ALL-JFR FORD FINAL CLOSES 2009 NHRA FULL THROTTLE SEASON

BY TEAM FORD RACING CORRESPONDENT

Pomona, Calif. — Mike Neff gained no ground Sunday in the NHRA Full Throttle driver standings. However, he did gain a place in drag racing history by becoming the first driver in more than 40 years to win an NHRA tour event in a pure Ford Funny Car: Ford body, Ford chassis, Ford engine.

Moreover, the 42-year-old former crew chief won in a Ford Drive One Mustang usually maintained by veteran designer and fabricator John Medlen. It’s the car that would have been occupied by Eric Medlen had the rising young driving star not lost his life in a 2007 testing accident.

The fact that it was the first win for the elder Medlen since his son’s death added yet another level of emotion in an already emotional weekend for John Force Racing Inc., which on Saturday celebrated its 16th NHRA Funny Car championship with driver Robert Hight and crew chief Jimmy Prock.

Neff applied an exclamation point by driving a JFR Mustang utilizing a house chassis and a Ford BOSS 500 motor to a breakthrough first victory at the 45th annual Auto Club Finals.

Although he came into the season’s final event ineligible to accumulate additional championship points because his team had exceeded the NHRA’s testing limit, Neff still managed to log his second straight Top 10 finish. Moreover, the fact that he gained zero points did nothing to diminish his achievement.

“It was a little hit and miss, mainly miss,” Neff said of his Sunday performance at Auto Club Racing at Pomona. “It just goes to show you that when it’s your day, it’s your day. We ran good when we needed to and we caught some lucky breaks.”

Although he was disappointed in four previous trips to the final with the BOSS 500, the most recent at this year’s Slick Mist Nationals at Chandler, Ariz., Neff on Sunday became the first driver since Danny Ongais to win in a Ford-powered Funny Car.

Ongais, who went on to greater success in the IndyCar series, won the Funny Car championship at the U.S. Nationals at Clermont, Ind., on Sept. 1, 1969 in one of the late Mickey Thompson’s Mach 1 Mustangs powered by a supercharged 427 SOHC Ford motor.

Neff and Medlen did most of the R&D on the 500 cubic inch, 8,000 horsepower BOSS 500 that, until Sunday, had done everything in its first two seasons except win a race. Neff took care of that by surviving one of the most bizarre finals in recent memory.

In the 20th all-JFR Funny Car final in history, Neff beat teammate Ashley Force Hood to the finish line after both Ford Mustangs lost traction, sending their drivers into recovery mode. Neff finally was able to regain traction and get to the 1,000 foot line first although it was a moot issue after Force Hood tapped the rightside guardwall while struggling for control.

Neff won in a pedestrian 5.131 seconds at 285.05 miles per hour. Force Hood, who finished second to brother-in-law Robert Hight in Full Throttle Championship points, was clocked in 6.219 seconds at 112.78 mph.

“It turned out to be a pretty exciting final,” he said. “My car went up in smoke immediately. I saw her out there and just when I thought it was over, I started reeling her back in.

“I was beginning to wonder if we were ever going to win one,” he continued. “We finally did it in the last race of the year and it’s a good one to win because you get to [enjoy] it all winter. I’m from Southern California, born and raised here, [so] this is the place I wanted to get [my first].

“It’s awesome. Robert winning the championship, Ashley finishing second and me now getting my first win, it was just the perfect ending.”

“That was a wild ride,” acknowledged Force Hood, who was appearing in her eighth final round of the season. “I didn’t see Neff for a long time. Then I tagged a few things, including the wall. It was exciting. The fans had a great show. I am okay and the Mustang is okay. We’ll just go back and get ready for the start of the [2010] season.

“I wasn’t sure I hit the wall or if it was just me hitting the roll cage padding,” she said. “It wasn’t too bad. We have so much safety stuff like padding and ear protection. We also have ear plugs that record how hard we hit. I’ll take some Tylenol and I’ll be alright by tomorrow morning.

“It was great to see Neff win,” Force Hood admitted. “I couldn’t be any happier. Robert won the championship and we were able to clinch the second spot. I am so proud of the [whole team]. They did an amazing job. Getting two cars in the final is awesome [because] no matter what happens, one of us will get into the winner’s circle. To have it happen at our home track here in Pomona was cool, too.”

