{"id":27973,"date":"2016-06-13T10:15:55","date_gmt":"2016-06-13T17:15:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/?p=27973"},"modified":"2018-08-16T12:36:41","modified_gmt":"2018-08-16T19:36:41","slug":"capps-and-anderson-repeat-while-torrence-and-sampey-find-englishtown-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/capps-and-anderson-repeat-while-torrence-and-sampey-find-englishtown-success\/","title":{"rendered":"Capps and Anderson Repeat While Torrence and Sampey Find Englishtown Success"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"NHRA\"<\/a>
Photos: NHRA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel) tore through the competition in taking his wire-to-wire victory in the NHRA Summernationals, and for rapid Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock), meeting in the winner\u2019s circle is becoming a regular occurrence, winning in back-to-back NHRA National events in their respective classes in just six days.\u00a0 As for Pro Stock Motorcycle winner, Angelle Sampey, she was ready to claim her first Wally since 2007 telling the rest of the two-wheel field that she\u2019s not only back, but also ready to contend for another title.<\/p>\n

This being a four-race swing of the east coast, the second stop was a major race on the Mello Yello tour at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, and the significance of conquering the Summernationals is season changing.\u00a0 It\u2019s the 10th<\/sup> race of the year and kicks off the second half of the regular season so now is the time to start getting things right.<\/p>\n

TOP FUEL<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"NHRA<\/a><\/p>\n

Steve Torrence, driving his powerful and consistent Capco dragster, raced past eight-time series champion Tony Schumacher in the final round \u00a0in what is becoming pretty routine now, defeating NHRA\u2019s most prolific driver in their last three last match ups.<\/p>\n

If the 33-year-old Texan\u2019s overpowering victory in the season-opening Circle K Winternationals at Pomona, Calif. was a study in perfection, Sunday epitomized the contrasting concept of \u201cwinning ugly.\u201d<\/p>\n

The normal problems of achieving maximum traction with a 10,000 horsepower race car were exacerbated by high winds that continually blew dirt onto the track surface.\u00a0 That made it much more of a crew chief race and Torrence proved equal to the task even though he spent an agonizing few nano-seconds waiting for Schumacher to drive past him at the finish line.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is huge,\u201d Torrence said of the bookend for his 2012 Summernationals win.\u00a0 \u201cThis was a tough race.\u00a0 Smoking tires, a pedal-fest.\u00a0 Down there at the end, my car shuts off before the finish line.\u00a0 I could tell it had holes out (cylinders that no longer were firing), and it wasn\u2019t wanting to go anywhere.\u00a0 It knocked the belt off so I\u2019m trying to Flintstone it to get it to the end and somehow we managed to squeak in there ahead of Schumacher.\u201d<\/p>\n

To get to his final round, he raced past Smax Smith, J.R. Todd, and Brittany Force to set up the classic final.<\/p>\n

Only the outcome was anything but that, as Torrence puffed the tires as Schumacher\u2019s dragster was doing the same thing and it became a pedal contest, which proved to be the decisive blow against Schumacher for Torrence\u2019s seventh Top Fuel victory of his career.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe took a bunch of timing out of it and slowed the flows down,\u201d Torrence said of the planned de-tune.\u00a0 \u201cIt didn\u2019t like it.\u00a0 It put holes out.\u00a0 But the bottom line is it wasn\u2019t smokin\u2019 the tires.\u00a0 I could hear [Schumacher\u2019s car] when we left.\u00a0 I could tell he was right with us.\u00a0 I could hear him slap the throttle and I knew he had to pedal it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"NHRA<\/a><\/p>\n

Torrence shot up to third in the Mello Yello standings, trailing Antron Brown by 16 points and leader, Doug Kalitta by 65 markers.<\/p>\n

FUNNY CAR<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"NHRA<\/a><\/p>\n

It might have been a crew chief battle in the other classes, but for Ron Capps and his crew chief, Rahn Tobler had everything calculated to perfection using their own ‘NAPA Know How’ directing Capps to his second consecutive.\u00a0 Nearly every other nitro team at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park found themselves in finding a tuning combination that would conquer the 130-degree racing surface on Sunday.<\/p>\n

The NAPA squad also helped Capps get the No. 1 qualifying spot (3.870) for Sunday’s eliminations, marking the first time he has ever been on the pole in back-to-back races.<\/p>\n

Capps marched through eliminations, playing it smart in the first round against John Hale.\u00a0 He ran up against John Force for the 83rd<\/sup> time claiming his 31st<\/sup> win in the match up history in the quarterfinals.\u00a0 Del Worsham was next with Capps beating him in the semi-finals to take him to his 47th<\/sup> Funny Car win running a 3.954-second pass, 316.90 mph.<\/p>\n

