ROBERT HIGHT FINDS SOME COOKIN’ IN SONOMA, WINS FC TITLE
There’s no question Robert Hight loves racing at the Sonoma (Calif.) Nationals.
The two-time NHRA nitro Funny Car world champ – 2009 and 2017 – had won three times at the facility in 2008, 2018 and 2019 and after July 25 make it four wins for Hight in Sonoma.
Hight clocked a 3.971-second time at 322.50 mph to edge Matt Hagan’s 3.991-second lap at 324.44 mph.
“It’s crazy,” Hight said. “I love this place. It is the first place I ever I got to see a national event drag race. I just knew this is what I wanted to do. I never thought I would get to drive one of these things. When I was kid like that, I wanted to be a mechanic and learn about these cars. Roger Primm from Reno, Nev., close to where I used to live gave me the opportunity and then John Force. I have been with John, now 26 years, to think that I came here (to Sonoma) to watch a race and then I would get to drive one of these things and win, I’m a very lucky guy.”
This was Hight’s 53rd career national event win and his second this season to go along with his Houston victory. The Sonoma Nationals were canceled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hight beat Steven Densham, J.R. Todd, Ron Capps and then Hagan. Hight’s 53rd career national event win, broke his tie with former Top Fuel world champion and legend Joe Amato on the NHRA all-time wins list.
“I can’t even believe that’s even possible,” Hight said. “It has kind of been a blur. Joe Amato, I mean he for the longest time was the winningest Top Fuel driver ever. He since has been passed, but really Joe Amato I couldn’t believe watching him all those years, he just dominated Top Fuel. To say, I have more wins than he does almost is unbelievable to me.”
And nothing came easy Sunday for Hight.
“Steven Densham in first round, his dad (Gary) is who I took over driving for and he was a great, great racer for a lot of years. You have to go up there with your ‘A’ game and get the job done. Then after that I raced three world champions in a row. It is fun. They bring out the best in us. I really think that (his crew chiefs) Jimmy Prock and Chris Cunningham stumbled on to some things this weekend.
“We haven’t had a lot of consistency this year. We won a race and been in some finals, but no consistency. This is our best weekend by far and it is happening at the right time because coming up here pretty quick, the U/S. Nationals, the biggest race of the year and The Countdown. This is where you really want to start shining and getting your act together. We are heading to Auto Club Raceway (in Pomona, Calif.) next weekend and it is where John Force Racing’s home is and my sponsor, the Automobile Club of Southern California. We usually race there in February and November, and it will be different, but hopefully we will go in there with a little momentum and keep this rolling.”
Hight rolled into Sonoma knew he need a strong performance. He was sixth in the points standings and coming off a first-round loss at the Mile-High Nationals July 18 in Denver.
“I definitely saw this as an opportunity,” Hight said. “Once you win a race at a certain facility, win the U.S. Nationals, win the (world) championship you know you can do it. Now, you have confidence. The first few years I came here (to Sonoma) we would qualify well, but we never race well. I couldn’t hardly win a round at this place. Now, I have won here four times, which is pretty impressive.”
Hight was thrilled his team was able to gain a truckload of points on the drivers in front of him in the standings.
“This was a big day in points for us,” Hight said. “Bob Tasca, the points leader went out early, my boss John Force went out, we beat J.R. Todd. Everybody we beat from second round on was ahead of me in points, so this was a big points day for the Auto Club team. That’s exactly what we have to keep doing. We want to go into the Countdown No. 1, and I don’t see that as a problem if we race and do what we know how to do. Hopefully we are on the right track now.”