If the third phase Countdown To One Championship came to a head, and it was not clear until the end who will be the hero of the season, after the AAA Texas NHRA Fallnationals in most classes a phase of «everything has been decided.» Fatal error of famous pilots in the early knockout rounds on the one hand allowed the acting leader a sigh of relief, and on the other — have ruined the intrigue on the vine. The rest of the event turned out to be generally very tight and fast at the average performance of participants.
In the class Top Fuel (TF) Richie Krempton ended the triumphal procession Antron Brown, thereby issuing a fifth podium of the season and climb immediately to the third place in the standings. However, the gap to 200 points leaves the young pilot even illusory hopes of laurel at the end of the championship. Likewise, any chance of a ninth league title at the most victorious rider in the class of Tony Schumacher melted like April snow.
In the first round of the eight-time NHRA champion took up with a six-fold champion of the rival series IHRA Clay Millikan, who in the first half of zero on its territory was simply out of reach for the opponents, however, did not shine at the event NHRA.
For example, Millican holds the dubious record: over 161 a day at the races under the auspices of the NHRA, he was unable to win a single victory in the final.
But it was he who sent Tony Schumacher to help commentators who in this situation, you should not have been wrong for at least the first two rounds. However, Millikan, and this time could not be rehabilitated, goodbye to dreams of first Wally in his career back in the semi-finals thanks to Steve Torrence. Championship leader Antron Brown for the first four stages Countdown To One was defeated, against the background of the main competitors of failure is absolutely no way reflected on it, I dare say, unshakable position in the standings. In fact, Brown has become a two-time champion Schumacher and can save only a miracle, which should happen twice — once for each of the remaining stages.
On the NHRA Keystone Nationals Affairs Vorshem fizzled out in the first round than happily took Jack Beckman, winning the event and close the gap to pilot Team Kalitta Motorsports to a minimum.
Last weekend, both candidates for the title clashed in the finals. And this match was to decide the fate of leadership on points. This stage of completion was expected by all the fans.
Both pilots had problems with the hook in the middle of the race, but Vorshem, miraculously crossed the dividing line, ahead of Beckman with a negligible margin of 0.0057 seconds.
The gap between the riders at the end of NHRA Fallnationals is only 38 points, and thus the class of Funny Car (FC) is the only division where the two Event championship until the end to keep the intrigue, and inflame the passions of envy «Formula 1» in his best years.
John Force Racing team once again looked very pale against the backdrop of Don Schumacher Racing, and at full strength left struggle in the second round. Notable proved unless intramural fight between Force and senior Courtney Force in the first round. John Force was faster and faster, and now award-winning score between father and daughter — 7: 6 in favor of the veteran.
In the class of Pro Stock (PS) Erica Enders Stephens on the way to his eighth win of the season cracked down with the owner of «bronze» Chris McGahee and took revenge for the defeat in the final at the US Nationals his team mate Drew Skillman. The showdown pilotessa hard but still managed to beat Jonathan Gray, just before the finish line to get ahead in the matter of centimeters.
Thus, Eric pushed Angel Sempa and became the owner of the largest number of trophies in a single season in the history of NHRA (among women). And here is another contender for the highest regalia Greg Anderson, Tony Schumacher in the manner of «leaked» in the first round, literally giving thus the title of Stephen Enders.
What is the result? Ahead of two stages, and unresolved, in fact, there is only one question: whether Affairs Vorshem become a champion in both nitromethane classes (he was champion in the class of TF in 2011), or the hero of the year will be Jack Beckman, who during the season ultraboundary truly demonstrated the level of piloting and half of the championship dominated literally «one gate»? I think the situation will be clarified by the end of the month in Las Vegas NHRA Toyota Nationals.
