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KALITTA, FORCE, ANDERSON, WHITELEY CLAIM SPRINGNATIONALS TITLES
Doug Kalitta and Courtney Force claimed their first victories of the season Sunday in Houston, while Greg Anderson kept the KB Racing train rolling in Pro Stock, earning his third win on the year.
NHRA Springnationals
Doug Kalitta claimed his first Top Fuel title of the 2016 season on Sunday at the Royal Purple Raceway near Houston, ousting Steve Torrence on a holeshot in the final round, 3.813 to a 3.810. In Funny Car, Courtney Force also notched her first win of the year, defeating a strong-running Tim Wilkerson in the money round, 3.91 to 3.94. In Pro Stock, Greg Anderson maintained his team’s dominance of the class by winning his third race of the year (all of them on holeshots) over teammate Jason Line to keep KB Racing’s undefeated streak alive. And in Pro Modified, Jim Whiteley secured his first career victory in the category in a wild final, when opponent Rickie Smith got loose, crossed the centerline, and struck the wall, disqualifying him.
Top Fuel: Doug Kalitta
Funny Car: Courtney Force
Pro Stock: Greg Anderson
Pro Modified: Jim Whiteley
Top Alcohol Dragster: Lee Callaway
Top Alcohol Funny Car: Steve Gasparelli
Competition Eliminator: David Rampy
Super Stock: Tommy Phillips
Stock Eliminator: Kevin Helms
Super Comp: Steve Collier
Super Gas: Rustin Mayse
Top Dragster: J.R. Baxter
Radial Fest: Spring Edition
Mother Nature brought an early halt to the Radial Fest at the Huntsville Dragway in Alabama on Saturday, as officials made the tough call to pull the plug after severe weather moved into the area mid-way through eliminations. Daniel Pharris paced the Radial vs The World field with a stellar 3.90, but fell in the second round of eliminations to Jeff Miller. Don Burton led Limited Drag Radial with a 4.23, and shane Fisher did likewise in Extreme 275 with a 4.48-second lap.
NHRA Division 1
Duane Shields defended his title at the NHRA Northeast division season opener at the Virgina Motorsports Park, driving from the No. 1 qualifying position in Top Alcohol Dragster to the winners circle, downing Rich McPhillips in the final with a 5.24 at 278 mph. Maryland’s DJ Cox Jr. ousted Phil Burkart in Top Alcohol Funny Car, 5.57 to a slowing 6.90, and Steve Furr doubled-up on the weekend, scoring in both Super Gas and Top Dragster.
Top Alcohol Dragster: Duane Shields
Top Alcohol Funny Car: DJ Cox Jr.
Competition Eliminator: Doug Doll
Super Stock: Mark Alvey
Stock Eliminator: Joel Warren
Super Comp: Mike Robilotto
Super Gas: Steven Furr
Super Street: Robbie Welch
Top Sportsman: Mark Payne
Top Dragster: Steven Furr
Pro Stock Snowmobile: Gary Schweikert
Pro Fuel Harley: Dennis Fisher
Pro Gas Harley: John Price
Street Pro Harley: Carley Douglass
Draggin Bagger Harley: William Rowe
Hot Street Harley: Troy Young
Screamin’ Eagle Performance Harley: Nate Carnahan
NHRA Division 3
Despite the efforts of NHRA and track personnel all weekend long, the NHRA’s North Central division Spring Spectacle of Speed at the Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis was postponed on Sunday due to inclement weather. The remainder of eliminations will be completed at a future event, still to be determined. Mia Tedesco led the Top Alcohol Dragster field with a 5.26 at 270 mph, but fell in the opening round to Gord Gingles. Reigning national champion Jonnie Lindberg paced Top Alcohol Funny Car with a 5.54 and bettered it with a 5.52-second single in the first round before the rains came.
NHRA Division 6
Kris Krabill downed Dan Horan Jr. in the Nostalgia Funny Car final round at the NAPA Auto Parts Ignitor, part of the NHRA Lucas Oil Northwest division event at the Firebird Raceway in Idaho. Krabill shattered the track record with a 5.67 in round one and defeated Horan with a stellar 5.69. Idaho native Ken Nelson scored in Top Dragster with a defeat of Tony Burton, while fellow home state racer Terry Anderson drove to victory lane in Super Stock.
Competition Eliminator: Jeff Lane
Super Stock: Terry Anderson
Stock Eliminator: Bill Bushmaker
Super Comp: Tanner Theobald
Super Gas: Ray Cordeiro
Super Street: Steve Lowe
Top Sportsman: Brian Phillips
Top Dragster: Ken Nelson
Sportsman Motorcycle: Doug Schumann
Nostalgia Funny Car: Kris Krabill
Super Pro: Casey Compton
Pro: Johannes Berndt
Sportsman: Luke Jacobson
NMRA Ford Motorsport Nationals
In a recurring theme during the weekend, rain showers forced the cancellation of the NMRA stop at the Maple Grove Raceway on Sunday. Series officials ran an accelerated program on Saturday with the impending weather forecast, competing competition in Pure Street, the Stock/Super Stock combo, the All-Female Shootout, Turbo Coyote Shootout, True Street, and bracket classes.
Pure Street: Teddy Weaver
Turbo Coyote: Ronnie Reynolds Jr.
Bracket 1 Fast Ford: Shane Williams
Bracket 2 Quick Ford: Rodger Vogel
Bracket 3 Street Ford: John Grater
Bracket 4 Nostalgia Ford: Joe Grippo
All Female: Leslie Upole
Stock/Super Stock: Chris Bowman
