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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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A desert sunset is generally a stunning site, this taken after the eliminations and winners circle shoot had been completed at the Wild Horse Pass Motorsport Park facility that has had many improvements made with more to follow according to the new administration. The CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals event was a sell-out with packed bleachers under warm generally clear skies. Some high cloud at times cooled the air and track enabling some great numbers to be logged in this the second race in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. The event almost made history as two female drivers entered the fuel finals, however, only one took the win light dashing many-a-part written headline.
Antron Brown made it to the fifth place during Top Fuel qualifying with a 3.768/323 clocking, coming from a 6.099/105 twelfth place in the first try. Brown driving the Matco Tools dragster out of the Don Schumacher Racing stable ran a winning 3.825/314 in round one to see off an up in smoke Richie Crampton, then in round two beat the current champ Shawn Langdon in a close bout, 3.771/322 to a losing 3.851/291. Speed king Doug Kalitta lost in the semis with a 3.794/322 as Brown won by inches with a 3.782/321. The final saw Brittany Force in the Castrol Edge car face Antron Brown and it was the latter who clinched the win with a holeshot 3.755/324 against Force’s 3.793/322.
Brittany Force seemingly had the most consistent fueller on the property running a 3.813/321 for tenth spot in qualifying before going on to defeat some big hitter’s en-route to her first final round. Aussie Dave Grubnic was the first to fall to the 2013 Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future rookie of the year, a 3.821/316 saw off the 3.826/320. Round two had Force card a winning 3.805/322 as Tony Schumacher went into tyre smoke at half track and pedalled twice losing with a 5.017/179. The semi final pitted Force against Steve Torrence who suffered the same as Schumacher, up in smoke and despite a pedal lost with a 4.187/247 to the win of 3.814/319. All eyes were on Force to make history and her first final, it was all decided on the startline as Antron Brown used his experience and a holeshot to take the win.
Doug Kalitta driving the Mac Tools car once again became the speed king qualifying top with a 3.735 at 327.74mph both of which became Low ET and Top Speed of event respectively.
Leah Pritchett despite going out in round one deserves a mention as the Gumout team surely look one of the best and professional outfits of late. Good to see her back in the driving seat.
Alexis DeJoria driving the Patrón XO Cafe backed Toyota Camry Funny Car notched up her first NHRA Wally with a seemingly flawless account. Fresh from her first three second pass at Pomona she ended up number four in qualifying with a 4.048/309 then in round one took down Jeff Arend, a no ‘chute winning 4.065/309 to a 4.105/305. Round two saw a 4.123/298 win staying ahead of Del Worsham who went into smoke at three hundred feet. DeJoria could not believe her luck as a 4.052/311 put away Champion John Force who went up in smoke around three hundred feet out. In the final she faced another Force car, that of Robert Hight in the Automobile Club of Southern California Mustang who left first and followed his boss by going up in smoke slowing to a 5.491/142 as Alexis DeJoria pushed her Camry to an impressive 4.043/309 win.
Robert Hight ended up in third Funny Car place in the final qualifying ladder with a time of 4.030/314 from the Automobile Club of Southern California Mustang then went on the reach the final by way of taking a smoking 4.484/262 win over an up in smoke Cruz Pedregon in round one. Round two a 4.059/314 on the winner’s board as Jack Beckman came second with a 4.127/306. Tommy Johnson Jr. was the next to fall; a 4.083/311 was just pipped to the post by Hight’s 4.047/316. In the final it was all over as Hight struck the slicks at around three hundred feet out handing the win to Alexis DeJoria.
John Force aimed to continue his foray into the record books at the desert track and he racked up two track records with a top qualifier of 3.990/317.79, the first ever Funny Car three at this track – great bragging rights for the new management team.
Tommy Johnson Jr. great to see TJ back in the hot seat as he drives the Don Schumacher Racing team’s Make A Wish Dodge Charger notching up a second place in qualifying of 4.029/316 and making it to the semis. DSR sponsor this charity and not the other way round.
Allen Johnson the former Pro Stock Champion managed a 6.553/211 to take number six in qualifying then went on to see off Sweden’s Jimmy Ålund in round one, 6.558/211 to a close 6.587/210. Next victim was the Winternationals winner Jason Line, a 6.543/212 chased down the quicker leave but losing 6.556/210. Dave Connolly ran a 6.629/210 but was again chased down and beaten by AJ with a 6.550/211 in the semis. The final saw Allen Johnson in the Mopar/Expresslane backed ’14 Avenger once again chase down the better leave of opponent V Gaines in the Kendall Oil Avenger, a 6.543/212 beat the slowing Gaines.
V Gaines again ended up runner-up at this the second event of the season, his 6.571/210 put him in eighth place in qualifying, he then saw off the likes of Roger Brogdon in one, Australian Shane Tucker in two and Vincent Nobile in the semi before slowing with problems in the final against Allen Johnson.
Chris McHaha driving the Harlow & Sammons ’13 Camaro managed to get the Pro Stock top qualifier with a 6.530/210 that lasted through all four sessions. A first round loss to Shane Tucker put an end to his weekend.
Jimmy Ålund the Swedish driver and current European Pro Stock Champion continues his foray into the US Mello Yello series sitting in for recovering Greg Anderson. Ålund continues to qualify well in the midst of the pack but going out in round one at both events so far this year.
Dan Fletcher drove his Peak Antifreeze & Motor Oil backed ’69 Camaro to the Super Stock win with a leaping 10.296/124 as opponent Scott Pearson left a little early in his ’70 AMX.
Mark Faul took his ’66 El Camino to the Stock Eliminator winners circle with an 11.691/102 after seeing off Robert Pond’s 10.133/124.
Robert Pond carded the top qualifier position in Stock Eliminator with a 9.963/134 but lost in the final to Mark Faul.
Shane Thompson won the Super Comp event with an 8.916/169 as opponent Chad Langdon lost out with an illegal 8.887/172.
Chad Langdon wound up in the runner up place in Super Comp after breaking out in the final with an 8.887/172 against Shane Thompson.
Aaron Kinard managed to take the Super Gas win in his ’63 Corvette, a quicker leave coupled with a 9.903/160 beat a breakout time from Craig Anderson.
Craig Anderson ran his ’05 Corvette to face Aaron Kinard in the Super Gas final but broke out with a 9.891/156.
Gary Reust took his ’55 Chevy to a winning 10.943/125 in the Super Street final beating the ’67 Camaro of David Gotts whose 10.932/139 was a red light time.
Ed Olpin picked up the Top Sportsman trophy with his ’68 Camaro, a better leave coupled with a 7.366/187 beat the close 7.355/185 from Paul Mitsos.
Paul Mitsos driving an ’08 Dodge Stratus with backing from Mountain View Performance just failed to take the Top Sportsman final being beaten by Ed Olpin.
Val Torres Jr. took the Top Dragster trophy with a 6.694/198 and putting Phil Unruh into second spot.
Phil Unruh became runner-up in Top Dragster as his 6.548/210 was beaten by Val Torres Jr.
Roger Gorringe and travelling buddy Andy Willsheer were both invited as VIP Media to take a ride in the Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School twin-seater driven by Don Schumacher Racing Funny Car driver, Jack Beckman. An 8.806/153 was the ticket for Gorringe with Willsheer a similar clocking.
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