To no one’s surprise, NHRA drag racing fans are ready to return to the track to watch the best in the business compete for the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series titles for the 2022 season. In fact, sellout crowds were on hand for Saturday’s qualifying rounds and Sunday’s elimination rounds at New England Raceway.
Full runs were at a premium for Friday qualifying but the rain subsided long enough for all three professional divisions to post times. In Top Fuel, Steve Torrence proved once again why he and the Capco Contractors team are the defending series champions for four years running. Torrence not only claimed the provisional Number One qualifier position, but he also shattered the existing track record.
As crew chiefs searched for the winning combination on Saturday, Torrence’s 3.664 elapsed time at 329.50 mph was good enough to edge out Brittany Force and Mike Salinas for the top spot entering Sunday’s elimination rounds. In Nitro Funny Car, Matt Hagan powered his 11,000 horsepower Dodge Power Brokers Charger to the front of the pack with a 3.878 ET at 332.51 mph followed by John Force and his teammate Robert Hight in second and third respectively. Pro Stock teams had a couple of weeks off but Dallas Glenn led the way with a 6.543 ET just .001 of a second over Kyle Koretsky, Erica Enders, and Deric Kramer, who posted 6.544 elapsed times. Aaron Stanfield was the fifth seed for Sunday’s elimination rounds with 6.545 ET.
Salinas Keeps on Scrapping in NHRA Top Fuel
Mike Salinas is no stranger to scrapping his way from nothing to the top of the heap and that’s what he is trying to do in Top Fuel for NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series in 2022. A self-made business entrepreneur, the 60-year old Salinas and his wife Monica turned a teenage ambition for hauling scrap metal into a silicon-valley empire. Now, the Salinas family is experiencing the same success with Scrappers Racing. E3 Spark Plugs racing fans know him well from Pro Mod competition.
After qualifying third, Salinas worked his way past Joe Morrison, Leah Pruett, and Austin Prock enroute to Sunday’s final round. On the other side of the ladder, track record holder Steve Torrence lost his battle for traction in the opening round and did not advance. Justin Ashley eliminated Dan Mercier, Scott Farley, and Shawn Langdon on his way to the final. Salinas, who has be critical of his own driving, posted a 3.729 ET to edge out Ashley by a foot at the finish line.
Matt Hagan Claims Third Wally in Funny Car
Matt Hagan had not won in Funny Car since the NHRA SpringNationals, where he gave his new team owner Tony Stewart Racing its second Wally of the season. Since the Houston event, John Force won the ZMax 4-Wide and Robert Hight was victorious at Virginia. Hight reached the final round by eliminating Cory Lee, Alexis Dejoria, and Ron Capps. Hagan had an advantage as the Number One qualifier, then outran JR Todd in the semifinal round after trailing off the tree.
Hight entered the round with an 8-3 advantage over Hagan but the driver of the Dodge Power Brokers Charger had a .040 reaction time to Hight’s .059 and never trailed Hight’s Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS. Hight was up in in smoke by 300 feet and pedaled it but was not able to reconnect with the tricky track surface. In the other lane, Hagan posted a good looking pass with a 3.922 ET at 327.98 mph. It was the third win of the season and the 42nd Wally in NHRA Funny Car for the series points leader who leaves Epping 14 points ahead of Hight.
Erica Enders Rules Pro Stock with Fourth Win
So, exactly how does Erica Enders rule the Pro Stock division for NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series? Let's see. There have been six national event weekends in 2022 for the Pro Stock class and Enders has now won four of times. Aaron Stanfield, who finished runner up at New England, won one and Dallas Glenn won at the Gatornationals. Without doubt, her Elite Motorsports team has eyes on winning.
Team Elite, which includes Stanfield, has already won five of six. On the opposite side of the ladder, Fernando Cuadra Jr had a .003 reaction time to eliminate Number One qualifier Dallas Glenn. Cuadra’s next holeshot came with run-ending tire shake and Stanfield advanced. Enders had a three-hundredths advantage off the tree and never trailed posting a 6.547 ET at 211.00 mph compared to her teammate’s 6.533 ET at 212.13 mph. The victory gives Enders a 108-point lead over Stanfield for championship.
Photo courtesy of NHRA.com Staff Photo Facebook
UP COMING:
NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals
The Camping World Drag Racing Series has two weeks to head south to Bristol TN for the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals on June 17-19 at Bristol Dragway.
