the better of Allen Johnsons Mopar/J&J Racing 10 Avenger, 6.609/209 to a 6.737/177 and Champion Jason Lines Summit Racing Equipment 09 GXP finally went out to the 6.606/208 from Kurt Johnson. The final saw two great lights but it was the.009 from Greg Stanfields Coffman Tank Trucks 09 GXP together with a 6.597/209 that clinched the event win as Kurt Johnson in the Mark Christopher Auto Center 10 Pontiac runner upped with a slowed up 19.886/44.
Round one opened with Angie Smith getting around Michael Ray a 6.961/191 beating the 6.997/191 winning by about a bikes length whilst husband Matt Smith chased down and won the race with Chip Ellis, 6.944/191 to the losing 6.967/191. Outgoing Champion LE Tonglet managed the win with a 6.942/191 over Gerald Savoies better leaving 7.076/175. Andrew Hines took out number sixteen qualifier Michael Phillips with a 6.865/196 to a 6.999/192. Young Hector Arana Jr. ran a 6.836/195 to beat the losing 7.044/192 from Justin Finley. Point leader Eddie Krawiec put a 6.873/169 on the win board beating Karen Stoffers 6.993/191. Hector Arana Sr. ran a 6.905/193 to see off Jim Underdahls 7.060/189 and the final pairing had Steve Johnson take the win despite not finishing as Shawn Gann red lit. The action continued into round two starting with the defeat of Steve Johnson, his seven dead at 192mph was ably taken care of by the holeshot and a 6.876/193 from Hector Arana Sr. Angie Smiths day ended when her 6.955/191 was beaten by the better leave and 6.854/196 from Andrew Hines. With the ousting of LE Tonglet on a holeshot 6.937/191 to a winning 6.853/196 Eddie Krawiec became the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock Motorcycle Champion. The last pair in the round was a battle between Matt Smith and young Hector Arana with the latter getting the better leave coupled with a 6.847/196 win to the losing 7.357/142. Both Aranas were taken out in the semi finals by teammates Hines and Krawiec. Hector Arana Sr. on his Lucas Oil Products 10 Buell failed to keep up with the leave by Andrew Hines, a 6.880/195 beating the close 6.894/193 after a staging duel. Hector Arana Jr. carded a great light on his Lucas Oil Products 11 Buell but that and the 6.863/190 were no match for the charging 6.831/195 from Eddie Krawiec. The finals was a team effort, the newly crowned Champion Eddie Krawiec and Andrew Hines both on their Screamin Eagle Vance & Hines 11 HD V-Rods faced off for the money run but Krawiec blew his chances of an event win to put icing on the cake when he red lit away a 6.819/197 to a winning 6.814/196 from Hines.
Report and pictures ©Roger Gorringe. Feature ©Eurodragster.com Features and Interviews index Back to News page |
