Points Leads
Force Dixon, and Anderson
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John Force moved back into points contention with his second Funny Car victory of the
season Sunday at the CARQUEST Auto Parts Nationals at Pacific Raceways.
Larry Dixon and Greg Anderson also were winners in their respective pro categories at the
$1.8 million event, the 14th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing
Series.
Force, who will try to win the rare 'Western Swing' next weekend when the NHRA visits
Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., claimed his 108th career victory by racing past Whit
Bazemore in the Funny Car final. Force covered the quarter-mile distance in 5.036 at
300.80 in his Castrol GTX High-Mileage Ford Mustang, to pass Bazemore's Matco Tools Dodge
Stratus, which recorded a 5.215 at 272.28.
John Force
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"I'm not thinking championship," said Force, winner of the last 10 NHRA Funny Car titles.
"I can still win the championship, but I feel my job is to take out the other contenders
for Tony (Pedregon, points leader and Force teammate). I got so far behind early in the
season that I am still in the role of the helper. Tony won't be down for long."
Dixon, who increased his points lead to 251 says Force, who moved to third overall and now
trails leader Pedregon by 251, is returning to his championship winning form.
"You are watching the greatest comeback in drag racing history," Dixon said of Force's run
of four straight finals and back-to-back victories. "I'm so glad I'm not in that category.
It's going to be fun to watch."
Meanwhile, Dixon continued one of the greatest dominating performances in NHRA history,
claiming his seventh victory of the season and 32nd of his career by clocking a 4.672 at
316.82 mph in the Miller Lite dragster to defeat Doug Kalitta, who ran 4.739 at 306.95 in
the Mac Tools dragster.
"I finally broke my Seattle jinx," said Dixon, who had never won at Pacific Raceways. "Now
I'm going to work on my Sonoma jinx."
Dixon also is in position to win the 'Western Swing,' which includes consecutive races in
Denver, Seattle and Sonoma, Calif. Only three drivers have won the 'Western Swing' in NHRA
history (Cory McClenathan, 1997, Top Fuel; Force, 1994, Funny Car; and Joe Amato, 1991,
Top Fuel).
Greg Anderson
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Anderson scored his sixth victory of the season and 10th of his career by defeating Larry
Morgan in a classic Pontiac vs. Dodge final round. Anderson powered his Vegas General
Construction Pontiac Grand Am to a run of 6.858 at 202.09 to hold off Morgan's charging
Team Mopar Dodge Stratus, which clocked a 6.910 at 200.14.
"I thought I was starting to slump in Denver last weekend," said Anderson, who increased
his points lead to 112 over Kurt Johnson with the victory. "I really had big hopes of
sweeping the 'Western Swing' and got drilled by Warren on the tree in Denver and he taught
me a lesson. I come back over to Seattle and I have to race him again. It would have been
demoralizing if I would have lost again. We made the best run of the weekend against
Warren and now for the next week he gets to think about it. This class is so competitive
that anyone can win out here. Look at Larry Morgan, who has qualified for two races all
year, and he had me beat in the final and I just got around him at the finish line. I
would have never thought in my wildest dreams that I could have won six races this year,
because look at last year when we had 13 different winners. I may not win another race,
but that's just how it goes in this class."
The next NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series event is the 16th annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA
Nationals, Aug. 1-3 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.
Sunday's final results from the 16th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Pacific
Raceways. The $1.9 million race is the 14th of 23 in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag
Racing Series:
Top Fuel -- Larry Dixon, 4.672 seconds, 316.82 mph def. Doug Kalitta, 4.739
seconds, 306.95 mph.
Funny Car -- John Force, Ford Mustang, 5.036, 300.80 def. Whit Bazemore, Dodge
Stratus, 5.215, 272.28.
Pro Stock -- Greg Anderson, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.858, 202.09 def. Larry Morgan,
Dodge Stratus R/T, 6.910, 200.14.
Top Alcohol Dragster -- Alan Bradshaw, 5.365, 249.16 def. Mike Cofini, 6.191,
158.95.
Top Alcohol Funny Car -- Steve Gasparrelli, Pontiac Firebird, 5.702, 250.97 def.
Bucky Austin, Firebird, 5.725, 247.75.
Competition Eliminator -- David Rampy, Roadster, 7.413, 167.45 def. Jim Warter,
Chevy Camaro, 8.830, 153.11.
Super Stock -- Kyle Seipel, Chevy Camaro, 12.806, 89.10 def. Bob Bales, Pontiac
Firehawk, 9.834, 135.76.
Stock Eliminator -- Steve Cozakos, Chevy Nova, 11.467, 113.27 def. Mike Lewis,
Chevy Camaro, foul.
Super Comp -- Steve Williams, Dragster, 8.911, 172.67 def. Rodney Souza, Dragster,
8.904, 172.94.
Super Gas -- Larry Scarth, Chevy Monte Carlo, 9.908, 144.63 def. Phillip Gilbert,
Chevy Corvette, foul.
Super Street -- Gary Thompson, Chevy Corvette, 10.897, 129.07 def. Steve Lowe,
Chevy Camaro, 10.874, 128.57.
