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Gals Outgun Guys At Southern Nationals

| , RacinToday.com Sunday, May 6 2018

Leah Pritchett, left, and Courtney Force collected nitro Wallys in Atlanta on Sunday. (Photo by Marc Gewertz/NHRA)

Female NHRA nitro racers dominated Top Fuel and Funny Car as Leah Pritchett and Courtney Force drove to victories Sunday at the 38th annual NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.

Vincent Nobile (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were also victorious at the seventh of 24 events on the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.
Pritchett logged her first Top Fuel win of the season as she piloted her Don Schumacher Racing dragster to a pass of 3.874-seconds at 322.42 mph during the final round of eliminations to defeat Blake Alexander.
“We were racing one round at a time,” Prichett stated. “The conditions out there were varying all weekend long and that’s why my hats and kudos go off to Todd Okuhara [crew chief] for finding what was right and wrong and adjusting to it. Yeah, you want to win every race, but this one was very special in a lot of ways.”
Alexander, who raced to his first career final round, started from the No. 10 position and defeated Antron Brown, defending world champion Brittany Force, and points leader Steve Torrence before the final round.
Courtney Force claimed her second Funny Car victory this season with a pass of 4.046 at 313.7 against Matt Hagan. After earning the No. 1 qualifier on Saturday, Force secured her 10th career victory.
“We had a great race car all day long,” Force, of John Force Racing, said. “Every single guy on my crew has done just a phenomenal job all day long. From getting the No. 1 qualifying spot yesterday in our final qualifying run and to go out there and have some consistent runs. It’s great to be able to get a win at the track my sister [Ashley Force-Hood] got her first win at. It’s a pretty good day and we’re excited.”
In Pro Stock, Nobile drove his Chevrolet Camaro to a victory run of 6.599 at 209.72 to defeat Tanner Gray in the final round. This is his first career victory at Atlanta and second Wally of the season.
“I had the car to beat this weekend,” Nobile stated. “I know we didn’t qualify No. 1 but going back after each run and looking at the computer we know we could’ve been the fastest car each session. On race day we got it together and was the fastest car every session. All in all, it was a great day.”
Nobile is now the points leaders for Pro Stock after defeating Alan Prusiensky, Chris McGaha and No. 1 qualifier Greg Anderson prior to the final round.
Defending world champion Eddie Krawiec rode his motorcycle to winner’s circle with a pass of 6.922 at 194.91 on his Screamin’ Eagles Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson. This is his fourth event victory at the NHRA Southern Nationals and 45th of his career.
“This track has been very challenging for us this weekend,” Krawiec said. “I really had a better bike than what I showed Friday and Saturday because I was not making the proper chassis adjustments to get the bike down the track. We’re going to learn and continue to get better. That’s what we need to do.”
Krawiec was the No. 5 qualifier and was victorious against Angie Smith, LE Tonglet, the No. 1 qualifier Hector Arana Jr., and Scotty Pollacheck in the final round.
The 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season continues with the Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals presented by Minties at Heartland Motorsports Park May 18-20 in Topeka, Kan.
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COMMERCE, Ga. – Final finish order (1-16) at the 38th annual NHRA Southern Nationals Powered by Mello Yello at Atlanta Dragway:

Final finishing order (1-16) at the 38th annual NHRA Southern Nationals Powered by Mello Yello at Atlanta Dragway. The race is the seventh of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel _ 1. Leah Pritchett; 2. Blake Alexander; 3. Mike Salinas; 4. Steve Torrence; 5. Doug Kalitta; 6.Clay Millican; 7. Brittany Force; 8. Bill Litton; 9. Scott Palmer; 10. Tony Schumacher; 11. Terry Haddock; 12. Richie Crampton; 13. Audrey Worm; 14. Antron Brown; 15. Pat Dakin; 16. Terry McMillen.

Funny Car _1. Courtney Force; 2. Matt Hagan; 3. Jack Beckman; 4. Cruz Pedregon; 5. Bob Tasca III; 6. Tim Wilkerson; 7. Tommy Johnson Jr.; 8. Ron Capps; 9. Jonnie Lindberg; 10. John Force; 11. Robert Hight; 12. Shawn Langdon; 13. Jeff Diehl; 14. Jim Campbell; 15. J.R. Todd; 16. John Smith.

Pro Stock _ 1. Vincent Nobile; 2. Tanner Gray; 3. Drew Skillman; 4. Greg Anderson; 5. Jeg Coughlin Jr.; 6. Bo Butner; 7. Chris McGaha; 8. Deric Kramer; 9. Erica Enders; 10. Alex Laughlin; 11. Kenny Delco; 12. John Gaydosh Jr.; 13. Wally Stroupe; 14. Alan Prusiensky; 15. Jason Line; 16. Val Smeland.