Ironically, if the championship had been contested within the system that was in place the last time Force Hood’s dad claimed the Funny Car hardware (2006), Force Hood would have beaten Tony Pedregon for the title, 1,694-1,688, on the strength of reaching Sunday’s final.

Neff, who won the 2005 NHRA championship as crew chief to Gary Scelzi, began his driving career two years later and last season was the winner of the Auto Club’s Road to the Future Award that identifies the NHRA Rookie-of-the-Year.

Sunday’s breakthrough included a narrow second round victory ahead of team owner John Force that ended the latter’s bid to extend some historic streaks. Force came into the season having raced in at least one final round for 24 straight years, having won at least one tour event in 22 successive campaigns and having posted a winning record every year since 1984.

Unfortunately, Neff’s narrow 4.121-4.138 victory brought each of those records to an abrupt close.

“I did feel bad,” Neff said. “[Force and the Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford] were running so good this week. We just got the lucky shot and picked them off. When you are racing John Force, there is really no pressure. The pressure really builds when you are racing a non-team member.

“That is the key. You want to be able to pull your weight and help your team out. You don’t want to let them down. Everybody is counting on you,” Neff said. “It is not like you have to win every race for them, but there is a certain amount of pressure in certain situations that you don’t want to let them down.

“There was a lot of pressure racing Tim Wilkerson [in the semifinals], knowing that he was challenging Ashley for that No. 2 spot. We definitely wanted to be able to help them out. Those are the kind of wins where you feel the pressure,” he said, referring to Sunday and to his first round win ahead of Tony Pedregon two weeks ago.

“It is always fun racing John Force, even if he is your boss. It is still John Force in the other lane, so you know it will be exciting.”

Force, meanwhile, was basking in the team’s weekend success.

“It was really emotional for me in the final after the wrap up for the championship with Robert and Auto Club and Castrol everybody,” said Force. “Then to go out there and see Mike Neff race against my daughter. I want her to win, but you know for John Medlen and everything that went on, it was almost like karma.

“For Eric Medlen to get that win in his car. For Mike Neff to be the driver and have John Medlen working with the tune-up, that was huge. That was an all-Ford race car. It was Ford motor. It was an all-John Force Racing and Ford chassis. That was big. Huge,” said the 14-time champion.

“At the end of the day, it was pedalfest. It was unbelievable. I could not be prouder of my kid. She had her Mustang sideways up against the wall, but she was getting right back in it. Mike Neff earned it. It was well deserved.

“I could not have asked for more this weekend,” Force said. “Having my two youngest [daughters] in the semis in Top Alcohol Dragster and Courtney moving on to the finals was great. Somebody up there likes me.”

FINAL WORD
Final round results from Sunday’s 45th annual Auto Club of Southern California Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona:
FUNNY CAR – Mike Neff, Fishers, Ind., Ford Drive One Mustang, 5.131, 285.05 mph, def. Ashley Force Hood, Anaheim Hills, Calif., Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, 6.219, 112.78 mph.
TOP FUEL – Antron Brown, Brownsburg, ind., Matco Tools dragster, 3.801, 316.90 mph, def. Spencer Massey, Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. Smokeless dragster, foul.
PRO STOCK – Greg Anderson, Concord, N.C., Summit Pontiac GXP, 6.564, 210.70 mph, def. Kurt Johnson, Sugar Hill, Ga., ACDelco Chevrolet Cobalt, foul.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE – Eddie Krawiec, Brownsburg, Ind., Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson V-Rod, 6.905, 294.32 mph, def. Douglas Horne, Aberdeen, Md., Horne Racing Buell, foul.
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER – Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., Top Alcohol dragster, 5.262, 270.75 mph, def. Courtney Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Sanyo Supercharged HD A/Fuel dragster, 6.060, 246.50 mph.
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR – Sean O’Bannon, Ontario, Calif., 2008 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 5.534, 260.26 mph, def. Daniel Oliver, Whittier, Calif., 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 5.549, 258.91 mph.
COMPETITION – Dan Fletcher, Churchville, N.Y., 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt, def. Justin Lamb, Henderson, Nev., 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt.
SUPER STOCK – Jimmy DeFrank, Thousand Oaks, Calif., 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt, def. Bob Bales, Chino, Calif., 1998 Pontiac Grand Am.
STOCK – John Shaul, Fultonham, N.Y., 1964 Plymouth Fury, def. Jimmy DeFrank, Thousand Oaks, Calif., 1969 Chevrolet Camaro.
SUPER COMP – Greg Boutte, Stockton, Calif., dragster, 8.922, 174.30 mph, def. Rick Beckstrom, Novato, Calif., dragster, 8.8901, 177.70 mph.
SUPER GAS – Mike Ferderer, Buckley, Wash., 2006 Pontiac Grand Am, 9.893, 170.06 mph, def. Steve Williams, Loma Linda, Calif., 1963 Chevrolet Corvette, 9.883, 172.98 mph.

