EVENT ESSENTIALS:      NHRA AAA Auto Club Finals –  Pomona, CA  (Nov. 11-14^th, 2010)  

Force at His Finest!

FORCE COMPLETES IMPROBABLE COMEBACK — WINS FUNNY CAR WORLD TITLE #15!

(By:  Michael Padian – NHRA Communications)

John Force clinched his NHRA-record 15th Funny Car championship on Sunday to complete an improbable and emotional comeback from the horrific accident in Dallas three years ago that left his racing future in serious jeopardy.

The 61-year-old Force – who also won the race, his sixth of 2010 – became the oldest champion in NHRA history on the same day that the Series crowned its youngest champion as well, 20-year-old Pro Stock Motorcycle rider LE Tonglet. Earlier Sunday, Larry Dixon clinched his third Top Fuel championship and first since winning back-to-back titles in 2002-03.

John Force is at the top again!

With the championships decided by the semifinals, attention turned to the individual event champions and the three drivers who joined Force in the Winner’s Circle at the 46th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals, the 23rd and final race in the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Series season, were: Antron Brown (Top Fuel), rookie Shane Gray (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

Force came into eliminations trailing 27-year-old Matt Hagan by 38 points and since he was on the opposite side of the draw from Hagan, he needed help if he was to get around Hagan and win his 15th title.

And he got it — Right away.

Hagan met longtime Force ally Bob Tasca, who qualified 13th, in the first round and Tasca stunned the angus cattle farmer with in impressive 4.148-second pass in his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang. Hagan led through the 660-foot timer in his DieHard Dodge Charger, but he was losing power near the finish and slowed to a losing 4.162.

“The shot around the world was by Bobby Tasca in the first round,” Force said. “We knew we couldn’t get him until the final round (and that was too late) so somebody had to get him and Bobby got him.”

With the door open, Force blew through by defeating Gary Densham with the second-quickest pass of R1 (4.116) and Bob Bode with the quickest pass of the quarterfinals (4.162). Bode actually kept Force honest with a 4.225 at 295.34 mph.

“To come back… this is my life, if they took the driving away from me I’d get so big, I’d turn into Marlon Brando,” said Force, who defeated Jeff Arend in a photo finish in the Funny Car final. “I’m going to be another five years so you’re all stuck with me.”

Canada's Jeff Arend placed FC R/Up!

Added Hagan: “To mix it up with the best is pretty special. We got the points lead … and he took it back.”

Indeed, Force led for 18 of the first 20 races before Hagan took the lead in Reading and held onto it through Las Vegas.

 “To finish second, we were definitely bummed, it hurts inside, we had a legitimate shot at this thing,” Hagan said. “I’m probably going to lay in my bed for many days to come and think about what we could have done differently to have come out with a different outcome.”

In just his second full season, Hagan finished three wins (one in the Countdown), two runner-ups (both in the Countdown) and four No. 1 qualifiers (two in the Countdown).

“We’ve had a great season, nothing to hang my head about,” he said.   Teammate and mentor Tony Schumacher said of Hagan: “I’m brokenhearted for him. What a great kid.”

The Top Fuel championship went according to form with Dixon clinching the title with his first-round win over Mike Strasburg.

“I’ve never had so much excitement for a first-round win in my life,” said Dixon, who drives the Al-Anabi dragster for team manager and renowned tuner Alan Johnson, crew chief Jason McCulloch and team owner Sheik Khalid Al-Thani.

“If you want to win in this sport you have to surround yourself with talent and I believe we have the best in the business,” Dixon said. “(Alan), he has his own team again, so I’m very proud of him. And I know if (his brother) Blaine (Johnson) was still here, he’d be the one talking to you right now.”

Dixon entered eliminations with an 82-point lead over Schumacher and the rival U.S. Army team, which needed to win the race, set the national record and have Dixon lose in the first round. Any hopes of another Tony Schumacher miracle – he famously won the 2006 and 2007 titles on the last pass of the season – were put to rest early with Dixon’s first-round win.

“Everyone has to realize, we love to battle and it’s been an amazing battle,” Schumacher said. “We got beat, no way to beat around the bush. They deserve to be the champion right now.”

Tonglet, like Force, got an assist along the way to his championship, but his came from the rider in front of him in the standings, Andrew Hines, who red-lighted aboard his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson in the first round.

Tonglet did not let the opportunity slip, powering his NitroFish Gear Suzuki to the second-quickest runs in each respective session en route to the first-round win over Matt Guidera and quarterfinal, championship-clinching win over Steve Johnson.

