The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series has reached the point in the season where every qualifying position, bonus point and round win means more than just little points. They become big points at this stage in the game.
Only two races remain before the Countdown to the Championship, and nearly $400,000 in regular-season championship money remains in play across the four professional categories. Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock competitors race next at Brainerd International Raceway before the regular season concludes at the NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
For some, Indy could decide much more than who leaves with a U.S. Nationals trophy.
Shawn Langdon once appeared to have a firm grip on the Top Fuel regular-season championship and its $150,000 payday. Three consecutive victories helped build the advantage, but teammate Doug Kalitta has erased almost all of it.
Kalitta won consecutive races at Sonoma and Seattle and enters Brainerd just five points behind Langdon. The Kalitta Motorsports teammates have controlled much of the season, including the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, but now find themselves essentially starting over with two races remaining.
The timing of Kalitta’s surge has a familiar look.
A year ago, Kalitta found his stride during the middle portion of the season and eventually turned it into his second Top Fuel world championship in three years. He has put himself in position for another late-season run, beginning with a regular-season title that could be decided during eliminations at Indy.
For Langdon and Kalitta, five points separate teammates who have spent much of the season setting the Top Fuel pace. Anderson and Glenn have only eight points between them in Pro Stock.
If Top Fuel is close, Funny Car is crowded.
Ron Capps remains the leader, but an advantage that once provided some breathing room has disappeared. Five drivers are separated by only 64 points, leaving little margin for anyone headed into Brainerd.
Jack Beckman is 37 points behind Capps after putting together one of the category’s more consistent stretches. J.R. Todd is another five points back after winning at Seattle, while Jordan Vandergriff trails by 54 and four-time champion Matt Hagan sits 64 points from the lead.
That puts all five within striking distance before a single qualifying run is made in Brainerd.
The U.S. Nationals’ points structure only adds to the possibilities. With Indy offering more points than a standard national event, a driver who leaves Brainerd within range could still make a significant move during the regular-season finale.
Pro Stock has considerably fewer players involved, but almost no separation between the two who matter most.
Greg Anderson reclaimed the points lead with his victory at Seattle, moving eight points ahead of KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn. Glenn is the defending world champion and regular-season champion, while Anderson is chasing another title in a career that already includes six world championships.
Greg Stanfield has climbed to third but remains 158 points behind Anderson, leaving the championship battle largely between the two teammates.
For Glenn, Indy offers an opportunity to claim a second consecutive regular-season championship while chasing something that has so far eluded him, a U.S. Nationals victory. Anderson has enjoyed plenty of success at Indianapolis, making their eight-point separation even more intriguing with Brainerd still to come.
Pro Stock Motorcycle competitors face a different equation because the category will not race at Brainerd.
That leaves Richard Gadson with only the U.S. Nationals standing between him and his first regular-season championship. Gadson, the reigning world champion, carries an 83-point advantage over Vance & Hines teammate Gaige Herrera after winning at Norwalk in June.
The Smith family remains mathematically involved. Angie Smith is 111 points behind Gadson, while Matt Smith trails by 136.
With only Indianapolis remaining for the motorcycles, Gadson owns considerably more cushion than the leaders in the other professional categories. One bad weekend, however, can change the picture quickly when Indy points are involved.
The regular-season championships also carry importance beyond the money.
Once Indianapolis is complete, the points will be reset for the six-race Countdown to the Championship. What happens at Brainerd and Indy will establish the order in which the contenders begin their run at the NHRA world championships.