Pro Stock Motorcycle _ 1. Eddie Krawiec; 2. Scotty Pollacheck; 3. Hector Arana Jr.; 4. Angelle Sampey; 5. LE Tonglet; 6. Jerry Savoie; 7. Andrew Hines; 8. Hector Arana; 9. Matt Smith; 10. Melissa Surber; 11. Angie Smith; 12. Cory Reed; 13. Steve Johnson; 14. Karen Stoffer; 15. Ryan Oehler; 16. Joey Gladstone.

Sunday’s final results from Atlanta Dragway:

Top Fuel _ Leah Pritchett, 3.874-seconds, 322.42 mph def. Blake Alexander, Foul/Red Light.

Funny Car _ Courtney Force, Chevy Camaro, 4.046, 313.73 def. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.148, 291.13.

Pro Stock _ Vincent Nobile, Chevy Camaro, 6.599, 209.72 def. Tanner Gray, Camaro, 6.614, 209.52.

Pro Stock Motorcycle _ Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.922, 194.91 def. Scotty Pollacheck, Suzuki, 6.958, 193.18.

Top Alcohol Dragster _ Josh Hart, 5.313, 269.40 def. Megan Meyer, 5.318, 269.94.

Top Alcohol Funny Car _ Jay Payne, Chevy Camaro, 5.557, 260.81 def. Ulf Leanders, Camaro, 5.645, 263.20.

Competition Eliminator _ Van Puckett, Chevy Cavalier, 8.682, 127.19 def. Brian Browell, Dragster, Foul/Red Light.

Super Stock _ Kevin Helms, Olds Achieva, 8.869, 148.92 def. Byron Worner, Chevy Camaro, Foul /Red Light.

Stock Eliminator _ Jeff Strickland, Chevy Camaro, 9.280, 141.85 def. Robbie Shaw, Pontiac Firebird, Foul/Red Light.

Super Comp _ Gene Quinn, Dragster, 8.907, 152.88 def. Lauren Freer, Dragster, 8.926, 181.84.

Super Gas _ Tommy Turner, Chevy Corvette, 9.922, 172.83 def. Carl Watts, Chevy Cavalier, 9.867, 160.35.

Super Street _ Keith Mayers, Porsche, 10.926, 143.58 def. Jesse McKnight, Chevy Camaro, 10.884, 127.17.

Top Dragster presented by RacingRVs.com _ Les Feist, Dragster, 6.089, 226.73 def. Larry Roberts, Dragster, 6.202, 225.33.

Top Sportsman presented by RacingRVs.com _ Bob Mandell Jr., Chevy Bel Air, 6.856, 191.97 def. Vince Hoda, Chevy Camaro, 6.779, 202.70.

Final round-by-round results from Atlanta Dragway:

TOP FUEL

ROUND ONE _ Blake Alexander, 3.827, 323.97 def. Antron Brown, 4.634, 149.33; Bill Litton, 3.915, 315.56 def. Tony Schumacher, 3.925, 311.27; Brittany Force, 3.779, 321.73 def. Terry McMillen, 7.140, 93.56; Clay Millican, 3.832, 323.43 def. Audrey Worm, 4.632, 172.83; Steve Torrence, 3.802, 326.40 def. Terry Haddock, 4.153, 259.56; Leah Pritchett, 3.903, 293.73 def. Pat Dakin, 6.389, 100.55; Doug Kalitta, 3.845, 323.58 def. Richie Crampton, 4.470, 186.56; Mike Salinas, 3.787, 322.50 def. Scott Palmer, 3.792, 326.40;

QUARTERFINALS _Pritchett, 3.841, 322.50 def. Litton, 11.552, 82.25; Torrence, 3.841, 322.34 def. Kalitta, 3.862, 318.17; Salinas, 4.128, 288.15 def. Millican, 4.148, 256.36; Alexander, 4.120, 238.30 def. Force, 7.130, 80.40;

SEMIFINALS _ Alexander, 3.972, 308.14 def. Torrence, 4.271, 254.28; Pritchett, 3.907, 312.42 def. Salinas, 4.212, 211.66;

FINAL _ Pritchett, 3.874, 322.42 def. Alexander, Foul/ Red Light.

FUNNY CAR

ROUND ONE _ Cruz Pedregon, Toyota Camry, 4.005, 310.84 def. John Smith, Chevy Monte Carlo, Foul/ Outer Boundary; Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 4.547, 261.22 def. Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 4.567, 246.35; Courtney Force, Camaro, 4.581, 221.05 def. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Solara, 5.882, 119.23; Tommy Johnson Jr., Dodge Charger, 4.169, 247.11 def. Jim Campbell, Charger, 6.098, 111.29; Ron Capps, Charger, 4.397, 259.11 def. John Force, Camaro, 4.403, 238.68; Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.106, 299.46 def. Jonnie Lindberg, Mustang, 4.192, 253.04; Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.410, 215.27 def. J.R. Todd, Camry, 9.681, 79.05; Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.185, 259.01 def. Shawn Langdon, Camry, 4.939, 167.38;

QUARTERFINALS _ Beckman, 4.146, 304.74 def. Tasca III, 4.181, 296.11; Hagan, 4.200, 290.26 def. Johnson Jr., 4.794, 178.99; Pedregon, 4.117, 298.34 def. Capps, 5.792, 119.76; C. Force, 4.144, 297.35 def. Wilkerson, 4.410, 257.92;

SEMIFINALS _ Hagan, 4.111, 309.70 def. Beckman, 4.224, 293.41; C. Force, 4.038, 313.22 def. Pedregon, 4.255, 293.54;

FINAL _ C. Force, 4.046, 313.73 def. Hagan, 4.148, 291.13.

