NHRA NEWS: Toyo Tires Nationals -- Final Results

SCHUMACHER CONTINUES TO OWN MAPLE GROVE RACEWAY, EXTENDS POINTS LEAD
WITH THIRD STRAIGHT TOYO TIRES WIN

Pedregon wins in Funny Car, Anderson wins in Pro Stock, and Sampey gets
the win in Pro Stock Motorcycle

 

MOHNTON, Pa. - Tony Schumacher and crew chief Alan Johnson continued
their domination of Maple Grove Raceway with a third straight Toyo Tires
Nationals win Sunday.

The other winners at the $1.5 million race, the 19th of 23 events on the
$50 million NHRA POWERade Series, were Tony Pedregon (Funny Car), Greg
Anderson (Pro Stock) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

The win over Larry Dixon - his closest chaser in the POWERade Series
points race and the driver who beat him two weeks earlier in the finals
of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals - extended Schumacher's lead in the
standings to 100 points.

"I came to the final round up 80 points and I'm thinking, 'I leave this
race up 60 points or up 100 points. That's huge," said Schumacher, who
drives the U.S. Army dragster. "Now I can leave Dallas in no other place
than first.

"I raise to a different level when I race Larry," Schumacher said.
"There's something about him. He's on time. He's never late. It just
brings the best out of you."

Schumacher defeated Dixon with a pass of 4.498 seconds at 323.74 mph to
Dixon's 4.575 at 322.11 in his Miller Lite dragster. The No.1 qualifier
(Schumacher) defeating the No. 2 qualifier (Dixon) capped a day of Top
Fuel eliminations that saw every higher-seeded driver win.

The stretch of six events since his last win (Mopar Mile High Nationals
in Denver) was his longest stretch without a win since bringing Johnson
aboard as crew chief.

"That final round ... when (crew chief) Alan (Johnson) says, 'Big
round,' you know it's important because he never says that," said
Schumacher, who has now won five times in 2005 in eight final round
appearances.

Pedregon (6.349 at 191.02) ended an almost two-year winless streak (Las
Vegas II, 2003) with his "pedal-fest" win over John Force (8.339 at
125.82), the man Pedregon drove for back in 2003 when he won the Funny
Car world championship.

"There probably isn't anyone better I'd like to beat in the final round
(than Force)," said Pedregon, who drives the Q Racing Chevrolet Monte
Carlo. "You can beat someone else and they won't give you as much
credit. But you win a pedal-fest against John Force and you've earned
it."

Pedregon, who broke away from Team Force and now owns his own team,
pulled away from a wheel-spinning Force (Castrol Syntec GTX Ford
Mustang) before he himself spun his wheels and then the two pedaled it
all the way down the track.

"I was flirting with the center line ... I was flirting with the guard
wall ... sometimes the car does what it's supposed to do and sometimes
you have to have your dancing shoes on," Pedregon said.

Driving his Summit Racing Pontiac GTO, Anderson (6.721 at 205.19)
defeated Jim Yates (6.771 at 204.57) and his Sea Ray Boats GTO to extend
his now commanding lead in Pro Stock to 176 points over Kurt Johnson.

"There's no way to call it over, but I like my chances a lot better than
the rest of them," Anderson said.

It was Anderson's first win at Maple Grove Raceway, one of two tracks
that had kept him out of the winner's circle. The only other track that
has shut him out is Route 66 Raceway in Chicago and he'll get another
crack in two weeks.

The win was Anderson's seventh win in nine final round appearances in
2005.

"I haven't even rode that great this year," Anderson said. "But I've
been solid. I've stuck in the 40s and 50s in the reaction times and
relied on the performance of the car."

Sampey, who lives in New Orleans, rode her U.S. Army Suzuki to a 7.139
at 191.84 to defeat Ryan Schnitz (7.459 at 181.13) for her second win of
the year and 37th of her career, most by a woman in NHRA POWERade Series
history.

The critical win on final eliminations day was in the semifinals when
she trailered points leader Andrew Hines and the powerful Vance & Hines
Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson.

"That was a final round right there," said Sampey, who moved into third
place in the standings (149 behind Hines). "I don't think I've ever been
that excited for a third round. After I beat the Harley in the third
round I felt like I'd already won the race."

It was Sampey's second straight win at Maple Grove and her sixth overall
at the Pennsylvania track.

