NHRA Sonoma Nationals

Already in the first day of the qualifying session, Steve Torrence set a new national record of pure time pass tysyachefutovoy distance in its class, and it happened at Sonoma Raceway for the first time in the entire history of the track. In other matters it was here exactly one year ago Jack Beckman has once again pushed the time bar in its division. After sunset on Friday, climatic conditions as well as possible their disposal for such achievements and Torrence ordered that the opportunity is much better than all of its competitors.

JR Todd after three appearances in the finals for the championship, which did not bring him the long-awaited trophy, this weekend was truly on top. On the way to his ninth victory, Todd without any problems knocked out of the fight Clay Milikana in the first round and then easily take care of the leaders of personal credit Antron Brown and Doug Kalittoy. It is noteworthy that his teammate JR lost a record difference at the finish line, not more than one ten-thousandth of a second, in Atlanta this year. So apart from the fact that the driver has improved his stats at the expense of another Wally, he also played for a very humiliating defeat in this very tight race, where he was able to solve the problem with the hook much better of his opponent. At the end of the pilot Kalitta Motorsports Kremptonom met with Ritchie, who this season also has never been marked on the podium, but there turned out to be faster and more agile. The output of the first victory of the season Todd is in no way affected the balance of power at the top: Brown with a small margin of Kalitty continues to hold the championship, and Steve Torrence closes the top three standings.

For shestnadtsatikratny champion the beginning of the season can hardly be called successful, but two wins in a row on a completely different strips say only one thing: the 67-year-old veteran is still in great shape, and write him off yet. John Force skated the whole weekend at the unattainable for their rivals level, sending in the paddock without exception members of his own team in the person of Robert Hite and Courtney Force, which is the second time in a row was nothing to oppose titled daddy. But the final was an absolute ornament of the event: in the decisive battle clashed two most victorious pilot in the class — Force Sr. and Ron Capps, who despite the lack of titles to its credit has the second highest number of victories at the event of the national championship.

By the way, John is currently the only driver in the division, which had ever been able to win all three races of the marathon Western Swing, and it happened in the distant 1994. At the moment, he is the only bidder among all drivers in all occupational classes who have a chance to repeat his success. Will it be possible, learn as early as next weekend. 145th trophy in his career has allowed the veteran to move immediately to the eighth place to fifth in the standings, but the situation in the top 3 on this has not changed: Ron Capps thanks to the appearance in the final only strengthened their position at the top of the standings, Courtney Force holds for a second, and Jack Beckman itself feels very comfortable number three.

The miracle did not happen, the pilots KB Racing back on the horse, though, is to recognize that they are already winning without the ease typical of the first half of the season. In the final meet teammate Bo Bunter and Greg Anderson, but once again the dreams of the first Wally Butner this season did not come true, but Anderson in his usual extremely confident manner for the seventh time went up to the podium. By the way, this victory was for Greg, without false modesty, epochal. Anderson added his piggy 85th trophy, which allowed him to catch up with the legendary Bob Gliddenom. Now in front of him on the number of won Event at class only Warren Johnson, a four-time champion in the absolute was the third in the list of the most renowned racers Association. Given that Warren Johnson has long been retired, Greg, given the situation in the championship, has all chances to become the best in the history of his division. And considering that the main, rather only his rival Jason Line left home in the first round, Anderson now heads the standings, albeit with a negligible margin of four points.

Failure Event: The most successful pilot of the current championship, won a seven wins and lighted in almost every final round this weekend was defeated at the beginning of the races Shootout. Jason Line, which until the beginning of the Western Swing was not equal in principle, until the pile skate managed to qualify in eighth place. Well, given the overtly weak performance in the previous event in Denver, there are some questions about whether he would be able to regain the lead before the Countdown To The Championship.

Pilot Event: 145th triumph John Force on a background of complete lack of questions about deserved his second victory in a row eliminates all other candidates for the award in this nomination. If the old man continue in the same spirit, the turning point in the championship is very possible, if not guaranteed.
Check Event: John Force in the second round ahead of his teammate Hite Roberat just seven thousandths of a second. And the reason for this in many ways was the refusal of one of the cylinders in the car Hite. Perhaps the results only this arrival can cause some questions about total domination Force Sr. in Denver and Sonoma.

Photo: open source