NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

After three exciting races to open up the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, the tour headed to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Would the first of two annual trips to the Nevada desert live up to the hype of those first three events, as well as the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas? It did, indeed. From the early runs in qualifying, which, among other things featured track records in Funny Car, to the final rounds, including a first-time Pro finalist, the 2016 Denso Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals was another event to remember.

When the dust settled Sunday in Las Vegas, Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Alexis DeJoria (Funny Car), and Jason Line (Pro Stock) were hoisting Wallys in the winner's circle. For Brown, it was his 55th overall win and 39th in Top Fuel, tying legend Kenny Bernstein for fourth on the class' all-time wins list. DeJoria's win snapped a 33-race win drought that dated back to the 2014 Indy event. It also continues a streak of strong showings at this event that includes two wins and two semifinal finishes in the last four years and may have given her temporary bragging rights because it came against Del Worsham in the first all-Kalitta Motorsports Funny Car final round. Line continued KB Racing's dominance in the Pro Stock category when he defeated teammate Bo Butner, who had the best car of race day, including outrunning Line in the final, to give the group its fourth win of the season. Line has two victories, and Greg Anderson has two.

Line's win came one day after a disappointing loss to teammate Greg Anderson in the K&N Horsepower Challenge final. Anderson's victory in the bonus event was his fifth, making him the winningest event in the history of the race-within-a-race. It also capped a wild race day that once again featured numerous upsets. Several of those big upsets came from Troy Buff, who drove Bill Miller's dragster to the final round. Buff defeated last year's event winner, Richie Crampton, Gainesville champ Brittany Force, and J.R. Todd en route to his first Top Fuel final. Buff was not alone in producing the upsets. In the opening round of nitro eliminations, Steve Chrisman topped Steve Torrence, who dominated Top Fuel qualifying on his way to the No. 1 spot; Top Fuel Phoenix winner Leah Pritchett, who struggled in qualifying, defeated Shawn Langdon; and Funny Car newcomer Jim Campbell earned his first round-win against Phoenix champ Tim Wilkerson.

Though they didn't make the final in Funny Car, Jack Beckman and Courtney Force also had a strong run at The Strip, highlighted by side-by-side track records in Friday night qualifying. Running in the final pair, Beckman powered to a 3.916 to reset the e.t. mark, while Force's speed of 326.71 mph gave her the speed record.

In addition to the great action in the Mello Yello Series, the drivers in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series also put on a great show with several interesting storylines, including the 96th win by Dan Fletcher. What made it particularly interesting, however, was the fact it came in Super Comp, giving Fletch wins in five different categories.

Now’s your chance. If you were one of the judges, who would get your vote?