"I don't know what it is, if this track likes me, if I like this track,"
Sampey said. "Mike Lewis said in the winner's circle, 'I bet you wish
every race was here,' and I do."

 

 

* * * * A G A T E *  * * *

MOHNTON, Pa. -- Final finish order (1-16) for professional categories at
the 21st annual Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway. The
1.5 million race is the 19th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL:

1. Tony Schumacher; 2. Larry Dixon; 3. Morgan Lucas; 4. Doug Herbert; 5.
Melanie Troxel; 6. Doug Kalitta; 7. Cory McClenathan; 8. David Grubnic;
9. Doug Foley; 10. David Baca; 11. Scott Kalitta; 12. Clay Millican; 13.
Brandon Bernstein; 14. John Smith; 15. Scott Weis; 16. T.J. Zizzo. 

FUNNY CAR:

1. Tony Pedregon, Chevy Monte Carlo; 2. John Force, Ford Mustang; 3.
Whit Bazemore, Dodge Stratus; 4. Gary Scelzi, Stratus; 5. Tommy Johnson
Jr., Monte Carlo; 6. Eric Medlen, Mustang; 7. Robert Hight, Mustang; 8.
Frank Pedregon, Stratus; 9. Ron Capps, Stratus; 10. Tim Wilkerson, Monte
Carlo; 11. Bob Gilbertson, Monte Carlo; 12. Mike Ashley, Monte Carlo;
13. Tony Bartone, Monte Carlo; 14. Del Worsham, Monte Carlo; 15. Gary
Densham, Monte Carlo; 16. Phil Burkart, Toyota Celica. 

PRO STOCK:

1. Greg Anderson, Pontiac GTO; 2. Jim Yates, GTO; 3. Jason Line, GTO; 4.
Kurt Johnson, Chevy Cobalt; 5. Erica Enders, Cobalt; 6. Warren Johnson,
GTO; 7. Dave Howard, Cobalt; 8. Larry Morgan, Dodge Stratus; 9. Ron
Krisher, Cobalt; 10. V. Gaines, Stratus; 11. Greg Stanfield, Chevy
Cavalier; 12. Jeg Coughlin, Stratus; 13. Dave Connolly, Cobalt; 14.
Allen Johnson, Stratus; 15. Richie Stevens, Stratus; 16. Rickie Smith,
Cobalt. 

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

1. Angelle Sampey, Suzuki; 2. Ryan Schnitz; 3. Chip Ellis; 4. Andrew
Hines, Harley-Davidson; 5. GT Tonglet, Harley-Davidson; 6. Karen
Stoffer, Suzuki; 7. Craig Treble, Suzuki; 8. Chris Rivas; 9. Matt Smith;
10. Steve Johnson, Suzuki; 11. Matt Guidera; 12. Antron Brown, Suzuki;
13. Geno Scali, Suzuki; 14. Michael Phillips, Suzuki; 15. Tom Bradford;
16. Mike Berry, Kawasaki. 

 

MOHNTON, Pa. -- Sunday's final results from the 21st annual Toyo Tires
NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway. The 1.5 million race is the 19th
of 23 in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series: 

Top Fuel -- Tony Schumacher, 4.498 seconds, 323.74 mph def. Larry Dixon,
4.575 seconds, 322.11 mph. 

Funny Car -- Tony Pedregon, Chevy Monte Carlo, 6.349, 191.02 def. John
Force, Ford Mustang, 8.339, 125.82. 

Pro Stock -- Greg Anderson, Pontiac GTO, 6.721, 205.19 def. Jim Yates,
GTO, 6.771, 204.57. 

Pro Stock Motorcycle -- Angelle Sampey, Suzuki, 7.139, 191.84 def. Ryan
Schnitz, Buell, 7.459, 181.13. 

Top Alcohol Dragster -- Bill Reichert, 6.965, 138.93 def. Arthur
Gallant, broke. 

Top Alcohol Funny Car -- Frank Manzo, Pontiac Firebird, 5.592, 259.01
def. Bob Newberry, Chevy Monte Carlo, 10.643, 80.54. 

Competition Eliminator -- Gerry Russo, Chevy Cavalier, 8.615, 156.81
def. Don Eckel, Dragster, 7.065, 189.50. 

Stock Eliminator -- Mickey Whaley, Chevy Camaro, 11.127, 116.19 def. Joe
Lisa, Camaro, 11.356, 113.82. 