TO THE POINTS
Unofficial final professional point standings following Sunday’s 45th annual Auto Club of Southern California Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona (qualifying bonus points in parentheses):

FUNNY CAR – 1. Robert Hight, Auto Club of Southern California Ford Mustang, 2547 (29); 2. Ashley Force Hood, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, 2481 (24); 3. Ron Capps, NAPA Dodge Charger, 2433 (7); 4. Tim Wilkerson, Levi, Ray and Shoup Ford Mustang, 2430 (9); 5. Jack Beckman, Valvoline/MTS Dodge Charger, 2406 (10); 6. Tony Pedregon, Q Racing Chevrolet, 2403 (13); 7. Del Worsham, Al-Anabi Toyota Solara, 2352 (3); 8. Bob Tasca III, Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang, 2326 (7); 9. John Force, Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang, 2268 (7); 10. Mike Neff, Ford Drive One Ford Mustang, 2235 (3).

TOP FUEL – 1. Tony Schumacher, U.S. Army dragster, 2571 (25); 2. Larry Dixon, Al-Anabi dragster, 2569 (42); 3. Antron Brown, Matco Tools dragster, 2522 (19); 4. Cory McClenathan, Fram dragster, 2490 (15); 5. Brandon Bernstein, Budweiser dragster, 2438 (15); 6. Spencer Massey, US Smokeless Tobacco dragster, 2437 (12); 7. Morgan Lucas, GEICO Insurance dragster, 2353 (4); 8. Doug Kalitta, Technicoat dragster, 2325 (1); 9. Shawn Langdon, Lucas Oil dragster, 2299 (2); 10. Clay Millican, Nitrofish dragster, 2093.

PRO STOCK – 1. Mike Edwards, Young Life/Penhall Pontiac, 2682 (64); 2. Greg Anderson, Summit Racing Pontiac GXP, 2572 (23); 3. Jason Line, Summit Racing Pontiac GXP, 2486 (16); 4. Greg Stanfield, Attitude Apparel Pontiac GXP, 2403 (3); 5. Jeg Coughlin Jr., Jeg’s Chevrolet Cobalt, 2375 (7); 6. Ron Krisher, Valvoline Chevrolet Cobalt, 2363 (11); 7. Allen Johnson, Team Mopar Dodge Stratus, 2334 (6); 8. Kurt Johnson, ACDelco Chevrolet Cobalt, 2307 (5); 9. Johnny Gray, Johnny Gray Racing Dodge Stratus, 2300 (1); 10. Rickie Jones, Quarter-Max/RJ Race Cars Dodge Stratus, 2142.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE – 1. Hector Arana, Milltown, Ind., Buell, 2590 (31); 2. Eddie Krawiec, Englishtown, N.J., Harley-Davidson V-Rod, 2588 (20); 3. Andrew Hines, Brownsburg, Ind., Harley-Davidson V-Rod, 2446 (29); 4. Matt Smith, King, N.C., Suzuki, 2369 (14); 5. Douglas Horne, Aberdeen, Md., Buell, 2362 (5); 6. Michael Phillips, Baton Rouge, La., Suzuki, 2321 (3); 7. Karen Stoffer, Smith, Nev., Suzuki, 2249 (4); 8. Shawn Gann, Stoneville, N.C., Buell, 2248 (8); 9. Craig Treble, Harvey, La., Suzuki, 2202; 10. Matt Guidera, Loomis, Calif., Buell, 2020.

