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NHRA Series Finale Plays Out In Las Vegas
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Steve Torrence and the Capco team, left, captured the series championship in Top Fuel, while the event win at the NHRA finals went to Antron Brown, right, and the Matco Tools team. Photo By Jeff Burghardt

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series made its way to Las Vegas for the Dodge NHRA Finals recently. The final competition of the year moved from Pomona, CA to Las Vegas due to COVID-19 restrictions.

In Top Fuel, Steve Torrence and the Capco Contractors Team claimed their third series championship and Torrence’s third title in row.

Torrence was well on his way to capping off the season with a win at the finals, but another three-time world champion, Antron Brown, and his Matco Tools squad had different plans. Brown cut a .042 reaction time in the final round of competition to Torrence’s .128. He would need every bit of that starting line advantage and his solid 3.759 elapsed time @ 315mph to hold off Torrence’s quicker but losing 3.740 @ 322mph. Brown won the finale but did not overtake Torrence for the season title.

In Funny Car, three teammates came to Las Vegas with a shot at the season title. Matt Hagan, Jack Beckman and Tommy Johnson, Jr. all battled it out in the finale. Beckman’s title hopes came to an abrupt end in the opening round as Paul Lee took him out of competition. Hagan and Johnson both advanced through rounds one and two to the semifinal round. Johnson’s title hope came to an end at the hands of another teammate Ron Capps and the NAPA Dodge. Hagan, having now clinched his third Funny Car title, advanced past Alexis Dejoria to the final round. Capps got the starting line advantage and was pulling away when his engine exploded into a fireball and all Capps could do was watch Hagan thunder by for the victory.

Erica Enders scored her fourth career NHRA Series Championship and picked up the Pro Stock event win over rookie Kyle Koretsky.

Koretsky left the starting line a hair too quick flashing the red bulb disqualifying him and he could only watch as Enders motored on around him to a 6.643 @ 209mph.

In Prostock Motorcycle, Matt Smith grabbed the series title but in the semi-final round his day came to an immediate end when a mechanical failure kept him from making his match up against Steve Johnson. All was not lost as Smith’s wife Angie Smith did advance into the final round to square off against Johnson.

Johnson got a huge starting line advantage cutting an .011 reaction to Smith’s .077 but it would not be enough to hold off her 6.917 @ 194 mph to a 6.990 @189 mph as Smith captured her second career victory.

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It was Matt Hagan claiming the Funny Car championship for the season, along with taking the event win recently at the NHRA finals in Las Vegas. Photo By Jeff Burghardt