Especially in the context of this very rich, spectacular and rich in championship events: tight battle in nitromethane divisions and set the teeth on edge in a classroom scenario Pro Stock. Except this time on the catwalk girls are not diluted with male company.
Top Fuel
This finale for Kalitta Motorsports has become one of the brightest events in recent years. Since 2006, this team riders met in the decisive battle of Event, the winner of which this time came Doug Kalitta, won a very spectacular victory over JR Todd. If the previous triumph in Houston veteran could cause some questions, repeated success in Atlanta became a convincing demonstration of the results of a systematic and thoughtful work of the team throughout the season. On the way to his fortieth anniversary trophy Kalitta without any problems I figured out with the reigning champion Antron Brown and the most titled pilot Tony Schumacher in the class, which is still lacking quite a bit to break the protracted series of setbacks. But tandem Brittany Force — Alan Johnson, who created one of the most vivid sensation of the season, the second time in a row has failed. The pilots went on a paddock in the second round, losing just a little JR Todd, and thus gave his competitors a great chance to move it to the first place of personal credit. Doug Kalitta this chance to take full advantage and now leads the standings, Antron Brown also did not miss the opportunity to imagine and Steve Torrence revenge for the defeat two weeks ago, he broke the second place. Brittany is on the basis of Event dropped to third place, albeit with a small margin.
Funny Car
Despite the fact that the «cabin» in the fastest class was really fierce, shows and events during the races Shootout in this division it has appeared in abundance. Matt Hagan, who in the first half of last season, scored points so rapidly, that at some point it seemed that the fate of the world title already decided, finally ceased to be drained in the first round and marked the nineteenth Wally in his career. Well, to questions about the fact that the two-time champion back in the ranks, no one is left, he set a record in passing speed and pure time strip. By the way, last year in Atlanta not happened a single three-second arrival, and this weekend, all eight winners of the first round of four left. As a result, due to an early exit from the race Tim Wilkerson conceded second place to Jack Beckman, going down to the third and Courtney Force with a margin of forty points cemented its leadership.
One of the most incredible moments of the event was the incident involving namely Jack Beckman. Fastest (at the time) race track in the history of the pilot ended in a sand trap because of the confused immediately after the disclosure of the brake parachute. Beckman himself was not injured, but try to imagine the scale of damage dregster after landing at a speed exceeding 100 mph in a «sandbox». Mechanics in the pits with the car passed the crumpled body, ditching suspension and clogged with sand aggregates. It would seem only to have to clear the numerous mechanisms of dust will take at least half a day, but... Half an hour later Beckmann returned to the strip in a fully serviceable technique though, in accordance with the rules of the replacement chassis is forbidden. And not just back, and I reached the final, where, due to problems with the hook still lost to a team colleague. Frankly, after similar episodes of the speed with which the mechanics in the «Formula 1», change the tires, not so much impressive.
John Hale is also featured. The classic situation: cylinder jammed, powerful nitromethane backfire, and cut off the blower body, poised far into the stratosphere. The pilot is in order, and to restore dregster to the next event he has only four days. In other matters, given that the team was able to Beckman little over an hour, this time will be more than enough.
Pro Stock
I do not even know what is there to tell. For the seventh time in a row of seven possible pilots KB Racing met in the final. And if before Jason Lyne could stop only four-time champion Greg Anderson and only through better response at the start, then this Sunday everything happened exactly the opposite: Line responded to green light a little earlier and earned his fourth trophy of the season. The whole affair Event again reduced to the color of Chevrolet Camaro from Summit Racing logo on the board come to the finish line first in the showdown. Line is still on top of Individuals, Anderson second, Bo Butner third, and then the abyss. Standings in the class looks like this: two pilots actually have a chance at the title, and all other participants can be easily written in the category of outsiders. How long it will last is difficult to say, but no indication that the trend will change at the moment exactly zero. The irony is that it is a team KB Racing most active against the adoption of the changes in the regulations on the transition to electronic fuel injection.
Failure Event: Tommy Johnson failed to really catch on at the start and finish within semisekundnoy areas that within the class but to the failure not name. But he that was enough for the victory, because Alexis DeZhoria, despite the great race, lost immediately because of a false start. If not for the defeat on the Christmas tree for the winning racers finish this round would have been extremely easy prey. But, unfortunately, it was not.
Check Event: In this category two ways about it. At the end of Doug Kalitta defeated teammate with a margin of not more than one ten-thousandth of a second. This was the first time in the history of the class, and it is remarkable that so trifling a time difference in the end and decided the fate of the trophy.
Pilot Event: Matt Hagan. The driver was able to finally terminate a protracted series of nineteen's Event, which did not bring him any podium. And he did it very confidently, incidentally defeating the defending champion Cases Vorshema and current championship leader Courtney Force.
On the appearance of the passions glow in the Pro Stock class expectations as there was no and no. However, this is compensated by what is happening in nitromethane divisions where absolutely every race unpredictable, and to predict the winner of stage more complicated than the St. Petersburg weather. See you in Kansas!
Photo: motorsport.com, open source
