Compiled by SEMA Editors
King of The Hammers Prize Purse Increased to $100K for 2019
Hammerking Productions Inc. has announced that the Nitto King of The Hammers Powered by Optima Batteries has tripled the purse for Friday’s ULTRA4 race to $100,000 for 2019. The Unlimited 4 Wheel Drive class, known as ULTRA4s will race Friday, February 8. The winner will receive $75,000, second place takes home $15,000 and third place $10,000 for finishing on the podium. An additional $3,750 in payout will go to the driver who has the fastest time up one of the infamous Hammers Trails known as “Idle Issues.”
 Blake Alexander powered to the winner’s circle with a run of 4.004 seconds at 287.41 mph in his Pronto Auto Service Center dragster to take down Tony Schumacher in the finals. |
Alexander, Hight, Coughlin Jr. and Tonglet Emerge Victorious at Sonoma Raceway
Blake Alexander brought home the second Top Fuel victory of his career at the 31st annual Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway. Robert Hight (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) and LE Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were also winners in their respective categories at the 15th of 24 events on the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. Alexander powered to the winner’s circle with a run of 4.004 seconds at 287.41 mph in his Pronto Auto Service Center dragster to take down Tony Schumacher in the finals. Schumacher’s third runner-up finish of the season helped vault him into second in the points standings as he continues to close the gap on points leader Steve Torrence. Schumacher was also one of four Top Fuel competitors to join Torrence by clinching a position in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Defending Funny Car world champion Hight used a 3.984 at 319.75 in his Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS to beat Ron Capps in the finals. He also locked in his position in the Countdown playoffs. Coughlin Jr. drove to a 6.532 at 212.16 in his JEGS.com/Elite Performance Chevrolet Camaro to defeat Deric Kramer in the final round. Tonglet brought home the win in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class after a 6.771 at 198.52 on his Nitro Fish Racing Suzuki to take down points leader Andrew Hines in the final round. The 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season continues at Pacific Raceways in Seattle, August 3–5.
 Gary Sheehan (center) won the Touring Car class of the United States Touring Car Championship (USTCC) in the GoGoGear.com/Konig Wheels/AFE Power Hyundai Genesis Coupe. |
Sheehan Wins USTCC Touring Car Class; Romano Makes It Three in a Row
Gary Sheehan won the Touring Car class of the United States Touring Car Championship (USTCC) in the GoGoGear.com/Konig Wheels/AFE Power Hyundai Genesis Coupe, while Nik Romano won the Sportsman class in the GKR Racing/Indotech Motorsports Lexus at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California. Rob Harper won the GT class in the BC Forged/AP Racing Chevrolet Corvette, while Larry Bani took the win in the Super Touring class in the GoGoGear.com/AFE Power BMW M3.
 Matt Smith won the 2018 Mickey Thompson Pro Bike Battle. |
Matt Smith Wins Mickey Thompson Pro Bike Battle in Sonoma
Two-time Mello Yello Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Matt Smith won the 2018 Mickey Thompson Pro Bike Battle. Smith got the jump off the line and beat 2015 champion Eddie Krawiec, 6.793 to 6.764. Riding his Victory Gunner-bodied V-twin, the win was Smith’s first in the specialty event, which has been held at the Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals since 2014.
 In VP Racing Fuels Street Outlaw, Shawn Ayers in the Fletcher Cox-owned ’93 Mustang got the win over Daniel Pharris by one thousandth of a second with a 4.31 at 167 mph. Photo credit: Fastest Street Car magazine |
Race Wrap—13th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing Presented by Fuel Systems Technology
The results are in for the 13th Annual NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing, held last weekend at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois.
VP Racing Fuels Street Outlaw: Shawn Ayers in the Fletcher Cox-owned ’93 Mustang advanced to the final round to face Daniel Pharris, where Ayers got the win by one thousandth of a second with a 4.31 at 167 mph, besting the holeshot-aided 4.34 at 172 mph lap of Pharris.
Edelbrock Renegade: Team B’s Frank Varela laid down a 7.39 at 184 mph to edge out the 7.43 at 185 mph from Tony Hobson.
Procharger Coyote Modified: Tommy Annunziata made his way to the final round on Sunday to face Daniel Pachar. Although Annunziata qualified better, Pachar used a 7.78 at 170 mph to take out a troubled 10-second lap from Annunziata.
Steeda Limited Street: Sondra Leslie earned a final-round slot opposite Michael Ciborowski, where Leslie scored an 8.58 victory lap.
G-Force Transmissions Coyote Stock: Charlie Booze Jr. faced Darin Hendricks and his teal Cobra in the final round, where Booze Jr. claimed victory over Hendricks via a 10.24 at 128 mph to a 10.34 at 130 mph effort.
Richmond Gear Factory Stock: Dan Ryntz faced No. 2 qualifier Bart Welte in the final round, where Ryntz took home the title via a 10.42 at 127 mph pass to the 10.59 at 126 mph of Welte.
ARP Open Comp: Bill Staton faced Gordon Harlow in the final round, where Harlow pushed Staton into a .06-under 11.59 break-out pass to give Harlow’s .04-over 10.14 lap the win and propel him into the Aerospace Components Winner’s Circle.
