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NHRA bringing hot wind to tornado-prone Kansas
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Fortunately NHRA nitro wind from big block engines is controlled by exhaust pipes and confined to two short lanes at Heartland Park in Topeka. Collateral damage to other turf in Kansas is not a factor, but excitement about side-by-side speed generated by dragsters and other piston wind-makers will be shared by Midwest fans.
Three drivers bring flash memory of final win lights from the last race, Tony Schumacher, Del Worsham and Mike Edwards but they roll up to dark win lights now. They will attempt to build momentum with repeat performances but they also face rigorous competition from Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock field where the points lead is tenuous.
“It’s just unreal the way this team has come together in the last three races; we’ve won two in a row,” Worsham said. “After winning eight straight rounds, we tested for two days at Atlanta Dragway, and we learned a lot and are confident about the rest of the season.”
Worsham’s Funny Car team is among many others testing including the Pro Stock team of Mike Edwards.
“We have just tested, tested and tested and worked countless hours at this.” Edwards said. “I have the best group of guys in the world. Finally all the hard work is paying off and the results are showing."
Second place Antron Brown has held the TF lead for several races but lost it to the ever intense Schumacher camp. Second place Worsham and third place Edwards are chasing point leaders Ron Capps and Jeg Coughlin Jr. who are sure to have team plans for more wins.
Ron Capps with Don Schumacher Racing has kept his Funny Car in the lead even when he missed final win lights and he looks for Topeka weather to be a big factor this weekend.
“More than likely, it’s going to be warm there.” Capps said. “And that's when a team has to grit it out. Everybody has to dig down deep. It can be very demanding on everybody, not just the driver. We’ve won twice in Topeka and the last time (in 2006) it was approaching 100 degrees in air temperature. Those are the days you really relish winning. At the end of the day you want to fall over because you're so exhausted. You know you gave it ever bit you had.”
Top Fuel driver Morgan Lucas earned his first win this year and wanting more he has thoughts about weather also.
"As we've seen in the past,” Lucas said. “The teams that transition the best from cool weather racing to hot weather racing are usually the ones in the hunt for the championship at the end of the year. We want to be in that group.”
Pro Stock Car points leader Jeg Coughlin Jr. enjoys his position but views it with reservations.
“The way this class is running,” Coughlin said “We just about have to get to the finals every week to stay out front, and we do like being the lead dogs."
The primary focus right now is to make the playoffs (Countdown to 1).
It’s the ninth race of the NHRA Full Throttle season, but it’s one of 10 races or 40 rounds before the “Countdown to 1”. After that it’s six races or 24 rounds to the championship crown. Whatever way the math is done, the reality is that plenty of time remains to rise or slide. Several capable drivers are right now clawing outside the top ladder looking up to those that are in their way to make the playoffs.
“We had some things go wrong. We also didn’t do a good job,” Hight said “We have been in the fight for the championship every year. We are going to get through this. We will be in contention for this championship later on I promise.”
Top fuel drivers Clay Millican and Cory McClenathan are equally determined.
“I know we are capable of it; we just haven’t done it. Now it is time,” Millican said. “It’s literally a blink of an eye difference between winning and losing a lot of times, and right now we just happen to be on the wrong side of those things. I’ve been on the other side of it and the people here have, too. We have to be able to withstand this storm and get through it . . . and do our job. Then it will come back the other way.”
Cory McClenathan has steadily qualified high and reached fourth place as a result.
"We just need to keep pace,” McClenathan said. “We also need some of the other guys to go out early so we can catch up to the points leaders."
John Force has struggled since his 2007 crash even though he has worked very hard in rehabilitation. His win last year in Topeka proved he still had the ability to add to his the 125 win total then.
I didn’t know if I could win again,” Force said. “I believed it, but we just couldn’t get that magic to win a race.”
With 126 Funny Car wins in his storied career Force has been first to final win lights three times more than any other driver so it isn’t likely that magic has been a big factor. But wins are so tough to get, they have a way of feeling like magic. That exuberance will be felt by three NHRA drivers this weekend and it would be no surprise to drag racing fans if one of them was John Force.
Photo credit Gary Larsen @ Racetake.com
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