McClenathan, Wilkerson, Anderson claim somber Northwest Nationals in Seattle wins


KENT, Wash. – With their wins on Sunday at the 23rd annual NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways, Cory McClenathan and Greg Anderson successfully began their respective quests to become the first driver(s) to sweep the Western Swing twice
 
The other winner at the 14th race in the 23-event NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series was Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car), who also won at this event in 2009.
 
McClenathan faced off against Antron Brown – who swept the Western Swing in 2009 – in the Top Fuel final round and his 3.887 at 311.70 in the FRAM dragster was just good enough to outrun Brown’s 3.909 at 308.92 in the Matco Tools dragster.
 
“There’s Antron (Brown) and myself in the final, we’ve both won (the Western Swing) … I want to be the first to win it two times,” said McClenathan, who swept the Western Swing in 1997. “I know that’s a lot to ask for, but you can’t get there until you win this first one and that’s what we did.”
 
The win also moved McClenathan around teammate Tony Schumacher and into second place in the Top Fuel point standings.
 
The Funny Car final was also a near photo-finish with Wilkerson (4.221 at 292.39) powering the Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford to a narrow victory over Ron Capps (4.246 at 289.51) and the NAPA Dodge Charger team.
 
It was the third straight final round for the LRS Ford team and second straight win in a space in the schedule – summertime – where they traditionally have done well.
 
“We’re happy to be in the position we’re in and we seem to really come into our own in this kind of weather,” said Wilkerson, who moved around Ashley Force Hood into fifth place. “We try not to think about it or do anything to pull us backwards. Just go run the racetrack every round.”
 
In Pro Stock, Greg Anderson won his second straight race with a 6.599 at 209.56 in his Summit Racing Pontiac GXP to Johnny Gray’s 6.626 at 209.43 in his NTB Pontiac GXP.
 
“I’m the only guy (in Pro Stock) with a chance two sweep (the Western Swing),” said Anderson, who remains the only Pro Stocker to sweep the Western Swing (he did it in 2004). “It’s a neat, neat deal. I’ve been able to do it once in my career and I remember what a great feeling that was. It’s still a long way down the road, and I’m not going to say we’re going to win those two races, but we’ve got a chance. I’ve got a great hot rod right now.”
 
The NHRA Full Throttle Series heads south now to Sonoma for the FRAM Autolite NHRA Nationals, the second leg in the Western Swing.

DEEZ Performance is sorry to report an accident that claimed the life of Alcohol Dragster competitor Mark Niver in Seattle Sunday, July 11, 2010.



NHRA (quote)

"Top Alcohol Dragster racer Mark Niver, 60, from Phoenix, was involved in a fatal incident today when his dragster crashed in the shutdown area during eliminations at the NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways. NHRA officials are investigating the accident. 

Niver was a racer’s racer. For most of his career, he not only drove but built his dragsters and machined his engines and components. His talent on the race track and in the machine shop was superseded only by his kindness and willingness to help other racers. Niver raced dragsters of all varieties dating back to the Pro Comp era in the 1970s. He’s raced blown alcohol and injected nitro engines, and he even dabbled in Top Fuel.

When Niver won the 2003 Division 7 event in Tucson, Ariz., he broke a drought that lasted since his win at the 1983 divisional event at Orange County Int’l Raceway, which closed that year. Niver won two more Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events after that, the most recent of which was the Tucson event in 2006.

Niver waited until 2008 to earn the crowning achievement of his long career. He won the 2008 O’Reilly Summer Nationals in Topeka by defeating final-round opponent Chris Demke, who, coincidentally, singled in the final after Niver’s incident. (Demke’s team presented Niver’s family the Wally.) Niver won again in 2008 when he scored his second national event victory in Seattle.

NHRA and Pacific Raceways officials extend their deepest sympathies to the entire Niver family."

NHRA

KENT, Wash. -- Final finish order (1-16) for professional categories at the 23rd annual NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways.  The race is the 14th of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.
 
TOP FUEL:
1.  Cory McClenathan; 2.  Antron Brown; 3.  Doug Kalitta; 4.  Shawn Langdon; 5.  Larry Dixon; 6. David Grubnic; 7.  Tony Schumacher; 8.  Morgan Lucas; 9.  Steve Torrence; 10.  Mike Strasburg; 11. Brandon Bernstein; 12.  Terry McMillen; 13.  Ron Smith; 14.  Terry Haddock; 15.  Steven Chrisman.
 