HERE WE GO ROUND-BY-ROUND
Round-by-round results from Sunday’s 45th annual Auto Club of Southern California Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona:

FUNNY CAR
Round 1 – 1. Ashley Force Hood, Anaheim Hills, Calif., Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, 4.240, 289.94 mph, def. 16. Bob Bode, Barrington, Ill., Chevrolet Impala, 4.468, 219.29 mph; 2. John Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang, 4.149, 307.37 mph, def. 15. Gary Densham, Bellflower, Calif., Lawson Rock and Oil Chevrolet Impala, 4.162, 297.88 mph; 3. Robert Hight, Yorba Linda, Calif., Automobile Club of Southern California Ford Mustang, 4.842, 196.64 mph, def.14. Jerry Toliver, Temecula, Calif., Canidae Pet Food Chevrolet Impala, 5.195, 154.35 mph; 4. Matt Hagan, Christiansburg, Va., Valvoline Dodge Charger, 4.139, 304.05 mph, def. 13. Tony Pedregon, Brownsburg, Ind., Quaker State Chevrolet Impala, 4.478, 208.20 mph; 5. Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., NAPA Dodge Charger, 4.312, 236.67 mph, def. 12. Bob Tasca III, Cranston, R.I., Quick Lane Ford Mustang GT, 5.382, 254.90 mph; 6. Tim Wilkerson, Springfield, Ill., Levi, Ray and Shoup Ford Mustang, 4.126, 300.86 mph, def. 11. Jack Beckman, North Hills, Calif., MTS Dodge Charger, 4.145, 306.46 mph; 10. Mike Neff, Fishers, Ind., Ford Drive One Ford Mustang, 4.184, 196.31 mph, def. 7. Jim Head, Columbus, Ohio, Head Racing Toyota Solara, 8.478, 78.55 mph; 9. Del Worsham, Chino Hills, Calif., Al-Anabi Toyota Solara, 4.595, 189.90 mph, def. 8. Cruz Pedregon, Brownsburg, Ind., Advance Auto Parts Toyota Solara, 4.774, 269.83 mph.
Round 2 – Wilkerson, 4.116, 303.71 mph, def. Hight, 4.360, 214.86 mph; Force Hood, 4.146, 306.60 mph, def. Worsham, 4.373, 238.43 mph; Capps, 4.144, 310.48 mph, def. Hagan, 4.126, 305.22 mph; Neff, 4.121, 306.40 mph, def. Force, 4.138, 306.19 mph.
Semifinals – Force Hood, 4.133, 307.09 mph, def. Capps, 4.775, 248.25 mph; Neff, 4.197, 291.32 mph, def. Wilkerson, 5.440, 147.39 mph.
FINAL – Mike Neff, Fishers, Ind., Ford Drive One Mustang, 5.131, 285.05 mph, def. Ashley Force Hood, Anaheim Hills, Calif., Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, 6.219, 112.78 mph.

TOP FUEL
Round 1 – 1. Tony Schumacher, Long Grove, Ill., U.S. Army dragster, 3.838, 314.17 mph, def. Mike Strasburg, Lindon, Utah, 5.085, 140.31 mph; 2. Larry Dixon, Indianapolis, Ind., Al Anabi dragster, 3.822, 316.43 mph, def. 15. Del Cox Jr., Downey, Calif., 5.380, 124.84 mph; 3. Spencer Massey, Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. Smokeless dragster, 3.870, 312.13 mph, def. 14. Scott Palmer, Marionville, Mo., foul; 4. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster, 3.824, 317.19 mph, def. 13. Urs Erbacher, Arlescheim, Switzerland, 8.865, 84.62 mph; 5. Brandon Bernstein, Lake Forest, Calif., Budweiser dragster, 3.873, 314.60 mph, def. 12. Chris Karamesines, Chicago, Ill., Strange Engineering dragster, 3.955, 308.28 mph; 6. Doug Kalitta, Ann Arbor, Mich., Technicoat dragster, 3.846, 316.52 mph, def. 11. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Dexter Tuttle Motorsports dragster, 4.047, 307.30 mph; 7. Cory McClenathan, Brownsburg, Ind., FRAM dragster, 4.437, 178.00 mph, def. 10. Bob Vandergriff Jr., Alpharetta, Ga., 9.329, 80.90 mph; 8. Morgan Lucas, Brownsburg, Ind., GEICO dragster, 3.880, 309.06 mph, def. 9. Dave Grubnic, Ennis, Mont., DHL dragster, 9.163, 79.91 mph.
Round 2 – Massey, 3.841, 316.01 mph, def. Kalitta, 3.896, 311.63 mph; Schumacher, 3.836, 318.54 mph, def. Lucas, 4.312, 257.68 mph; Brown, 3.856, 314.97 mph, def. Bernstein, 3.903, 309.77 mph; Dixon, 3.842, 315.42 mph, def. McClenathan, 3.829, 320.51 mph.
Semifinals – Massey, 3.810, 316.67 mph, def. Dixon, 5.025, 143.38 mph; Brown, 3.822, 316.67 mph, def. Schumacher, 3.830, 315.49 mph.
FINAL – Antron Brown, Brownsburg, ind., Matco Tools dragster, 3.801, 316.90 mph, def. Spencer Massey, Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. Smokeless dragster, foul.