Super Comp -- Ron Erks, Dragster, 8.903, 172.83 def. Jim Morrison,
Dragster, 8.904, 171.47. 

Super Gas -- John Asta, Pontiac Firebird, 9.859, 154.74 def. Ron Erks,
Chevy Corvette, foul. 

 

MOHNTON, Pa. -- Final round-by-round results from the 21st annual Toyo
Tires NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, the 19th of 23 events in
the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series:

 

TOP FUEL: 

ROUND ONE -- David Grubnic, 4.566, 320.97 def. David Baca, 4.702,
295.66; Cory McClenathan, 4.575, 322.65 def. Scott Kalitta, 5.176,
226.85; Melanie Troxel, 4.509, 322.65 def. Clay Millican, 5.865, 152.66;
Morgan Lucas, 4.540, 321.73 def. John Smith, 7.517, 124.38; Tony
Schumacher, 4.479, 323.12 def. Scott Weis, 8.977, 98.03; Doug Herbert,
4.536, 318.39 def. Doug Foley, 4.581, 320.74; Doug Kalitta, 4.520,
327.03 def. Brandon Bernstein, 6.321, 131.24; Larry Dixon, 4.521, 330.23
def. T.J. Zizzo, 11.436, 78.99;

QUARTERFINALS -- Herbert, 4.569, 319.37 def. McClenathan, foul; Dixon,
4.552, 323.97 def. D. Kalitta, 4.560, 322.65; Lucas, 4.536, 324.98 def.
Troxel, 4.558, 320.43; Schumacher, 4.510, 324.44 def. Grubnic, 13.938,
81.15; 

SEMIFINALS -- Dixon, 4.540, 326.08 def. Herbert, 4.598, 308.07;
Schumacher, 4.515, 325.92 def. Lucas, 4.538, 323.81;

FINAL -- Schumacher, 4.498, 323.74 def. Dixon, 4.575, 322.11. 

 

FUNNY CAR: 

ROUND ONE -- Robert Hight, Ford Mustang, 4.779, 325.92 def. Ron Capps,
Dodge Stratus, 4.880, 299.66; Tommy Johnson Jr., Chevy Monte Carlo,
4.822, 319.29 def. Bob Gilbertson, Monte Carlo, 4.999, 284.87; Frank
Pedregon, Stratus, 4.833, 316.97 def. Mike Ashley, Monte Carlo, 5.189,
226.16; Eric Medlen, Mustang, 4.807, 322.88 def. Tim Wilkerson, Monte
Carlo, 4.988, 274.89; Gary Scelzi, Stratus, 4.785, 312.42 def. Gary
Densham, Monte Carlo, 8.074, 100.32; Tony Pedregon, Monte Carlo, 4.850,
316.90 def. Phil Burkart, Toyota Celica, 10.018, 86.05; John Force,
Mustang, 4.788, 320.05 def. Tony Bartone, Monte Carlo, 5.212, 225.30;
Whit Bazemore, Stratus, 4.912, 312.86 def. Del Worsham, Monte Carlo,
7.765, 130.14; 

QUARTERFINALS -- T. Pedregon, 5.251, 270.16 def. F. Pedregon, 5.871,
169.89; Bazemore, 4.872, 311.56 def. Medlen, 4.893, 315.64; Scelzi,
4.818, 319.98 def. Hight, 4.910, 298.67; Force, 4.813, 319.45 def.
Johnson Jr., 4.867, 319.29; 

SEMIFINALS -- T. Pedregon, 4.907, 314.97 def. Scelzi, 11.963, 73.76;
Force, 4.790, 317.34 def. Bazemore, 5.831, 193.38;

FINAL -- T. Pedregon, 6.349, 191.02 def. Force, 8.339, 125.82. 

 

PRO STOCK: 

ROUND ONE -- Larry Morgan, Dodge Stratus, 6.741, 204.82 def. Dave
Connolly, Chevy Cobalt, 6.741, 205.01; Erica Enders, Cobalt, 6.737,
205.04 def. Rickie Smith, Cobalt, 8.500, 107.15; Warren Johnson, Pontiac
GTO, 6.693, 205.41 def. Jeg Coughlin, Stratus, 6.734, 205.10; Jim Yates,
GTO, 6.732, 204.70 def. Richie Stevens, Stratus, 6.752, 204.60; Jason
Line, GTO, 6.690, 206.35 def. Allen Johnson, Stratus, 6.748, 203.37;
Kurt Johnson, Cobalt, 6.700, 205.44 def. V. Gaines, Stratus, 6.724,
205.13; Greg Anderson, GTO, 6.680, 206.13 def. Greg Stanfield, Chevy
Cavalier, 6.732, 204.29; Dave Howard, Cobalt, 6.742, 205.10 def. Ron
Krisher, Cobalt, 6.696, 205.07; 

