Don Schumacher’s multi-car NHRA Funny Car class contingent continued their 2015 season domination recording their 5th win in six races so far….
Driving the NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger, Ron Capps raced to his second Funny Car victory of the season during the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA SpringNationals presented by Super Start Batteries – held at Baytown Texas. Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Erica Enders-Stevens (Pro Stock) also were winners at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event at Royal Purple Raceway.
Capps powered past teammate Jack Beckman in the final round to earn his 44th career Funny Car victory and move into second behind John Force on NHRA’s all-time wins list in that category. Capps finished in 4.244 seconds at 258.32 mph in his NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger, while event top qualifier Beckman trailed with a 4.480 at 205.16 in his Infinite Hero Foundation Charger.
“It’s crazy to think that I am number two on that list,” Capps said. “I am not that good, so it just shows you from my time with (team owner) Don Prudhomme on down to my team at Don Schumacher Racing, all of the great people I have worked with over the years, it’s a credit to them.”
The fuel FC final at Houston was all Mopar and all DSR – with Capps defeating Beckman
Capps defeated John Hale, Matt Hagan and Robert Hight in earlier rounds, posting a string of low 4.0-second runs on a hot and humid day in the Lone Star state.
“This is one of those races that when you can win it, you feel like you really earned it,” said an exhausted Capps of his third Houston win. “With the conditions that we had to drive in and tune in this weekend it feels great to get a win here.”
Capps moved into the series points lead with the victory, while Beckman moved up to sixth in the standings.
Jack Beckman reset the track record to 3.988 secs when earning the pole in FC
In Top Fuel, Kalitta outran longtime rival Tony Schumacher in the final round to earn his 36th career victory and his first win since last August in Seattle. Kalitta, who passed “Big Daddy” Don Garlits on the all-time Top Fuel wins list with the effort, drove his Mac Tools dragster to a winning time of 3.820 at 324.98 while Schumacher’s U.S. Army machine slowed near the finish line with a 4.014 at 225.60.
“I’ve had a couple dry spells,” said Kalitta, who beat Troy Buff, Larry Dixon and top qualifier Spencer Massey in the opening rounds. “It’s one of those deals where you never know when you’re going to win one of these, so you have to appreciate the opportunity and appreciate these wins when you get them. It’s a good feeling.”
Top Fuel winner Doug Kalitta in the Mac Tools dragster
It is the first time Kalitta has defeated eight-time world champ Schumacher in a final round since Brainerd in 2003, a stretch of 10 consecutive final rounds.
“We got by him, so it wasn’t until the end that we got him,” Kalitta said. “Tony’s a tough competitor, and here lately, we’ve had a tough time getting around him. Hopefully, this is a sign of things to come.”
With the win Katlitta moved to fifth in the series standings and Schumacher moved into the series points lead with the runner-up finish.
Defending Pro Stock world champ Enders-Stevens earned her second-straight victory at this event and the 14th of her career by outrunning fellow Texan Chris McGaha in the final round. She powered her Elite Motorsports Chevy Camaro to a winning performance of 6.571 at 211.73, while McGaha’s Harlow Sammons of Odessa Camaro trailed with a 6.598 at 211.66. With the win, her second of the season, Enders-Stevens moved into the series points lead for the first time this season.
Erica Enders-Stevens took over the PS points lead following a thrilling home state victory!
Enders-Stevens said her Elite Motorsports team went above and beyond in order to get this victory. Just before the semifinal round her team had to change an engine in 11 minutes to make the semifinal. She beat Allen Johnson, Vincent Nobile and Jonathan Gray en route to the final.
“It’s so hard to win,” Enders-Stevens said. “People have no idea how challenging it is to pull together and to be on top two weeks in a row is an incredible accomplishment. This was one of the more emotional wins for me given the adversity we faced and what we all overcame today.”
Doug Kalitta – Ron Capps & Erica Enders Stevens stool tall after eliminations yesterday at Houston.
