Under the threatening skies of Indianapolis, the second annual RoofTec Comp Cash Clash played out historically. For the first time in Competition Eliminator history, an all-female final round battled for the richest purse ($90,000) ever presented for the division at the NHRA U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Second-gen Comp racer Cali Neff drove her J/Dragster Automatic entry to victory over teammate Kayla Mozeris. The drivers left with nearly identical reaction times, but Neff stretched it out at the finish line, running -.566 under with a 7.654 elapsed time to score her first career win in the race-within-a-race on Friday evening. Mozeris made a race of it to the stripe with a -.531, 7,499.
Neff pocketed $50,000 with the victory: the $30,000 posted purse and an additional $20,000 provided by Thursday’s Calcutta Auction. Mozeris also experienced quite the payday for a Competition Eliminator racer, with $14,000 for the runner-up.
“I never in my wildest imagination could have written a script that turned out like this,” an emotional Neff said moments after the victory. “I’ve just dreamed about winning my first points race, first national step-by-step, getting there step by step, and I never imagined that I’d ever be in this position ever. I was beyond amazed that I made it in the top 16 in general and was able to be a part of the race. And just the fact that I made it this far and got the trophy is just… I have no words.”
Sixteen Competition Eliminator drivers were eligible to participate. They became eligible for the special battle by racing in the ten-event RoofTec Competition Eliminator Bonus Fund and finishing in the Top 16 points earners. After this weekend’s event, only three events remain in the 2024 series, with an even more prestigious RoofTec Cash Clash scheduled for the NHRA Nevada Nationals in October.
Neff entered the contest as the No. 15-ranked driver. She drew defending series champion Chase Williams in the first round, and she beat him with a -.568 performance with her inline six-cylinder Ford-powered entry. The first round was particularly brutal for the favorites who fell in the first round. Four of the top five point earners, including defending event champion Don Thomas, fell in the first round.
Neff then went on a roll, stopping Scott Linder and series point leader Rick Brown in the semis.
Mozeris, Neff’s teammate, entered the show as the No. 11 seed and ironically stopped Clint Neff (Cali’s father) in the opening round, past series champion Adam Hickey and Aussie Jason Grima in the semis.
Of the emotional experiences from victory, Neff said seeing the look on her dad’s face provided the most emotional experience. Neff, an avowed daddy’s girl, said the look on his face sealed the deal for her.
“That meant everything to me, to see his face,” Neff said. “I do this for me because I love it too, but it’s the smile on his face that means more than a trophy, more than a check. That man is like my best friend.”
And on Friday night, Neff delivered it to her best friend.
