NHRA Declares 3 World Champs at Las Vegas

NHRA Declares 3 World Champs at Las Vegas

by editor on Nov.02, 2015, under National News

The penultimate NHRA event of the season has determined three of NHRA’s 2015 World Champions….

Antron Brown and Erica Enders won NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championship titles in Top Fuel and Pro Stock categories following the conclusion of the NHRA Toyota Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Ohio’s Troy Coughlin clinched the J&A Services Pro Modified championship driving his Jeg’s sponsored turbocharged Corvette.

Antron Brown has secured the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel championship.

Brown claimed his second Top Fuel world championship when he advanced one round farther than rival Tony Schumacher during eliminations. Enders secured her second straight world championship crown when she won in the quarterfinals and rival Greg Anderson lost in the same round. Enders then raced to victory, her ninth of the season and fourth in a row at LVMS. Brown lost in the semifinals.

In other racing, Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) joined Enders as event winners at the 2nd to last playoff race in the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship.

Brown, who also won the Top Fuel world championship in 2012, remains the only African-American to win a major U.S. auto racing championship title. He opened the playoffs with three consecutive wins to put his team in position to clinch the title early, with one race remaining. He nearly claimed his eighth victory of the season today, but he lost a photo-finish to veteran racer Kalitta in the semis.

“We were greedy. We really wanted to have the Toyota Wally (trophy) next to that big Wally, but, hey, we’ll take the big one any day,” said Brown, whose Matco Tools team pocketed $500,000 for the championship title. “I just lost a race to Doug Kalitta by five-ten-thousandths of a second. It’s probably the closest race of all year. That’s how competitive this class has gotten, and that’s what makes this so big and makes it worth it when you can go out there and win a championship like our team has.”

Meanwhile, Enders joined Angelle Sampey as the only women in NHRA history who have successfully defended a world championship title. Sampey won three consecutive Pro Stock Motorcycle crowns from 2000-2002.

Enders claimed her fourth consecutive victory at LVMS and 21st career victory by outrunning rookie Bo Butner in the final round. Enders Elite Motorsports Chevy Camaro posted a 6.595 at 208.97 to finish in front of Butner’s Speed Dawg Shift Knobs Camaro, which trailed with a 6.610 at 209.33.

Erica Enders won her 2nd consecutive NHRA Pro Stock World Championship

Erica Enders won the event + her 2nd consecutive NHRA Pro Stock World Championship!

“My guys are so incredible,” said Enders, who earned $250,000 for the championship and another $50,000 for taking the event victory. “It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you get the right people around you. To do it in front of all my sponsors and family here this weekend it is incredible. To cap off a second world championship here at Vegas is just crazy.”

Kalitta took his third win of the season by outrunning Larry Dixon’s C&J Energy Services dragster in the Top Fuel final. Dixon’s dragster lost traction early and Kalitta’s Mac Tools dragster roared by, but then shut off early and coasted across the finish line for his 38th career victory.

“It was a good day for us,” said Kalitta, who moved from 10th to sixth in the points standings with the win. “As we were going rounds, once we got past Antron cause that was an incredibly close race, I was feeling good for the finals. Not sure what happened there in the final. It was a lucky win for us, but we’ll take it. It’s Vegas and anything can happen.”

The event’s Top Fuel winner – Doug Kalitta

In Funny Car, Hight earned his second win of the season and 36th of his career, powering his Auto Club Chevy Camaro past top qualifier Tommy Johnson Jr.’s Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T. With the win, Hight moved past Don “The Snake” Prudhomme and Cruz Pedregon on NHRA’s all-time Funny Car wins list. He moved from eighth to sixth in Funny Car points.

“It’s really a bummer to me to not be in the points chase this late in the year,” said Hight, who is now a five-time winner at LVMS. “We’re not used to that. It drives you because you want to be there. It makes you dig deep so we’re not in the same position next year. We got a win out of it. Del Worsham’s a good friend of mine. I’m pulling for him to win the championship, but Auto Club pays me to win races, and luckily, we got the job done today.”

Robert Hight beat Tommy Johnson Jr in the fuel FC final

Johnson’s strong effort this weekend put him in the championship conversation in Funny Car, albeit 97 points back in third place behind leader Del Worsham and second place Jack Beckman. Worsham and Beckman lost in the second round and Worsham leads by 38 points heading to the season-finale at Pomona.

Hines earned his fourth Pro Stock Motorcycle victory of the season and third in the Countdown, powering his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson past Jerry Savoie’s White Alligator Racing Suzuki in a final round with major title implications. With the win, Hines increased his series lead to 46 over the hard-charging Savoie. The championship in the two-wheel class will be decided at the Auto Club NHRA Finals in two weeks.

Pro Stock Motorcycle went to Andrew Hines

“The biggest thing was that final round battle between one and two in points,” Hines said. “We’ve been running neck and neck all weekend long. I was in damage control all day and I was lucky enough to turn on a few win lights. That final might’ve looked pressure packed, but I was calm and confident. I knew I needed a good race. The team was able to make the motorcycle go quicker in the final and we got the win.”

Troy Coughlin clinched the Pro Mod championship after winning in the 2nd round

Troy Coughlin claimed his second NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series world championship title Sunday during the NHRA Toyota Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This weekend’s Pro Mod racing was sponsored by Aeromotive.

Coughlin took the title in his yellow and pink JEGS.com Corvette after winning his quarterfinal matchup against Sidnei Frigo and his closest challenger, Bob Rahaim, lost in the same round. Mike Janis, who held the points lead coming into the event, was upset in the opening round of eliminations on Saturday evening. Janis finished second in points.

Coughlin earned $50,000 for winning the season long title. He also won the championship in 2012.

“It seems like it just happened yesterday that we won the first title,” Coughlin said. “Boy, what a sweet deal. What can I say about all the guys on this JEGS.com car. It’s pretty exciting. To come back and do it again, that doesn’t happen very often. As tough as this class has gotten over the last couple years, it makes it that much sweeter, for sure.”

Khalid alBalooshi became the 10th different winner in 10 NHRA Pro Mod races this season

Former Pro Mod champ Khalid alBalooshi powered his Al-Anabi Racing ’69 Camaro to the event victory over Pete Farber. In the final, alBalooshi posted a 6.854 second run at 245.76 mph to finish in front of Farber’s ’69 Dodge Daytona, which trailed with a 6.942 at 244.43. In earlier rounds he outran Rickie Smith, Steven Whiteley and Rick Snavely. It was alBalooshi’s first win of the season and third of his Pro Mod career.

The Lucas Oil Lowdown (Sportsman Final rounds)