Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals
Pomona, Calif.
(Nov. 11-14)
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40th annual |
| Sunday |
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Shoe, Anderson, Savoie also score |
John Force won his record 114th Funny Car race and shared the winner's circle with his 21-year-old daughter Ashley, who won in Top Alcohol Dragster, to highlight a thrilling finish at the 40th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals. The Forces, the first father-daughter combination to win titles at the same national event, shared the winner's circle with Tony Schumacher, Greg Anderson, and Angelle Savoie, who all scored big wins to close the 2004 season.
Force beat another local favorite, Del Worsham, 4.73 to 4.80, just before Schumacher took out Morgan Lucas in the Top Fuel final by an even wider margin. Prior to that, Anderson leveled teammate Jason Line by a tenth of a second, while Angelle Savoie bagged win No. 35 of her career with a dismissal of her Army partner, Antron Brown.
Lucas might have been the sentimental favorite in a weekend where the man he followed in the cockpit, the late Darrell Russell, was honored with a huge fundraiser, but Schumacher was lethal when he needed to be. Even though he dropped a cylinder early in the run and had his engine explode into flames at the finish line, Schumacher's 4.550 at 313.07 mph was more than enough against Lucas' belt-slinging 4.807 at 228.50 mph.
 Tony Schumacher
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Schumacher's win upped the single-season record for the Top Fuel class to 10. It also improved his overall career win total to 21.
"I didn't go 200 feet before I started feeling some real bad tire shake," Schumacher said. "I was really surprised because that hasn't happened in quite a while. It was completely unexpected. But I pedaled it real quick and it hooked back up and we were able to get the win.
"To win Indy, 10 races all together, the championship, and now the World Finals, that's so awesome for this team. This is something that as a kid you sit around and dream about it. Now we're here and the year is done, we're all safe, and we get two months to enjoy everything we've done."
The U.S. Army dragster defied conventional wisdom by getting quicker in each of the first three rounds despite deteriorating conditions brought on by the heat. He opened with a 4.49 against John Smith, posted a 4.48 opposite Dave Grubnic, and used a 4.47 to dismiss David Baca. His 4.47 gave him a .014-second edge over Lucas for final-round lane choice.
Lucas raced to his second consecutive final with wins over Larry Dixon, top qualifier Doug Kalitta, and Kalitta's cousin, Scott. His Lucas Oil dragster was quick in the first two rounds, posting a pair of low 4.5s. Then Lucas slowed slightly to a 4.61 in the semi's but won any way when Scott Kalitta smoked his tires. Top Fuel results
Already beaming with pride after watching Ashley win in TAD, Force jumped into his hot rod and cruised to his fifth win of his championship campaign with a 4.734 at 320.28 mph to Worsham's 4.804 at 314.39 mph.
 John Force
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Worsham had been a perfect 5-0 in final rounds heading into this battle, including a 2-0 mark against Force this year when a trophy was up for grabs, but he didn't have enough to get it done this day.
"This was a great weekend, an emotional weekend," Force said. "I fought with all my energy today. Because I already won the championship it was harder to get up for the race, especially with [Gary] Scelzi and Del fighting for second place and being all fired up, but when I saw Ashley win I came to life. I had to win then.
"I don't think I could be any prouder of her. If I never won again this would be okay. To have the composure and coolness she has, pressure doesn't seem to affect her like it does me. It's been scary watching her drive but she does so good. It's been a great year. Even my wife [Laurie] is talking to me again."
"It was awesome down at the top end," said Ashley. "We were all cheering down there for dad to win and he did. Then I started jumping around and hugging all the people I love; my team, dad's team, my dad and mom; I yelled more today than I did when I won Indy."
The Castrol GTX Start Up Ford Mustang carried Force to his record 180th final and fourth money round in a row by improving its E.T. each round. The 13-time champ opened with a 4.78 against Tony Bartone, posted a 4.76 against teammate Eric Medlen, and ran a 4.72 versus Gary Scelzi.
Securing second place in the POWERade rankings in the semi's, Worsham was thrilled just to reach his 30th career final. He beat Johnny Gray, stablemate Phil Burkart Jr., and Gary Densham on the day. The win over Densham was a bit of a surprise as Worsham raced out of the suspect right-hand lane. Funny Car results
The Pro Stock final was the sixth of the year -- and third in a row -- between teammates Anderson and Line with Anderson improving to 4-2 against his young protégé. This one was convincing as Anderson simply drove away for the win with a 6.722 at 205.35 mph to Line's 6.825 at 205.29 mph.
 Greg Anderson
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Anderson's win bolstered the all-time single-season victory total he set in Las Vegas to 15. Of his 31 career wins, almost half came this year. Line ended a solid rookie season with a 4-4 mark in finals.
"You couldn't script it any better," Anderson said. "I'm the luckiest man in the world. My jaw hurts from smiling so much. I just can't remember coming into a race day with such enthusiasm. There was nothing to lose today and everything to gain and we just went out and raced for fun. Now we'll take both teams and head to Hawaii and celebrate.
"I think the single-season win total record is the biggest accomplishment of the year. We come to races to win. That's what it's all about. The championship is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow but the race win is what gets me fired up. It's instant gratification for all the long hours."
Anderson's Summit Racing Equipment Pontiac Grand Am was the quickest of every round as he beat Jerry Haas, "Tricky Rickie" Smith, Mike Edwards, and Line with successive low 6.7-second passes. This was Anderson's 19th final in 23 races this year.
On the other side of the ladder, Rookie of the Year hopeful Line marched his KB Framers hot rod past Kurt Johnson, V. Gaines, and Ron Krisher by keeping in the mid-6.7-second range. The win over Krisher was gift-wrapped when Krisher left before the Tree was activated. Pro Stock results
Savoie will have bragging rights for the entire off-season after taking out her friend and teammate Antron Brown for the third time this year when a trophy was on the line. The victory, the 35th of her career, was a walk-over as she left first, .013 to .032, and arrived first with a superior 7.036 at 188.09 mph to Brown's 7.141 at 184.67 mph.
 Angelle Savoie
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The win was Savoie's fourth of the year, and this was her third final in a row. The victory also moved her around Brown into second place in the POWERade standings. Brown ended the year with a 2-4 record in final rounds.
"What a wonderful day, especially getting to race Antron in the final with our special paint schemes," said Savoie, whose bike was painted like a WWII tank. "I've been saying all weekend, 'Not bad for a girl on a tank.' The truth is we say thanks to the troops every time a camera is in front of us but the reality is that we can never thank our troops enough. They're the real heroes.
"I was feeling great until I heard I finished 38 points out of winning the championship. I know exactly where I gave it up when I lost to Andrew [Hines] in the first round in St. Louis. We'll get 'em next year."
The two U.S. Army Suzuki riders thrilled a large contingent of U.S. Army generals, colonels, and majors in attendance by successfully navigating their respective sides of the ladder to make it an all olive-drab final. Savoie beat Mike Berry, GT Tonglet, and No. 1 qualifier Chip Ellis, the later by .004-second. Brown took out Matt Smith, Craig Treble, and Mike Phillips.
This was the sixth final of the year for both riders. Overall, Brown has 25 finals to his credit while Savoie has 55 final-round appearances in 121 pro starts. Pro Stock Bike results
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