Tim Wilkerson raced to his first Funny Car victory since 2011 Sunday at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.

Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Jason Line (Pro Stock), and Hector Arana Sr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also were winners at the seventh of 24 events in the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing season.

Wilkerson, who had not won since 2011 in Seattle, ran a 4.318-second pass at 260.31 mph in his Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Shelby Mustang to better Ron Capps, who trailed with a 5.781 at 125.90 in his NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger R/T. This is Wilkerson’s 18th career win and first ever in Atlanta.

“That 4.03 in the first round was pretty impressive,” said Wilkerson. “I was happy with that. As the track got hotter, I did a good job until the finals. I’m really unhappy about what it did in the final. I was trying to go about a .14, and the thing broke the tires loose.”

En route to the winner’s circle, Wilkerson raced past Del Worsham, Jack Beckman, and John Force in the earlier rounds. Wilkerson, who qualified sixth, is now No. 8 in the points standings.

Capps, the Gainesville and Houston winner, beat Alexis DeJoria, No. 1 qualifier Cruz Pedregon, and defending world champ Matt Hagan on his way to the final round. Capps retained the points lead in Funny Car.

sun35In Top Fuel, Brown pushed his Matco Tools dragster to a final-round performance of 3.887 at 310.48 mph to defeat Leah Pritchett’s 4.202 at 260.41 in her Dote Racing/Gumout dragster. Brown has 49 career wins and four at Atlanta Dragway, tying Larry Dixon for most in the category. His last win at this event was in 2013. Brown, the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals winner in Charlotte, is the only Top Fuel driver to have won multiple races this season.

“It wasn’t just a good day but a good weekend,” Brown said. “We’ve been aiming to start off with a good qualifying run. The first run out of the box on Sunday set the tone for the whole weekend. We started getting data in hot, cool, and middle track temperatures when we tested in Indy. You have to make some swings with the combination we run now. [Crew chiefs] Brian Corradi, Mark Oswald, and all the Matco boys have been putting the work in together. It definitely showed this weekend.”

Brown, the Top Fuel points leader, qualified No. 1 and defeated Shawn Langdon, Doug Kalitta, and Terry McMillen before meeting Pritchett in the final.

Pritchett sprinted to her first career final-round appearance by racing past Chris Karamesines, J.R. Todd, and Dixon. The third-year Top Fuel driver qualified third and currently sits 12th in the points standings.

sun33

In Pro Stock, Line raced his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro to a 6.606 at 211.33 performance to defeat teammate Greg Anderson’s 8.628 at 114.39 in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro. It was Line’s 37th career victory and second in Atlanta.

“Today was a great day for Summit and KB Racing for sure,” said Line. “This is the way that you normally dream about it, but it usually doesn’t work out that way. Today, it did. I really thought the final was going to go the other way. I got a bit of luck. I wasn’t fast today. I was maybe mediocre. Greg had the car to beat. He was driving better than everyone else, and he should have won it. He wants to win more than anyone I’ve ever met, and that’s what makes him the best.”

Line earned his third consecutive No. 1 qualification this weekend and beat Alan Prusiensky, Larry Morgan, and Rodger Brogdon in the early rounds. Line leads the Pro Stock category points standings.

Line and Anderson met in a final round earlier this year in Gainesville, where Anderson was the victor. This was the 24th time the two Summit teammates have gone head to head in the final round, and Anderson holds a 14-10 advantage.

sun32

Arana earned his first win in Pro Stock Motorcycle since 2009 and seventh overall with a 7.236 at 196.30 on his Lucas Oil Buell to beat 2014 event winner Eddie Krawiec, whose Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson slowed near mid-track.

“I knew I could keep winning, but I had to believe in myself,” Arana said. “In the final, the bike jumped like a bronco. It pulled to the right, but I was not giving up unless he was way in front of me. As long as I had control of the bike, I was staying with it.”

Arana defeated defending world champ Andrew Hines, Jim Underdahl, and son Hector Arana Jr. to make it to the final round. Hector Arana Sr. was the seventh qualifier and holds the No. 3 spot in the points standings.

The 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continues with the NHRA Kansas Nationals on May 22-24 in Topeka.

Kenny Lang raced to victory Sunday in the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series portion of the event. This weekend’s Pro Mod racing at Atlanta Dragway was presented by Pro Line Racing and the Real Pro Mod Association.

