| In Funny Car, Spencer Hyde’s rookie season continues to progress at a rapid rate, as the newcomer picked up the win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge with a run of 3.968 at 318.54 in his 11,000-horsepower Head Contractors & Engineers Ford Mustang. After not qualifying at the first two races, Hyde has made rapid improvements, advancing to the semifinals at the most recent race in Pomona.
That put him in the bonus race in Las Vegas and Hyde took advantage on Saturday in a major way, winning a quad that featured Cruz Pedregon, Matt Hagan and Chad Green. The car has performed at a consistent clip the past two races and Hyde been on his game. He thrilled with Saturday’s outcome, marking his first major accomplishment in the NHRA ranks.
“It’s pretty cool. Obviously, we had a little rough start to the season — didn’t qualify in Gainesville, didn’t qualify in Phoenix — but we’re putting that behind us,” Hyde said. “We had a great outing in Pomona, going to the semifinals and obviously here with this win. I’m getting more comfortable in the car, getting some good, clean runs in.
“That’s the first time it’s blown up on me at the finish line, so that was exciting. I’ve been waiting for the last couple runs. I knew it dropped a hole [cylinder] in the last run, and it’s not if, it’s when in these things, so I just been kind of waiting for it. It wasn’t too bad it — just popped blower off – but there was no big fireball or anything, so all good.”
Paul Lee was challenged by Austin Prock on Saturday, but he maintained the No. 1 qualifying spot for the first time this season on the strength of Friday’s 3.940 at 326.08 in his 11,000-horsepower McLeod/FTI Performance Dodge Charger SRT.
It’s his second career top spot and he finished Saturday with a strong 3.981, giving him confidence for Sunday. His opening quad includes Daniel Wilkerson, Bob Tasca III and Gainesville winner Chad Green as Lee aims for his second win in three races.
“We feel good about tomorrow. That [3.981 in Q4], was going to be a low 3.90, but it dropped a hole about half track and slowed up,” Lee said. “This has been our goal, to be a top-five car. We want to be able to roll in the gate and be able to win a race, and we’re getting there.”
Prock is currently second with a 3.948 at 322.58 and Hyde’s 3.965 at 320.20 has him third.
Dallas Glenn won a thrilling Pro Stock final in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday, winning over KB Titan Racing teammate Greg Anderson on a holeshot with a run of 6.637 at 206.13. Anderson was quicker with a 6.614, but Glenn’s strong .022 reaction time handed the young standout his first victory of the season in the specialty race in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro.
“I’m really thrilled, because three of us basically staged at the same time, and then I didn’t feel like I hit the tree,” Glenn said. “I was happy to see I was .022, and then the car made a right turn. I was out in the weeds and it was spinning and bouncing. It was a little more shocking to see the win light come on.
“It was definitely a big confidence boost. You know, I feel like we’re still working on the car. We’re still getting a little bit better, and I feel like I can miss it and still be .022, so I’m definitely feeling more comfortable in the car, too. We have a lot of momentum going into Sunday.”
That run from Anderson gave him the quickest pass in both sessions on Saturday, as he qualified in the No. 1 spot in his HendrickCars.com Camaro for the third time this season and the 135th time in his career. He’ll look for his third straight win on Sunday, starting with an opening-round quad that also features Cristian Cuadra, Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Eric Latino.
“I feel fantastic about the car, the loose nut behind the wheel, maybe not so much,” Anderson said. “Just the four-wide is a tricky deal. We both hit the light at the exact same time and every time that seems to happen, it seems like it’s an extra-long light. That’s my kryptonite against me every time and it got me.
“Bottom line is, I’m proud of the guys. I’m proud of the product we’ve got out here. I’m proud of the race cars everybody under this KB Titan banner right now. It’s a hell of a feeling, like I said, a proud papa. We’ll come back tomorrow with a little bit more fire in the belly and hopefully close the deal, because I don’t like to lose.”
Cody Coughlin qualified second with a 6.636 at 205.60 and Glenn took third. Remarkably, six-time Pro Stock champion Erica Enders, whose 10 wins in Las Vegas are the most in NHRA history at the track, did not qualify. It’s the first time the 49-time event winner hasn’t qualified since the Charlotte fall race in 2016, a span of nearly nine years.
Eliminations for the 25th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals begin at 12 p.m. PT on Sunday at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
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LAS VEGAS — First-round pairings for professional eliminations Sunday for the 25th annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the fourth of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.
Top Fuel — 1. Doug Kalitta, 3.730 seconds, 331.04 mph vs. Bye vs. vs. 8. Justin Ashley, 3.876, 315.27 vs. 9. Clay Millican, 3.915, 299.26; 2. Brittany Force, 3.754, 333.16 vs. 15. Terry Totten, 7.101, 130.34 vs. 7. Shawn Reed, 3.847, 322.65 vs. 10. Josh Hart, 3.918, 310.20; 3. Antron Brown, 3.787, 326.08 vs. 14. Scott Palmer, 5.410, 115.49 vs. 6. Jasmine Salinas, 3.840, 321.73 vs. 11. Shawn Langdon, 3.952, 286.98; 4. Steve Torrence, 3.809, 332.02 vs. 13. Steven Chrisman, 4.830, 158.20 vs. 5. Tony Stewart, 3.821, 321.96 vs. 12. Rob Passey, 4.800, 237.13.
Funny Car — 1. Paul Lee, Dodge Charger, 3.940, 326.08 vs. 16. Chad Green, Ford Mustang, 4.197, 272.06 vs. 8. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.011, 324.51 vs. 9. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.023, 315.05; 2. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.948, 325.22 vs. 15. Jason Rupert, Mustang, 4.154, 305.01 vs. 7. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.990, 325.37 vs. 10. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 4.055, 313.88; 3. Spencer Hyde, Mustang, 3.965, 320.20 vs. 14. Buddy Hull, Charger, 4.115, 301.27 vs. 6. Hunter Green, Charger, 3.980, 322.42 vs. 11. Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.064, 304.53; 4. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.970, 324.51 vs. 13. Bobby Bode, GR Supra, 4.102, 305.84 vs. 5. Jack Beckman, Camaro, 3.972, 321.50 vs. 12. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.071, 315.19.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Alexis DeJoria, 4.250, 285.47; 18. Dylan Winefsky, 4.271, 284.15; 19. Jeff Diehl, 4.516, 198.61.
Pro Stock — 1. Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.614, 206.35 vs. 16. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.693, 204.01 vs. 8. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.654, 205.29 vs. 9. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.669, 205.44; 2. Cody Coughlin, Camaro, 6.636, 205.60 vs. 15. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.693, 204.32 vs. 7. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.654, 206.48 vs. 10. Matt Latino, Camaro, 6.671, 205.98; 3. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.637, 206.13 vs. 14. David Cuadra, Camaro, 6.685, 203.98 vs. 6. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.653, 205.88 vs. 11. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.671, 205.72; 4. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.639, 206.16 vs. 13. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 6.683, 204.35 vs. 5. Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.640, 205.79 vs. 12. Brandon Foster, Camaro, 6.671, 205.04.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Erica Enders, 6.696, 205.88; 18. Greg Stanfield, 6.698, 205.66; 19. Stephen Bell, 6.700, 204.54; 20. Troy Coughlin Jr., 6.701, 204.91; 21. Kenny Delco, 6.742, 204.45; 22. Joey Grose, 6.814, 202.24. |