Saturday gave the field two more shots at Friday’s leaders at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals. Nobody could capitalize.
Shawn Langdon stayed No. 1 in Top Fuel, Ron Capps held the top spot in Funny Car, Greg Anderson remained first in Pro Stock, and Matt Smith kept the lead in Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Langdon’s 3.674-second run at 339.19 mph in the Kalitta Air dragster could not be bettered, and it gave him his second No. 1 qualifier of the season. The former champion said the car is responding to every
change the team tries.
“The car is responding really well to the things that we’re asking it to do, and Brian’s [Husen] making the right calls, and the guys are doing a great job putting the car together,” Langdon said. “So everything’s just kind of clicking right now. We’re just kind of doing what the car is showing us, and it’s making some really good laps.”
Langdon opens eliminations against Spencer Massey, Jasmine Salinas, and Dan Mercier. Leah Pruett qualified second and Doug Kalitta was
third.
Capps’ Friday pass of 3.883 at 333.91 in the NAPA Toyota GR Supra held for the 39th No. 1 qualifier of his career. His first quad includes Austin Prock, Spencer Hyde, and Chad Green.
“I love having Dean as a guy to go to battle with, because he can adapt pretty quickly,” Capps said of crew chief Dean Antonelli. “There are legitimately 12 Funny Cars that can win on any given day, and it wasn’t always that way.”
Jordan Vandergriff qualified second and Matt Hagan was third.
In Pro Stock, Anderson’s Friday run of 6.498 at 211.23 in the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro was the only 6.40-second pass of the
weekend and delivered the 143rd No. 1 qualifier of his career. He followed it by winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday.
That sends him into Sunday with speed, lane choice, and momentum.
“The run on Friday night just matched the race track perfectly,” Anderson said. “The race track actually got better again today, and we missed a little bit and that’s why we didn’t run as well today. We’re probably overhooked on the racetrack, which is a great problem to have.”
He opens against Eric Latino, Troy Coughlin Jr., and Rodger Brogdon. Dallas Glenn qualified second and Matt Latino was third.
Matt Smith’s No. 1 spot came with history attached.
His 6.739 at 203.09 gave him the 60th No. 1 qualifier of his career, moving him past Angelle Sampey for the most in class history – and he did it at his home track.
“I’ve had a good career with at least running fast,” Smith said, “and to do this at my home track makes it even more special.”
Ryan Oehler qualified second and Herrera was third.
Eliminations for the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals begin at noon Eastern on Sunday at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte.
#2FAST2TASTY RECAP – MILLICAN, VANDERGRIFF, ANDERSON, AND HERRERA SCORE #2FAST2TASTY WINS AT NHRA FOUR-WIDE NATIONALS
Saturday at zMAX Dragway delivered what the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge was designed to create — meaningful rounds, pressure situations, and drivers treating bonus racing like it counted.
By the end of the afternoon, Clay Millican, Jordan Vandergriff, Greg Anderson, and Gaige Herrera left with specialty-race victories at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals.
For Millican and Vandergriff, the wins carried extra weight, as it was their first victory in a four-wide format.
Millican had reached eight prior four-wide final rounds without closing the deal. He changed that Saturday, driving the Rick Ware Racing Parts Plus dragster to a 3.832 at 325.14 mph to win a Top Fuel quad that included Billy Torrence, Josh Hart, and points leader Doug Kalitta.
Kalitta left first, but Millican’s .076-second reaction time put him in position to hold off Torrence, whose quicker 3.820 came too late after giving away ground on the starting line. Kalitta fell off the pace with a 3.894 to end up third.
“To win on a holeshot is crazy, but we went right down the racetrack,” Millican said. “The team is slowly but surely getting better and better. We had our struggles; I had to learn to drive a canopy car. I’m still not quite there yet.”
Millican said the bigger picture was momentum for eliminations and delivering a home-track win for team owner Rick Ware.
“We are planning on going back-to-back, but it’s really cool that Rick can say he won at his home race,” Millican said. “It’s a big deal for us and it’s a big deal for Rick.”
Funny Car produced the tightest finish of the session.
Vandergriff used a .067 reaction time and a 3.933 at 325.85 in his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS to win on a double holeshot over Ron Capps, J.R. Todd, and Matt Hagan. Vandergriff tripped the timers .0022 seconds ahead of Capps.
Todd matched Vandergriff’s elapsed time, while Capps was quicker at 3.929. Neither left early enough to keep the John Force Racing driver from claiming the win.
“This is my first time racing four-wide, and it’s interesting, for sure,” Vandergriff said. “This last run, I was in lane two and it’s a little trickier looking across the tree, but it seemed to work out.”
The former FOX Sports interviewer said the process of driving a Funny Car is slowing down for him as he gains experience.
“I’m getting more and more comfortable in the car,” Vandergriff said, adding, “I’m starting to get the handle on the steering wheel and feel for the car.”
Greg Anderson continued to be the man to beat in Pro Stock.
Fresh off securing his third straight No. 1 qualifier of the four-race season, Anderson added a #2Fast2Tasty victory with a 6.549 at 207.11 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro, defeating Matt Latino, Aaron Stanfield, and Eric Latino.
The six-time Pro Stock champion has opened the season looking like the
category’s pacesetter and made no effort to hide his satisfaction.
“I got Dallas today,” Anderson said, referring to teammate Dallas Glenn. “We got him [two weeks ago] in the final at Pomona and today in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, so it was a good day for GA and a good day for Hendrick Cars, and a great day for KB Titan.”
That sounded like a veteran enjoying both speed and scoreboard leverage.
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Herrera again proved why he remains one of the toughest riders in the class.
The two-time champion rode his Suzuki to a 6.759 at 199.20 and used a class-best .018 reaction time to defeat Matt Smith, Richard Gadson, and John Hall.
Smith nearly stole it with a 6.760, but Herrera’s start was the deciding edge.
“It’s a boost for the team and myself, just for working hard on not only on the bike, but me physically,” Herrera said. “It was a tough quad between John Hall, Matt, and Richard. I knew I had to be on the tree.”
Herrera said the format gives racers a reason to attack twice during a weekend rather than solely on Sunday.
“It’s awesome Mission does this,” he said. “After Friday, it’s basically two days of racing. You wake up Saturday and Sunday with a different attitude.”
