SCHUMACHER, HAGAN, MCGAHA, HINES EARN VICTORIES AT PRESTIGIOUS NHRA U.S. NATIONALS

Tony Schumacher won a record tenth U.S. Nationals title in Top Fuel on Monday in Indianapolis, joining Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Chris McGaha (Pro Stock), and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) atop the winners podium.

Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals

Tony Schumacher made history at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in a truly dominating performance, collecting the $100,000 Traxxas Top Fuel Shootout on Saturday and cementing his place in Indy lore with his tenth victory at the “Big Go” on Monday. Schumacher defeated Steve Torrence on a holeshot, 3.806 to a 3.803, to put himself in sole possession of the all-time lead for wins at Indy. In Funny Car, Matt Hagan powered from the No. 1 qualifying position to a holeshot defeat of Del Worsham in the money round, 3.96 to 3.95, while Chris McGaha earned his first-ever U.S. Nationals title in Pro Stock after downing Allen Johnson in the finale. Andrew Hines won Indy for the second time in Pro Stock Motorcycle over a red-lighting Hector Arana, Jr., and Von Smith did likewise in Pro Modified, as top qualifier Troy Coughlin fouled out.

Top Fuel: Tony Schumacher
Funny Car: Matt Hagan
Pro Stock: Chris McGaha
Pro Stock Motorcycle: Andrew Hines
Pro Modified: Von Smith
Top Alcohol Dragster: Dan Page
Top Alcohol Funny Car: Jonnie Lindberg
Competition Eliminator: Kevin Self
Super Stock: Ryan Haag
Stock: Jeff Lopez
Super Comp: Gary Stinnett
Super Gas: Tommy Phillips
Factory Stock Showdown: Chris Holbrook

Yellow Bullet Nationals

Another event that’s become part Labor Day weekend tradition in the sport of drag racing has been the Yellow Bullet Nationals, held at the Cecil County Dragway in Maryland. This year’s event certainly didn’t disappoint, with a packed house of racers and fans for one of the season’s most anticipated heads-up doorslammer races. In the headlining Pro Mod class, Northeast hitter Kevin McCurdy powered to victory over Cecil County track owner Jim Halsey and a host of other contenders, using a 3.85 in the finale to notch the victory. In Outlaw 10.5, it was Joe Albrecht, running on radials rather than the standard issue 10.5W slicks, who stood tall at the close of the weekend, using a weekend-best 3.97 in the final to defeat Jerry Mitrovics’ 3.99. And in X275, Rich Bruder defeated fellow class frontrunner Ron Rhodes in the final with a stout 4.44.

Pro Mod: Kevin McCurdy
Outlaw 10.5: Joe Albrecht
X275: Rich Bruder
Ultra 275: Shawn Pevlor
8.50 Index: Jonny Thomsen, Jr.
10.0 Index: Dana Loffredo
Pro Dial: John Voshell
Pro Street: Dale Cornelius
Super Street: Emily Zartman
Top Sportsman: Mike Gerber