KENT — Antron Brown battled the odds and won the Top Fuel final at the 22nd annual NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways on Sunday, in the process keeping alive his chance to record a achieve another long-odds milestone.
Brown, who became just the third Top Fuel driver in the 22 year history of the event to win after qualifying in the bottom half of field, edged Tony Schumacher by .0084 seconds in the final round to record his fourth victory of the season and second straight.
“When you race Tony Schumacher, six-time (NHRA Full Throttle Series) champion, and you get the better of him by eight-thousandths … that is just a sensational, phenomenal drag race right there,” Brown said. “And it feels good to be on the right side of it.”
Tim Wilkerson recorded his first victory of the year by beating top-qualifier Tony Pedregon in the Funny Car final and Mike Edwards recorded his third win of the year in record-setting fashion by edging 2008 winner Jason Line in the Pro Stock final.
During qualifying on Friday and Saturday, most of the Top Fuel field scrambled to figure out the slick surface at Pacific Raceways, with complete runs under power the exception. Brown qualified 10th, the first time this season he entered Sunday’s eliminations in the bottom half of the field.
Brown extended his points lead over Schumacher and is now just one win away from sweeping the Western Swing, the three-events-in-three-weeks run beginning in Denver and ending up next weekend in Sonoma, Calif.
Just six pro drivers have swept the Western Swing since the NHRA began running it in 1989: Joe Amato (1991), Cory McClenathan (1997), Larry Dixon (2003) and Schumacher (2008) for Top Fuel; Greg Anderson (2004) for Pro Stock and John Force (1994) for Funny Car.
Brown beat Clay Millican and No. 2 qualifier Morgan Lucas in the first two rounds and No. 3 Spencer Massey in the semis.
Edwards, who beat Ron Krisher in the semifinals and Greg Stanfield in round 2, set new Pro Stock track records for speed and elapsed time during Sunday’s eliminations.
Edwards and Line were even at the start of the Pro Stock final, but Edwards pulled away at the 60-foot mark and finished the pass in 6.583 seconds at 211.03 mph.
Earlier in the day, Edwards won his opener against Ben Watson with a pass of 6.556 at 210.67 — besting the top speed and elapsed time marks set on Saturday by top qualifier Allen Johnson.
It was the third straight final-round appearance by Line, who became the third Pro Stock driver to clinch a spot in the Countdown to 1 playoff during qualifying.
Schumacher and Larry Dixon, who was the top qualifier in Top Fuel, also clinched playoff spots, joining Brown, Pro Stock points leader Jeg Coughlin, Edwards and Pro Stock Motorcycle points leader Eddie Krawiec.
After an opening-round win over V. Gaines, Line defeated top qualifier Allen Johnson in the semifinals and Coughlin in round 2.
Wilkerson, who advanced to his first Funny Car final of the season, raced side-by-side with Pedregon but pulled ahead at the end with a pass of 4.211 at 291.01.
“We’ve had a struggle this year, we’ve had a decent car, just had bad racing luck,” Wilkerson said. “We finally got it all hooked up together today.”
Ron Capps lost to Wilkerson in the semi-finals, but emerged from the Northwest Nationals with a 21-point lead over Ashley Force Hood, who was beaten by Pedregon in the second round. Force Hood and Capps were tied atop the Funny Car standings heading to Pacific Raceways.
Wilkerson defeated John Force Racing teammates Robert Hight and Mike Neff in the first two rounds. Pedregon also went two-for-two against JFR, taking down John Force in the semis.
The Force family wasn’t shut out at Pacific Raceways, however, as Courtney Force — daughter of John Force and sister to Ashley Force Hood — scored her first national victory in the Lucas Oil Series Top Alcohol dragster category. Courtney Force defeated Chris Demke in her first trip to the final round, which she advanced to by beating sister Brittany Force in the semifinals.
Schumacher, who had won four of his past five trips to Pacific Raceways, defeated Troy Buff in the semifinals and getting past Brandon Bernstein and Dixon.
Buff qualified 13th and advanced by upsetting McClenathan in the opening round and Shawn Langdon in round 2.
Although the semifinals and finals of the pro categories went off without incident, there were several long delays during the first two rounds of pro qualifying to allow the NHRA Safety Safari crew the opportunity to clean the track of debris and fluid.
