NHRA Full Throttle National event coverage at SpeedZone can be sponsored by you. Call (604 826 5775) or email

April 17-20, 2009

Atalanta's Southern Nationals

NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing

Commerce Georgia

COMMERCE, Ga. --

Final eliminations

The wait was worth it for Mike Edwards, who dropped the curtain on the rain-delayed Summit Racing NHRA Southern Nationals Monday morning with a clean 6.645-second pass to easily outrun Pro Stock points-leader Jeg Coughlin.
It was the first win of 2009 for Edwards, who solidified his third-place position in the Pro Stock standings; Coughlin, who slowed to a 7.190 in the final round, remained in first place after six of 24 races in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season have been completed.

"It doesn't matter if you win on Sunday or Monday . it's an unbelievable challenge to win (a Pro Stock race). You can't make a mistake and win in this class," Edwards said.

The other three categories were decided late Sunday night and the winners were: Morgan Lucas (Top Fuel), Jack Beckman (Funny Car) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

For Edwards, the win was a bit of personal vindication as his A.R.T./Young Life Pontiac GXP has been at the head of the ultra-competitive Pro Stock category with a class-best three No. 1 qualifiers, but no wins before Monday.

"Our performance has been good all year, as good as anybody's in (Pro Stock). We've just had a little bit of trouble on Sunday (raceday)," Edwards said. "If that's what it takes to win (racing on Monday instead of Sunday), we'll come back on Monday every race."

Recapping Late Sunday Results

It took Lucas five years and five final-round appearances to get his first win so waiting out the five hours of rain delays was only a minor hurdle. The 26-year old Lucas pedaled his GEICO Powersports/Lucas Oil dragster to a 5.231 at 162.86 to narrowly beat the 27-year old Massey's tire-spinning 5.418 at 145.25 in his U.S. Smokeless dragster.

"I've had five years to think about this . this is probably one of the most exciting moments of my life, if not the most exciting moment. I don't even know how to talk right now I'm so excited," said Lucas, who was competing in his 107th career race. "This is what I've dreamt about for years."

Beckman ran a 4.128 at 303.43 in his Valvoline/MTS Dodge Charger to defeat the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang team and driver Ashley Force Hood, who lost power near the finish line and slowed to 4.157 at 248.39.

"On paper, Ashley's car had us whupped," said Beckman, who lost to Force Hood two races earlier in final round in Houston. "That car's been the class of the field for eight, nine months. That's why we race, though. Anything can happen when you have 8,000 horsepower of nitro in the tank. It is such an awesome feeling . we got whupped by Ashley (in Houston) and to get back in there and (beat her) is awesome."

Beckman defeated a quartet of Ford Mustangs - Robert Hight, John Force and Tim Wilkerson - en route to his first win of the year and seventh of his career. And by day's end Beckman moved up from seventh to second place and Force Hood remained in third place.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Eddie Krawiec earned his first career win aboard his Screamin' Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson with a fleet 6.902 at 192.91 to defeat rookie Douglas Horne (6.949, 191.13).

"This is something I was waiting for . to get my first Wally and be able to put it up on my mantle next to my (2008 NHRA Full Throttle Series) championship trophy is just awesome," Krawiec said.

COMMERCE, Ga. -- Monday's final results from the 29th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. The race is the sixth of 24 in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel -- Morgan Lucas, 5.231 seconds, 162.86 mph def. Spencer Massey, 5.418 seconds, 145.25 mph.

Funny Car -- Jack Beckman, Dodge Charger, 4.128, 303.43 def. Ashley Force Hood, Ford Mustang, 4.157, 248.39.

Pro Stock -- Mike Edwards, Pontiac GXP, 6.645, 208.17 def. Jeg Coughlin, Chevy Cobalt, 7.190, 155.11.

Pro Stock Motorcycle -- Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.902, 192.91 def. Douglas Horne, Buell, 6.949, 191.13.

Competition Eliminator -- Pat Ross, Pontiac Grand Am, 8.068, 166.60 def. Arnie Martel, Pontiac GTO, 7.989, 168.56.

Super Stock -- Anthony Bertozzi, Pontiac Grand Am, 9.615, 120.68 def. Bo Butner, Chevy Cobalt, foul.

Super Comp -- Luke Bogacki, Dragster, 8.927, 170.28 def. Michael Rastall, Dragster, 8.937, 169.51.

Super Gas -- Steve Cohen, Pontiac Grand Am, 9.941, 157.12 def. Jeremy Jensen, Chevy Corvette, 9.949, 147.25.

Super Street -- Mike Desio, Chevy Nova, 10.902, 137.92 def. Mike Griggs, Nova, 10.896, 132.50.

Top Sportsman Invitational -- Mark Pickens, Pontiac GTO, 7.086, 192.82 def. Jeff Brooks, Henry J, 6.929, 196.99.

