Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals
Brainerd, Minn.
(Aug. 12-15)
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23rd annual |
| Sunday |
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Schumacher, Treble also get wins |
Funny Car rookie Eric Medlen and sophomore Pro Stock driver Dave Connolly broke through for their first professional victories at the 23rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. Top Fuel point leader Tony Schumacher and Pro Stock Bike veteran Craig Treble joined the two newcomers in Brainerd International Raceway's joyous winner's circle.
Campaigning a car for legend John Force, Medlen drove past three-time champion Gary Scelzi at the top end to take his thrilling first win. Connolly ruined the homecoming of Minnesotan Greg Anderson with his first victory in five finals. Schumacher denied Dave Grubnic the first professional win of his career with No. 6 on the year, while Treble spanked friendly rival Angelle Savoie when her bike was blown out of the groove.
Two of Top Fuel's hottest racers battled in the final with Schumacher taking a nail-biting win on a .083 to .095 holeshot, winning with a 4.615 at 321.96 mph against Grubnic's 4.606 at 317.49 mph. This was Schumacher's third final in last four races and Grubnic's third final in a row.
 Tony Schumacher
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The U.S. Army racer's win, the 17th of his career, doubled the 66-point advantage he had over Doug Kalitta at the start of the event to 122 points. Kalitta, the event's No. 1 qualifier, lost to Doug Herbert in the quarterfinal round when his car developed engine trouble.
"We sure worked hard for this one," Schumacher said. "The first two runs in qualifying something clearly was wrong with the car. Then we made a good pass in Round 3. Then the ignition went out in Round 4. You just can't give up three of four passes like that and feel real good heading into race day, especially with the new wing angle and nitro percentage deal.
"Then in Round 1 they get on the radio after my burnout and said the blower belt was shredding itself to pieces. Alan [Johnson, crew chief] said to just go for it and we were totally lucky to get that win. After that, I've said it before, you can't give Alan too many chances or he'll rip your heart out and that's what happened.
"Poor Dave. I could hear him and feel him and I thought I even saw his nose a few times, but this one was mine. He'll get his, believe me."
Schumacher survived a big scare in Round 1 when his 4.85 beat part-timer T.J. Zizzo's 4.76 thanks to a huge .106 to .199-second holeshot. He then picked up steam as the day progressed, beating Cory McClenathan with a 4.64 and Brandon Bernstein with a 4.60 to reach his 39th career final round. This marked Schumacher's third final in the last four races.
Grubnic raced his Red Line Oil dragster to his third straight money round with victories over Scott Weis, John Smith, and Herbert. He is now 0-4 on the year and 0-6 in his career when the trophy is on the line. Top Fuel results
Medlen's Rookie of the Year campaign took a giant step forward as he figured out how to win a national event in his 16th career start. Initially, it looked like it wasn't going to happen here as Scelzi blasted out to a seven-hundredths of a second advantage early on, but some tire smoke downtrack allowed Medlen to power by late and take the win with a 4.999 at 302.62 mph against Scelzi's heart-breaking 5.286 at 247.66 mph.
 Eric Medlen
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"I didn't see him for awhile, then I saw way too much of him, then we started catching him and by the time I got to the lights I didn't know who had won," Medlen said. "I know it was close. If hope had anything to do with it I might have edged him right there.
"I know why all them rappers wear all that jewelry because this medal sure feels good around my neck and I wouldn't mind adding a bunch more.
"Winning my first race, well it didn't really hit me until the guys got out of the Excursion at the other end. We've been through the wars for nine years and they're the closest people to my heart. When you look in their eyes and see the joy in there, it hits you. And then dad comes up and the tears came. All my life I've just wanted to be a part of whatever he was doing and now we've won a race together and that's forever."
Driving the Castrol Syntec Ford Mustang, Medlen dismissed Jim Head in Round 1, and drove around teammates Tommy Johnson Jr. and Ron Capps in Rounds 2 and 3 to have his second shot at glory. Earlier this year he raced to the finals in Topeka before settling for runner-up honors.