NHRA Northwest Nationals Results
Sunday at Pacific Raceways, Kent
Final Order
Top Fuel:
Funny Car: 1. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang. 2. Tony Pedregon. 3. Ron Capps. 4. John Force. 5. Ashley Force Hood. 6. Mike Neff. 7. Jack Beckman. 8. Bob Tasca III. 9. Robert Hight. 10. Del Worsham. 11. Jerry Toliver. 12. Gary Densham. 13. Cruz Pedregon. 14. Jeff Arend. 15. Matt Hagan. 16. Grant Downing.
Pro Stock: 1. Mike Edwards, Pontiac GXP. 2. Jason Line. 3. Ron Krisher. 4. Allen Johnson. 5. Greg Stanfield. 6. Kurt Johnson. 7. Rickie Jones. 8. Jeg Coughlin. 9. Greg Anderson. 10. Rodger Brogdon. 11. Warren Johnson. 12. Larry Morgan. 13. Johnny Gray. 14. V. Gaines. 15. Ben Watson. 16. Danny Gruninger.
Finals
Top Fuel:
Funny Car: Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 4.211, 291.01 def. Tony Pedregon, Chevy Impala, 4.283, 289.57.
Pro Stock: Mike Edwards, Pontiac GXP, 6.583, 211.03 def. Jason Line, GXP, 6.601, 210.50.
Top Alcohol Funny Car: Doug Gordon, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.572, 258.91 def. Roger Bateman, Ford Mustang, 9.047, 94.18.
Top Alcohol Dragster: Courtney Force, 5.440, 257.83 def. Chris Demke, 5.508, 218.87.
Competition Eliminator: Tom Mettler, Dodge Dakota, 7.416, 168.35 def. Craig Schuck, Dragster, 7.395, 176.84.
Super Stock: Dan Fletcher, Chevy Camaro, 10.319, 87.16 def. Joe Sorensen, Camaro, foul.
Stock Eliminator: Doug Lambeck, Chevy Camaro, 11.130, 85.92 def. Dan Fletcher, Camaro, 30.533, 64.06.
Super Comp: Michael Dalrymple, Dragster, 8.899, 172.43 def. Ed Hauter, Dragster, 8.868, 167.49.
Super Gas: Mike Shannon, Chevy Corvette, 9.921, 151.31 def. Mike Ferderer, Pontiac Grand Am, 9.953, 166.44.
Super Street: Gary Ericksen, Ford Mustang, 10.920, 133.50 def. Steve Beggerly, Pontiac Firebird, 10.920, 143.22.
Round-by-Round
Top Fuel
Round One
Tony Schumacher, 3.935, 297.88 def. Brandon Bernstein, 6.533, 95.06. Antron Brown, 4.073, 261.52 def. Clay Millican, 4.104, 268.60. Shawn Langdon, 3.885, 307.51 def. Doug Kalitta, 3.959, 308.21. Spencer Massey, 3.944, 300.13 def. Ron Smith, 4.320, 265.59. Larry Dixon, 3.907, 308.78 def. Joe Hartley, 4.495, 193.16. Morgan Lucas, 3.921, 305.63 def. Steven Chrisman, 3.994, 291.63. Troy Buff, 3.921, 298.54 def. Cory McClenathan, 3.929, 304.46. J.R. Todd, 3.964, 307.51 def. Terry Haddock, 4.115, 280.54.
Quarterfinals
Massey, 4.006, 292.33 def. Todd, 5.131, 143.11. Buff, 3.999, 290.19 def. Langdon, 4.083, 281.48. Brown, 3.987, 282.54 def. Lucas, 8.399, 93.16. Schumacher, 3.937, 297.09 def. Dixon, 5.367, 126.29.<
Semifinals
Brown, 4.000, 295.79 def. Massey, 8.097, 75.51. Schumacher, 5.115, 203.86 def. Buff, 11.750, 30.81.
Finals
Brown, 3.985, 301.07 def. Schumacher, 3.990, 300.00.
