Formula DRIFT returned to Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Washington, last weekend for Round 5: Throwdown, where Darren McNamara in the Falken Tire Nissan S14 took his first victory of the season.
Matt Hagan isn’t going to make any bold claims following his first win of the season. But heading into a crucial stretch of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season it was precisely the type of performance the Funny Car standout wanted to see.
Formula DRIFT entered Fuji Speedway for the first Formula DRIFT Japan event for Round 2 of the Formula DRIFT Asia Championship where Japan’s own Masao Suenaga took the inaugural event victory.
- Read more about Racing News: SCORE International Baja 500 to Premiere on CBS Sports Network, July 20
The SCORE International Baja 500 will premiere on CBS Sports Network, July 20, at 9:00 p.m. (EDT).
BROWN, FORCE, ENDERS-STEVENS, HINES WIN IN OHIO: In a side-by-side final-round duel with longtime rival Ron Capps, NHRA Funny Car icon John Force picked up his 140th career win last Sunday at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals. Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Erica Enders-Stevens (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also were winners in Norwalk. In the championship round, Force powered his Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang to a performance of 4.113 seconds at 317.27 mph while Capps had a run of 4.135 at 305.56 in his NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger. Force, the reigning Funny Car world champion, earned his first-ever win at Norwalk and second of the 2014 season.
On the same weekend, FOX athletes took multiple class wins and the overall victory in Baja, were triumphant at a short-course rock race in California and swept the podium at Australia’s biggest desert race—the Finke.
HAGAN, BROWN, NOBILE, ARANA JR. RACE TO WINS IN CHICAGO: Matt Hagan ended an 11-race winless streak in Funny Car with a victory last Sunday at the O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Super Start Batteries. Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Vincent Nobile (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also were winners at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event at Route 66 Raceway.
Patrik Sandell from the Olsbergs MSE team scored the win in the Kobalt Tools Ford Fiesta ST last weekend at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. Through two days of tough heat racing, Sandell never finished lower than second to bypass the Last Chance Qualifier and advance directly to the Final, where he had a front-row starting position. The Kobalt Tools driver held the lead position for all 10 laps to the checkered flag. Sandell is now tied for third in the championship standings.
Ron Capps raced to his first victory of the season in Funny Car Sunday at the Auto-Plus NHRA New England Nationals. Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel), Dave Connolly (Pro Stock) and Angie Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also were winners at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event at New England Dragway. Capps drove his NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger to the win over Alexis DeJoria with a 4.095-second run at 315.19 mph to claim the 41st victory of his career.
LANGDON, JOHNSON AND ENDERS-STEVENS SECURE WINS IN BRISTOL: Reigning NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel world champion Shawn Langdon claimed his first victory of the season last Sunday at the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers. Tommy Johnson Jr. (Funny Car) and Erica Enders-Stevens (Pro Stock) also were winners in their respective categories at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event at Bristol Dragway. Langdon raced to his first Bristol Dragway victory and ninth win of his career defeating points leader Doug Kalitta.