FUNNY CAR:
1.  Tim Wilkerson; 2.  Ron Capps; 3.  Matt Hagan; 4.  Jack Beckman; 5.  Ashley Force Hood; 6.  Del Worsham; 7.  Cruz Pedregon; 8.  Robert Hight; 9.  Bob Tasca III; 10.  Paul Lee; 11.  Jeff Arend; 12.  Tony Pedregon; 13.  Gary Densham; 14.  Brian Thiel; 15.  Jeff Diehl; 16.  John Force.
 
PRO STOCK:
1.  Greg Anderson; 2.  Johnny Gray; 3.  Mike Edwards; 4.  Kurt Johnson; 5.  Shane Gray; 6.  Rodger Brogdon; 7.  Allen Johnson; 8.  Ron Krisher; 9.  Jason Line; 10.  Greg Stanfield; 11.  Warren Johnson; 12.  Bob Yonke; 13.  Larry Morgan; 14.  Jim Cunningham; 15.  V. Gaines; 16.  Jeg Coughlin.
 
 
KENT, Wash. -- Sunday's final results from the 23rd annual NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways. The race is the 14th of 23 in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:
 
Top Fuel -- Cory McClenathan, 3.887 seconds, 311.70 mph  def. Antron Brown, 3.909 seconds, 308.92 mph.
 
Funny Car -- Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 4.221, 292.39  def. Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 4.246, 289.51.
 
Pro Stock -- Greg Anderson, Pontiac GXP, 6.599, 209.56  def. Johnny Gray, GXP, 6.626, 209.43.
 
 
KENT, Wash. -- Final round-by-round results from the 23rd annual NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways, the 14th of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:
 
 
TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE -- Morgan Lucas, 3.905, 309.06 def. Steve Torrence, 3.916, 310.55; Shawn Langdon, 3.961, 305.49 def. Terry McMillen, 5.492, 120.53; Antron Brown, 3.908, 309.13 def. Steven Chrisman, 10.026, 86.45; Doug Kalitta, 3.829, 317.72 was unopposed; Larry Dixon, 3.820, 318.84 def. Terry Haddock, 6.918, 98.95; Cory McClenathan, 3.821, 319.37 def. Mike Strasburg, 4.145, 242.19; Tony Schumacher, 3.819, 322.19 def. Ron Smith, 6.449, 104.82; David Grubnic, 3.871, 313.37 def. Brandon Bernstein, 4.816, 152.33; QUARTERFINALS -- Kalitta, 3.886, 306.95 def. Lucas, 4.471, 189.66; McClenathan, 3.853, 310.34 def. Grubnic, 3.911, 296.11; Langdon, 3.892, 306.60 def. Dixon, 3.897, 312.86; Brown, 4.162, 225.45 def.
Schumacher, 4.328, 228.07; SEMIFINALS -- Brown, 4.153, 256.80 def. Kalitta, 4.145, 226.05; McClenathan, 4.134, 225.63 def. Langdon, broke; FINAL -- McClenathan, 3.887, 311.70 def. Brown, 3.909, 308.92.
 
 
FUNNY CAR:
 
ROUND ONE -- Ashley Force Hood, Ford Mustang, 4.128, 301.60 def. Gary Densham, Chevy Impala, 6.923, 105.46; Cruz Pedregon, Toyota Solara, 5.053, 203.52 def. Tony Pedregon, Impala, 5.078, 206.54; Del Worsham, Solara, 4.133, 304.12 def. Brian Thiel, Impala, 7.505, 87.24; Robert Hight, Mustang, 5.013, 155.69 def. Jeff Diehl, Chevy Monte Carlo, foul; Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 4.098, 303.57 def. Paul Lee, Chevy Impala SS, 4.236, 299.40; Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.150, 302.82 def. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.219, 293.66; Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.172, 299.20 def. Jeff Arend, Solara, 4.894, 169.74; Jack Beckman, Charger, 7.267, 82.46 def. John Force, Mustang, DQ; QUARTERFINALS -- Wilkerson, 4.193, 300.20 def. C. Pedregon, 4.997, 166.48; Hagan, 4.203, 292.71 def. Worsham, 4.242, 291.70; Capps, 4.177, 294.75 def. Force Hood, 4.218, 293.79; Beckman, 4.347, 281.77 def. Hight, 5.693, 126.66; SEMIFINALS -- Wilkerson, 4.249, 290.38 def. Hagan, 4.386, 224.32; Capps, 4.245, 289.94 def. Beckman, 5.099, 173.45; FINAL -- Wilkerson, 4.221, 292.39 def. Capps, 4.246, 289.51.
 