“It’s great. It’s something you hope will happen at the end of the day,” Capps said. \u00a0“Rahn Tobler’s given me such a fun car to race. \u00a0I almost felt embarrassed driving this car today because it’s so good. \u00a0You just don’t want to mess up when it’s that good; it’s yours to lose.<\/p>\n

“Other guys are struggling to get down the track and our car’s going .95 and .96. \u00a0It wasn’t just that we didn’t struggle, we did. \u00a0We just worked so good together today, a lot of communication. \u00a0It won’t go forever, but at least we’re having fun right now.”<\/p>\n

\"NHRA<\/a><\/p>\n

Being on top from start to finish also propelled him into the points lead snatching it away from his Don Schumacher Racing teammate, Jack Beckman by 27 and 71 over Courtney Force in third.<\/p>\n

PRO STOCK<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"NHRA<\/a><\/p>\n

In Pro Stock, Greg Anderson won his fifth victory of the season, 83rd of his career and seventh at Englishtown with a 6.610 at 210.93 in his Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro over teammate Jason Line, who red lighted. \u00a0Anderson has raced to seven final round appearances so far this season.<\/p>\n

In the 30th head-to-head final between the longtime Summit Racing teammates and ninth time this season, Greg Anderson ran 6.610 seconds to Jason Line\u2019s 6.615. \u00a0However, Line red lighted (fouled) at the start and Anderson holds and 18-12 advantage in finals. \u00a0Both drivers each have five victories on the season.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s unreal,\u201d Anderson said, \u201cIt\u2019s just absolutely been a dream season. \u00a0I keep wanting to pinch myself. \u00a0It\u2019s just cool and we\u2019ve had such a great run. \u00a0This was another great weekend. \u00a0It\u2019s just one more time that Englishtown tells me how much it loves me and how much the fans up here appreciate Pro Stock.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"NHRA<\/a><\/p>\n

Anderson\u2019s win continues the Ken Black Racing domination of the season. \u00a0He and Line have won all 10 of the events so far. \u00a0Line holds the points lead with Anderson in second and their KB racing teammate, Bo Butner is third.<\/p>\n

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Angelle<\/a><\/p>\n

Angelle Sampey had a special incentive to win the Summernationals in the Pro Stock Motorcycle division and that was her five-year old daughter, Ava, who has never seen her mom win a National event.\u00a0 It\u2019s been since Houston in 2007 that Sampey won her last Wally.\u00a0 On Sunday, she outdrove the entire class on her way to the winner circle for her 42nd<\/sup> win.<\/p>\n

The three-time champion raced Michael Ray before tackling the Harley\u2019s of Andrew Hines and Eddie Kraweic and reaching her 70th<\/sup> final round against fellow Louisianan, Jerry Savoie.<\/p>\n

She left nothing to chance with another remarkable .002-second reaction time and with massive crosswinds; Sampey had to adjust herself on her bike the entire way down the track to compensate. \u00a0Tears filled Sampey\u2019s eyes when her win light came on running a 6.876, 194.41 against Savoie\u2019s 6.928, 177.21.<\/p>\n

\"Angelle<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI probably looked like a crazy person at the top end when I won,\u201d Sampey said with happy tears streaming down her face. \u00a0\u201cI told my crew chief to check everything on the bike because I was jumping up and down and punching it; I couldn\u2019t calm myself down to take off my helmet. \u00a0I know this is my 42nd win but it feels like my first ever. \u00a0I don\u2019t feel like I\u2019ve had any wins before today.\u201d<\/p>\n

NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing will continue June 17-20 with the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tenn.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Englishtown brought success for four lucky drivers, one of which hadn’t seen a win since 2007.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":27983,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3465,17,3470,3399,22],"tags":[3815,906,3018,82,3643,424,77,79,511,1120,887,1258,512,1362,75,3213,4590,442,4589,1942,575],"class_list":["post-27973","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drag-racing","category-guest-column","category-news","category-nhra","category-event-coverage","tag-2016-nhra-mello-yello-drag-racing-series","tag-andrew-hines","tag-angelle-sampey","tag-antron-brown","tag-bo-butner","tag-brittany-force","tag-courtney-force","tag-del-worsham","tag-doug-kalitta","tag-eddie-krawiec","tag-greg-anderson","tag-jack-beckman","tag-jason-line","tag-jerry-savoie","tag-john-force","tag-jr-todd","tag-michael-ray","tag-ron-capps","tag-smax-smith","tag-steve-torrence","tag-tony-schumacher"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/featuredimage7.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p42YSK-7hb","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27973","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27973"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27973\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27984,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27973\/revisions\/27984"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27983"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27973"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27973"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27973"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}