NHRA’s 2024 national event season campaign hits it’s half way mark in Ohio…..
3X Top Fuel world champion Antron Brown slipped past defending World Champ and points leader Doug Kalitta in the final round of the 18th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals held at Summit Motorsports Park.
Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the 10th of 20 races for the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
Brown denied Kalitta, the reigning world champ, his second straight win, going 3.736-seconds at 330.55 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Matco Tools/Toyota dragster to get past Kalitta’s 3.747 at 334.65 in a fantastic side-by-side duel. It is Brown’s second win this season – and the 60th Top Fuel win in his spectacular career.
Antron reached the final round after defeating Dan Mercier, Clay Millican and Justin Ashley. Brown then led wire-to-wire against the No. 1 qualifier, moving to fourth in points with the thrilling victory.
“This is the best one right now, but your best one is always your next one,” Brown said. “We’re going to celebrate like rock stars tonight because this class is unbelievably tough. You can be on the outside looking in really quick. Coming here, we really felt we had a package that compete and run with anybody.
“The fans here live, eat and breath drag racing and you could tell the way the fans showed out. To be part of that and go rounds, come out the victor – my hat is off to my team. I’m in awe of how we got this done. It’s truly a blessing to be part of this team and get this win and John Force, this win is for you.”
Kalitta reached his fourth straight final of the year and the 117th in his career with round wins against Kyle Wurtzel, Billy Torrence and Steve Torrence. His points lead now stands at 134 over Justin Ashley.
In Funny Car, Bob Tasca III made the most of his second straight trip to the final round in his Ford Performance Dark Horse Mustang, taking down Ron Capps with a standout run of 3.908 at 330.47. It gives Tasca his second win this season and the 17th in his career and the veteran also obliterated the track speed record, going 336.82.
That came in the first round of eliminations against Dave Richards and Tasca then proceeded to knock off Paul Lee and No. 1 qualifier and points leader Austin Prock. That semifinal must-see matchup didn’t disappoint, as Tasca won on a holeshot, going 3.929 at 334.73 to hold off Prock’s 3.927 thanks to a .046 reaction time. Tasca then cruised to the victory in the final round, winning for the second time in Norwalk and also moving to second in points.
“Hats off to Todd Okuhara and Aaron Brooks. Leaving Bristol, we were pretty disappointed,” Tasca said. “They’re about as aggressive of guys as I’ve ever seen, and I’m an aggressive guy. But we have to go down the racetrack. I think we’re like 14 out of 15 runs since Bristol going down the racetrack, and that’s what it takes to win. They just did an incredible job this weekend. Friday, Saturday were some of the most challenging conditions that we’ve ever seen and the car runs .88, .89, like a bracket car. This is a really special group.
“This morning when I woke up and I heard the positive news about John Force, it was like a weight was lifted off our shoulders. This place is special to John and I dedicate this win to John Force. He will be back and he’s the toughest guy I know.”
Capps broke a season-long slump, advancing to his first final of the year and the 148th in his career after taking down Daniel Wilkerson, J.R. Todd and reigning world champion Matt Hagan. Prock’s points lead is now 178 points over Tasca.
Pro Stock’s Aaron Stanfield stayed red-hot, winning his second straight race by taking down points leader Dallas Glenn in the final round with a run of 6.539 at 208.91 in his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports car. It was the quickest run of the weekend in the category and also marks the 10th career victory for the young standout, who also won last weekend in Richmond.
Stanfield advanced to the championship round by defeating Chris McGaha, Deric Kramer and Cristian Cuadra. Glenn ran into tire shake almost immediately, and Stanfield cruised to the victory, moving up to fourth in points in the process.
“This place is awesome and it’s been on my bucket list to get it done,” Stanfield said. “My hot rod was flying this weekend and I’m glad I’m the one that’s behind the wheel. It feels great to get back-to-back wins and get this ice cream scoop here.
“Racing Dallas, we both come from the same background. He’s a tough competitor and it feels good to turn the win light on. We’re both hardworking people, and we’ve really grinded to get in the position we are. It’s cool to get to race against him and he’s bad to the bone, so I know I’ve got to be on my best to beat him. It’s just a cool moment.”
Glenn reached the finals for the fifth time this season and the 22nd time in his career, picking up round wins against Jeg Coughlin Jr., Fernando Cuadra Jr. and Mason McGaha. He also extended his points lead to 89 over Greg Anderson, who fell in the first round. Reigning world champ Erica Enders also lost in the opening round.
Gaige Herrera again raised his performance on Sunday in Pro Stock Motorcycle, extending his NHRA record with an 11th straight win, defeating Matt Smith in the final round on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki with an impressive run of 6.704 at 200.77. The dominant points leader and defending world champion remained undefeated since last September and for all of 2024, winning his sixth straight race this year and first at Summit Motorsports Park.