In the final round, Lang powered his Summit Racing ’69 Camaro to a 6.061-second pass at 244.07 mph, defeating Troy Coughlin’s 7.392 at 142.94 in his JEGS Mail Order Corvette. It was Lang’s second career Pro Mod win, and he now sits eighth in the points standings. Lang was the No. 12 qualifier and defeated defending world champ Rickie Smith, Eric Latino, and Houston winner Don Walsh on his way to the final.

Coughlin entered eliminations as the No. 10 qualifier. He defeated Gerry Capano, Mike Castellana, and Danny Rowe on the way to the final.

The NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series heads to Englishtown for the Toyota NHRA Summernationals, June 4-7. The event is the fourth of 10 races in the 2015 NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series season.

sun34

2015 NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES STANDINGS
Updated 5/17/2015 (Following the seventh of 24 events; Season victories in parentheses) 
TOP FUEL
Place Driver Points
1. Antron Brown, Indianapolis, Matco Tools dragster (2) 567
2. Tony Schumacher, Austin, Texas, U.S. Army dragster (1) 514
3. Spencer Massey, Fort Worth, Texas, Red Fuel/Sandvik dragster (1) 475
4. Doug Kalitta, Ypsilanti, Mich., Mac Tools dragster (1) 445
5. Shawn Langdon, Indianapolis, Knuckle Sandwich/Bass Pro Shop dragster (1) 437
6. Richie Crampton, Indianapolis, Lucas Oil dragster (1) 427
7. Larry Dixon, Indianapolis, C&J Energy Services dragster 389
8. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus/Great Clips dragster 363
9. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contactors dragster 360
10. J.R. Todd, Indianapolis, Red Line/Kalitta Air dragster 355
FUNNY CAR
1. Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger (2) 523
2. Matt Hagan, Christiansburg, Va., Mopar Express/Rocky Boots Dodge Charger (2) 502
3. Del Worsham, Villa Park, Calif., DHL Toyota Camry 435
4. Robert Hight, Yorba Linda, Calif., Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro 428
5. Tommy Johnson Jr., Avon, Ind., Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger 424
6. Jack Beckman, Norco, Calif., Infinite Hero Dodge Charger (1) 413
7. John Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Peak Anti-Freeze and Coolant Chevy Camaro (1) 407
8. Tim Wilkerson, Springfield, Ill., Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Mustang (1) 387
9. Alexis DeJoria, Austin, Texas, Patron XO Cafe Incendio Toyota Camry 361
10t. Courtney Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Traxxas Chevy Camaro 356
10t. Cruz Pedregon, Brownsburg, Ind., Snap-on Tools Toyota Camry 356
PRO STOCK
1. Jason Line, Mooresville, N.C., Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro (2) 624
2. Erica Enders, New Orleans, Racing in Red Chevy Camaro (2) 592
3. Greg Anderson, Mooresville, N.C., Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro (1) 555
4. Chris McGaha, Odessa, Texas, Harlow Sammons of Odessa Chevy Camaro 464
5. Rodger Brogdon, Tomball, Texas, RoofTec Chevy Camaro (1) 460
6. Drew Skillman, Bargersville, Ind., Ray Skillman Chevy Chevy Camaro 392
7. Larry Morgan, Newark, Ohio, FireAde Chevy Camaro (1) 375
8. Vincent Nobile, Dix Hills, N.Y., Mountain View Tire Chevy Camaro 369
9. Shane Gray, Mooresville, N.C., Gray Motorsports Chevy Camaro 348
10. Allen Johnson, Greeneville, Tenn., Team Mopar Dodge Dart 335
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE (following the ATLANTA third of 16 events)
1. Eddie Krawiec, Brownsburg, Ind., Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson 286
2. Andrew Hines, Brownsburg, Ind., Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson (1) 212
3. Hector Arana Sr., Milltown, Ind., Lucas Oil Buell (1) 201
4t. Hector Arana Jr., Milltown, Ind., Lucas Oil Buell 195
4t. Karen Stoffer, Gardnerville, Nev., Suzuki (1) 195
6. Scotty Pollacheck, Medford, Ore., Petrolhead Apparel Buell 175
7. LE Tonglet, Metairie, La., Nitro Fish Suzuki 165
8. Angelle Sampey, Mathews, La., JoinTeamAngelle.com Buell 161
9. Shawn Gann, Stoneville, N.C., PiranaZ Racing Buell 155
10. Jim Underdahl, Forest Lake, Minn., Bad Boy Buggies Suzuki 128

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here