Points standings

Top Fuel 1. Tony Schumacher 487 2. Antron Brown 448 3. Brandon Bernstein 425 4. Cory McClenathan 396 5. Morgan Lucas 379 6. Larry Dixon 368 7. Shawn Langdon 301 8. Doug Kalitta 288 Spencer Massey 288 10. Joe Hartley 250 11. Clay Millican 161 12. Terry Haddock 135 13. David Baca 127 14. Troy Buff 125 15. Del Cox Jr 124 Urs Erbacher 124

Funny Car 1. Ron Capps 464 2. Jack Beckman 395 3. Ashley Force Hood 394 4. Tony Pedregon 365 5. Matt Hagan 356 6. Del Worsham 327 7. Bob Tasca III 321 8. John Force 310 9. Robert Hight 305 Mike Neff 305 11. Tim Wilkerson 295 12. Cruz Pedregon 257 13. Jeff Arend 187 Jim Head 187 Jerry Toliver 187

Pro Stock 1. Jeg Coughlin 524 2. Jason Line 494 3. Mike Edwards 461 4. Greg Anderson 403 5. Allen Johnson 347 6. Greg Stanfield 336 7. Ron Krisher 292 8. Kurt Johnson 282 9. Rickie Jones 252 10. Warren Johnson 236 11. Larry Morgan 231 12. Johnny Gray 212 13. Jim Yates 189 14. Steve Spiess 185 15. Tom Hammonds 168

Pro Stock Motorcycle 1. Matt Smith 270 2. Andrew Hines 230 3. Hector Arana 226 4. Eddie Krawiec 224 5. Douglas Horne 219 6. Craig Treble 184 7. Shawn Gann 156 8. Karen Stoffer 142 9. Matt Guidera 136 Steve Johnson 136 11. Michael Phillips 97 Wesley Wells 97 13. Junior Pippin 95 14. Angie McBride 86 15. Mike Berry 72

 

Saturday final qualifying

COMMERCE, Ga. --

Rookie driver Spencer Massey was the only driver to supplant one of the overnight qualifying leaders at the 29th annual Summit Racing NHRA Southern Nationals when he raced to the top spot in Top Fuel on Saturday.
The other provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the sixth of 24 races in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series were Ashley Force Hood (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

Massey, who drives for NHRA legend Don "The Snake" Prudhomme, earned his first career No. 1 qualifier when he laid down a 3.820-second pass at 311.20 mph on Saturday to move the U.S. Smokeless dragster around Morgan Lucas and the GEICO Powersports/Lucas Oil team.

"I'm still living the dream. I'm still trying to wake up from it, especially being No. 1 qualifier here in Atlanta, it's awesome," said Massey. "I knew (Snake) was happy. I saw the crew guys' faces and I knew it was a good run. They were shooting for mid-80s, they wanted to get it first, second, third or fourth and it surprised me with the 82. We were all happy."

In Funny Car, Force Hood will start from the pole - her 4.073 at 310.05 from Friday held up Saturday - as she seeks to repeat her historic win from a year ago when she defeated her father, John Force, to become the first female in NHRA history to win a Funny Car race.

But it won't be easy. Her reward for placing the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang on the pole is a first-round matchup with 22-time winner Del Worsham and the Al-Anabi Toyota Solara team, who just got in the field with a 4.210 at 298.34.

"Not that I know who I want to have, but I know I don't want to have Del. That's a great team and he's a great driver, but you know what, that's race day," Force Hood said. "Funny Car is super competitive. There's not going to be an easy round all day."

Interestingly, she has defeated Worsham en route to each of her two career wins and she also met Worsham in the first round at Atlanta last year.

The draw was no better for Pro Stock's No. 1 as Anderson's reward for winning the pole was a first-round matchup with 39-time NHRA Full Throttle Series winner Kurt Johnson, who just got his ACDelco Chevy Cobalt in the field with a 6.638 at 208.81.

"There has never been much room for error (in Pro Stock) and there's none now," Anderson said. "It's going to be a battle-royale. If you win one of these races, you definitely feel good because you've conquered the mountain."

Anderson's Summit Racing Pontiac GXP was the best car throughout qualifying as he set the track record Friday with 6.568 and then he improved the track e.t. record on Saturday with a 6.557 (Warren Johnson set the track speed record, 211.26 mph).

"I said we weren't going to see conditions like (Friday) again . and boy was I an idiot. What we did yesterday was great, but that wasn't going to get us anything. We were going to have to go out (Saturday) and run faster if we wanted to (stay) No. 1 and fortunately we got all the round pegs in the round
Hines' official No. 1 qualifying run aboard his Screamin' Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson on Friday included the track record e.t. of 6.877 with a 195.03 mph speed. On the second run Saturday, with a strong tailwind, he proceeded to set the track record for speed by topping out at 195.25 mph.

"It's fun to come out here and go fast," said Hines, who will open with No. 16 Mike Berry on Sunday in what is forecast to be more overcast and more humid conditions. "My brother (Matt) is a really good tuner so whatever conditions we face (Sunday), I feel really confident going into (Sunday).

The race begins at 11 a.m. ET Sunday.