“It feels awesome. The way the year started, we didn’t think this was possible. It’s just been unbelievable since Indy. I can’t thank Kenny Koretsky and NitroFish enough,” Tonglet said.

Tonglet is the third rookie to win an NHRA Full Throttle Series championship, joining Gary Scelzi (1997, Top Fuel) and Frank Hawley (1982, Funny Car).

The Pro Stock championship was decided on Saturday when Greg Anderson successfully qualified into the field. The title was Anderson’s first since he won three straight from 2003-05.

 Among the event winners, Brown (3.840 at 311.99) defeated Shawn Langdon (4.185 at 306.46) to win repeat as Top Fuel champion of the Auto Club NHRA Finals. Brown became the first driver not named Dixon, Schumacher, Kalitta or McClenathan to win a Top Fuel race this season. 

Top Fuel winner - Antron Brown

In Pro Stock, Gray capped off his impressive rookie season with the first win of his career, hole-shotting one of the best in the business (Jeg Coughlin), 6.566 (.010 RT) at 209.20 mph to 6.568 at 210.18.

Rising star Shane Gray scored his first win in Pro Stock

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Hector Arana red-lighted, but it wouldn’t likely have mattered because Krawiec delivered the quickest run in the history of the Pro Stock Motorcycle class aboard his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson, a national-record pass of 6.811 seconds. 

(Photos by:  Bruce Biegler)   —  To view our AAA Auto Club Finals Photo Gallery click:  HERE

PMRA/Q32 Night of Champions – Highlights 

THE 30TH ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET LIVES UP TO ALL EXPECTATIONS

Posted by: Arnie Malcolm

There is no question that the drag racers of Luskville Dragway and the Benson Auto Parts Tour are famous for their drag racing. But something else they are just as famous for, is Partying and having a good time whether it be following the race day activities or the once a year Awards Banquet, yes what ever this group does they do it well. And that was certainly the case this past Saturday night as close to 150 drivers and crew members partied to all hours of the morning as they celebrated yet another year of racing. The event was once again held at the all new Hampton Inn in Ottawa’s west end and the meal, as we often say was worth the price of admission.

The dinner was followed by opening remarks by Arnie Malcolm, introducing of all advertisers who where present and a brief recap on 2010 summer. Things where then kicked into high gear as far as the awards go, as first racers up was the Jr. Dragster Champions with Jacob Wilson introduced as the 2010 Track Champion. In a year that saw the Jr. class have its very best season ever, Jacob can take great pride in his accomplishments. Of course his father Scott has already begun the building of Jacobs future endeavors in a few years with the purchase of a big car for then.

This was followed by the introduction of Mark Selfridge and Tina Cryderman of Benson Auto Parts who joined Malcolm on stage for the rest of the presentations. The Luskville Dragway Benson Semi Pro winners where introduced (all 15 of them) with Marc Sauvé being the last to come too the stage, as he was the #1 driver in this class for 2010. The last award for the Semi Pro regulars at Luskville Dragway was capped off with the presentation of Rookie of the Year which appropriately went to Mike Devenny. Mike and his family have been such a welcome addition to Luskville Dragway and everyone concurs they are fun to have around.

Super Pro Luskville Dragway top 10 where next too come too the  stage, this group reads like a who’s who of Luskville Dragway top dogs but this night the real top dog was first time Champion Troy Davis. Troy is with out question one of the most popular drivers at the track as well as on the Tour, and winning the championship was applauded by all in attendance. Davis will be back too defend his title in 2011 but not in his familiar Race Tech Dragster as it has been sold, but it will be a dragster that is for sure. Rookie of the year in Super Pro was a tight fought battle between Denis Black and Julie Dube, and when the ballots had all been counted Julie was the 2010 Super Pro Rookie of the year. With the Luskville Track winners all been centered out it was time to bring the Benson Auto Parts Tour Champions too the stage. This was also started out with the Semi Pro Class and this was the only place where a repeat Champion was introduced, Fred Ellis of Southern Ontario as become the number #1 Foot Brake racer in the country with this back to back Championship runs. Super Pro once again had some of the best Bracket Racers in Canada come too the stage before Kyle Jessup was introduced as the 2010 Tour Super Pro Champion.

