Table of Contents
- The three-race slog through wildly different conditions will not produce a new master this year.
- Funny Car winner Bob Tasca III robbed John Force of a father-daughter double-nitro celebration with Top Fuel winner Brittany Force.
- Pro Stock’s Erica Enders denied longtime rival Greg Anderson his 100th victory.
- Tearful Joey Gladstone earns his first Pro Stock Motorcycle trophy.
No one will sweep the NHRA’s Western Swing through Denver, Sonoma, and Seattle.
Greg Anderson will have to wait another race day to earn his 100th victory.
And Brittany Force missed the chance to share the winners podium for her first triumph at Sonoma and fourth of the season with dad John Force.
Denver winners Leah Pruett (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), and Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) lost long before the finals Sunday at the Denso Sonoma Nationals in Northern California Wine Country.
This 12th race on the Camping World Drag Racing Series schedule belonged to Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock), and Joey Gladstone (Pro Stock Motorcycle).
Brittany Force regains Top Fuel points lead
The Flav-R-Pac Dragster driver had her 15th career Top Fuel trophy and traditional wine-goblet statue from Sonoma Raceway in hand Sunday afternoon, but she also had something more significant: the points lead.
Force defeated Mike Salinas in Sunday’s final round to wrest the lead in the standings from him as the tour heads north to Seattle for her sponsor’s title event at Pacific Raceways.
“I’ve been coming to this racetrack since I was a kid. I’ve always wanted to win here, and we finally pulled it off,” she said.
Force already owned nine of the class’ top 10 fastest speeds of all time, and she still does. But she rewrote that list to include four new entries from Sunday’s eliminations: 337.75 mph, 336.49, 336.07, and 335.48.
NHRA/National Dragster
Bob Tasca III Tops John Force In Funny Car Showdown
Family patriarch (the late) Bob Tasca Sr. was a drag racer nicknamed “The Big Bopper,” and he used to say, “I didn’t come out here to get a sunburn.” That’s just the way his grandson, Sunday Funny Car winner Bob Tasca III, sees it.
“The only reason we’re here is to win championships,” Tasca said after claiming his first victory of the season and 10th in all in his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Shelby Ford Mustang.
He apologized to Ford fans because “it took way too long” to get to the winners circle this season. It’s not because he didn’t try – this was Tasca’s third straight final round.
NHRA/National Dragster
Erica Enders Denies Greg Anderson No. 100
Greg Anderson said many years ago that he didn’t want to be in the opposite lane when Erica Enders recorded her first victory. But he was. And she didn’t want to be the one he beat to earn his milestone 100th victory. And she wasn’t.
Enders ruined Anderson’s latest chance to reach that lofty plateau, beating him by about a half-car-length in the final Pro Stock round Sunday. The Melling Chevy Camaro driver got her 40th victory, even though her engine let go about 150 feet short of the finish line.
“For 12 years, this victory [at Sonoma Raceway] has evaded us. So this means a lot to me,” she said. She dedicated the accomplishment to Royce Freeman Sr. – “Grandpa Freeman,” she called him – father of team owner Richard Freeman who passed away unexpectedly two weeks ago.
“My car’s running on mean,” she said. “It’s definitely a pinch-me season. We’ve just got to make it last.” As for Anderson, she said, “It’s been an honor to race against him . . . to be able to go toe-to-toe with him. The rivalry continues, and I know he enjoys it as much as we do.”
First Victory Puts ‘Glad’ in Joey Gladstone
Joey Gladstone, making his third consecutive final-round appearance, finally recorded his long-awaited career-first victory.
“I’ve been waiting for this day since I was 12 years old, when I decided I wanted to race Pro Stock Motorcycle. I spent my whole life trying to get here. This means everything to me, and it makes it all worth it,” he said.
Even teammate Cory Reed, Gladstone’s right-hand man as he recovers from a serious leg injury from last fall, said, “It’s hard not to cry now. I can’t lie.”
The Results, Points
SONOMA, Calif. — Sunday’s final results from the 34th annual Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway. The race is the 12th of 22 in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:
Finals
Top Fuel — Brittany Force, 3.709 seconds, 335.48 mph def. Mike Salinas, 3.741 seconds, 320.05 mph.
Funny Car — Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 3.911, 325.61 def. John Force, Chevy Camaro, 3.998, 326.48.
