The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series’ three-race Western Swing may have concluded, but the drivers and teams still have nine events ahead before the season ends.
Coming off three weeks of back-to-back racing, the series will bring plenty of storylines into the Aug. 11-13 Menards NHRA Nationals at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kan.
Ashley, Hagan & Glenn Lead The Points Battle
With only three races to go before the Countdown to the Championship begins and the points reset, more and more eyes turn to the standings to watch who’s on top.
After winning race two of the Western Swing at Seattle’s Pacific Raceways, Steve Torrence took brief control of the Top Fuel points battle. However, one week later at California’s Sonoma Raceway, Justin Ashley bounced back to claim his fifth Wally of the season and the points lead.
The two rivals are separated by 32 points.
Reigning champion Brittany Force, who is still without a victory this season, remains third.
Tony Stewart Racing’s Matt Hagan continues to carry the torch in Funny Car, a mere 19 points ahead of defending titlist Ron Capps. Hagan, who triumphed at the Mile-High Nationals at Colorado’s Bandimere Speedway, is the only driver of the two to win during the Western Swing.
Fourth-year Funny Car driver Chad Green, who has yet to make the playoffs, is third in points after a runner-up effort at Sonoma.
Though the Pro Stock category only raced at one event on the Western Swing — the Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway — points leader Dallas Glenn made the most of it by making a final round appearance.
Glenn is 202 points clear of Matt Hartford in second, while Bandimere winner Troy Coughlin Jr. is third in the standings.
Wilkerson Readies For Playoff Run
After hitting an early summer rough patch, Tim Wilkerson was a happy man following the Northwest Nationals in Seattle. The 62-year-old brought home his second Wally of the season and the 24th win of his career.
Having been a privateer for most of his years in NHRA, this season brought about a welcome change for Wilkerson, who merged his team with Joe Maynard’s Top Fuel operation over the offseason.
The result was the formation of Maynard Wilkerson Racing.
While the venture has experienced its ups and downs, including five first-round losses, there have been plenty of highlights for the pairing to celebrate — such as Wilkerson’s recent victory.
“We’ve got a chance to win every weekend, in my opinion. It’s just whether I mess it up or not,” Wilkerson said with a laugh. “People always ask me, ‘Who do you race?’ I say, ‘Me, I’m the enemy, not the other guy.’”
Wilkerson is sixth in points heading to Kansas.
Brown Looks Forward To Familiar Ground
Antron Brown had a difficult start to the Western Swing — making a first-round exit in Colorado and finishing in the quarterfinals in Seattle — but the three-time Top Fuel champion made up for it at Sonoma.
Brown blew past Mike Salinas, Force and Torrence as he climbed up the ladder at the Sonoma Nationals to make his first final round appearance in four races. Though, he ultimately lost to Ashley in the finals, the Matco Tools dragster driver still made up valuable ground in the standings, jumping from seventh to fourth.
Lucky for Brown, NHRA’s next stop is at the drag strip where he earned his first win as team owner of Antron Brown Motorsports last season — Heartland Motorsports Park.
This year will also mark the series’ final run at the Kansas facility.
Keyword: NHRA Notes: What Happened On The Western Swing?