 
PRO STOCK:
 
ROUND ONE -- Shane Gray, Pontiac GXP, 6.803, 178.19 def. V. Gaines, Dodge Avenger, 7.968, 115.81; Ron Krisher, Chevy Cobalt, 6.624, 207.50 def. Warren Johnson, GXP, 6.636, 208.30; Kurt Johnson, Cobalt, 6.715, 207.82 def. Jason Line, GXP, foul; Rodger Brogdon, GXP, 6.654, 208.46 def. Jeg Coughlin, Cobalt, foul; Johnny Gray, GXP, 6.628, 208.91 def. Larry Morgan, Ford Mustang, 6.660, 208.68; Mike Edwards, GXP, 6.603, 209.69 def. Jim Cunningham, Mustang, foul; Allen Johnson, Avenger, 6.618, 209.56 def. Bob Yonke, GXP, 6.655, 207.85; Greg Anderson, GXP, 6.604, 208.71 def. Greg Stanfield, GXP, foul; QUARTERFINALS -- J. Gray, 6.655, 209.10 def. Krisher, 9.671, 94.02; K. Johnson, 6.642, 208.36 def. A. Johnson, 6.647, 209.04; Anderson, 6.635, 208.55 def. Brogdon, 6.646, 208.07; Edwards, 6.636, 208.97 def. S. Gray, 6.643, 208.17; SEMIFINALS -- J. Gray, 6.627, 209.43 def. K. Johnson, 6.650, 208.84; Anderson, 6.608, 209.07 def. Edwards, 6.599, 209.75; FINAL -- Anderson, 6.599, 209.56 def. J. Gray, 6.626, 209.43.
 
 
KENT, Wash. -- Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the 23rd annual NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways, the 14th of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series -
 
Top Fuel
 
1.  Larry Dixon, 1,321; 2.  Cory McClenathan, 1,149; 3.  Tony Schumacher, 1,140; 4.  Antron Brown, 1,025; 5.  Doug Kalitta, 984; 6.  Brandon Bernstein, 878; 7.  Shawn Langdon, 695; 8.  Morgan Lucas, 661; 9.  Steve Torrence, 566; 10.  David Grubnic, 520.
 
Funny Car
 
1.  John Force, 1,057; 2.  Robert Hight, 1,016; 3.  Matt Hagan, 922; 4.  Jack Beckman, 907; 5.  Tim Wilkerson, 891; 6.  Ashley Force Hood, 872; 7.  Ron Capps, 847; 8.  Bob Tasca III, 828; 9.  Del Worsham, 802; 10.  Tony Pedregon, 668.
 
Pro Stock
 
1.  Mike Edwards, 1,463; 2.  Allen Johnson, 1,050; 3.  Greg Anderson, 916; 4.  Jeg Coughlin, 891; 5.  Jason Line, 739; 6.  Ron Krisher, 726; 7.  Greg Stanfield, 712; 8.  Rodger Brogdon, 615; 9. Shane Gray, 614; 10.  Johnny Gray, 603.
 
KENT, Wash. -- Sunday's final results from the 23rd annual NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways. The race is the 14th of 23 in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:
 
Top Fuel -- Cory McClenathan, 3.887 seconds, 311.70 mph  def. Antron Brown, 3.909 seconds, 308.92 mph.
 
Funny Car -- Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 4.221, 292.39  def. Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 4.246, 289.51.
 
Pro Stock -- Greg Anderson, Pontiac GXP, 6.599, 209.56  def. Johnny Gray, GXP, 6.626, 209.43.
 
 
LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES
KENT, Wash. -- Sunday's final results from the 23rd annual NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways. The race is the 14th of 23 in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series National Events:
 
Top Alcohol Dragster -- Chris Demke, no time  def. Mark Niver, broke.
 
Top Alcohol Funny Car -- Sean O'Bannon, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.581, 257.87  def. Steve Gasparrelli, Ford Mustang, 5.655, 255.87.
 
Competition Eliminator -- Alan Ellis, '23-T Ford, 7.599, 117.26  def. Glen Treadwell, '23-T Ford, 10.434, 83.61.
 
Super Stock -- Ryan McClanahan, Chevy Cobalt, 8.509, 147.07  def. Shawn Blair, Dodge Dart, 10.596, 123.09.
 
Stock Eliminator -- Kevin Cour, Ford Mustang, 10.127, 127.90  def. Jim Waldo, Pontiac Firebird, 10.204, 130.39.
 
Super Comp -- Tom Malicki, Dragster, 8.900, 177.44  def. Bobby Dye Jr., Dragster, 8.915, 151.89.
 
Super Gas -- Reg Wilson, '34 Ford, 12.638, 111.36  def. Justin Lamb, Chevy Camaro, DQ.
 
Super Street -- Darrel Saxby, Chevy Chevelle, 10.868, 123.32  def. Bob Sims, Chevy Nova, 10.845, 130.75.