PRITCHETT WINS HISTORIC ALL-FEMALE TOP FUEL FINAL AT PHOENIX

Leah Pritchett claimed the first victory of her NHRA Top Fuel career on Sunday in Phoenix, denying Brittany Force of her first in an historic all-female final round. Pritchett was joined by Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car) and Jason Line (Pro Stock) in the winner’s circle.

NHRA Carquest Auto Parts Nationals

In just her second race with Bob Vandergriff Racing, Leah Pritchett marched to her first career NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series victory on Sunday at the Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Phoenix, in the process denying fellow female driver Brittany Force of her first win. Pritchett was slightly slower on the race track, 3.775 to 3.774, but made up for it on the starting line for a holeshot victory. In Funny Car, independent runner Tim Wilkerson ousted all-comers, including John Force in the final round, to notch the earliest win of his career, while Jason Line kept the Ken Black Racing domination of the EFI era alive, defeating Chris McGaha in the final round.

Top Fuel: Leah Pritchett
Funny Car: Tim Wilkerson
Pro Stock: Jason Line
Nitro Harley: Jay Turner
Super Stock: Gary McGlasson
Stock: Randi Lyn Shipp
Super Comp: Chandler Meziere
Super Gas: Brad Pierce
Super Street: Frank Kohutek
Top Sportsman: Chris Newman
Top Dragster: Bobby Ray McMahan

RPM Pro Mods “First Blood”

As a precursor to the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series opener at the Gatornationals in March, the Real Pro Mod organization held the inaugural RPM “First Blood” event at the Palm Beach International Raceway in Florida, where Steven Whiteley charged to victory in his Cadillac CTS-V-bodied, supercharged machine. Whiteley, from Grand Junction, Colorado, set low elapsed time of eliminations with a 5.773 in the second round to defeat Rickie Smith, then downed Troy Coughlin in the semi’s before taking a break single in the final opposite No. 1 qualifier Jonathan Gray.

NHRA Division 4

The NHRA’s South Central Division kicked off the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series season over the weekend with a visit to the Royal Purple Raceway near Houston. Keith Hall notched the first divisional win of the year in Competition Eliminator, as he and his E/Super Modified Cavalier were able to stay out in front of the charging B/Dragster of Bill Kent in the money round. In Super stock, Jonathan Womack benefited from a foul start by Jacob Pitt to claim the Wally, while sportsman racing and Pro Stock standout Greg Stanfield claimed his first divisional crown since 1997 when he bested Bobby Brannon on both ends of the race track to claim the Stock Eliminator title.

Competition Eliminator: Keith Hall
Super Stock: Jonathan Womack
Stock: Greg Stanfield
Super Comp: Christopher Dodd
Super Gas: Travis Salter
Super Street: Tony Brown
Top Dragster: Allan Constantine
Top Sportsman: Johnny Shook
Sportsman Motorcycle: Robert Sanders
Pto Fuel Harley: David Larson
Screamin’ Eagle Performance Harley: Michael Majeska
Draggin’ Bagger Harley: Darrell Schwalbach
Street Pro Harley: John Toth
Hot Street Harley: John Toth