Sun, 22 Feb 2009, 09:12 PM Brown, Capps and Coughlin Win Lucas Oil Slick Mist NHRA Nationals

By Rick Green Photo copyright 2009 Auto Imagery, Inc.

CHANDLER, Ariz. --

Coughlin, Brown and Capps

Antron Brown in Top Fuel, Ron Capps in Funny Car and Jeg Coughlin in Pro Stock won the 25th annual Lucas Oil Slick Mist NHRA Nationals. Brown and Capps were making back-to-back final round appearances and each leaves with the points lead in their respective class. Coughlin, with his win, will leave Firebird International Raceway in second place, just two points behind Jason Line.

Brown, in the Matco Tools dragster, defeated Brandon Bernstein when Bernstein's car went up in smoke around 150 feet down the track. Brown collected his third "Wally" in Top Fuel with the win. Brown, who qualified third, defeated Del Cox Jr. in round one and Morgan Lucas in the quarterfinals. In the Semifinals, Brown defeated defending Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher, making the quickest pass of the round. After an off-season full of changes for Brown, he got his new team owner Mike Ashley and new crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald their first win as a Top Fuel dragster team.

Antron Brown

"This just shows how strong our team really is here at MAR (Mike Ashley Racing)," Brown said. "With all the adversity we dealt with this off season, this is just an awesome feeling. Lee Beard left us with a great race car and with Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald in here, there was no doubt in my mind that we'd do well.

"After testing, here in Phoenix last month, our team just really gelled. We didn't need any glue or adhesive we just stuck together. We just need to get more laps and to be more consistent. We've got an awesome race car. We were bummed to not win at Pomona last race because we really had the car to beat, but you can't count anyone out in this sport. To run that 3.81 in the semis today was awesome to show we can run with (Larry) Dixon and Tony (Schumacher) and all the top dogs. It's going to be a fun year in Top Fuel, but it'll be tough to win races with so many great teams."

Ron Capps

Capps, in his NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger R/T, opens the 2009 Full Throttle Drag Racing season with back-to-back wins in Funny Car, the first time this has happened since 1997, when John Force opened the season with consecutive wins. This is the 27th National event win for Capps and the first time he has won after qualifying number one. Capps won the final when Mike Neff broke on the burnout and Could not back up to the starting line. Capps defeated Jeff Arend, Don Schumacher Racing teammate Matt Hagan and Del Worsham on his way to the final.

Capps credited his crew chief Ed "Ace" McCulloch for the NAPA team's newfound success this season. "He's the man," said Capps in the winner's circle. "He's done well in his career, driven Funny Cars, Top Fuel dragsters. He's my hero. I can't tell you how I feel right now. More than anything [this win is great] for the NAPA guys and for Ace. He really worked hard in the off season and kind of started from scratch with the tune-up.

"It's like a really good cook learning how to cook again completely differently. The car is just so different to run, to feel, and it puts me in the trunk at half-track. It's so much fun to drive and when the win light comes on, it's even better.

"To run the 4:04 in the final was awesome. Ace could've just tried to go down the track, but he wanted to give the fans the best run this weekend.

Jeg Coughlin

2007 and 2008 Pro Stock Champion Coughlin, in the JEGS.com Chevy Cobalt, won in Phoenix for the second time in his career, defeating Kurt Johnson in the final round. This was the first time in eight final rounds against Johnson that Coughlin took the win light, even though he holds an overall head-to-head advantage against Johnson.

"That's a crazy stat," Coughlin admitted. "Any time you race Kurt you know you're in for a battle and it definitely means a little more to beat a driver of his caliber. I'll have to make sure and give him a hard time about this."

Coughlin put Steve Spiess, Jason Line and Ron Krisher in the trailer on his way to the final round.

"Sometimes you really have to fight your way through a race and that was certainly the case this weekend," said Coughlin, a 42-time winner in the Pro Stock class. "We're still trying to fine-tune this new Chevy and we're not at full speed just yet. My Dad and Roy (Simmons, crew chief) just kept at it every pass and the car was there for me. It's really cool to win for them and for my little man, Jeggie III, who came along this weekend. He's always good luck."

In Competition Eliminator, Lucas Oil Champion Dan Fletcher opened the season with back to back wins after winning the final two events of 2008 enroute to the championship. He defeated Lou Ficco in the final round when Ficco left too quickly, turning on the red light. Fletcher, driving a C/EA 2008 Chevy Cobalt, is the first driver in the history of Competition Eliminator to win four consecutitive National events. Fletcher moved up to eighth place on the all-time NHRA National event win list with 58 wins.

2007 Lucas Oil Stock Champion Michael Iacono won Super Stock, defeating Jimmy DeFrank in the final by 0.0066 seconds, approximately 18 inches. Iacono, in his GT/DA 1987 Chevy Camaro, had a 0.023 second "package" (reaction time and closeness to his dial-in, combined) in the final. This was Iacono's third Super Stock National event win and fourth overall.

The remaining Lucas Oil Series categories were all determined on red lights. Brad Burton collected his second National event win in Stock when Doug Lambeck went red in the final. Tom Bayer won his fourth Wally and second in Super Comp when Larry Marshall went red by 0.006 seconds. Mike Ferderer won Super Gas when Ryan Herem was 0.002 seconds too quick on the tree. Ferderer, with the win, ties Sheldon Gecker for the most National event wins in Super Gas at 12 wins.

The ACDelco Gatornationals is next on the Full Throttle Drag Racing Series schedule in Gainesville, Fla. March 12-15.

Sunday's final results from the 25th annual Lucas Oil Slick Mist NHRA Nationals at Firebird International Raceway. The race is the second of 24 in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series-

Top Fuel -- Antron Brown, 3.846 seconds, 310.63 mph def. Brandon Bernstein, 5.173 seconds, 143.54 mph.

Funny Car -- Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 4.048, 306.81 def. Mike Neff, Ford Mustang, broke.

Pro Stock -- Jeg Coughlin, Chevy Cobalt, 6.643, 208.01 def. Kurt Johnson, Cobalt, 6.647, 208.46.

Competition Eliminator -- Dan Fletcher, Cobalt, 9.865, 98.64 def. Lou Ficco, GXP, foul.

Super Stock -- Michael Iacono, Camaro, 9.952, 132.02 def. Jimmy DeFrank, Cobalt, 8.796, 154.83.

Stock Eliminator -- Brad Burton, Formula, 10.949, 119.01 def. Doug Lambeck, Camaro, foul.

Super Comp -- Thomas Bayer, Dragster, 8.894, 165.64 def. Larry Marshall, Dragster, 8.905, 174.84.

Super Gas -- Mike Ferderer, Grand Am, 9.862, 173.99 def. Ryan Herem, Corvette, foul.