QUARTERFINALS -- Yates, 6.750, 204.26 def. Howard, foul; K. Johnson,
6.714, 205.16 def. W. Johnson, 6.736, 204.20; Line, 6.735, 205.29 def.
Morgan, broke; Anderson, 6.697, 205.82 def. Enders, 6.734, 204.66; 

SEMIFINALS -- Yates, 6.739, 203.92 def. Line, foul; Anderson, 6.701,
206.26 def. K. Johnson, foul;

 FINAL -- Anderson, 6.721, 205.19 def. Yates, 6.771, 204.57. 

 

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: 

ROUND ONE -- Chris Rivas, Buell, 7.186, 181.57 def. Steve Johnson,
Suzuki, 7.170, 186.20; Ryan Schnitz, Buell, 7.109, 186.28 def. Matt
Guidera, Buell, 7.172, 181.35; Craig Treble, Suzuki, 7.248, 185.31 def.
Antron Brown, Suzuki, foul; Chip Ellis, Buell, 7.071, 187.50 def.
Michael Phillips, Suzuki, 7.202, 190.83; Angelle Sampey, Suzuki, 7.188,
184.27 def. Tom Bradford, Buell, 7.228, 185.33; Andrew Hines,
Harley-Davidson, 7.091, 188.94 def. Geno Scali, Suzuki, 7.176, 185.89;
Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 7.188, 184.67 def. Matt Smith, Buell, 7.143,
185.28; GT Tonglet, Harley-Davidson, 7.123, 187.55 def. Mike Berry,
Kawasaki, 7.242, 184.75; 

QUARTERFINALS -- Sampey, 7.185, 185.41 def. Treble, 7.281, 179.92;
Schnitz, 7.222, 184.07 def. Stoffer, 7.279, 179.59; Hines, 7.147, 187.23
def. Tonglet, 7.194, 186.41; Ellis, 7.103, 181.98 def. Rivas, 7.307,
178.42;

SEMIFINALS -- Sampey, 7.119, 191.21 def. Hines, 7.183, 187.39; Schnitz,
7.178, 189.44 def. Ellis, 7.144, 186.82; 

FINAL -- Sampey, 7.139, 191.84 def. Schnitz, 7.459, 181.13. 

 

MOHNTON, Pa. -- Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional
categories following the 21st annual Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals at Maple
Grove Raceway, the 19th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade
Drag Racing Series - 

Top Fuel

1. Tony Schumacher, 1,492; 2. Larry Dixon, 1,392; 3. Doug Kalitta,
1,387; 4. David Grubnic, 1,181; 5. Morgan Lucas, 1,139; 6. Brandon
Bernstein, 1,108; 7. Doug Herbert, 1,053; 8. Cory McClenathan, 962; 9.
Scott Kalitta, 935; 10. Scott Weis, 676.

Funny Car

1. Gary Scelzi, 1,250; 2. Robert Hight, 1,224; 3. John Force, 1,219; 4.
Eric Medlen, 1,174; 5. Ron Capps, 1,168; 6. Tommy Johnson Jr., 1,080; 7.
Whit Bazemore, 1,042; 8. Del Worsham, 978; 9. Tony Pedregon, 957; 10.
Cruz Pedregon, 883.

Pro Stock

1. Greg Anderson, 1,575; 2. Kurt Johnson, 1,399; 3. Warren Johnson,
1,299; 4. Jason Line, 1,252; 5. Dave Connolly, 1,127; 6. Greg Stanfield,
932; 7. Ron Krisher, 907; 8. Richie Stevens, 905; 9. Jeg Coughlin, 873;
10. Jim Yates, 868.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

1. Andrew Hines, 966; 2. GT Tonglet, 924; 3. Angelle Sampey, 817; 4.
Antron Brown, 815; 5. Ryan Schnitz, 786; 6. Chip Ellis, 751; 7. Karen
Stoffer, 695; 8. Geno Scali, 686; 9. Steve Johnson, 659; 10. Craig
Treble, 643.