Exedy Racing Clutch Modular Muscle: The final round pitted Jason Henson against Charlie McCulloch, where McCulloch won when his .04-over 10.72 nipped the .01-over 12.08 of Henson by half a fender length.
Roush Super Stang: Miles Wagoner met Marvin Knack in the final round, where a double break out found the .06-under 10.10 pass of Wagoner got the win over Knack’s more-offensive .11-under 11.73 pass.
Detroit Locker Truck & Lightning: Mike Motycka faced defending class champ Randy Conway in the final round, where a 12.16 break out from Motycka meant the 10.29 of Conway would secure the victory.
Race Star Wheels Ford Muscle: Bryan Parker faced Randy Conway in the final round, where Parker’s .01-under 11.49 was less offensive against the .08-under 11.67 of Conway, giving Parker the win.
QA1 True Street: The ’10 Shelby of Randy Thomas took the overall win with an 8.78 average. Mike Niehaus took the runner-up spot with a 9.20 average, the Mustang GT of Jason Struckman grabbed the 10-second title, Frank Beal collected the 11-second class accolades, Tim Apple won the 12-second class, Nathan Chastain earned the 13-second title, Gastor Brown trucked home with the 14-second win and Belinda Moore rounded out the True Street class with the 15-second title.
 Jason Hamstra faced Billy Harper in the final, where Hamstra hung on for the win with a 3.69 in his Camaro, while Harper was 4.79 in his Viper. Photo credit: Fastest Street Car magazine |
VP Racing Fuels Xtreme Pro Mod: Jason Hamstra faced Billy Harper in the final, where Hamstra hung on for the win with a 3.69 in his Camaro, while Harper was 4.79 in his Viper.
Mickey Thompson Radial Wars: DeWayne Mills faced James Lawrence and his Dragzine Corvette in the final round, where Lawrence picked up the win with a 3.89 to Mills’ lifting 4.86.
Edelbrock Xtreme Street: Joel Greathouse faced Jessie Coulter in the final round, where Greathouse got the win with a 4.70 in his Mustang when Coulter ran into trouble at the hit and had to lift in his Camaro.
ARP Nitrous Pro Street: In the final round, Jennifer Brooke Rice and her Mustang faced Trica Musi, who drove the ’99 Trans Am nicknamed Popeye II. Both drivers stopped the clocks at 4.51, and Musi made off with the holeshot win.
Fuel Systems Technology NA: David Theisen flew to a 7.91 to win over Chad Neuenschwander, who was 8.05 in his Mustang.
Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Chevrolet Performance Stock: Jesse Wilson took the win over Scott Brown, who turned in a 10.54 in his Camaro.
Coan Engineering Stock/Super Stock Combo: Brad Bishop picked up the win with a 12.33 on a 12.33 dial in his Mustang over Daryl Bureski, who turned in an 11.44 on an 11.46 dial in his Oldsmobile.
ATI Performance Products Nostalgia Super Stock: Kevin Gass grabbed the win with a 9.86 on his 9.75 index over Dave Schultz, who was 9.93 on his 9.75 index in his Coronet.
Detroit TrueTrac Nostalgia Muscle Car: Chad Brewer won with a 10.97 on an 11.00 index in his Nova over Brian Crawford, who was 10.20 on a 10.25 index in his Duster.
MagnaFuel Open Comp: The final round featured Susan Roush McClenaghan and Mike Lawson, where Roush McClenaghan grabbed the win despite breaking out with a 9.42 on a 9.48 dial in her Mustang, as Mike Lawson clicked it red in his Nova.
Holley EFI Factory Super Cars: Chuck Watson wheeled to an 8.06 in his Mustang Cobra Jet to oust Kevin Skinner, who was forced to lift in his Mustang Cobra Jet.
Hemi Shootout: Bill Lee Jr. was the overall winner with a 10.18 average, and Derrick Roderweiss rolled out a runner-up finish with a 10.19 average. Victor Cervantez was the 10-second winner, John Ridings was the 11-second winner and Tim Hagan was the 12-second winner. Charlie McMurray muscled his way to the 13-second win, Vincent Carter Jr. cruised to the 14-second win and Brian Rayburn took the 15-second win.
Fastest Street Car Magazine Bracket 3: Tom Roche used a 13.12 on a 13.10 dial to defeat Abigail Svoboda, who turned on the red.
Once the class titles were secured, the Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing Runoffs was staged up, with the NMRA winners now working as a team to defeat the NMCA class winners head-to-head. When it was over, NMRA claimed the win, and the final tally on the day saw the NMRA with 10 wins to the NMCA’s three, pushing the overall record to 9-4 in the NMRA series favor, and giving every NMRA class winner the Nitto Tire Diamond Tree ring. The NMRA’s 20th season concludes September 27–30, at Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Kentucky, for the Nitto Tire NMRA All-Ford World Finals.
Two events remain on this year’s tantalizing NMCA tour, including the 17th Annual Honeywell Garrett NMCA All-American Nationals, August 23–26, at Summit Motorsports Park in Ohio, and the NMCA World Street Finals presented by Chevrolet Performance, September 20–23 at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indiana.
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