Richie Crampton claimed his first career Top Fuel victory, becoming the 100th different winner in the category, at the Toyota NHRA Summernationals on Sunday.
Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock), and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also were respective winners at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.
Crampton powered his GEICO/Lucas Oil dragster to a 3.819-second pass at 320.51 mph to defeat Top Fuel points leader Doug Kalitta in the final round. The victory came during the Australian’s ninth career start after replacing Morgan Lucas in the off-season and only a week after Crampton and his girlfriend welcomed the birth of their first child.
“This is all surreal right now,” Crampton said. “I’m really just living the dream. I know that sounds cliché, but I’m just lucky to be in the position I’m at in my personal life and my career.”
Crampton was the No. 2 qualifier for the event, his career-best starting spot. The win was extra sweet given Crampton’s milestone achievement.
“I had no idea coming into this race that somebody could possibly be the 100th new winner in Top Fuel, but it’s pretty special to get that particular point on the list,” Crampton said. “You think about how many great drivers there are on that particular list, and it’s icing on the cake for me there.”
Kalitta was appearing in his fifth final of the season in his Mac Tools dragster. Despite the defeat, Kalitta increased his points lead over second-place Antron Brown to 103 points.
Pedregon was the class of the Funny Car field all weekend, going from No. 1 qualifier to the race victory with a performance of 4.126 at 301.33 in his Snap-on Tools Toyota Camry over Del Worsham in his DHL Camry in the final. The win was a relief for Pedregon, whose team has struggled early this season.
“It was a tremendous points day,” said Pedregon. “To say I’m excited and happy would be an understatement, but I also feel relieved a little bit. We’ve dug ourselves a pretty good hole this year.”
The win was Pedregon’s 35th of his career and first of the season. With the victory, Pedregon tied NHRA legend Don Prudhomme for fourth on the all-time Funny Car wins list.
“Prudhomme is my hero, and it means a lot [to tie him],” Pedregon said. “I’ve been doing this a long time. I’ve had plenty of opportunities, but I think my biggest accomplishment is the fact that I have been doing it so long in different scenarios. To be able to do this at this level and maintain it 20 years later means everything to me.”
Coughlin secured his second Pro Stock win of the season and 58th of his career by defeating Greg Anderson in the final round with a 6.510 at 213.94 in his JEGS.com/Mopar Dodge Dart.
“We had the kind of conditions that Pro Stock cars love today with a great barometer and not a cloud in the sky, but you had to work for it,” Coughlin said. “They gave us enough time to figure it out, and we had a great day.”
Coughlin, the defending and five-time world champ, has reached the final in the last three events, also winning Atlanta and finishing runner-up in Topeka. He beat Anderson’s Summit Racing Chevy Camaro in both finals this season.
Erica Enders-Stevens had a great weekend performance-wise in her Elite Motorsports Chevy Camaro; she reset both ends of the Pro Stock national record with her 6.464-second e.t. and 215.55-mph speed.
Hines defeated Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson teammate Eddie Krawiec to take the Pro Stock Motorcycle victory. It was the second win for Hines at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.
“We are back,” Hines said. “I think we put an exclamation point on that this weekend. We’ve been digging the last year and a half to get back to where we were. I’ve always said that racing gets in the way of our R&D, and this winter, we had a chance to get a lot of work done, and we’re starting to reap the benefits.”
A three-time Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion, Hines recorded his second win of the season and 34th of his career. He leaves Englishtown having increased his points lead.
The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continues in Bristol with the 14th annual Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers at Bristol Dragway, June 13-15.
Von Smith raced to his first victory of the season and sixth of his career during the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series portion of the event, presented by Powerocks.
Smith, the No. 5 qualifier, drove his Al-Anabi Racing/Dr. Moon ’69 Camaro to a 5.966-second pass at 241.58 mph, defeating No. 14 seed Jason Hamstra in the final. It was Smith’s second consecutive Pro Mod final-round appearance.