PRO STOCK
Round 1 – 1. Mike Edwards, Coweta, Okla., Young Life/ART Pontiac GXP, 6.587, 210.34 mph, def. 16. Larry Morgan, Newark, Ohio, Lucas Oil Dodge Stratus, foul; 2. Ron Krisher, Warren, Ohio, Valvoline Chevrolet Cobalt, 6.600, 210.18 mph, def. 15. Rickie Jones, Galesburg, Ill., QuarterMax Dodge Stratus, 7.178, 142.34 mph; 3. Jason Line, Troutman, N.C., Summit Pontiac GXP, 6.562, 210.77 mph, def. 14. Jeg Coughlin Jr., Delaware, Ohio, Jeg’s Chevrolet Cobalt, 6.687, 208.97 mph; 4. Greg Anderson, Concord, N.C., Summit Pontiac GXP, 6.580, 210.73 mph, def. 13. Dave Northrup, Perkasie, Pa., Pontiac GXP, 6.660, 209.20 mph; 5. Greg Stanfield, Bossier City, La., Attitude Apparel Pontiac GXP, 6.616, 209.59 mph, def. 12. Ryan Ondrejko, Roslindale, Mass., Wiley-X Eyewear Pontiac GXP, 6.627, 208.52 mph; 6. Allen Johnson, Greeneville, Tenn., Mopar Dodge Stratus, 6.648, 207.18 mph, def. 11. Vinnie Deceglie, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Dodge Stratus, 7.817, 128.12 mph,; 10. Kurt Johnson, Sugar Hill, Ga., ACDelco Chevrolet Cobalt, 6.642, 209.49 mph, def. 7. Johnny Gray, Artesia, N.M., Mopar Dodge Stratus, 6.912, 206.39 mph; 9. Rodger Brogdon, Tomball, Texas, Charter Communications Pontiac GXP,. 6.598, 209.44 mph, def. 8. Ronnie Humphrey, Jacksonville, N.C., Summit Pontiac GXP, 7.715, 132.67 mph.
Round 2 – Edwards, 6.579, 210.67 mph, def. Brogdon, 6.642, 209.14 mph; Anderson, 6.575, 210.50 mph, def. Stanfield, 6.787, 170.02 mph; K. Johnson, 6.617, 209.56 mph, def. Krisher, 6.781, 209.14 mph; Line, 6.571, 210.77 mph, def. A. Johnson, 14.950, 57.49 mph.
Semifinals – Anderson, 6.576, 210.70 mph, def. Edwards, 6.669, 196.27 mph; K. Johnson, 6.624, 209.56 mph, def. Line, 6.555, 211.36 mph.
FINAL – Greg Anderson, Concord, N.C., Summit Pontiac GXP, 6.564, 210.70 mph, def. Kurt Johnson, Sugar Hill, Ga., ACDelco Chevrolet Cobalt, foul.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
Round 1 – 1. Hector Arana, Milltown, Ind., Lucas Oil Buell, .6.910, 192.00 mph, def. 16. Bailey Whitaker, Miami, Fla., Buell, 7.091, 185.59 mph; 15. Junior Pippin, Conyers, Ga., PiranaZ Buell, 7.133, 187.76 mph, def. 2. Shawn Gann, Stoneville, N.C., Master Cam Buell, 7.318, 185.97 mph; 3. Douglas Horne, Aberdeen, Md., Horne Racing Buell, 6.995, 191.70 mph, def. 14. Freddie Camarena, Placentia, Calif., Suzuki, 7.026, 192.06 mph; 4. Eddie Krawiec, Englishtown, N.J., Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson V-Rod, 6.950, 194.91 mph, def. 13. Steve Johnson, Birmingham, Ala., Wyotech Suzuki, 6.977, 191.19 mph; 12. Jim Underdahl, North Branch, Minn., 7.059, 191.29 mph, def. 5. Matt Smith, King, N.C., NitroFish Suzuki, 7.413, 147.29 mph; 11. David Hope, Nevada, Mo., Vroom Racing Buell, 6.986, 187.70 mph, def. 6. Craig Treble, Harvey, La., Suzuki, 7.023, 190.78 mph; 10. Larry Cook, West Linn, Ore., Buell, 6.962, 188.91 mph, def. 7. Karen Stoffer, Smith, Nev., GEICO Suzuki, foul; 9. Andrew Hines, Brownsburg, Ind., Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson V-Rod, 6.977, 192.82 mph, def. 8. Michael Phillips, Baton Rouge, La., Suzuki, 10.043, 82.37 mph.
Round 2 – Horne, 6.993, 191.35 mph, def. Hope, 7.028, 187.70 mph; Pippin, 7.201, 185.69 mph, def. Cook, foul; Krawiec, 6.959, 192.60 mph, def. Underdahl, 7.107, 188.89 mph; Hines, 7.044, 192.69 mph, def. Arana, foul.
Semifinals – Horne, 6.940, 192.55 mph, def. Pippin, 7.045, 187.34 mph; Krawiec, 6.953, 192.80 mph, def. Hines, foul.
FINAL – Eddie Krawiec, Brownsburg, Ind., Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson V-Rod, 6.905, 294.32 mph, def. Douglas Horne, Aberdeen, Md., Horne Racing Buell, foul.

