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The name of veteran drag racing photo-journalist Roger Gorringe will be known to most readers. Roger makes frequent trips to the USA taking in as many of the major meetings as he can. It is filthy work standing trackside with endless Top Fuel Dragsters and Funny Cars thundering past you but someone has to do it. Fortunately Roger has very kindly offered to share his experiences with us in his illustrated meeting reports.
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The NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship held its penultimate race of the season in the desert venue of ‘Sin City’, Las Vegas under clear blue skies and warm temperatures with a sometimes strong breeze blowing toward the startline. It was another chance to witness some qualifying in the dark meaning lots of nitro header flames to please the packed stands and also see the mighty Pro Mods in their final race of the year in the ProCare RX Series. Top Fuel was led by Tony Schumacher with a 3.772/323 just ahead of teammate Spencer Massey on a 3.776/321 pass. The whole field totalled twenty runners with Terry McMillen on the bump with a 3.893/314 showing it was a close pack. Big names dismissed in round one included Antron Brown, Morgan Lucas, Brandon Bernstein, and Cory McClenathan. A few more surprises happened in round two as Spencer Massey went out courtesy of Bob Vandergriff Jr., 3.851/321 to a 3.873/322 lose. Khalid alBalooshi beat an engine detonating JR Todd. Doug Kalitta suffered a small fire at the top end whilst despatching an up in smoke Shawn Langdon and last pair of the round saw Tony Schumacher deliver another win when his 3.847/324 beat the 3.859/319 from Steve Torrence. Vandergriff Jr’s weekend got better as his semi final win put him in the final, a 3.841/322 beating Doug Kalitta’s 3.854/324. Tony Schumacher pulled another 3.7 out of the bag, his 3.773/326 seeing off the 3.842/324 from alBalooshi. Despite getting a decent holeshot Tony Schumacher in the U.S. ARMY car struck the tyres around the three hundred foot mark allowing a jubilant Bob Vandergriff Jr. to surge ahead to record the 3.832/324 win in the C&J Energy Service dragster.
Funny Car had Cruz Pedregon in the Snap-On Toyota unseat Mike Neff’s pole position in the last qualifier, a 4.066/312 beating the 4.070/313 and ahead of Robert Hight on a 4.074 at a track record speed of 317.27mph. Sitting on the bump in the twenty-two car field was Bob Tasca III with a 4.136/305 clocking. Round one witnessed some grave losses as they saw the likes of Jim Head, Robert Hight, Tim Wilkerson and John Force go out. Courtney Force kept the Force camp spirits up with a 4.128/312 win over Paul Lee. Jack Beckman added to his point total with a 4.174/300 defeat of Mike Neff’s tyre hazing 4.825/174. Ron Capps saw to his point total with a holeshot win over Cruz Pedregon, 4.095/312 to a losing 4.119/306. Lastly Johnny Gray beat a luckless this year Matt Hagan 4.213/299 to a 4.601/173 lose. The semis saw the two main point contenders get through to the final as Jack Beckman saw off a red lighting Courtney Force and Ron Capps ran a 4.086/311 to oust Johnny Gray’s slowing 6.256/103. It was a Ron Capps weekend as his NAPA Auto Parts ’12 Dodge Charger that left on Jack Beckman in the Schumacher Electric Dodge who suffered tyre smoke at the tree recording a losing 8.455/74 as Capps romped home with a winning 4.070/315.
Pro Stock had twenty of the factory hot rods on site and was led by Jason Line in the Summit Racing ’12 Camaro with a 6.590/209 just ahead of point leader Allen Johnson on a 6.600/208. Known names exiting in round one included V Gaines, Greg Anderson and Kurt Johnson. Round two saw Mike Edwards go out to a holeshot from Ron Krisher 6.708/206 win to a better but losing 6.663/208. Warren Johnson slowed at one hundred and fifty feet out only to watch as Jason Line took the light with a 6.996/206. A close race ensued as Vincent Nobile stayed ahead of Erica Enders by a nose, 6.649/207 to a 6.655/207 lose. Ending the round was victor Allen Johnson whose 6.630/207 saw off the slowed up 7.020/166 from Jeg Coughlin. Round three saw Vincent Nobile gain a convenient win as outgoing champ Jason Line red lit and Allen Johnson stayed ahead of Ron Krisher to get the 6.631/208 win to the 6.654/207 lose. The final saw Allen Johnson in the Mopar/J&J Racing ’12 Avenger take another trophy when he caught and passed a faster leaving Vincent Nobile in the Mountain View Tire Dodge, a 6.637/208 beating the 6.670/204.