Pro Stock — Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.574, 196.62 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.565, 208.01.
Pro Stock Motorcycle — Joey Gladstone, Suzuki, 6.759, 200.68 def. Eddie Krawiec, Suzuki, 6.758, 199.67.
Competition Eliminator — Jim Cowan, Chevy Cobalt, 8.052, 166.52 def. Joe Mozeris, Dragster, 6.828, 190.94.
Super Stock — Jody Lang, Chevy Malibu, 10.712, 122.37 def. Kyle Rizzoli, Chevy Camaro, 9.577, 137.75.
Stock Eliminator — Justin Jerome, Plymouth Duster, 11.133, 103.54 def. Bryan Phillips, Pontiac Firebird, Foul – Red Light.
Super Comp — Tanner Theobald, Dragster, 8.922, 166.25 def. Toby Payne, Dragster, 8.923, 187.44.
Super Gas — Evan Kowalski, Chevy Corvette, 9.904, 154.97 def. Beau Hicks, Corvette, 9.883, 158.86.
Top Sportsman presented by Vortech Superchargers — Richard Okerman, Chevy Beretta, 7.248, 166.05 def. Michael Henry, Pontiac Firebird, 7.876, 167.38.
Top Dragster presented by Vortech Superchargers — Thomas Bayer, Dragster, 6.134, 220.58 def. Melissa Murphy, Dragster, Foul – Red Light.
Round-by-Round
TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE — Josh Hart, 3.733, 328.38 def. Clay Millican, 3.734, 327.35; Brittany Force, 3.662, 336.07 def. Austin Prock, 3.743, 321.04; Doug Kalitta, 3.719, 325.30 def. Ron August, 3.966, 261.72; Leah Pruett, 3.729, 328.86 def. Jim Maroney, 4.443, 187.42; Mike Salinas, 3.709, 323.66 def. Cameron Ferre, Broke – No Show; Justin Ashley, 3.752, 323.58 def. Alex Laughlin, 3.803, 315.56; Steve Torrence, 3.687, 325.37 def. Tony Schumacher, 5.513, 129.16; Shawn Langdon, 3.743, 326.63 def. Antron Brown, 3.763, 324.05; QUARTERFINALS — Langdon, 3.734, 330.96 def. Pruett, 3.758, 323.97; Force, 3.663, 336.49 def. Torrence, 3.716, 329.18; Salinas, 3.701, 334.98 def. Ashley, 3.937, 246.03; Kalitta, 3.728, 332.02 def. Hart, 3.781, 326.95; SEMIFINALS — Salinas, 3.844, 321.04 def. Kalitta, 4.354, 193.71; Force, 3.675, 337.75 def. Langdon, 3.787, 311.20; FINAL — Force, 3.709, 335.48 def. Salinas, 3.741, 320.05.
FUNNY CAR:
ROUND ONE — Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 3.875, 330.07 def. Jason Rupert, Mustang, 4.091, 313.15; Alexis DeJoria, Toyota Supra, 3.905, 328.78 def. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 4.935, 162.53; Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 4.021, 260.31 def. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Camry, 6.624, 104.91; John Force, Camaro, 3.892, 332.18 def. Ron Capps, Supra, 3.920, 330.96; Cruz Pedregon, Dodge Charger, 3.911, 328.70 def. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.939, 330.23; Blake Alexander, Mustang, 3.977, 325.06 def. Steven Densham, Mustang, 4.084, 300.06; J.R. Todd, Supra, 3.999, 324.75 def. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.774, no speed; Jim Campbell, Charger, 4.004, 317.87 def. Paul Lee, Charger, 4.343, 213.67; QUARTERFINALS — DeJoria, 3.905, 330.80 def. Pedregon, 4.747, 169.83; Tasca III, 3.875, 329.91 def. Alexander, 3.952, 325.30; Force, 3.932, 330.88 def. Todd, 3.958, 326.16; Hight, 3.943, 324.75 def. Campbell, 3.997, 318.54; SEMIFINALS — Force, 3.909, 328.38 def. DeJoria, 3.933, 325.06; Tasca III, 3.907, 326.87 def. Hight, 3.925, 326.56; FINAL — Tasca III, 3.911, 325.61 def. Force, 3.998, 326.48.