Scelzi's 41st career final round, his sixth in Funny Car, took some nifty driving and a little luck. After a routine win over Tony Bartone in the opening session, he and his Hemi Oakley Dodge Stratus R/T teammates survived a labored 5.14 opposite Cruz Pedregon, before using a great .060 to .123-second holeshot against point leader Force to win with a 4.91 over Force's 4.87.
The three-time Top Fuel champion, who switched to Funny Car two and a half years ago, leapt over Whit Bazemore and Del Worsham and into second place in the POWERade points to assume the chief chase position. His runner-up finish leaves him 164 points behind Force. Funny Car results
After four runner-up finishes, two at the hands of Anderson himself, Connolly finally earned a trophy in just his 29th career start. Somehow, Connolly managed to catch and pass Anderson, the runaway class leader, to take the stunning victory with a 6.799 at 203.31 mph in front of Anderson's 6.818 at 202.97 mph.
 Dave Connolly
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No one, except maybe Connolly himself, thought he'd win this race, especially with Anderson poised to tie Force's all-time mark of 13 wins in a single season. But the kid from Elyria, Ohio, who races in the Sportsman ranks as well, came through and scored the most memorable win of his career, while also becoming the 50th different winner in class history.
"I've always dreamed of this day but I never really thought it would happen," Connolly said. "Even winning sportsman races, this just isn't even close. It's unbelievable. And to be the 50th winner in the class with the 50th U.S. Nationals coming up, that makes it even more special. Maybe 50 is my lucky number.
"To beat Greg, and on top of that to drive around him, makes this very special. He's the guy right now and any time you race him you have to be totally on your game. You have to be perfect. Even right there he left on me. He just picked the wrong lane, I think. The thing is those other finals got me used to this because the nervousness was gone this time. I just wanted to win so bad."
Racing in his third straight final and fourth of the year, Connolly's Bullet Motorsports Cavalier pretty much kept pace with Anderson's hot rod, carding a 6.79 against V. Gaines, a 6.78 in a holeshot win over Larry Morgan, a 6.80 during another holeshot victory over Jason Line, and the 6.79 against Anderson.
Anderson's Summit Racing Equipment Pontiac Grand Am stayed consistent throughout the day en route to his 41st career final, posting a 6.77 against Jim Yates, a 6.78 opposite Jeg Coughlin, and a 6.79 versus Bruce Allen. His 12-2 final-round record this year has him leading the class by 592 points, keeping alive an outside chance he could clinch the 2004 title at Indy. Pro Stock results
Treble was the underdog heading into the final but he led the race from start to finish, parlaying a .047 to .073-second starting line edge into a 7.199 at 183.00 mph win over Savoie's resigned 7.395 at 150.10 mph. Savoie was forced to roll off the throttle halfway down the track when her Suzuki neared the centerline.
 Craig Treble
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"We knew what we were up against and I'm not even sure we thought we had a chance," Treble said. "She ran a 7.13 in the semi's and we'd struggled all day except one round. But the Vance & Hines guys came over and told me I had the power to run a good pass and we got after it.
"I didn't see her out of the corner of my eye and when I got to about 1,000 feet I didn't even hear her. I was thinking something was up. I fully expected to see a little yellow bike to go by, but she never did.
"I got my first win here and I've been to three finals here so I love this place. I've been doing this since 1998 so any place where you have three final-round appearances is going to be special."
Treble's third trophy round of the last four events came after elimination-round victories over Mike Berry, Shawn Gann, and Hines. The Matco Tools-sponsored Pro has raced to 18 finals in his career. This was his eighth career victory.
Savoie's second successive final and 52nd of her career came with steady wins over Chip Hunter, GT Tonglet, and U.S. Army teammate Antron Brown. Although she remains in third place in the standings, her runner-up finish trimmed her deficit to points leader Andrew Hines to 197 points. Pro Stock Bike results
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