Texas NHRA Fall Nationals: Saturday's Highlights
The Texas Motorplex buzzed with excitement as the NHRA Fall Nationals reached its climax on Saturday. Here's a breakdown of the day's action, including some intriguing storylines and standout performances.
All-Star Showdown in the JEGS Finals
The JEGS Allstars semifinals set the stage for an electrifying final round. Here's a look at the matchups:
- Comp: Monty Bogan vs. Josh Lee
- Super Stock: Larry Leazer vs. Jeremy Duncan
- Stock: Landon Emmons vs. Steve Foley
- Super Comp: Tanner Thorp vs. Bradley Snowball
- Super Gas: James Perry vs. Charles Kenopic
- Super Street: Donald Webb vs. John Leibham
- Top Dragster: Mark Grame vs. Blake Peavler
- Top Sportsman: Dennis Dowson vs. Curt Fredrich
The Top Alcohol semifinals, held the previous evening, featured these final-round pairings:
- Top Alcohol Dragster: Matthew Cummings vs. Joey Severance
- Top Alcohol Funny Car: Brian Hough vs. Jim Whiteley
Team Standings: Regional and Division Champions
The West squad claimed the Regional (Top Alcohol) title, while Division 2 secured the other team championship, showcasing the depth of talent in the sport.
Top Fuel: Consistency and Tune-ups
With the heat, teams focused on fine-tuning their race-day setups rather than making significant improvements. Josh Hart's 3.793 matched Tony Schumacher's speed, highlighting the importance of consistency.
"We're all about consistency and finding our racecar," Hart emphasized. "The guys are dedicated to making it happen."
Second-place Justin Ashley earned bonus points for the third consecutive session with a 3.800, the third-best run of the session.
Ida Zetterström, sponsored by Dialight, a leader in LED industrial lighting, impressed with her 3.78 from Friday, solidifying her position in the field despite a less-than-ideal pass in the final round.
Local hero Steve Torrence, known for his daring maneuvers, narrowly missed the final round due to a throttle issue, but his performance remains strong.
Rookie Kyle Satenstein made a solid debut with a 3.94, securing his spot in the event.
Funny Car: Last-Minute Adjustments
Despite a borderline-manageable track temperature of 117 degrees, teams faced challenges finding the perfect setup.
Tuner Jimmy Prock and his son Austin showcased a brilliant strategy, tuning the Cornwell Tools Chevy to a 3.99 in the final pair of runs, after gathering data from previous attempts.
The session saw the emergence of seasoned crew chiefs Dickie Venables and Tim Wilkerson, who guided J.R. Todd and Daniel Wilkerson to 4.01 and 4.03 runs, respectively. Jack Beckman's 4.02 run placed him between them.
In qualifying, points leader Prock has dominated, outperforming second-place teammate Beckman 6-2 in session bonus points, extending his lead by 24 markers.
The bump spot is currently held by Chris King (4.157), with Blake Alexander on the outside looking in, as the final session approaches.
Pro Stock: Anderson's Consistency
Greg Anderson's 6.49 from Friday night remained unchallenged, showcasing his exceptional consistency. Anderson's 6.532 was only 0.04-second slower than his night run, earning him three bonus points.
Teammates Dallas Glenn and Cory Reed also secured bonus points, narrowing the gap between Anderson and Glenn, the points leader, from 25 to 19 markers.
An intriguing twist emerged as David Cuadra, with a 6.554 from Q2, secured the bump spot, despite his twin brother, Cristian, matching the same time. David's superior speed secured his spot, while Cristian missed out.