PRO STOCK:
ROUND ONE — Mason McGaha, Chevy Camaro, 6.540, 211.26 def. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 11.652, 75.46; Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.722, 179.59 def. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 9.718, 94.07; Kyle Koretsky, Camaro, 6.549, 208.46 def. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, Foul – Red Light; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.544, 208.59 def. Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 6.547, 210.97; Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.522, 210.21 def. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.544, 208.81; Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.535, 211.33 def. Fernando Cuadra, Mustang, 6.632, 209.49; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.540, 208.33 def. Steve Graham, Camaro, 8.441, 113.84; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.517, 211.86 def. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Mustang, Foul – Red Light; QUARTERFINALS — Anderson, 6.572, 208.04 def. Butner, 6.579, 210.14; Koretsky, 6.558, 209.30 def. Coughlin Jr., 15.096, 55.20; Stanfield, 6.534, 210.28 def. Glenn, 6.552, 208.39; Enders, 6.540, 211.43 def. M. McGaha, 6.546, 211.03; SEMIFINALS — Anderson, 6.557, 208.94 def. Koretsky, Broke; Enders, 6.527, 211.00 def. Stanfield, Foul – Red Light; FINAL — Enders, 6.574, 196.62 def. Anderson, 6.565, 208.01.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:
ROUND ONE — Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.780, 198.44 def. Angie Smith, 6.776, 203.00; Katie Sullivan, Suzuki, 6.814, 199.14 def. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 6.828, 198.82; Eddie Krawiec, Suzuki, 6.772, 200.56 def. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.847, 196.36; Matt Smith, Suzuki, 6.723, 202.18 def. Ryan Oehler, 6.932, 195.62; Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.758, 199.17 def. Scott Bottorff, Buell, 6.953, 193.05; Joey Gladstone, Suzuki, 6.747, 201.40 def. Jianna Evaristo, Suzuki, 6.949, 192.99; Angelle Sampey, Suzuki, 6.752, 201.19 def. Lance Bonham, Buell, 9.689, 115.15; QUARTERFINALS — Savoie, 6.751, 199.70 def. Johnson, 6.731, 200.38; Sampey, 6.868, 200.50 was unopposed; Gladstone, 6.735, 202.18 def. Sullivan, 7.480, 134.38; Krawiec, 6.750, 200.41 def. M. Smith, 6.748, 201.46; SEMIFINALS — Krawiec, 6.758, 200.29 def. Sampey, Foul – Red Light; Gladstone, 6.754, 200.71 def. Savoie, 6.849, 195.05; FINAL — Gladstone, 6.759, 200.68 def. Krawiec, 6.758, 199.67.
Updated Points
SONOMA, Calif. — Point standings (top 10) following the 34th annual Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway, the 12th of 22 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series
Top Fuel
1. Brittany Force, 982; 2. Mike Salinas, 976; 3. Justin Ashley, 842; 4. Steve Torrence, 804; 5. Josh Hart, 636; 6. (tie) Shawn Langdon, 601; Leah Pruett, 601; 8. Austin Prock, 570; 9. Doug Kalitta, 566; 10. Clay Millican, 551.
Funny Car
1. Robert Hight, 1,133; 2. Matt Hagan, 989; 3. Ron Capps, 923; 4. John Force, 827; 5. Bob Tasca III, 733; 6. Cruz Pedregon, 647; 7. J.R. Todd, 615; 8. Alexis DeJoria, 600; 9. Tim Wilkerson, 522; 10. Chad Green, 440.
Pro Stock
1. Erica Enders, 976; 2. Aaron Stanfield, 896; 3. Kyle Koretsky, 669; 4. Greg Anderson, 590; 5. Dallas Glenn, 561; 6. Mason McGaha, 541; 7. Matt Hartford, 489; 8. Camrie Caruso, 487; 9. Troy Coughlin Jr., 454; 10. Bo Butner, 443.
Pro Stock Motorcycle
1. Angelle Sampey, 599; 2. Joey Gladstone, 597; 3. Steve Johnson, 587; 4. Matt Smith, 563; 5. Eddie Krawiec, 530; 6. Karen Stoffer, 501; 7. Angie Smith, 500; 8. Jerry Savoie, 468; 9. Marc Ingwersen, 346; 10. Jim Underdahl, 291.
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