After that there was only one award left, Driver of the Year, and that like the rookie awards is an award that is voted on by the race teams. As it has for the past many years, it is the one time in the night when the room becomes very quiet, and then Jamie Tupper of Tillisonburg, Ontario was brought to the stage and applauded as the 2010 Driver of the Year. With his back too back wins at the Bracket Bonanza and his deep round runs all season long Tupper was hands down the favorite as the voting showed. Tupper is also instrumental in helping broker deals with advertisers, deals for drivers looking for cars, and lending just about anything he has in his trailer (including race cars) too help out drivers played a big part in his winning of the most sought after award of the year. Following the awards announcements where made on next year, with the most applause coming for the return of Benson Auto Parts and the new pavement at the track. And then the fun begun, as Trashed Taxi’s took too the stage to entertain everyone for the remainder of the night. Following the end of the live band, much more live activities took place in drivers rooms upstairs as the night, which became early morning was capped with some of the wildest bench racing sessions ever.

There is no question that much of the bench racing centered around the repaving, but the all new door/pro garnered some of the headlines also. I think that everyone will agree that most are very excited about 2011, and beyond and that was very evident in the atmosphere that protruded from the banquet gathering.

POLLARD NITROSPORTS WILL ATTEND 2010 MANUFACTURERS CUP FINALS IN GEORGIA

By:  Jory Elliott

After exactly a one year hiatus from the track, Pollard Nitrosports will return to action at this year’s Manufacturer’s Cup Finals at South Georgia Motorsports Park in Valdosta, Georgia, November 12-14…. (continue reading…)

DRC’s Willowbank Walk-A-Bout!

By:       Bruce Biegler

DragRaceCanada had the immense pleasure of heading “down under” during the month of October.  During our fabulous one month visit to Australia one of the many highlights we did experience was a visit to fabled Willowbank Raceway located near Ipswich, QLD…..

Willowbank's Manager Peter Bevan (left) was a gracious host. (Photo by: Grasshopper)

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Quick 32 Champion – Kevin Wicke – Profiled 

By:  Tim Miller

2011 NHRA GET SCREENED AMERICA PRO MOD – DRAG RACING SERIES SCHEDULE

By:  Anthony Vestal 

 NHRA officials announced on (Oct. 21st)  the 10-race 2011 NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series schedule — with the addition of the 12^th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals, April 1-3, in Las Vegas.

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Can-Am Stock/SS Awards Photo Highlights

Queenston Group - Top Ten points earners: Rob Carpenter, Chuck Nagy, Tony ValerioJr, Vince Giglio & Rob Becker

Series Co-Champions - Rob Becker, Vince Giglio & Rob Carpenter

Dan "The Sign Man" custom trophies - Left to right - Vince Giglio, Rob Carpenter, Dan DeLaney & Rob Becker

Vince Vanni Spirit of the Big Man Memorial Award - presented to Betsy Smith (L-R: Betsy Smith, Sandra Vanni, Kirk Vanni, Alicia Vanni and Mike Vanni)

Photos Courtesy of: Rob Potter

Photo Gallery Additions!

By:  Bruce Biegler

I’ve said it before and I will say it again….DragRaceCanada is very privleged to have such a talented group of regional contributing photographers (and we thank you all!).   (continue reading…)

Event results, photos and summaries from major ANDRA races in Australia, FIA sanctioned European Drag Racing Championship races and IHRA Nitro Jam events held in Canada can be easily accessed below.

If you see green — that means go!

2010 International Drag Racing Schedule:

Country	Date	Title	Location	Event Essentials
	Jan. 8-9	ANDRA TF Championships	Perth WA
	Jan. 29-30	ANDRA Top Alcohol Champs	Perth WA
	Feb. 12-13	ANDRA Summernationals	Sydney NSW
	Mar. 27-29	ANDRA Western Nationals	Perth WA
	Apr. 17-18	ANDRA TF Championships	Brisbane QLD
	April 30-May 2	ANDRA Nitro Championships	Sydney NSW
	May 28-31	FIA Main Event	Santa Pod England
	June 10-13	ANDRA Winternationals	Brisbane QLD
	Jun. 25-27	IHRA Rocky Mountain Nitro Jam	Edmonton, AB
	July 4-7	FHRA Nitro Nationals (FIA)	Alstaro Finland
	Jul. 16-18	IHRA Mopar Canadian Nitro Jam	Grand Bend, ON
	July 29-Aug 1	FIA Veidec Festival	Mantorp Sweden
	Aug. 13-15	FIA Nitrolympx	Hockenheim Germany
	Sep. 9-12	FIA European Finals	Santa Pod England
	Sep. 10-12	ANDRA Australian Nationals	Sydney NSW
	Oct. 30-31	ANDRA Nationals	Sydney NSW
	Dec. 3-4	Golden State Titles	Perth WA
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 Records