The 59th NHRA Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals was proof that NHRA truly is one of the greatest spectacles on Earth. Indy is without a doubt the biggest and most prestigious race on the NHRA Mellow Yellow Drag Racing tour. The five day event took place in Indianapolis, Indiana and went off without a hitch. The race had its fair share of excitement and drama. On Wednesday the event was kicked off with sportsman qualifying that carried into Thursday. Friday night the pros got their shot at laying down a quick time in order to get into the show on Monday. Brittany Force surprised us all in the first qualifying session with a 3.820 @ 313.44 MPH and put her name at the top of the qualifying sheet, a place she would hold until Antron Brown, Tony Schumacher, and Steve Torrence shimmied their way past her during the final qualifying session on Sunday. The Traxxas Shootout on Sunday was a race you did not want to miss. While it only covers Top Fuel and Funny Car the three round race rewarded its winners, Jack Beckman and Shawn Langdon with a $100,000 check and nice shiny trophy to take home.
Raceday was packed with excitement in every professional class. In Top Fuel, Tony Schumacher was going for his 10th win at Indy, only to disappointingly go out first round after his car went away and the win went to Clay Millican. Antron Brown also went out first round, which meant that a first time Indy winner would be crowned in that class. There was a bit of a family rivalry between Steve and Billy Torrence, the father/son duo raced each other in the second round, but it was Steve Torrence that would come out on top. One win is never enough, in the final round it was Shawn Langdon getting the win over Steve Torrence with a 3.818 @ 320.97 MPH over Torrence's 3.907 @ 309.63 MPH. Shawn is the number one seed in the Countdown to the Championship but his lead over the rest of the field won't be by much, as the points are reset in all of the pro classes after U.S. Nationals. All eyes were on Del Worsham in Funny Car as he made it into the number ten slot by the skin of his teeth, having to defeat Courtney Force in the first round, and John Force in round two. Bob Tasca III, the other man fighting for that final spot, had a first round loss that stopped his chances of fighting for the NHRA Mellow Yellow Drag Racing championship. However, Tasca could play a spoiler for the rest of the countdown field during the next six events. Jack Beckman attempted to double up in the final but it was Robert Hight getting the win light at the top end of the racetrack collecting another U.S. Nationals win. Beckman remains winless so far this season but is seated sixth in the standings.
It was all Mike Edwards in Pro Stock. Not only qualifying in the number one spot but winning the Wally over V. Gaines in the final round with a 6.637 @ 208.39 MPH. Edwards is leading the Pro Stock standings and has a 30 point advantage over 2012 Mellow Yellow Drag Racing champion Allen Johnson going into the next event in North Carolina. The “I Am Second ” crew has worked their butts of this season to make sure that car is running in tip top shape, and clearly their work has payed off so far. One of the main surprises of the day was a -.006 red light in the first round from frontrunner Vincent Nobile. You can’t forget the action in Pro Stock Motorcycle. Andrew Hines did not advanced out of the first round nor did he clench into the countdown. He currently sits two spots outside of the top ten. Eddie Krawiec also failed to get his Screaming Eagle to the stripe first, falling to John Hall in round one. Vance & Hines has struggled all season with the rule changes NHRA implemented this season of competition. They dominated the entire 2012 season, winning all but one event. It was an all Team Viper final with Matt Smith and John Hall at the line, this was one of the closest races of the weekend, with Hall getting the win with a three foot MOV to spare.
The Countdown to the Championship starts in two weeks at the NHRA North Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway in Concord, North Carolina. There are six races left on the NHRA Mellow Yellow Drag Racing series schedule and it’s anybody’s game. At this time in the season, any mistake is a costly one, so teams are working overtime to perfect their cars and make sure they get to the finish line first. With Shawn Langdon, Matt Hagan, Mike Edwards, and Hector Arana Jr. leading their respective fields, the action on the track promises to be good. Let the Countdown begin!
-Dallas Hollins
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Picture credit: NHRA
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