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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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Quite possibly one of the most memorable season climaxes for a long time, there was Californian warm sunshine, there was ninety minutes of rain showers and chilling winds during eliminations, there was trading of national and track records and there was jubilation as the remaining Champions were crowned. Again, an international array of racers and fans turned up to spice up the action ramping up the overall excitement of the last race of the year. The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and the Sportsman Lucas Oil Series rounded out the racing calendar in fine style. Top Fuel with the Mello Yello Championship being clinched by Antron Brown at the Las Vegas event two weeks earlier everything was up for grabs in the point chase. Brown in the Don Schumacher Racing Matco Tools/U.S. ARMY backed dragster made it to the final; he carded the 3.721/326 for pole then beat a pedalling Cory McClenathan in round one. Round two was a gift as Steve Torrence blatantly red lit away a 3.717/329 to the winning 3.728/326 and in the semi final a 3.7 dead at 323mph beat the in-smoke and pedalling Richie Crampton. It has been a tough year for Shawn Langdon in the Alan Johnson Racing team after the main sponsor suddenly pulled out early year and the car being parked late year before a deal to drive the Don Schumacher Racing Red Fuel/Sandvik appeared. Langdon made good use of the liaison dispatching Larry Dixon in one, a tyre shaking Clay Millican in two before a holeshot 3.763/327 beat a somnolent Doug Kalitta’s 3.781/314. The final pairing pitted Shawn Langdon against the new Champion, Antron Brown and it was Brown away first but Langdon caught and passed him with a 3.715/332 to a losing 3.732/321.
Funny Car was open to some championship possibilities with Del Worsham leading and Jack Beckman close behind and Tommy Johnson Jr. and Ron Capps following. Capps and TJ vied for top qualifier with Capps recording a track record ET 3.886/326 in the final session. Johnson Jr. made his way to the trophy run as he took out Gary Densham in one, a National Record setting 331.45mph in round one but badly crossed up Matt Hagan in two, then a 3.891/326 beat an equally close to the centreline Ron Capps, 4.052/323. Del Worsham driving the DHL backed Toyota was on a roll all weekend coming from third qualifier and seeing off a retiring Tony Pedregon in round one, Robert Hight in two before wrapping up the NHRA Mello Yello Funny Car Championship by defeating rival Jack Beckman in the semi, a 3.928/327 beating the pedalling 4.088/324. The new champ, only the third driver in NHRA history to hold both Top Fuel and Funny Car championships came up against the Make-A-Wish ’15 Charger driven by Tommy Johnson Jr. a 3.900/328 took the event win to add to the championship as TJ followed in with the losing 4.023/305.
Pro Stock saw Erica Enders-Stevens wrap up the NHRA Mello Yello Pro Stock Championship two weeks prior to the Finals and apart from a number two qualifier she featured only until the semis. It was a resurgent Allen Johnson driving his last season with Mopar that came from eleventh qualifier to the winners circle. Johnson took his ’15 Dodge Dart past Jonathan Gray in round one, Shane Gray in two then a stunning 0.005 leave coupled with a 6.572/209 beat Champion Enders-Stevens 6.542/211 try. Meeting Johnson in the final was number five qualifier, Vincent Nobile in the Mountain View Tire sponsored ’15 Camaro who beat Alex Laughlin in one, Drew Skillman in two and a number one qualifier Greg Anderson who red lit away a 6.520/212 to the winning ‘seen it’ 8.523/98. The final saw Allen Johnson leave first and hold on to take the event win with a 6.541/210 as Vincent Nobile chased to a runner-up 6.540/211 ending the last carburettor race for the class.
Pro Stock Motorcycle had three riders qualify for top place, first, Chip Ellis 6.852/196; Karen Stoffer ruled sessions two and three with a 6.823/196 before Jerry Savoie scored a 6.803/197 for the lead. The NHRA Mello Yello Pro Stock Motorcycle Championship was wound up in round two as Andrew Hines riding the Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines ’15 HD V-Rod beat Hector Arana Jr. 6.879/190 to the losing 6.898/194. It was however, Hines’ teammate Eddie Krawiec that got the event win after defeating Scotty Pollacheck in one, Jerry Savoie in two and Hines in three. Matt Smith came from sixth qualifier on his Victory Racing/Nitro Fish ’15 Victory past Hector Arana in one, Chip Ellis in two and LE Tonglet in the semi. Matt Smith got a slight lead off the line but his 6.888/194 was not good enough as Eddie Krawiec came past to record the event win with a 6.846/192.
Top Alcohol Dragster had an international flavour with entries from Malta, Norway and Canada. Norwegian Fred Hanssen unfortunately did not make the cut but the Maltese team with Monty Bugeja in the Mr. Whippy Racing got past Bill Litton in round one but failed to fire the car for round two. The Lucas Oil Championship win went to Joey Severance driving the J&A Service dragster who also took the event trophy, a 5.278/271 beat the shaking and ‘chute out at four hundred feet try from David Sheetz.
Top Alcohol Funny Car has had Swedish racers Ulf Leanders and Jonnie Lindberg race on a fairly regular basis leaving Lindberg leading the points with just one point coming into the Finals. Joining the Swedes was long-time English racer Rob Turner who unfortunately suffered a variety of problems trying to qualify. The big news however was the Lucas Oil Top Alcohol Funny Car Championship was clinched in the semis by Jonnie Lindberg in the Lindberg Bros./Landmeco ’10 Monte Carlo, he also made it to the final but was beaten by a holeshot from John Lombardo Jr. a 5.445/273 beating the close 5.439/267.
Competition Eliminator saw Tony Mandella take his ’01 S-10 truck to the winners circle for the event trophy beating the ’32 Bantam of Joshua Lee, 8.351/153 to the losing 8.867/134. The Lucas Oil Championship was wrapped up by Craig Bourgeois.
Super Stock had the Lucas Oil Championship land up in the hands of Justin Lamb. The event win though, went to Jeff Adkinson who took his ’05 Sunfire to a 9.746/133 win over the 8.801/146 from Brian McClanahan’s ’69 Camaro.
Stock Eliminator witnessed Leo Glasbrenner wheel his ’68 Firebird to the event trophy, a 10.570/122 beat the ’69 Camaro’s 9.706/135 from Ryan McClanahan. The Lucas Oil Championship went to Kevin Helms.
Super Comp battles ended up with Kevin Brannon taking the Lucas Oil Championship. The event win went to Gary Stinnett, a 9.192/149 beating the 10.078/93 from Scott Dean.
Super Gas wars were clinched by Marko Perivolaris in a ’67 Camaro, a 9.918/170 taking the event trophy as opponent Trevor Larson broke out with a 9.891/168 in his ’08 Corvette. The Lucas Oil Championship went to Jacob Elrod.
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