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Round 1 – 16. Shawn Cowie, Delta, British Columbia, Canada, Top Alcohol dragster, 5.370, 267.27 mph, def. 1. Monroe Guest, Mannford, Okla., A/Fuel dragster, 5.478, 261.52 mph; 2. Johnny Ahten, Santa Clarita, Calif., A/Fuel dragster, 10.202, 89.49 mph, def. 15. Derek Flynn, Alton Hampshire, England, Top Alcohol dragster, foul; 14. Brian Smith, Fullerton, Calif., Top Alcohol dragster, 5.519, 253.56 mph, def. 3. Hillary Will, Ypsilanti, Mich., A/Fuel dragster, 6.284, 221.45 mph ; 4. Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., A/Fuel dragster, 5.340, 266.95 mph, def. 13. Michael Manners, Willis, Texas, A/Fuel dragster, 7.389, 120.95 mph; 5. Duane Shields, Boulder City, Nev., A/Fuel dragster, 5.213, 268.71 mph, def. 12. Chris Demke, Sunland, Calif., Top Alcohol dragster, 5.322, 268.33 mph; 6. Courtney Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Sanyo Supercharged HD A/Fuel dragster, 5.630, 266.32 mph, def. 11. Brandon Johnson, Shelton, Wash., A/Fuel dragster, 6.674, 185.42 mph; 7. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., BrandSource A/Fuel dragster, 5.406, 269.51 mph, def. 10. Joey Severance, Spanaway, Wash., Top Alcohol dragster, 5.728, 183.62 mph; 9. Jim Whiteley Grand Junction, Colo., Top Alcohol dragster, 5.344, 270.59 mph, def. 8. Mark Niver, Phoenix, Ariz., A/Fuel dragster, 5.684, 200.26 mph.
Round 2 – Reichert, 5.288, 267.53 mph, def. Shields, 5.314, 273.44 mph; B. Force, 5.294, 272.61 mph, def. Ahten, 5.388, 248.93 mph; Whiteley, no time, def. Cowie, disqualified; C. Force, 5.329, 265.59 mph, def. Smith, 13.614, 78.68 mph.
, def. B. Force, 5.354, 271.57 mph; Whiteley, 5.298, 270.43 mph, def. Reichert, 5.368, 269.46 mph.
FINAL – Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., Top Alcohol dragster, 5.262, 270.75 mph, def. Courtney Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Sanyo Supercharged HD A/Fuel dragster, 6.060, 246.50 mph.