And drag racing in this case is no exception. Out of the off-season, sponsorship contracts are signed, recaps also settled, and the cars are prepared in accordance with the changed regulations. The victory at the first event of the season was always very important for pilots, as well as for all those responsible for this result, since the mechanics in the pits and ending with the top management. NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series 2016 kicked off in California's Pomona, and we, in turn, decided to recall riders who during his career took home the largest number of trophies gained in the NHRA Winternationals.
John Force: 7 (1991, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2010, 2012, 2014)
Shestnadtsatikratny NHRA champion occupies the top position in almost every statistical category, and seven Wally at the event, the opening championship in this context appear as a matter of course. This five wins on Winternationals marked the beginning of the way to the league title (1991, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2010). It is noteworthy that the first podium in Pomona went Force after he entered his name in the list of victors NHRA. In the final, a veteran of two reigning champion stayed in the classroom Funny Car Cases Vorshema (1993, 2002), Ron Capps (2010), which occupies in the number of second place in the division victories, and Matt Hagan (2014), which, despite a bad debut, completed the season on the first line of the Table of ranks. Well, if we look at the statistics of recent years, it was quite possible to expect that the Force will be the winner this season, as place on the podium he got it on schedule «after one season.» However, this did not happen.
Bob Glidden: 7 (1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1985, 1989)
There is also absolutely no surprises. Ten-champion in the Pro Stock class is so obviously and indisputably dominated the seventies and eighties, that for a long time remained the most titled racing driver NHRA. Only after the resignation of Glidden John Force and Warren Johnson were able to get around it by the number won by the events. Like the hero of the previous paragraph, Bob became a prize-winner seven times in Pomona, and five of them eventually led him to yet another triumph at the end of the national championship (1975, 1978, 1979, 1985, 1989). It is worth mentioning separately championship in 1978. Glidden successfully opened the season, then twice defeated. It would seem that this «drawdown» was absolutely necessary to cock the spring inside the legendary racer and as a result: killing a series of six victories in the remaining six events and first place in the standings. Championship 1978 in the performance of this guy from Indiana can be considered as a reference example of the overwhelming superiority over the competition. And the beginning of this superiority was laid exactly on Winternationals.
Greg Anderson: 6 (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2016)
Greg Anderson trophy Winternationals persistently eluded until 2004, when he was in the final stop of his former boss and mentor, Warren Johnson. In the same year, Anderson confidently led on points throughout the season and finished the year in the status of the double champion. Twice in his career, Greg sent to the paddock another legendary racer — five-time champion Jag Coughlin Jr., who this season returned to the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Currently Anderson is the only active driver in the rankings, and this year its sixth victory at Winternationals opened a new era of injection engines in Pro Stock.
Don Garlitts: 5 (1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1987)
The driver number one in the Top 50 of the best drivers of all time NHRA version also deservedly occupies a place on the list with five wins. First Wally went to the great and terrible Don Garlitsu back in 1963 thanks largely equipped with outlandish at the time wing dregster Swamp Rat V. Next title at this prestigious event Garlits won at the wheel of the innovative rear-Swamp Rat XIII, once again proving to all that his the invention is not only viable, but are key to success. Last time in Pomona luck veteran in 1987, after a twelve-year hiatus, during which Don had a lot of experimenting with the design of their cars, to miss one season in NHRA in protest against the restrictions imposed and survive a difficult period due to personnel changes within the team. By the way, this is the way to start the year was marked by the successful later Garlitsa decision to end his career, and reason was a terrible accident, which could easily cost him his life.
Don Prudhomme: 5 (1965, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978)
The next name on the list is also more than expected. Prudhomme first ascended the podium Winternationals in 1965, driving dregster Hawaiian Top Fueler. This victory was, in principle, the first biography in the saturated pilot. Then «snake» took nearly ten years, during which he turned into a Funny Car pilot to repeat his success. And success, we have to admit, it was deafening. Four debut victory in a row each time led to the end of the season to the league title. At that time, Don is simply no competitors, he confidently stamped one triumph after another, and was the culmination of 1976, during which the legendary racer lost only one round in the races Shootout.
Warren Johnson: 5 (1987, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2003)
Six-time champion and winner of the highest number of wins in the Pro Stock class Warren Johnson harmoniously continues our selection. «Professor,» who knows how to squeeze every last horsepower from gasoline engines, largely determined the direction of development class at the junction of the eighties and nineties. In the nineties, Johnson was not equal in almost all statistical indicators. And if he did not come out a winner on any given stage, the first place in qualifying or the best time Event certainly were behind him. Warren also took five times Winternationals trophy, a very remarkable victory, of course, is the podium in 1997, when the veteran met in the final with his son Kurt and traveled safely.
Photo: open source