Pro Stock Motorcycle was almost a full six second pack with the imperious Sceamin’ Eagle HD V-Rod of Eddie Krawiec in the lead on a 6.902/195 just ahead of Hector Arana Jr. on his Buell with a 6.912/194. Round one upsets included Chip Ellis, LE Tonglet and Shawn Gann. Round two witnessed a few upsets as Andrew Hines lost to John Hall on a holeshot a 7.052/188 beating the 7.082/189 try, a battle of father and son came next with Hector Arana winning the bout as son Hector Jr. slowed, 7.001/192 to a 9.247/93. Matt Smith managed to put away Karen Stoffer’s a 6.973/191 beating the 6.994/192 and last pairing of the round saw Krawiec overcome the better leave by Scotty Pollacheck, 6.961/193 to a losing 7.005/189. In the semis Matt Smith won over a slowed up Hector Arana 6.997/192 to a poorly 15.074/34 whilst Eddie Krawiec added to his point cache by beating John Hall’s red light try, 6.960/194 win. The final was HD V-Rod versus Buell with Eddie Krawiec on the Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines machine taking on the self financed Matt Smith. Krawiec left first and never looked back recording the win with a 6.959/194 to Smith’s close 6.967/192.
Pro Mod saw the last race of the year in the NHRA Pro Mod series presented by ProCare RX and a chance to crown the champion. Qualifying saw Don Walsh in his Walsh/Precision Turbo/BAE ’11 Mustang in front of the twenty strong pack with a 5.824, sitting on the bubble was Clint Satterfield with his ’68 Camaro on a 6.085. Going out in round one saw names like Mike Janis, Jay Payne, Dennis Radford and Kenny Lang. It was Leah Pruett’s 6.199/241 that managed to see off Rickie Smith slowed up 14.571 to open round two. Danny Rowe managed to beat a red lighting Pete Farber 5.892/245 to a disqualified 6.082/242. Troy Coughlin was proving that the use of his brand new Corvette at this race was the correct decision, with a 5.860/249 win over Mike Castellana’s 6.404/185. Lastly Don Walsh won as Raymond Commisso red lit, 5.884/255 to a losing 5.941/247. The semis saw Don Walsh deal out Leah Pruett overcoming her holeshot, a 5.917/251 beating her slowing 6.704/159. A red light put an end to Danny Rowe’s chances as he came up against the might of Troy Coughlin, a 5.903/253 beating the illegal 5.968/242. The final saw the Jegs.com ’12 Corvette take on Don Walsh’s Precision Turbo/BAE ’11 Mustang with Coughlin leaving just a breath in front of Walsh where he hung on to take the event win and championship with a 5.830/253 as Walsh slowed with problems from half track.
Top Alcohol Dragster win went to Jim Whiteley in his J&A Services/Rator Ind. Blown machine with a 5.340/270 as Joey Severance runner - upped with a close 5.363/266.
Top Alcohol Funny Car had Tony Bartone in the Centre Pointe Collision Ford ’09 Mustang take the trophy with a 5.546/261 as Annie Whitely in the YNOT Mustang came second with a close 5.576/259.
Competition Eliminator saw Bo Butner take his ’10 Cobalt to an 8.540/158 victory as Lou Ficco followed to a 7.010/196 lose in his ’09 GXP.
Super Stock win went to multi time winner Dan Fletcher in his K&N Filters ’69 Camaro, his 10.475/122 beat the 10.224/125 from Larry Stewart’s ’10 Challenger.
Stock Eliminator saw Bo Butner take another trophy as his ’12 Mustang recorded a 9.212/146 win for the title as Jeff Teuton came second with an 11.133/120 from his ’09 Challenger.
Super Comp was whittled down to a race between Luke Bogacki and Greg Boutte with Bogacki taking the light with a 9.081/174 to the losing 9.087/177.
Super Gas had two Corvettes in the final with the ’67 ‘Vette of Steve Apted taking the victory with a 10.052/164 win to a 10.047/165 from Steve Williams ’63 version.
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