The Countdown to the Championship playoffs continued at Gateway Motorsports Park over the weekend, and early exits by top points players and get-well weekends by others who slipped in Charlotte tightened up the points battles in all of the classes and allowed more drivers to move up and into championship consideration.
The 32nd annual Dodge NHRA Nationals will serve as the halfway marker of the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship playoffs. With only four races remaining to make a move for a world championship, fans will be in for some of the most intense drag racing of the season Sept. 29-Oct. 2 at Maple Grove Raceway.
Teammates Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel) and Jack Beckman (Funny Car), first-time winner Alex Laughlin (Pro Stock), and Jerry Savoie (Pro Stock Motorcycle) collected victories at the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals outside of St. Louis, the second of six events in the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship.
News, notes, and quotes from Sunday at the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals outside of St. Louis.
Antron Brown in Top Fuel, Ron Capps in Funny Car, Jason Line in Pro Stock, and Andrew Hines in Pro Stock Motorcycle all held onto their points leads after the second event of the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship.
What do you think was the highlight of the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals? Vote now in our poll!
Top 20 Funny Cars: Introducing No. 5
As part of NHRA’s 50 years of Funny Car celebration, fans voted on a Top 20 list developed by respected drag racing historians and Funny Car experts. The results are being revealed in reverse order and simultaneous to a separate but parallel list created by former NHRA Funny Car champion and current NHRA FOX television analyst Tony Pedregon.
Crampton, Hight, Gray, and Krawiec lead final fields in St. Louis
Richie Crampton (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Shane Gray (Pro Stock), and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) ended qualifying atop their fields Saturday and will lead their classes into final eliminations Sunday at Gateway Motorsports Park outside of St. Louis.
News, notes, and quotes from Saturday's action at the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park.