NHRA Midwest Nationals, last in the Gateway Motorsports Park, turned out to be exactly what we want to see the Event at the end of the season.
Winners of the first stage of the Countdown To One continues to strengthen its position, the Cubs easily udelyvayut pilots who a couple of months ago seemed to be the undisputed favorites, strip prepared perfectly, hook fantastic engines blazing, and veterans demonstrated phenomenal self-control and manage to keep the car on the track in a situation where no chance to meet the striker seemed to exactly zero.
Add to this a couple of records, the tense situation in the top of the standings and crazy affair, which is growing like a snowball, leaving no basis for the projections. Such was the last weekend in St. Louis.
Antron Brown, after spending most of the championship in the shadow of his teammate Tony Schumacher repeated his success in Concord than successfully secured a very strong leadership in the class Top Fuel (TF) and 53rd trophy of his career. But the surprise came from where they did not expect.
Alan Johnson, whose team due to lack of funding left struggle for the highest regalia, joined Torrence Racing, and Billy Torrens, for whom this race was the second of the season, in the first two rounds of heats Shootout easily dealt with the three-time champion Larry Dixon and sent to the paddock sad most titled pilot in the class of Tony Schumacher, greatly impaired a little his position in the points standings. Brittany Force skated very well all weekend and pulled away in fourth place. One way or another in the top of the situation has remained unchanged: Brown leads with an impressive margin, Schumacher — the second, and Dickson has not so imposingly feels in third place.
Pilot Funny Car (FC) Affairs Vorshem suddenly shot at NHRA Carolina Nationals, not even going to slow down the pace: second place in qualification, the world record time spent on overcoming the 1,000 feet (3.899), the second Wally of the season and the gap on points to the nearest competitor. Nobody expected such a hurried from the driver, who throughout the regular season, to put it mildly, did not shine. Matt Hagan for the second time in his career went from 3.9 seconds, but to confirm the fastest time in the history of the class (3.883), it did not succeed. Instead, he became the first driver in the FC, managed to overcome the barrier of 330 mph, rewriting thus established by him in Indianapolis world record.
But Jack Beckman, which, apparently, will not be able to stop even the devil himself, appears worse and worse to the event from the Event. This weekend it only because of a false start Bodzheka John went out in the first round, while the second could not be hooked at the start, which cost him so important in his position points.
A separate stage decoration was the victory of John Force on his son-Robert Hite, the old man miraculously was able to hold dregster that dramatically thrown towards the opponent's path. The output of the fans got a spectacular drift a few centimeters from the dividing line at a speed of 200 mph. But Ron Capps similar focus was not successful, and for him to ride sideways over a disqualification victory and the Haganah, who was not even pushing on the pedal just rolled to the finish to see that his teammate drove over the centerline.
In the final Vorshem once again proved that he is a hero of Event and no one else. In the last race the engine was torn to shreds, and crossed the finish line Affairs blaze in the cockpit. Crossed first.
In the history of NHRA only two pilots were awarded titles in both nitromethane classes — Stselzi Gary and Kenny Bernstein. And today Cause Vorshema has all chances to become the third in this list. As a result, Vorshem confidently takes the first place, the reigning champion Matt Hagan — the second, and Tommy Johnson Jr. with scanty margin from Jack Beckman settled in third position Individuals.
Erik-Anders Stevens at the end of the last stage of sharing it with Angell Sempa for most wins among women in the same season (7) the history of the NHRA, and was the only driver who has scored three wins in the finals in a row only by the reaction at the start (holeshot win). Before her, only two, in principle, the pilots have won three stages, one after another — Shirley Maldauni and Angell Sempa.
But this time, her triumphant march broke teammate Drew Skillman, for whom this was the first Wally of his career. Skillman on the way to the final, «one gate» udelal Greg Anderson, said the first place in qualifying and in the final race Eric revenge for the defeat in Indianapolis, rising by three points in the standings. Nevertheless, of course, excellent performance Drew Skillman is in no way affected the balance of power at the top of the standings: Enders Stephens is still the undisputed leader, Greg Anderson holds the second number, and Allen Johnson is breathing down his neck from third place.
FIFA entered a crucial phase, and now everything is possible. See you in Reading. It will be hot, especially since it was on this stage relied pilots and head of the team, when we talked about the possibility of a new record in the class Top Fuel.
