The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series made its way to Indianapolis, Indiana for the 71st annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals earlier this month. The Big Go saw some record-breaking performances and crowned regular season champions.
Brittany Force in her Top Fuel Cornwell Quality Tools dragster once again put the drag racing world on its ear in round one on Sept. 1 when she blasted down the famed Lucas Oil raceway at 343.51 mph, setting a new national and track speed record.
Justin Ashley claimed the event title in Top Fuel with a 3.839 et at 326.16 mph in his Scag Power Equipment dragster to defeat Tony Stewart, who went 3.815 at 321.88, as his .027 reaction time made the difference. Ashley defeated Antron Brown, Doug Kalitta and Tripp Tatum to reach the final round. It was his third victory of the year and 18th of his career.
Stewart advanced to the final round for the fifth time this season after defeating Steve Torrence, Kyle Wurtzel and Jasmine Salinas. Stewart came up short on winning at his home track but he did capture the $150,000 regular-season championship. Stewart will start the six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs in the Top Fuel points lead.
In Funny Car, Austin Prock capped off a near perfect weekend scoring $330,000 in prize money. Prock defeated John Force Racing teammate and pole sitter Jack Beckman to earn the win. In the final round, Prock put up a 3.903 et at 332.92 in his Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet SS to Beckman’s tire smoking 4.553 @ 236.09 mph. Prock also clinched the regular-season championship which brought him $230,000. He added the $100,000 by scoring the U.S. Nationals victory for a second straight year. Prock has seven victories this season and this was the 19th of his career. Prock will have a 20-point lead over teammate Beckman after the points reset.
In Pro Stock, six-time series champion Erica Enders picked up the victory. After a rough regular season, Enders snapped a 30-race winless streak and won her 50th national event after running a 6.564 at 209.95 in her Johnson’s Horse powered Garage Camaro to defeat Matt Hartford.
Dallas Glenn, meanwhile, captured the regular season title in Pro Stock and will start the six-race countdown with a 19 point lead over six-time champion Greg Anderson.
Pro Stock Motorcycle saw two-time series champion Gaige Herrera once again on top of the stage at the end of the day. He defeated teammate Brayden Davis in the final round on a holeshot with a .003 reaction time. Herrera’s 6.834 at 199.32 on his Vance and Hines Suzuki was enough to hold off Davis’s 6.799 at 198.93 at the finish line. Herrera also cliched the regular season championship for the Pro Stock Motorcycle class. He will start the playoffs with a 23 point lead over teammate Richard Gadson.
