NHRA: ready for the final countdown

While the participants of the Russian Drag Racing Championship are getting ready for the inaugural race in Crimea, the most prestigious event on the NHRA calendar took place over the ocean. Indianapolis hosted this event for the 60th time.

While the gem of the IndyCar season is the Indy 500 race, the most outstanding race on the NHRA calendar is the U.S. Nationals, also held in Indianapolis. However, the NHRA event runs not at the Brickyard (as there is no dragstrip there) but at the Lukas Oil Raceway located nearby. Both of these events had their 60th anniversary celebration this year.

This event traditionally marks the last race in the NHRA regular season, where the final ten positions of the contenders for the championship title can be secured in each class of dragsters. They will continue competing for the final victory during the next six races of the so-called Countdown, the final segment of the NHRA playoffs. Like the Indy 500 race, winning the U.S. Nationals is very prestigious. This year victories were celebrated by drivers, who have never been winning in Indianapolis before.

Rookie Richie Crampton, who managed to defeat Steve Torrence in the final round, became the winner in the most powerful Top Fuel class. Crampton was also close to winning the Nitro Shootout; however, he was beaten by a seven-time Top Fuel season champion Tony Schumacher, who collected a $100,000 prize.

Alexis DeJoria scored her third Funny Car win this season by defeating a 16-time champion John Force in the final round. Like Schumacher, the most successful driver in the NHRA history also took the Traxxas Nitro Shootout victory. John Force reached his sixth consecutive Funny Car final round, however, was defeated by Alexis DeJoria. By the way, the latter has become the fourth woman in the NHRA history who was able to clinch the U.S. Nationals victory.

In Pro Stock class, Shane Gray defeated his teammate Dave Connolly in the final round thus securing both his first season win and first win in Indianapolis. A three-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Eddie Krawiec also took home his first U.S. Nationals win and third victory of the season.

Now it’s time for the U.S. drag racing championship to enter its crucial phase comprising six final events, where ten best drivers in each class, chosen based on the results of the major part of the season, will compete for the title. The first event of the series' Countdown to the Championship will be held in the middle of September on a four-lane dragstrip in Charlotte. The season will close in November in Pomona, California, where the championship kicked off in February.

Contenders for the title

Top Fuel: 1. Doug Kalitta 2. Antron Brown 3. Shawn Langdon 4. Tony Schumacher 5. Steve Torrence 6. Spencer Massey 7. Khalid alBalooshi 8. Richie Crampton 9. Brittany Force 10. J.R. Todd

Funny Car: 1. John Force 2. Robert Hight 3. Ron Capps 4. Alexis DeJoria 5. Tommy Johnson Jr. 6. Courtney Force 7. Matt Hagan 8. Cruz Pedregon 9. Del Worsham 10. Tim Wilkerson

Pro Stock: 1. Jason Line 2. Erica Enders-Stevens 3. Allen Johnson 4. Jeg Coughlin Jr. 5. Dave Connolly 6. Shane Gray 7. Vincent Nobile 8. V. Gaines 9. Chris McGaha 10. Jonathan Gray

Pro Stock Motorcycle: 1. Andrew Hines 2. Eddie Krawiec 3. Hector Arana Jr. 4. Hector Arana Sr. 5. John Hall 6. Matt Smith 7. Michael Ray 8. Scotty Pollacheck 9. Angie Smith 10. Steve Johnson

Photo: racer.com