NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

In addition to the exciting Mission Foods Drag Racing Series action at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals, nine champions were also crowned in Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series action at Maple Grove Raceway,

 After 46 wins in a dazzling Pro Stock Motorcycle career, including a breakthrough win that came at Maple Grove Raceway in 1996, Angelle Sampey scored her first NHRA national event win on four wheels, taking the Top Alcohol Dragster crown in Reading in a near-dead heat final-round battle with Mike Coughlin. [video]

Just shy of a year after his first career victory at last year’s fall Charlotte event and six months after a runner-up at this year’s Gatornationals, Phil Esz added a second score in Top Alcohol Funny Car when he drove his Camaro to a 5.52 blast in the final round to defeat Annie Whiteley, who had to shut down her attempt. [video]

Twenty-six years after his breakthrough first win in Englishtown in 1998, Don Eckel was back in the winner’s circle in Comp after driving his C/DA entry to a (-.52) 6.94 victory over 2010 world champion Al Ackerman’s (-.42) 7.98. [video]

William Kennedy scored the win in Super Stock by knocking off two-time world champion Joe Santangelo in the final round. Kennedy used a 10.449 on his 10.41 dial to finish the job while Santangelo ran over his dial by .059-second. [video]

Russ “Bubba” Linke captured his third NHRA Wally following a final-round win in Stock against 107-time winner Dan Fletcher. Linke left first and won with a 10.462 on his 10.42 dial. [video]

Chris Depascale cut a perfect light in the Super Comp final to claim his third career win, two of which have come in Super Comp. Fellow New Jerseyan Shawn Fricke left .004-second too soon and fouled away the title to Depascale. [video]

David Morris claimed his second career national event win in his 69 Camaro Super Gas entry, driving around Michael Handras’ final-round holeshot to win, 9.91 to 9.98. Morris’ previous win came in Super Comp at the 2017 Bristol event. [video]

Past world champion Al Kenny was nearly perfect in the final of Right Trailers Top Dragster with a .001 light and a 6.124 on his 6.12 prediction. Kenny left little room for runner-up Tim Gray who posted a 7.436 on his 7.41 dial. [video]

Brian Vollman got off the starting line first in the Right Trailers Top Sportsman final with a .004 light and used a 7.369 on his 7.35 dial to stop Michael Grafas to win his first NHRA Wally. [video]