PRO STOCK

ROUND ONE _ Deric Kramer, Chevy Camaro, 6.614, 209.23 def. Jason Line, Camaro, 12.595, 69.30; Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.617, 209.56 def. Alex Laughlin, Camaro, 6.615, 208.49; Jeg Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.593, 208.23 def. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.611, 209.56; Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.586, 210.05 def. Alan Prusiensky, Dodge Dart, 8.433, 115.36; Tanner Gray, Camaro, 6.620, 208.78 def. Kenny Delco, Camaro, Foul/Red Light; Drew Skillman, Camaro, 6.587, 209.33 def. Wally Stroupe, Camaro, 6.796, 203.80; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 7.795, 128.60 def. Val Smeland, Camaro, Broke/No Show; Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.591, 209.72 def. John Gaydosh Jr., Chevrolet Camaro, 6.742, 206.57;

QUARTERFINALS _ Anderson, 6.632, 209.01 def. Kramer, 22.631, 34.07; Gray, 6.635, 209.07 def. Coughlin, 6.632, 208.30; Skillman, 6.625, 208.84 def. Butner, 6.632, 209.20; Nobile, 6.617, 209.36 def. McGaha, 7.151, 154.39;

SEMIFINALS _ Gray, 6.622, 208.52 def. Skillman, 6.613, 209.56; Nobile, 6.610, 209.14 def. Anderson, 6.631, 209.85;

FINAL _ Nobile, 6.599, 209.72 def. Gray, 6.614, 209.52.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE

ROUND ONE _ Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.936, 189.84 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.987, 190.62; Hector Arana, 6.975, 195.05 def. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 7.004, 189.26; LE Tonglet, Suzuki, 6.904, 190.83 def. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.971, 191.89; Hector Arana Jr., 6.819, 195.90 def. Ryan Oehler, Buell, 7.089, 185.74; Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.870, 194.74 def. Melissa Surber, Buell, 6.935, 190.75; Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.917, 191.78 def. Joey Gladstone, Suzuki, 7.338, 154.49; Angelle Sampey, Buell, 7.176, 179.83 def. Matt Smith, Foul/Red Light; Scotty Pollacheck, Suzuki, 6.933, 192.36 def. Cory Reed, Buell, 6.978, 190.32;

QUARTERFINALS _ Pollacheck, 6.896, 191.73 def. Arana, 6.923, 194.69; Sampey, 6.939, 193.18 def. Hines, 6.916, 193.16; Krawiec, 6.875, 194.35 def. Tonglet, 6.878, 193.96; Arana Jr., 6.865, 197.10 def. Savoie, 6.890, 193.88;

SEMIFINALS _ Pollacheck, 6.960, 191.16 def. Sampey, 6.978, 191.40; Krawiec, 6.871, 194.86 def. Arana Jr., 6.942, 193.88;

FINAL _ Krawiec, 6.922, 194.91 def. Pollacheck, 6.958, 193.18.

Point standings (top-10) following the NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway:

Top Fuel _1. Steve Torrence, 581; 2. Tony Schumacher, 461; 3. Doug Kalitta, 458; 4. Clay Millican, 448; 5. Leah Pritchett, 435; 6. Antron Brown, 390; 7. Brittany Force, 375; 8. Terry McMillen, 336; 9. Richie Crampton, 280; 10. Mike Salinas, 275.

Funny Car _ 1. Courtney Force, 546; 2. Jack Beckman, 538; 3. Matt Hagan, 487; 4. Tommy Johnson Jr., 436; 5. J.R. Todd, 428; 6. Robert Hight, 421; 7. Ron Capps, 404; 8. Cruz Pedregon, 357; 9. Shawn Langdon, 301; 10. Tim Wilkerson, 293.

Pro Stock _1. Vincent Nobile, 534; 2. Bo Butner, 486; 3. Greg Anderson, 463; 4. Chris McGaha, 460; 5. Drew Skillman, 444; 6. Tanner Gray, 439; 7. Erica Enders, 438; 8. Deric Kramer, 414; 9. Jason Line, 368; 10. Alex Laughlin, 349.

Pro Stock Motorcycle _1. Eddie Krawiec, 286; 2. Andrew Hines, 261; 3. Scotty Pollacheck, 246; 4. Jerry Savoie, 203; 5. Angelle Sampey, 177; 6. Hector Arana, 159; 7. LE Tonglet, 154; 8. Hector Arana Jr., 153; 9. Cory Reed, 142; 10. Steve Johnson, 121.

| , RacinToday.com Sunday, May 6 2018
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