On Friday, the legendary John Force got the ball rolling with a track record run of 3.850 ET at 334.24 mph in his 11,000 horsepower PEAK/Blue DEF Platinum Chevrolet Camaro SS. It was the first Number One qualifier for the sixteen time world champion and 164th of his incredible career in the NHRA Camping World Drag Series. Force entered Sunday’s elimination rounds as the defending winner at zMAX Raceway in Charlotte.
Behind the wheel of his Phillips Connect Top Fuel dragster powered by Vita C Shot, Justin Ashley posted a 3.699-second elapsed time at 331.77 mph on Friday to secure his first Number One qualifier of the 2022 season. Charlotte’s zMAX Raceway has special meaning for Ashley as he made his debut at the facility in 2019. Ashley will be looking for his first win of the year in the NHRA Camping World Drag Series and could potentially take over the points lead.
Angelle Sampey aboard her Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki turned in a spectacular performance in Saturday’s second round of qualifying with a 6.714 ET at 201.16 mph to grab the Number One qualifier in Pro Stock Motorcycle. It was the 54th top qualifying spot for the three-time world champion but the first of the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing series. Sampey will be paired against fellow Suzuki rider Kelly Clontz in the opening round of Sunday’s eliminations.
John Force Claims Funny Car Win at zMAX Raceway
Just two days before his 73rd birthday, 16-time NHRA Funny Car world champion John Force completed a dominating weekend at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway. As the owner of John Force Racing, he won the first four-wide conducted at Charlotte race track in 2010 and entered the race as the defending champion from 2021. Along side was son-in-law and teammate Robert Hight as well as Mike McIntire Jr and a red-hot Ron Capps driving for his own team.
With an ambient temperature around 80 degrees and a track temperature above 120, John Force was first leaving the tree with .051 reaction time to Capps’s .062 RT but Capps smoked the tires at the halfway mark. McIntire Jr was a no-factor as with a blown motor about 100 feet off of the start. With Force out front, Hight had problems and slowed near the end of the run. It was the 155th NHRA Funny Car win for Force who posted a 3.914 ET at 328.86 mph.
Mike Salinas Earns Second Wally in Top Fuel for 2022
During his initial qualifying run on Friday, Mike Salinas suffered a broken clutch pedal on his burnout and was not able to make the tree in time for the start. In his final first-day pass, he was docked five points for crossing the center line. His first session on Saturday wasn’t much better as he smoked the tires, but he did post the fifth fastest time for Sunday’s elimination rounds at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals from zMAX Raceway in Charlotte NC.
For Sunday’s elimination rounds, Salinas and his Pep Boys/Scrappers team was on point. In the Final, Spencer Massey grabbed the holeshot with a .026 reaction time but almost immediately went up in smoke. Josh Hart was second leaving the line but lost traction and switched the power off. That left Cameron Ferre trailing Salinas off the line but hooked up and coming until his motor lost a blower belt. Salinas pulled away from the rest of the field to record his second Top Fuel victory in 2022. The win moved him to second in the overall points standings behind Brittany Force.
Steve Johnson Goes Two in Row at NHRA Four-Wide
Enroute to his eleventh career victory, Johnson had the quickest bike of every session during Pro Stock Motorcycle eliminations at the Circle K NHRA Four Wide Nationals. The Suzuki rider set a track record with an impressive 6.712 ET at 201.40 mph in the second round of eliminations from zMAX Raceway in Charlotte NC. The veteran rider claimed his second consecutive win for the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing series.
Karen Stoffer was first leaving the tree and made a stellar pass to finish runner-up at the four wide event about a dozen feet behind Johnson. Aboard his USA Electric Suzuki, Johnson nailed the groove and pulled away from Stoffer, Eddie Krawiec and Joey Gladstone. Johnson also won the first event ever raced at zMAX Raceway and Sunday’s win was his third Wally at the newest track on the NHRA national circuit.
UP COMING:
Virginia NHRA Nationals
After two years of postponements due the pandemic, race fans will welcome the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series back to Virginia Motorsports Park for the Virginia Nationals on May 13-15 at North Dinwiddie, VA.
