NHRA’s Camping World Drag Racing Series begins its summer assault on all senses this weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. All four professional categories and E3 Pro Mod, as well as the Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown will be in action, together with a grouping of Lucas Oil sportsman classes and exhibitions by ScottRods AA/Gassers and Nostalgia Pro Stock.
If it sounds like a busy weekend at Summit Raceway Park, it most certainly will be, with action from early morning until night. NHRA has arranged for three qualifying sessions at the professional level, with the single Friday night time trials capped by jet cars and fireworks. By far one of the best “perks” at Summit Raceway Park is the lure of $1/gallon ice cream. It’s one of the reasons the racers love the place – that and the fact the track is well-prepared and fan attendance is robust.
Many teams have been testing in preparation for the trip to Norwalk, mostly at Lucas Oil Raceway outside Indianapolis. Norwalk is a critical race as it prefaces the three-week Western Swing from Denver to Sonoma to Pomona next month.
With 18 Top Fuel entries on the list, two of those attempting to make the field of 16 will, eventually have to pack up early. Once again Steve Torrence, who’s owned the class these past three years, has a big lead in the standings, with Don Schumacher Racing’s Antron Brown in second, a full 162 points behind, followed by Billy Torrence, the most recent winner 215 points back. Shawn Langdon, in fourth (-252) will fly the yellow and black colors of Sealmaster this weekend on his Kalitta Motorsports dragster, while Brittany Force, fifth (-265) will attempt to make her extraordinary qualifying times translate to eliminations round wins.
Gainesville winner Josh Hart is back for another try at victory, as well as fellow part-timers Joe Morrison, Buddy Hull, Mike Bucher, Kyle Wurtzel, Luigi Novelli and Krista Baldwin. Mike Salinas was testing at Indy this week in preparation to race in Norwalk, along with daughters Jasmine and Jianna. Leah Pruett, who also races in Factory Stock Showdown, will try to go more rounds in her Don Schumacher Racing dragster; she’s had abysmal luck of late. Doug Kalitta will fly the black, yellow and red colors of Applied Imaging as he attempts to move up from sixth. He’s followed by the Smart Sanitizer rail of Justin Ashley, Hart, Clay Millican and Pruett.
Funny Car points leader Bob Tasca III better be using some rearview mirrors in his Ford Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang, as 16-time class champ and most recent winner – of his 153rd Flopper Wally winner’s trophy – John Force is charging forward in his PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS, standing only 15 points behind the Rhode Island native. J.R. Todd is breathing down both Tasca’s and Force’s necks in his DHL Toyota Camry from Kalitta Motorsports, lagging Tasca by a small 45 points, while John Force Racing’s president, Robert Hight has fourth place points, 72 in arrears.
Reigning titleholder Matt Hagan from Don Schumacher Racing is in fifth place (-120) in his Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, with teammate Ron Capps, the 2016 champ, three points behind him. Tim Wilkerson (Mustang), Alexis DeJoria (Camry), Cruz Pedregon (Charger) and Terry Haddock (Mustang) complete the top 10 who will have to contend with their own 18-car field this weekend. Paul Lee (Charger), Dave Richards (Mustang), Dale Creasy Jr (Dodge Stratus), Mike McIntire Jr (Camry), Chad Green (Mustang) and Bobby Bode III (Mustang) are the part-timers aiming to toss the standings like a proper salad.
Four-time and reigning Pro Stock champion Erica Enders is the sole NHRA athlete in contention for an ESPY award this July, but has her work cut out for her to make it a fifth title in 2021, as she’s in fifth place, 155 points behind leader Greg Anderson. This driver’s class, one of the few pro categories with differing technical aspects, has mostly Chevrolet Camaro drivers at the top of the points chase, but each contestant has a crew chief or tuner who can make a big difference in how they go down the track.
Most recent winner Aaron Stanfield, whose father Greg was known, when he drove Pro Stock, for his tuning talent, holds second-place points, 105 behind Anderson, while fellow second-generation racer Mason McGaha is third, 141 back. Deric Kramer is fourth, 153 behind Anderson, followed by Enders, Matt Hartford, Dallas Glenn, Troy Coughlin Jr., Kyle Koretsy and Chris McGaha. With 20 Pro Stock cars on hand, this weekend will be one filled with the stress of just making the field. Joining the regulars are Australian Rob Tucker (father of part-timer Shane Tucker), Richie Stevens Jr., broadcaster Bruno Massel Jr., and the three Cuadra racers: father Fernando and sons Fernando Jr. and Cristian Cuadra.
It’s been nearly six weeks since Pro Stock Motorcycle veteran Steve Johnson claimed his first win in more than seven years aboard his self-prepared Slick 50 Suzuki four-valve motorcycle and he’s not finished celebrating. With the class in action this weekend, Johnson is aiming to celebrate further with ice cream come Sunday afternoon. Currently in third place behind Matt Smith Racing’s reigning titleholder Matt Smith and teammate Scotty Pollacheck (-61) on their Buell motorcycles, Johnson has 74 points to make up, with Ryan Oehler breathing down his neck with his self-prepared Buell, just 10 points behind Johnson.
Vance and Hines’ Angelle Sampey is looking to make up ground on her Suzuki as she’s 147 points back and Karen Stoffer, still riding a two-valve Suzuki is 183 points behind Smith. Cory Reed holds seventh-place points (Suzuki Haybusa), Angie Smith (Buell), Joey Gladstone (Suzuki Haybusa) and Kelly Clontz’s 4-valve Suzuki comprise the top 10. There will be 21 motorcycles on the grounds, making qualifying a nail-biter as part-timers Michael Phillips (Suzuki), Ron Tornow (Victory), John Hall (Buell), Jianna Salinas (Suzuki) join regulars like six-time champ Andrew Hines (Buell) and four-time champ Eddie Krawiec (Buell), David Barron (Buell), Chris Bostick (Suzuki) and Marc Ingwersen (Buell) looking to make the field.
The Factory Stock Showdown class will contest its third race of the year this weekend, with 27 racers attempting to make the field of 16. At this time, after winning the first race of the year in Gainesville and placing second at Houston in his Camaro, second-gen racer Aaron Stanfield has a 213-point grip on the field, followed by Houston winner David Barton with 148 points. Jesse Alexandra, Kevin Skinner (Ford Mustang), David Janac, Mark Pawuk (Dodge Charger), Doug Hamp, Leah Pruett (Charger), Daniel Condon and John Cerbone. If a vehicle type isn’t mentioned, the driver wheels a Camaro. It’s important to note that four entries are sponsored by Stanfield Racing Engines.
The weather will play a large part in this weekend’s happenings, as the action could spill out to Monday. Since NHRA’s pro classes are on hiatus until the start of the Western Swing the weekend of July 16-18, that won’t create travel issues, but nobody wants to spend an extra day and night on-site at a racetrack if they don’t have to. Current forecast calls for temps increasing from low 80s to 90 on Sunday, with the better chances for precipitation on Friday and Saturday.
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