NHRA crowns champions in Pomona, Johnson leads NASCAR.
By: Drew Hierwarter
Tony Schumacher and the U.S. Army top fuel team should be called the “Heart Attack Kids”. For the second year in a row they had to win the final round, at the final race of the year, in order to win the championship. Going into yesterday’s event at Pomona,
Tony Pedregon didn’t need to wait until the final round to lock up his second Funny Car championship and his first with his own team. His previous title came in 2003 when he was driving for John Force. “I had people doubting my sanity when I left John but I wanted to race with my brother and I wanted to see if I could do it on my own. I know how difficult it is to race a team like that. I know what they have over there. And to be able to beat them is special. Winning our first race on my own was huge. To win this championship, I can’t describe it.” John Force Racing was still a “force” to be reckoned with as two of JFR’s four cars faced each other in the final. Robert Hight took the win over teammate and substitute driver Dave Burkart. Hight had a shot at the championship right to the end but he needed to set a national record to do so and the track and weather conditions just were not conducive to a record run.
Jeg Coughlin clinched the Pro Stock Championship in the quarterfinals and then went on to win the event. Coughlin was also a come from behind winner as point leader Greg Anderson threw away the first round with a late start. “It was amazing to see how it came out in Round 1 with Greg Anderson and Dave Connolly, two of the best in the business, both losing like that. We knew we needed some help and we got it right away. Then I just dug down deep and got that second round win and clinched it. It’s a phenomenal feeling.”, Coughlin said.
The NHRA Powerade drag racing season is now over and the new “Countdown to the Championship” points system has proven to be a success. “To win the first championship under this new Countdown format is really neat,” Jeg Coughlin said. “The pressure has been intense but I’ve gotten accustomed to handling it over the years. . . “
Tony Schumacher also liked the format, “I did not think we were gonna pull this off. Coming in we were four rounds back. So many things had to happen. But we still had a chance and, I never thought I’d say this, this new Countdown deal really worked. We had two champions decided in the final and all four decided on the final day. It’s worked.” Matt Smith also won the Pro Stock Motorcycle title in the final round.
With only two races left in the NASCAR Nextel Cup season, Jimmy Johnson is looking good to repeat as champ. When he arrived at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday he was nine points behind teammate Jeff Gordon. After Sunday’s race he was thirty points ahead. Johnson won the event after a stirring battle with Matt Kenseth over the last ten laps that had team owner Rick Hendrick holding his breath. Twice during the side-by-side battle the electronic timers registered the difference between Johnson and Kenseth’s cars as 0.00! But ultimately, Kenseth could not keep up the pace and Johnson motored to his third consecutive victory and into the point lead over seventh finishing Gordon. Six of the twelve Chasers have now been mathematically eliminated from any chance of winning the title and third place Clint Bowyer has now faded to 181 points behind and will need a near miracle to improve his position. It’s no coincidence that the Hendrick teams have reached their peak when it counts the most and as the NASCAR circuit moves to Phoenix next week, and the season finale at Homestead Miami Speedway following that, these guys are going to be nearly impossible to beat.