Brittany Force, Ron Capps, Erica Enders earn top qualifying spots for NHRA season-opening event.
NHRA/National Dragster
Following a dominant performance in qualifying throughout 2021, Brittany Force added another to start her 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, rolling to the No. 1 spot in Top Fuel on Saturday at the 62nd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
New team owner Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) also qualified No. 1 at the first of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.
Force powered to the top with a run of 3.661-seconds at 333.91 mph in the final qualifying session, giving her 33 career No. 1 qualifiers in her 11,000-horsepower Monster Energy dragster. She drove to 12 No. 1 positions a year ago and is now seeking her first career Winternationals victory as she looks to begin the 2022 campaign on an impressive note. Force will take on Ron August in the first round of eliminations on Sunday.
“It feels awesome to be back out here at my home track and starting a new season,” Force said. “I’m glad to be back, doing what we love and it’s even better to go No. 1 at the first race of the season. It pumps all of us up. We’re excited to get going and see what we can do this season. It felt good to have a solid pass going into race day. A 3.66, that’s pretty outstanding.”
Ron Capps was top qualifier in Funny Car at Pomona.
NHRA/National Dragster
Capps, the reigning Funny Car world champ, closed out qualifying with an outstanding performance, slipping past Robert Hight with his run of 3.857 at 332.43 in his 11,000-horsepower NAPA Auto Parts Funny Car. After moving into a team ownership role for the first time and forming Ron Capps Motorsports in the off-season, it was also an ideal start for the veteran. In a thrilling, must-see first-round matchup to open eliminations, Capps will take on longtime rival and 16-time world champ John Force.
Looking for her first career Winternationals victory in her storied career, Enders moved a step closer by starting her 2022 with a No. 1 qualifier thanks to her run of 6.521 at 210.44 in her Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro. It gives Enders, a four-time world champ, her 24th career No. 1 qualifier. She will open eliminations against Cristian Cuadra and the standout is focused on picking up her first win in the event in what is Pro Stock’s 900th career race. Sunday’s winner will also receive a special trophy along with the Wally to commemorate the 900th event in class history.
Erica Enders got off to a fast start to her 2021 NHRA Pro Stock season.
NHRA/National Dragster
62nd Annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals
Qualifying Results, First Round Pairings
Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the 62nd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, the first of 22 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.
Top Fuel — 1. Brittany Force, 3.661 seconds, 333.91 mph vs. 16. Ron August, 4.375, 194.74; 2. Justin Ashley, 3.676, 331.45 vs. 15. Jim Maroney, 3.960, 294.24; 3. Mike Salinas, 3.677, 329.02 vs. 14. Buddy Hull, 3.905, 288.95; 4. Austin Prock, 3.711, 331.85 vs. 13. Clay Millican, 3.789, 317.12; 5. Doug Kalitta, 3.720, 324.90 vs. 12. Tony Schumacher, 3.787, 315.86; 6. Steve Torrence, 3.725, 315.34 vs. 11. Doug Foley, 3.771, 311.63; 7. Leah Pruett, 3.726, 328.54 vs. 10. Antron Brown, 3.756, 324.83; 8. Shawn Langdon, 3.740, 325.22 vs. 9. Josh Hart, 3.755, 323.19.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Scott Farley, 5.728, 117.29.
Funny Car — 1. Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 3.857, 332.43 vs. 16. John Force, Chevy Camaro, 4.240, 216.45; 2. Robert Hight, Camaro, 3.861, 331.36 vs. 15. Jason Rupert, Ford Mustang, 4.237, 304.53; 3. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.886, 329.34 vs. 14. Chad Green, Mustang, 4.147, 295.08; 4. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.906, 325.22 vs. 13. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 4.115, 306.81; 5. Alexis DeJoria, Toyota Supra, 3.945, 326.95 vs. 12. Jim Campbell, Charger, 4.105, 305.29; 6. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.956, 327.43 vs. 11. Jeff Arend, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.092, 287.23; 7. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.962, 325.37 vs. 10. Tony Jurado, Mustang, 4.044, 314.46; 8. J.R. Todd, Supra, 3.985, 324.59 vs. 9. Bobby Bode, Mustang, 3.993, 291.07.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Jeff Diehl, 4.592, 190.92; 18. Paul Lee, 5.435, 148.09; 19. Gary Densham, 5.600, 145.30; 20. Alex Miladinovich, 6.471, 92.51.
Pro Stock — 1. Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.521, 210.44 vs. 16. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.599, 209.20; 2. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.527, 210.37 vs. 15. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.592, 209.43; 3. Kyle Koretsky, Camaro, 6.528, 209.20 vs. 14. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Mustang, 6.581, 208.68; 4. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.536, 209.59 vs. 13. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.577, 209.65; 5. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.547, 209.01 vs. 12. John Cerbone, Camaro, 6.575, 209.79; 6. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.551, 210.11 vs. 11. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.573, 208.14; 7. Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 6.553, 207.43 vs. 10. Rodger Brogdon, Camaro, 6.573, 208.65; 8. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.555, 208.23 vs. 9. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.563, 209.14.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Alan Prusiensky, 6.622, 207.56; 18. Steve Graham, 6.675, 208.36; 19. Fernando Cuadra, 6.865, 203.00; 20. Alex Laughlin, 8.964, 106.87.
Keyword: NHRA Qualifying Results, Sunday Elimination Pairings from Pomona