BROWN, WORSHAM, ENDERS, HINES TAKE COUNTDOWN OPENER IN CHARLOTTE

Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Del Worsham (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock), and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) kicked off their championship pursuits at the opening event in the NHRA’s Countdown at the zMax Dragway in Charlotte on Sunday.

NHRA Carolina Nationals

Antron Brown won for the fifth time this season and took over the points lead on Sunday at the Countdown-opening Carolina Nationals at Bruton Smith’s zMax Dragway. Brown took down J.R. Todd in the final round — the first between a pair of African-American drivers — 3.83 to a 4.06. In Funny Car, Del Worsham also put himself in a prime position for a run at his second title, defeating Tommy Johnson Jr. in the money round, 4.08 to 4.11, while Erica Enders won for the third race in a row and seventh this season to solidify her position as the championship frontrunner, defeating Vincent Nobile on a holeshot, 6.58 to a 6.57. In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Andrew Hines strapped a .007 light on Matt Smith and never looked back to take the class points lead, and Danny Rowe downed Eric Latino in a great Pro Modified final, 5.94 to 5.95.

Top Fuel: Antron Brown
Funny Car: Del Worsham
Pro Stock: Erica Enders
Pro Stock Motorcycle: Andrew Hines
Pro Modified: Danny Rowe
Top Alcohol Dragster: Duane Shields
Top Alcohol Funny Car: Mickey Ferro
Competition Eliminator: Glen Treadwell
Super Stock: Chuck Gallagher
Stock: Brad Plourd
Super Comp: Frank Aragona Jr.
Super Gas: Mike Sawyer

Shakedown At The Summit

The Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk hosted its annual Shakedown at the Summit over the weekend, bringing many of the finest door cars from around the country to the world-class facility. In the headlining Outlaw Pro Mod category, the track record was reset numerous times during the weekend, and in the end, it was Paolo Giust who drove his 2015 Corvette to victory over Derek Hawker for the win. In Outlaw Limited Street, DeWayne Mills kept up the torrid pace he’s had of late, using a stellar 4.00 to drive past Enzo Pecchini and claim the crown from the top qualifying spot. Jerry Mitrovic, the pole sitter in Outlaw 10.5, also drove to the event title, edging out Frank Pompilio, 4.04 to a 4.05.

Outlaw Pro Mod: Paolo Guist
Outlaw Limited Street: DeWayne Mills
Outlaw 10.5: Jerry Mitrovic
X275: Jamie Stanton
Ultra Street: Butch Kemp
The Money Shot: John Stanley
Top Sportsman: Mike Sowards
Open Comp: Ryon Berkel
U.S. Fastest Street Car: Rick Trunkett
Jr. Dragster Advanced: Taylor Zietlow
Jr. Dragser Intermediate: Ava Lawson
Jr. Dragster Novice: Zack Smith

Jegs Northern SPORTSNationals

History was made on Sunday at the Jeg’s Northern SPORTSNationals at the National Trail Raceway in Ohio, as local star Jeg Coughlin Jr., already a winner in six different eliminators during his illustrious career, added a seventh to his resume with an impressive double-up victory. Coughlin won in Super Gas, and then collected his first career Stock Eliminator victory at a national event to become the first and only driver to win in seven different classes in NHRA history. But Coughln wasn’t the only one to double-dip on the weekend, as Todd Frantz also notched a pair of victories, defeating Brian Seibenick in the Competition Eliminator final and Allen Wade in the Super Stock finale.

Competition Eliminator: Todd Frantz
Super Stock: Todd Frantz
Stock: Jeg Coughlin Jr.
Super Comp: Shawn Fricke
Super Gas: Jeg Coughlin Jr.
Super Street: Mike Ruzicka
Top Sportsman: Tim Irwin
Top Dragster: Joe Hessling
Jr. Dragster: Olivia Sheets

NHRA Division 4

Craig Bourgeois collected his 13th divisional victory on Sunday at the NHRA South Central division Lucas Oil event at the Thunder Road Raceway in Louisiana when opponent, Troy Galbraith, was dead late at the tree, handing an easy win to the nostalgia dragster. J.R. Baxter went .001 on the tree in the Top Dragster final to oust Larry Edison in a double-breakout race, while Jerry Jordan overcame a better light by opponent Jimmy Lewis in the Top Sportsman final to collect the hardware.

Competition Eliminator: Craig Bourgeois
Super Stock: Clint Rigby
Stock: Jerry Emmons
Super Comp: Tony Brown
Super Gas: Jimmy Lewis
Super Street: Frank Kohutek
Top Sportsman: Jerry Jordan
Top Dragster: J.R. Baxter
Sportsman Motorcycle: Lisa Bennett

NHRA Division 6

Oregon native Garrett Bateman, the No. 2 qualifier in Top Alcohol Dragster, ousted No. 1 man Joey Severance in the final round at the NHRA Northwest Lucas Oil Series Regional at the Woodburn Dragstrip on Sunday, running 5,22 to a right-there 5.26 for the win. Steve Gasparelli took Top Alcohol Funny Car honors on a holeshot, defeating Annie Whiteley, 5.63 to a 5.60, while Brandon Huhtala downed Bryan Hyerstay and his dragster in the Competition Eliminator finale.

Top Alcohol Dragster: Garrett Bateman
Top Alcohol Funny Car: Steve Gasparelli
Competition Eliminator: Brandon Huhtala
Super Stock: Jim Isherwood
Stock: Dave Jung
Super Comp: Mike Shannon
Super Gas: Chris Cannon
Super Street: Josh Dalrymple
Top Sportsman: Don Sefton
Top Dragster: Andy Morris
Sportsman Motorcycle: Ted Brown