|
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.
|
|
|
|
The start of the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series began in fine warm Californian sunshine with little of the familiar snow capped mountains as a backdrop as the drought continued. The fourth qualifying session was lost due to, believe it or not – rain, but not enough to make any difference to the dwindling water supplies. It was again a bit of an international affair with entries from Canada and Sweden amid the many classes wowing the numerous race fans in attendance. Sweden added to its growing supply of Wallys when the Lindberg team took the TAFC win. Showing great promise but without major backing was the Alan Johnson Top Fueller who clocked up some historic numbers but finds itself possibly only able to show at the first two or three races. Top Fuel had Shawn Langdon driving the all black, barely readable Knuckle Sandwich backed former Al-Anabi dragster to a pole placing with a quickest ever time of 3.700 at 328.3mph, the team showing without major sponsorship for possibly only the first few races. Australian native Richie Crampton notched up a 3.730/328 clocking for second place. Langdon was on a mission and blazed his way to the final taking out the likes of Steve Chrisman in round one, Leah Pritchett in two and Spencer Massey in the semis, 3.762/326 win to a 3.778/327 lose. Coming up the other side of the ladder was Antron Brown who came from eleventh qualifier to defeat teammate and current champ, Tony Schumacher in round one, Doug Kalitta in two and Larry Dixon in the semis, 3.790/322 to a losing 3.774/320. The Matco Tools machine of Antron Brown faced Langdon for the final with the latter getting a holeshot coupled with a 3.799/309 win as Brown came in second with a 3.804/310.
Funny Car had Courtney Force fly the Force banner in qualifying getting the only three second pass of the event, a 3.995/322 ahead of Tommy Johnson Jr. with a 4.018/314 and John Force in his new Peak Antifreeze/Lucas Oil Chevy on a 4.021/320. It would turn out to be none of these cars in the final as Champion Matt Hagan came from twelfth seeing off Tony Pedregon in round one, John Hale in two and Del Worsham in the semi. Ron Capps made his way from sixth qualifier to meet Hagan for the money run. Capps beat Alexis DeJoria in round one, Bob Bode in two who had earlier beaten John Force, then Robert Hight in the semis. It was an all Don Schumacher Racing final as Ron Capps in the NAPA Auto Parts ’15 Dodge took on Matt Hagan’s Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots ’15 Dodge, a better leave by Capps was chased down and passed by Hagan’s machine, a 4.011/320 beat the 4.078/314.
Pro Stock had a taste of an international entry as Sweden’s Jimmy Ĺlund entered the fray qualifying eleventh on a 6.543/211 in his Summit Racing Equipment/A&J Furniture Mfg. Inc. ’09 GXP but went out in round one to Larry Morgan. Current Champion, Erica Enders-Stevens left it till the third and last qualifying session to make the field ending up number one with a 6.516/213 just ahead of the 6.523/212 from Jason Line. Line made his way to the final edging out Joey Grose in round one, Shane Gray in two and Rodger Brogdon in three with near identical times, 6.560/211.36 to a losing 6.560/211.76. Class rookie Drew Skillman qualified fourth on a 6.527/212 then ploughed his way through the eliminations taking out big hitters like V Gaines in one, Allen Johnson in two and Erica Enders-Stevens in the semi, a 6.590/210 beat the champs 6.573/211. The Final must have had Line on edge seeing the progress of Skillman but a better light by the Summit Racing Equipment ’15 Camaro managed to stay ahead of Skillman’s Chevy, a 6.545/211 beat the 6.556/211.
Top Alcohol Dragster delivered a USA Canadian battle as Champion Chris Demke faced Shawn Cowie, a better leave by Cowie was chased down by Demke with a 5.264/273 win as Cowie came second with a 5.367/268. Don St. Arnaud from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada notched up some impressive numbers with top qualifier, 5.221/282, Low ET at 5.221 and Top Speed 285.35.
Top Alcohol Funny Car witnessed another first as Sweden’s Jonnie Lindberg took his ’10 Monte Carlo backed by Manton rocker arms and pushrods to an historic win as he notched up a list of achievements with top qualifier on a 5.451/255, Low ET, 5.445 and a Top Speed of 267.27mph then the win with a 5.458/267 beating Brian Hough’s 5.608/260 try.
Top Fuel Harley saw a popular decision by the NHRA to include a selected guest series by the two wheel nitro burners, it had just six bikes as there was another event in Arizona but they impressed with Tommy Grimes carding the top qualifier on a 6.303/229. The final pairing came down to a bout between Joey Sternotti and Len Darnell with the latter taking the trophy with a 6.822/174 clocking as Sternotti slowed to a 9.890/91.
Competition Eliminator had the victory go to Alan Ellis driving his potent Pro Stock engined ’23 Ford to a 6.543/205 win, as Dean Carter in his dragster lost with a 7.054/190.
Super Comp saw Dave Crawford take the close win with an 8.910/179 to an 8.957/162 from Jimmy Lewis.
Super Gas had Steve Williams in his ’63 Corvette take the win with a 9.923/173 as Hollis Colleasure chased hard in his surf board equipped ’27 Ford delivering a losing 9.909/156 timing.
Super Stock, an 8.884/144 from Cody Lane’s ’05 Cavalier got the better of the 8.623/156 from Justin Lamb’s ’10 Cobalt.
Stock Eliminator win was taken by Jody Lang in the ’81 Malibu, a .026 light coupled with a 12.202/107 stayed ahead of the 10.311/128 by Jeff Jerome’s ’63 Savoy.
|
|
All material on this site is copyright and |
|
|
|
_winner_v_Jimmy_Lewis_runner_up_Super_Comp.jpg)
