Heartland Emergence! « DragRaceCanada.com

Heartland Emergence!

by editor on May.25, 2018, under Mopar Canada - National News

Pro Stock racer Deric Kramer has become the newest named winner within NHRA’s Pro Stock class category history…..

And Courtney Force capturing her first career back-to-back Funny Car victories during the 30th annual Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals presented by Minties at Heartland Motorsports Park.

The event was postponed until Monday after weather delayed the track activity until 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, which allowed for only two rounds of eliminations for Top Fuel and Funny Car, and one round for Pro Stock.

Clay Millican (Top Fuel) was also victorious at the event which saw all three winning Pro drivers emerge victorious after being the No. 1 qualifiers at the event.

Kramer drove to his first career victory in his American Ethanol Chevrolet Camaro with a pass of 6.615 at 209.36 to defeat two-time world champion Erica Enders in the final round. Prior to entering the event, he had 13 career round wins. He is the 67th different Pro Stock driver to win in NHRA history.

Colorado’s Derek Kramer – who switched brands to Chevrolet this season – was paid dividends for that move with a rewarding first ever career NHRA Pro Stock event title win.

“I’ve been working a long time for this,” Kramer stated. “The first win leaves me a little speechless but I’m already looking for the next one. Always great as a driver to do your part and I’ve certainly been doing that all weekend.”

Kramer faced Will Hatcher, Matt Hartford and Jason Line to enter his second final round of his career. Enders took down Mark Hogan, Tanner Gray and Greg Anderson before her third final round this season.

Force powered her Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro to a pass of 3.928-seconds at 329.83 mph to defeat defending world champion and teammate Robert Hight in the final round. She was the No. 1 qualifier for the event. Force locked-in her third win of the season and 11th of her career.

Courtney Force – who won NHRA’s previous event at Atlanta – roared to victory in Fuel FC racing

“Coming off a back-to-back win is just insane,” Force stated. “I got on the radio and told my guys that they’re unbelievable and that it’s so much fun to drive this race car. Coming out to a track where the conditions have changed a lot, I have to give credit to my crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Dan Hood.”

Force defeated Richard Townsend, Matt Hagan and J.R. Todd before entering her third final round this season. Hight drove past Cruz Pedregon, Tommy Johnson Jr. and Shawn Langdon before entering his fourth career final round at Heartland Motorsports Park.

Millican clinched his second career national event title after he piloted his Strutmasters/Great Clips dragster to a 3.727 at 332.59 pass to defeat Terry McMillen in the finals. This was the first time that Millican and McMillen had faced each other in a final round. Millican secured his 10th career final round and first at the Menards Heartland NHRA Nationals presented by Minties.

Fan favourite driver – Clay Millican – won his 2nd career NHRA Top Fuel title.

“The car has been really good,” Millican said. “Pretty much didn’t matter what I did because that car was going to win today. It’s just awesome with all of the work [crew chief] David Grubnic has put in. He found some consistency which is what I’ve been saying all along.”

Millican defeated Terry Totten, Doug Kalitta and eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher prior to entering his first final round of the season. McMillen raced past Mike Salinas, Billy Torrence and Steve Torrence before entering his fifth career final round.

Smith Strikes in Pro Mod

Rickie Smith drove to victory Monday during the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service portion of the Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals presented by Minties at Heartland Motorsports Park. This weekend’s Pro Mod racing, presented by Summit Racing Equipment is the fourth of 12 events this season.

Smith ran a 6.262-second pass at 233.52 mph in his Chevrolet Camaro to take down the No. 1 qualifier Chad Green in the final round and earn his second victory of the season and 13th of his career. Smith defeated Harry Hruska, Shane Molinari and Todd Tutterow on his to the win.

Wily veteran Rickie Smith scored his 13th career NHRA Pro Mod class win

“I’m just glad we won the thing,” Smith stated. “I think every round we had to work for it. Everybody was tough competition. You hate to start watching points, but when you start getting going you hate to give any round up. As a driver I have to try the best I can.”

Green secured his first runner-up finish at the second race of his Pro Mod career. He is currently chasing his first victory.

The E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service continues at the Virginia NHRA Nationals in Richmond, Va. On June 8-10.

Editors Note: For more details on Pro Mod class racing from this event click on DragRaceCanada’s VP Racing Fuels Pro Mod Portal : HERE

Jay Turner was the winner of the event’s Top Fuel Harley division. He scored his 10th career NHRA victory but his first of the 2018 season when he outgunned Tii Tharpe in the final round by a 6.260 secs 226.54 mph to 6.760 secs 182.72 mph margin.

Turner who had qualified 2nd behind Doug Vancil had taken the measure of Bill Jackson and Canada’s Mike Scott during the first two rounds of competition.

The Top Fuel Harley winner was Jay Turner from North Carolina

The Lucas Oil Lowdown

West Coast Canadian star racer Shawn Cowie won for the 12th time in his career at the NHRA national event level in Top Alcohol Dragster. The Surrey BC based racer ran a final round 5.235 secs 275.62 to defeat Monroe Guest’s injected nitro car which ran 5.273, 272.83 mph. Cowie’s statement victory also included low ET and top speed of the event for the class at 5.208 secs and 278.00 mph.

Shawn Cowie continued his impressive 2018 season march – winning his 2 NHRA national event title of the year in TAD

California’s Shane Westerfield, the defending 2017 NHRA Lucas Oil World Champion, drove his Chevy Camaro to a final round 5.508, 268.87 secs to defeat Doug Gordon, Camaro which ran 5.838, 261.17 secs.

The remaining Lucas Oil event titles went to Michael Mans (Super Stock), Tyler Wudarczyuk (Stock), Danielle Jaramillo-Miller (Super Comp), Kevin Theobald (Super Gas), Phil Unruh (TOP DRAGSTER presented by RACINGRVS.COM) and Dusty Meyer (TOP SPORTSMAN presented by RACINGRVS.COM)