Funny Car
Round One
Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 4.180, 297.88 def. Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.274, 276.69. Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 4.206, 290.26 def. Cruz Pedregon, Toyota Solara, 4.774, 178.24. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.498, 246.80 def. Jerry Toliver, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.535, 205.85. Tony Pedregon, Chevy Impala, 4.401, 247.07 def. Grant Downing, Monte Carlo, 14.750, 37.02. Mike Neff, Mustang, 4.829, 226.16 def. Jeff Arend, Solara, 5.095, 180.24. Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.605, 241.67 def. Matt Hagan, Charger, 6.052, 88.10. John Force, Mustang, 4.293, 281.42 def. Del Worsham, Solara, 4.393, 253.42. Ashley Force Hood, Mustang, 4.410, 235.84 def. Gary Densham, Impala, 4.705, 181.42.
Quarterfinals
Wilkerson, 4.265, 287.17 def. Neff, 4.289, 282.95. Capps, 4.250, 273.33 def. Beckman, 4.359, 282.72. Force, 4.281, 283.07 def. Tasca III, 5.317, 139.54. T. Pedregon, 4.305, 279.38 def. Force Hood, 4.285, 284.15.
Semifinals
Wilkerson, 4.243, 281.60 def. Capps, 4.291, 284.21. T. Pedregon, 4.262, 292.71 def. Force, 4.308, 288.09.
Finals
Wilkerson, 4.211, 291.01 def. T. Pedregon, 4.283, 289.57.
Pro Stock
Round One
Rickie Jones, Dodge Stratus, 6.679, 207.91 def. Johnny Gray, Stratus, 6.638, 209.14. Greg Stanfield, Pontiac GXP, 6.626, 209.01 def. Warren Johnson, GXP, 6.624, 210.24. Ron Krisher, Chevy Cobalt, 6.602, 209.39 def. Rodger Brogdon, GXP, 6.615, 208.88. Jason Line, GXP, 6.584, 209.95 def. V. Gaines, Stratus, 6.663, 207.98. Kurt Johnson, Cobalt, 6.622, 209.95 def. Greg Anderson, GXP, 6.609, 210.64. Mike Edwards, GXP, 6.556, 210.67 def. Ben Watson, Pontiac GTO, 6.685, 206.42. Allen Johnson, Stratus, 6.585, 209.72 def. Danny Gruninger, Stratus, 13.200, 47.82. Jeg Coughlin, Cobalt, 6.595, 210.41 def. Larry Morgan, Stratus, 6.637, 208.26.
Quarterfinals
Krisher, 6.634, 208.71 def. K. Johnson, 6.688, 208.91. A. Johnson, 6.611, 208.71 def. Jones, 6.693, 207.50. Line, 6.605, 209.52 def. Coughlin, 13.731, 63.95. Edwards, 6.583, 210.11 def. Stanfield, 6.637, 209.04.
Semifinals
Line, 6.609, 209.92 def. A. Johnson, 14.469, 57.03. Edwards, 6.580, 210.01 def. Krisher, 6.634, 208.84.
Finals
Edwards, 6.583, 211.03 def. Line, 6.601, 210.50.
Point Standings (After 14 of 24 events)
x-clinched spot in countdown to No. 1
Top Fuel: 1. x-Antron Brown, 1,168. 2. x-Tony Schumacher, 1,031. 3. x-Larry Dixon, 998. 4. Brandon Bernstein, 913. 5. Spencer Massey, 819. 6. Cory McClenathan, 814. 7. (tie) Shawn Langdon, 773. Morgan Lucas, 773. 9. Doug Kalitta, 666. 10. Clay Millican, 567.
Funny Car: 1. Ron Capps, 1,039. 2. Ashley Force Hood, 1,018. 3. Tony Pedregon, 1,009. 4. Jack Beckman, 855. 5. Tim Wilkerson, 804. 6. Del Worsham, 791. 7. Bob Tasca III, 787. 8. John Force, 739. 9. Mike Neff, 683. 10. Matt Hagan, 669.
Pro Stock: 1. x-Jeg Coughlin, 1,199. 2. x-Mike Edwards, 1,179. 3. x-Jason Line, 1,086. 4. Greg Anderson, 951. 5. Allen Johnson, 933. 6. Greg Stanfield, 744. 7. Ron Krisher, 704. 8. Kurt Johnson, 668. 9. Rickie Jones, 608. 10. Warren Johnson, 575.
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