SCHUMACHER, CAPPS, CONNOLLY, A. SMITH TAKE EPPING

Don Schumacher Racing teammates Tony Schumacher and Ron Capps won in Top Fuel and Funny Car, respectively, to lead the professional winners at the second annual Auto-Plus NHRA New England Nationals at the New England Dragway on Sunday.

NHRA New England Nationals

The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series roared back into New England over the weekend for the second running of the Auto-Plus NHRA New England Nationals in Epping, New Hampshire, where a banner weekend was in store for Don Schumacher Racing drivers Tony Schumacher and Ron Capps. Schumacher scored his second victory of the season in Top Fuel by defeating Doug Kalitta on a holeshot, 3.82 to a 3.81, joining his teammate Ron Capps, who won for the first time since Brainerd last season when he edged Alexis DeJoria by a 4.09 to 4.12 count in the Funny Car finale. Dave Connolly also earned his first win since returning to the drivers seat this season, besting teammate (and first-time finalist) Jonathan Gray in the final, 6.53 to 6.57. And In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Angie Smith broke through for her first career NHRA title, when she downed her husband Matt Smith in the historic final.

Event Winners:

Top Fuel: Tony Schumacher
Funny Car: Ron Capps
Pro Stock: Dave Connolly
Pro Stock Motorcycle: Angie Smith
Super Stock: Joe Santangelo
Stock: Ron Infantino
Super Comp: Timmy Markoglu
Super Gas: Ray Balian
Super Street: Art Gardner
Top Sportsman: Matt Harper
Summit Sportsman: Tiina Duncanson

NMCA WEST Fontana

Rick Snavely led the winners at the NMCA WEST’s second visit this season to the Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, Calif., earning the win in Pro Modified from the No. 1 qualifying position over Andrew Berry with a 5.32-second 1,000-foot blast from his Camaro. Mark Luton powered his GT500 Mustang to victory in True 10.5, running a 7.07 in the final to take down Dana Cook, while Dragzine’s own James Lawrence notched his second series victory and first of the season in Street Outlaw, posting a 7.39 in the final to oust Ryan Jones’ 7.93. Tony Aenian also cruised to the winners circle from the No. 1 spot, besting his low-qualifying 8.18 with an 8.17 in the final to best Anthony Valentino, while George Raygoza took his ’68 Nova to the win in Outlaw 8.5 with a 5.42-second defeat of Erick Aldrich.

Event Winners:

Pro Modified: Rick Snavely
True 10.5: Mark Luton
Street Outlaw: James Lawrence
NA 10.5: Tony Aenian
Outlaw 8.5: George Raygoza
Pro Comp: Zach Meziere
Open Comp: Mike Nordahl
Mustang Madness: Brent Calvert
Nostalgia Street Car: Ron DeHoop
Super Quick: Joe Glenwinkel
Quick Street: Marvin Roles
Bracket 1: Mark Simonian
Bracket 2: Marvin Roles
Bracket 3: Brenda Cox

IHRA Grand Bend Nitro Jam

After failing to qualify just a week earlier in Maryland, Jason Rupert turned his fortunes a full 180 degrees in Grand Bend, Ontario over the weekend as he won in Nitro Funny Car in his Bays & Rupert Camaro, running a 5.89 in the final to oust a slowing Mark Sanders. Former IHRA Alcohol Funny Car racer Rob Atchison scored in the PMRA Pro Modified division, running 6.03 in the final in his ’63 Corvette to defeat fellow Canadian Jeff Roth. Nate Gagnon won in Nitro Harley over Mike Pelrine, while Ron Maroney used a stellar 6.21 to take down Troy Martin and his 6.39 in the Nitro Altered finale.

Event Winners:

Nitro Funny Car: Jason Rupert
Pro Stock: Anthony Paone
Nitro Harley: Nate Gagnon
Nitro Altered: Ron Maroney
Jet Dragster: Elaine Larsen
Top Fuel: Ike Maier
PMRA Pro Modified: Rob Atchison
Top Sportsman: Dan Aitken
Super Stock: Gianni Cantusci
Stock: Doug Box
Quick Rod: Leo Zynda
Super Rod: Andrew Stirk
Hot Rod: James Unum
Top ET: Ken Langlois
Mod ET: Jim Moore
Junior Dragster: Chad Szram

NHRA Division 2

The NHRA’s Southeast Division contested its third race on the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series calendar at the Bristol Dragway over the weekend, with sportsman racing icon David Rampy heading up the winners circle festivities with his victory in Competition Eliminator over a red-lighting Glen Treadwell. Matt Hoover earned his first career NHRA divisional victory in Super Stock, ousting Joe Tysinger, who was just .002-seconds too quick on the tree in the final. In Stock, Jeff Strickland was a quick .012 on the tree and his opponent, Jeff Hairrington, was dead-late at .121, all but sealing the deal before the pair reached the stripe. Strickland was in line for a double-up, also advancing to the Top Dragster final, where he and opponent Robert Houston had identical .009 lights, but Houston ran closer to the dial for the win, ending Strickland’s shot.

Event Winners: 

Competition Eliminator: David Rampy
Super Stock: Matt Hoover
Stock: Jeff Strickland
Super Comp: Danny Waters
Super Gas: Lee Klingensmith
Super Street: Richard Payne
Top Dragster: Robert Houston
Top Sportsman: Shawn Morrow
10.00 Index: Mike DeSio
11.00 Index: Ivey Hutto
12.00 Index: Don Norris
Pro Fuel Harley: Wayne McGuiness
Pro Gas Harley: Marc Ingwersen
Street Pro Harley: Charley Douglass
Draggin Bagger Harley: David Cartwright
Hot Street Harley: Troy Young
SEP Harley: William Rowe Jr.

NHRA Division 4

The Osage Casino Tulsa Raceway Park was the site of the fourth stop for the NHRA South Central division and regional series over the weekend, where teammates Shayne Lawson and Chase Copeland squared off in the Top Alcohol Dragster final, with Lawson taking the hardware after running 5.28 to the slower 5.38 of Copeland. Lawson was joined in victory lane by Top Alcohol Funny Car champ Dale Brand, who was better on both ends of the race track than opponent Annie Whiteley. Mike Trumble also ran the table in the Competition Eliminator final, getting out of the gate first with a .009 reaction time and running further under his 8.49 A/SMA index for the win.

Event Winners: 

Top Alcohol Dragster: Shayne Lawson
Top Alcohol Funny Car: Dale Brand
Competition Eliminator: Mike Trumble
Super Stock: Slate Cummings
Stock: Slate Cummings
Super Comp: Tommy Phillips
Super Gas: Tommy Phillips
Super Street: Jason Owens
Top Dragster: David Sheetz
Top Sportsman: Kirk Piepke
Sportsman Motorcycle: Robert Sanders

NHRA Division 6

The NHRA’s Northwest division Lucas Oil Series was hampered on Sunday by rain showers, forcing the completion of the event at the Yellowstone Dragstrip in Montana to Monday. At press time, only some categories have concluded eliminations, with Jay Payne’s victory in Top Alcohol Funny Car over Clint Thompson headlining the winners. Terry Anderson won out in Super Stock over Carroll Warling, compliments of a stellar .016 reaction time, and Clarence Bidniak was dead-on with a zero in the Stock Eliminator finale to take the Wally.