Smith defeated Troy Coughlin, Clint Satterfield, and Eric Latino en route to the final. Smith is the 2010 NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series world champion.
The NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series continues June 13-15 at the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway.
2014 NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES STANDINGS
Updated 6/1/2014 (Following the ninth of 24 events; Season victories in parentheses)
TOP FUEL
Place Driver Points
1. Doug Kalitta, Ypsilanti, Mich., Mac Tools dragster (1) 809
2. Antron Brown, Indianapolis, Matco Tools dragster (3) 706
3. Shawn Langdon, Indianapolis, Al-Anabi Racing dragster 638
4. Spencer Massey, Fort Worth, Texas, Battery Extender dragster (2) 598
5. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contactors dragster 580
6. Khalid alBalooshi, Los Angeles, Al-Anabi Racing dragster (1) 503
7. Tony Schumacher, Chicago, U.S. Army dragster (1) 495
8. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Castrol Edge dragster 462
9. Richie Crampton, Indianapolis, GEICO/Lucas Oil dragster (1) 433
10. J.R. Todd, Indianapolis, Optima/Advance Auto Parts dragster 392
FUNNY CAR
1. Robert Hight, Yorba Linda, Calif., Auto Club Ford Mustang (4) 847
2. John Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang (1) 601
3. Alexis DeJoria, Austin, Texas, Patron XO Cafe Toyota Camry (2) 564
4. Del Worsham, Villa Park, Calif., DHL Toyota Camry 535
5. Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger 534
6. Courtney Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Traxxas Ford Mustang (1) 527
7. Tommy Johnson Jr., Brownsburg, Ind., Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger 508
8. Cruz Pedregon, Brownsburg, Ind., Snap-on Tools Toyota Camry (1) 506
9. Jack Beckman, Norco, Calif., Valvoline Max Life/MTS Dodge Charger 480
10. Matt Hagan, Christiansburg, Va., Mopar/Rocky Boots Dodge Charger 454
PRO STOCK
1. Erica Enders-Stevens, New Orleans, Elite Motorsports Chevy Camaro (2) 791
2t. Jeg Coughlin Jr., Delaware, Ohio, JEGS.com/Mopar Dodge Dart (2) 668
2t. Allen Johnson, Greeneville, Tenn., Team Mopar Dodge Dart (3) 668
4. Jason Line, Mooresville, N.C., Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro (1) 623
5. Shane Gray, Mooresville, N.C., FireAde Chevy Camaro 582
6. Vincent Nobile, Dix Hills, N.Y., Mountain View Tire Chevy Camaro 563
7. Dave Connolly, Mooresville, N.C., Charter Chevy Camaro 535
8. V. Gaines, Lakewood, Colo., Kendall Oil Dodge Dart 456
9. Chris McGaha, Odessa, Texas, Harlow Sammons of Odessa Chevy Camaro 427
10. Rodger Brogdon, Tomball, Texas, Kent Services/Trucking Chevy Camaro 355
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE (following the fourth of 16 events)
1. Andrew Hines, Brownsburg, Ind., Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson (2) 406
2. Eddie Krawiec, Brownsburg, Ind., Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson (1) 382
3. John Hall, Hamden, Conn., Matt Smith Racing Buell 285
4. Hector Arana Jr., Milltown, Ind., Lucas Oil Buell 263
5. Scotty Pollacheck, Medford, Ore., Quality Tire Buell 252
6. Michael Ray, New Braunfels, Texas, Gottspeed/Star Racing Buell 235
7. Matt Smith, King, N.C., Matt Smith Racing Buell 206
8. Steve Johnson, Birmingham, Ala., Full Throttle Powersports Suzuki (1) 187
9t. Hector Arana Sr., Milltown, Ind., Lucas Oil Buell 168
9t. Chaz Kennedy, Ormond Beach, Fla., Star Racing Buell 168