J&A Pro Mod Feature to Walsh
Michigan’s Don Walsh raced to victory in the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series portion of the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA SpringNationals. This weekend’s Pro Mod racing at Royal Purple Raceway was presented by the Real Pro Mod Association.
Michigan’s Don Walsh rode to victory in Pro Mod with his turbocharged 2015 Camaro
Walsh powered his Precision Turbo/Walsh Motorsports Camaro to a 5.872-second pass at 249.12 mph, defeating Bill Glidden’s 8.945 at 123.41 in his Mickey Thompson Ford Mustang in the finals. It was Walsh’s second career Pro Mod win and he now leads the points standings. Walsh was the No. 1 qualifier and defeated Gainesville winner Bob Rahaim, Mike Janis and Jim Whiteley on his way to the final.
Glidden entered eliminations as the No. 10 qualifier. He defeated Jeff Naiser, reigning world champ Rickie Smith and Troy Coughlin Jr. on the way to the finals.
The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continues May 15-17 with the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway, Commerce, Ga.
The Lucas Oil Lowdown !
TAD winner Randy Meyer was consistently quick while taking the title
Randy Meyer and Doug Gordon took home wins in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car as well as brothers Jeff and Robby Lopez at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Super Start Batteries at Royal Purple Raceway.
Meyer, Spring Hill, Kan., faced off with David Brounkowski, Cypress, Texas, in the Top Alcohol Dragster final clocking in at 5.327 seconds at 271.73 mph for the easy win after Brounkowski left early with a red light foul start. Meyer set low elapsed time of each round of eliminations including a 5.264 seconds in his semifinal win over Lee Callaway for the low E.T. of the event. The win was Meyer’s eighth, and third in a row at Royal Purple Raceway.
Gordon was out first on Ulf Leanders in the funny car final and never trailed crossing the finish line in 5.813 seconds, 241.76 mph for his sixth NHRA national event win. The Paso Robles, Calif., racer defeated Brian Hough and number one qualifier Jonnie Lindberg on his way to the final.
Jeff and Robby Lopez made it a family affair taking home the trophies in Super Comp and Super Gas respectively. Robby, Grand Prairie, Texas, was first up in his ’63 Corvette taking the win against Steve Collier for the first national event win of his career. Former NHRA Lucas Oil National Champion Jeff got the early lead on Dan Foley and posted an 8.895, 164.21 mph lap for the win in his new 2015 dragster.
Veteran racer David Rampy collected his 89 NHRA national win with his familiar ’32 red roadster. The Piedmont, Ala., resident went 7.268 seconds at 181.98 mph to down Joey Tanksley of Greenwell Spurs, La. and his ’03 dragster with the quicker 6.397, 211.66
Three additional Texans won for the home state as Bob Gulitti, J R Baxter and Rick Huffman pickup victories. Gullitti, Tomball, Texas, drover his ’11 Chevrolet to a 6.695, 208.46 mph win over Trent Wilson, Castroville, Texas, in Top Sportsman while Baxter, Waxahachie, Texas, beat out William Kruse with a 6.628, 192.69. Huffman, Burleson, Texas, knocked out Frank Kohutek, Mesquite, Texas, in the Super Street final round. This was the second national event win for both Gulitti and Huffman with both of their previous wins coming in here in Baytown.
Second generation driver Jimmy Hidalgo Jr. and David Latino rounded out the list of winners. Both drivers are out of Donaldsonville, La., as Hidalgo beat Gary Emmons, Friendswood, Texas, in Super Stock and Latino won in Stock over Brett Candies. This was Hidalgo’s second win in Super Stock and Latino’s second on the national event circuit.
Defending Lucas Oil World Champ David Rampy – won in Comp
Posted with files from NHRA Communications, Eric Lotz and Bruce Biegler
Photos by NHRA and DragRaceCanada