Herrera qualified third heading into eliminations, but was incredible on Sunday, going a track-record 6.698 at 200.95 to open the day. He added round wins against Chase Van Sant and John Hall to reach the final round before the marquee matchup with Smith. But Herrera left the starting line first and rolled to the victory.
“I have an awesome team behind me, and they deserve more of the credit than I do. I get the spotlight but all in all, it’s them. It shows their hard work. It’s just been a lot accomplished in a short time and it’s really hard to take it all in, but I’m enjoying it. It’s unbelievable but it makes me feel like all my hard work is paying off. I’ve always wanted to be here since I was a little kid.
“I actually grew up one city over from John Force. You grow up watching John, hearing about him, to have my name in that same area – it’s still John Force, you can never compare yourself to anyone like that, but to have my name mentioned in the history books like that, it’s incredible. I never would have dreamed anything of it as a kid and I still don’t believe it.”
Smith earned his second trip to the finals this year and the 77th in his career thanks to round wins against Wesley Wells and Richard Gadson.
Saturday’s schedule Mission #2Fast2Tasty racing featured Top Fuel points leader Doug Kalitta making the fastest run in track history at Summit Motorsports Park (337.16 mph) while picking up the win.
Austin Prock (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Richard Gadson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won titles for the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge event.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action July 19-21 with the NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Seattle.
FlexJet & Factory X Firsts
For the third time this season Louisana’s Stephen Bell drove Chevrolet COPO Camaro to a Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown national event win extending his point lead over a stacked field of Camaros, Dodge Drag Paks and Ford Cobra Jets.
At Summit Motorsports Park Bell, the No. 1 qualifier outran Mike Clark, Lee Hartman, David Janac and Mark Pawuk on the way to his way to victory. This was Bell’s second consecutive win at “America’s Racetrack.”
“I’m just the luckiest guy in the world and so blessed to be doing this,” said Bell. “My family allows me to do this, and they support it. My engine guys Greg and Aaron Stanfield and my crew guys Dean and Dylan did an amazing job. We just have so much fun at the races and we get along. We’re all checking and double checking everything on the car. We’re just in a groove right now and I want to keep it going.”
The latest round for the newest class within NHRA racing – Holley EFI Factory X — was also part of the competition program at Summit Motorsports Park. The Norwalk event (the 4th of 8 season races) featured 8 entries and it was Pennsylvania’s Lenny Lottig who emerged with the win – his first.
Lottig defeated Aaron Stanfield in a final round battle of Camaros willing by a 7.091 secs 190.89 mph to 7.152 secs 193.13 mph count. He had defeated Aaron’s father Greg Stanfield in round one and also Steven Bell (the FSS winner) in the semi final.
The cool and developing category was paced by highly versatile driver Alex Laughlin who competed racing a 2021 Challenger. Alex set both low ET and top speed with that machine while qualifying #1 – 7.056 secs 201.43 mph.
The Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series will return to action next August 15-17 at the Lucas Oil Nationals from Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, MN., while the Holley EFI Factory X racers will next attend during the 70th Anniversary edition US Nationals at Indy.
Lucas Oil Lowdown
(Sportsman Racing Final Rounds Results)
Top Alcohol Dragster — Jeff Veale, 5.351, 277.03 def. Julie Nataas, 18.056, 45.87.
Top Alcohol Funny Car — Sean Bellemeur, Chevy Camaro, 5.430, 268.17 def. Madison Gordon, Camaro, 15.112, 77.72.
Competition Eliminator — Royce Freeman, Chevy Camaro, 6.952, 195.99 def. Robert Bailey, Dragster, 6.677, 192.77.
Super Stock — Jeff Dona, PontiacFirebird, 9.787, 134.23 def. Monty Bogan, Chevy Camaro, 9.089, 141.50.
Stock Eliminator — Ken Whitcher, ChevyCamaro, 11.250, 114.95 def. Brenda Grubbs, Camaro, 9.989, 131.19.
Super Comp — Phil Smida, Dragster, 8.896, 179.78 def. Jamie Elrod, Dragster, 8.892, 178.83.
Super Gas — Bob Prose, Rambler Wagon, 9.818, 151.37 def. Michael Handras, Chevy Cavalier, Foul – Red Light.
Top Dragster — Al Peavler, Dragster, 6.121, 225.41 def. Chris Sullivan, Dragster, 6.574, 195.48.
Top Sportsman — James Hinkle, Pontiac Grand Am, 7.463, 181.03 def. Zach Sackman, Chevelle, 6.514, 211.33.
Junior Dragster Shootout — Madeline Rodgers, American, 8.078, 78.96 def. James Graves, Bos, Foul – Red Light.
Scott Rods — Scott Leber, Corvette, 5.600, 124.12 def. Rich Miller, Anglia, 5.582, 124.72.
Posted with files by NHRA Communications – Elon Werner & Bruce Biegler
Photos by Steve Embling – Dave DeAngelis – Gary Nastase
To view the LMLC Media event photo gallery from this event click : HERE