TORRENCE, CAPPS, ANDERSON, SAMPEY WINNERS AT NHRA SUMMERNATIONALS

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock), and Angelle Sampey (Pro Sock Motorcycle) were winners of their respective pro classes at the NHRA Summernationals in Englishtown.

NHRA Summernationals

Three-time world champion racer Angelle Sampey claimed her first national event title in nine years on Sunday at the NHRA Summernationals in Englishtown, New Jersey, as she defeated some of the class’ finest, including final round opponent Jerry Savoie, 6.87 to 6.92, for a popular victory for the Star Racing team. In Top Fuel, Steve Torrence won for the second time this season in a pedal-fest affair with Tony Schumacher, 4.03 to 4.23, while Ron Capps and Greg Anderson both won for the second time in as many races — Capps’ third this season in Funny Car and Anderson’s fifth in Pro Stock.

Top Fuel: Steve Torrence
Funny Car: Ron Capps
Pro Stock: Greg Anderson
Pro Stock Motorcycle: Angelle Sampey
Pro Modified: Troy Coughlin
Competition Eliminator: Calvin Hill
Super Stock: William Kennedy
Stock Eliminator: Carl Massafra
Super Comp: Heather Fetch
Super Gas: Dan Northrop
Top Dragster: Scott Luken

PDRA Summer Drags

The Professional Drag Racers Association rolled into the U.S. 131 Motorsports in Michigan for the Summer Drags this weekend, and the weather certainly lived up to the season, with hot, tricky conditions greeting the fastest doorslammers on earth. Perhaps the story of the event was the presence of Bahrain’s EKanoo Racing and their inline six-cylinder Toyota that made its debut in Pro Boost. In near fairytale fashion, driver Gary White drove the car all the way to the final round before a battery issue derailed their weekend, allowing John Strickland an unopposed trip to victory lane. Pro Extreme also culminated in quite the story, as well, as Frankie Taylor ousted Brandon Snider in a final round that resulted in a mathematical dead-heat — .0000-seconds margin of victory — 3.57 to a quicker-but-losing 3.54. Jay Cox won for the second time this season in Pro Nitrous on the foul start of Steve Jackson, while Meshal al-Saber claimed Pro Extreme Motorcycle honors over a red-lighting Eric McKinney.

Pto Extreme: Frankie Taylor
Pto Nitrous: Jay Cox
Pro Boost: John Strickland
Pro Extreme Motorcycle: Meshal al-Saber
Extreme Pro Stock: John Pluchino
Outlaw 10.5: Frank Pompilio
Top Sportsman: Mick Snyder
Top Dragster: Craig Sullivan
Bracket Bash: Bill Swain
Pro Junior Dragster: Libby Ledford
Top Junior Dragster: Alex Kish

NMRA Super Nationals

After a several year hiatus, the NMRA marked its return to one of its long-standing, traditional stops at the National Trail Raceway near Columbus, Ohio, this weekend, with racing action as hot as the temperatures. When all was said and done on Sunday afternoon, it was Charles Hull leading the charge into victory lane with his 4.88-second defeat of Ronnie Diaz in Street Outlaw. Chuck Bartholme ousted Valerie Clements in the Renegade finale, while Teddy Weaver took Pure Street honors over Derek Downs, 9.72 to a 10.06.

Street Outlaw: Charles Hull
Renegade: Charles Bartholme
Coyote Modified: Joe Guertin
Pure Street: Teddy Weaver
Coyote Stock: Drew Lyons
Factory Stock: James Meredith
Modular Muscle: Donnie Bowles
Open Comp: Wes Dalrymple
Truck & Lightning: Vinnie Telesco
Super Stang: Marvin Knack
Ford Muscle: Chris Parisi
EcoBoost Shootout: Bill Putnam
True Street: Lonnie Tibbs
Bracket 1: Gary Varney
Bracket 2: Richard Jordan, Jr.
Bracket 3: Chris Parisi
Bracket 4: Bryan Parker

NHRA Division 4

Chris Demke powered his way to the Top Alcohol Dragster crown Sunday at the NHRA South Central division Lucas Oil Series event at the Osage Casino Tulsa Raceway Park in Oklahoma, defeating Gord Gingles in an exceptional drag race, 5.28 to 5.30, with just .007-seconds deciding the match. John Lombardo, Jr. won in Top Alcohol Funny Car over Lance Van Hauen, 5.60 to 5.75, and Kevin Self easily captured the Competition Eliminator hardware with a defeat of a slowing Duane Robison.

Top Alcohol Dragster: Chris Demke
Top Alcohol Funny Car: John Lombardo, Jr.
Competition Eliminator: Kevin Self
Super Stock: Jonathan Womack
Stock Eliminator: Dean Oliver
Super Comp: Vernon Rowland
Super Gas: Travis Salter
Super Street: Ricky Sellers
Top Sportsman: Doug Woody
Top Dragster: Aaron Stanfield
Top Fuel Harley: Brian Jernigan
Pro Fuel Harley: Mike Bahumaier
Draggin Bagger Harley: Darrell Schwalbach
Street Pro Harley: William Rowe, Jr.
Pro Gas Harley: Duane Lansing
Screamin’ Eagle Performance Harley: William Rowe, Jr.
Sportsman Motorcycle: Patrick Roetto