LE Tonglet brought home the the Pro Stock Motorcycle win in front of a sellout crowd at the 31st annual Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway.
Tonglet ran a 6.771 at 198.52 miles per hour on his Nitro Fish Racing Suzuki to take down points leader Andrew Hines in the final round. The 2010 world champion notched his third consecutive victory at Sonoma Raceway and now has two wins on the season.
“We got lucky in the first round (against Cory Reed) because I had a terrible light (an .085 to Cory’s .008),” said LE. “But once we got that round win we just kept rolling and turning on winlights. We came off the trailer going fast this weekend and that kept going with each round, so that made today a great day.”
After Reed, Tonglet beat Joey Gladstone in round 2 and No. 1 qualifier Eddie Krawiec (with a .008 to .048 holeshot) en route to the final.
Hines now has four runner-up finishes on the season but no wins. The current points leader will look for his first win in 2018 when Pro Stock Motorcycle returns to the circuit in Brainerd.
Five competitors in Pro Stock Motorcycle have now clinched a spot in the Coutndown: Hines, Krawiec, Tonglet, Hector Arana Jr. and Jerry Savoie have locked-in their postseason berths.
California native Blake Alexander brought home the second Top Fuel victory of his career, pedaling 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 the winningest driver in Top Fuel history, Tony Schumacher, in the final.
Despite having competed at only six events on the season, Alexander now has three final round appearances and is one of four Top Fuel competitors with multiple wins on the year.
“We may be a part-time team but we come out to the track trying to win every race, and so far this year we have had a lot of success with that,” Alexander said. “My life has changed this year with how well we have been running.”
Alexander took down Mike Salinas, three-time world champion Antron Brown, and Scott Palmer as he continues to make a bid to qualify for the Countdown to the Championship.
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, as he, Clay Millican, Doug Kalitta and Leah Pritchett fill out the first half of the 10 available Top Fuel spots in NHRA’s six-race postseason championship clash.
Defending Funny Car world champion Robert Hight ran a 3.984 at 319.75 in his Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS to beat Ron Capps in the final.
He secured his second win of the season and the second of his career in Sonoma, but his first there in ten years! “I grew up north of here and I’ve been to every single one of the national events at Sonoma Raceway either as a fan, a crew member and now as a driver,” said Hight. “It’s hard to believe that a guy from a small town in Northern California can win here.
“This track is unbelievable, and we were fortunate to have three great days of racing because of these conditions this weekend. This is the time of year you have to get it together if you want to win a championship, and we know we need to keep clicking before we start off the Countdown to the Championship.”
Hight qualified 11th and was able to defeat Tim Wilkerson, Bob Tasca, and Tommy Johnson Jr. on his path to victory as he locked in his position in the Countdown playoffs.
Hight is now tied for third on the all-time Funny Car win list. “It’s pretty amazing, but we’re all chasing someone who we’ll never catch and that’s my boss John Force (who made his 750thcareer start). He had a great day of racing and it was great to see him get a win in Denver.”
Capps now has two runner-ups in his three final rounds on the year, as he and teammate Matt Hagan each joined Courtney Force by locking in their spot in the 2018 Countdown.
Jeg Coughlin Jr. drove to his 80thwin (61 have come in Pro Stock and 19 in various Sportsman categories)with a 6.532 at 212.16 in his JEGS.com/Elite Performance Chevrolet Camaro to defeat Deric Kramer in the final round as he became the second driver in the Pro Stock class with three victories on the year. The five-time world champion secured his third career win in Sonoma and first since 2010.
“We’ve weathered a few storms over the past few seasons, but this team is a lot of fun and the fact that we are a threat to win every weekend is a real testament to how far this team has come,” Coughlin Jr. said. “We never once felt like we had to back-off because of these conditions, and seeing four win lights turn on at this track is an amazing feeling.”
Coughlin Jr. defeated Alex Laughlin, Tanner Gray and No. 1 qualifier Greg Anderson before the final. Despite falling in the semifinals, Anderson became the first driver in the Pro Stock class to clinch a spot in the Countdown.
In the history of the class, Coughlin and Anderson have met more than any other pairing, with Anderson holding a 53-41 lifetime record. But Coughlin got one back Sunday, chasing down and passing Anderson to win by a scant .007 seconds, or about half a foot. Coughlin’s 6.548 at 211.13 mph was just enough to beat Anderson’s 6.554 at 212.43.
Sunday’s final results from the 31st annual Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway. The race is the 15th of 24 in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:
ROUND ONE — Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.856, 194.91 def. Hector Arana, Buell, 6.853, 196.96; Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, 6.863, 196.82 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.892, 194.46; Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.778, 198.47 def. Scotty Pollacheck, Suzuki, 7.305, 145.89; LE Tonglet, Suzuki, 6.806, 197.48 def. Cory Reed, Buell, 6.914, 196.73; Joey Gladstone, Suzuki, 6.814, 195.45 def. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.896, 194.46; Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.832, 200.35 def. Angelle Sampey, Buell, 6.906, 196.90; Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.846, 199.05 def. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 6.952, 193.90; Matt Smith, 6.803, 196.90 def. Ryan Oehler, Buell, 6.901, 195.90;
QUARTERFINALS — Krawiec, 6.771, 200.08 def. Savoie, 6.876, 196.19; Underdahl, 7.004, 173.90 def. Arana Jr, 9.242, 96.10; Tonglet, 6.803, 198.32 def. Gladstone, 6.853, 194.72; Hines, 6.798, 197.94 def. M. Smith, 12.443, 64.66;
SEMIFINALS — Hines, 6.820, 197.57 def. Underdahl, 6.907, 195.59; Tonglet, 6.796, 198.09 def. Krawiec, 6.769, 198.93;
FINAL — Tonglet, 6.771, 198.52 def. Hines, 6.802, 197.48.
TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE — Blake Alexander, 3.774, 330.15 def. Mike Salinas, Foul – Centerline; Clay Millican, 3.697, 332.75 was unopposed; Bill Litton, 4.169, 219.76 def. Leah Pritchett, Foul – Red Light; Antron Brown, 3.786, 326.87 def. Jim Maroney, 3.879, 302.96; Tony Schumacher, 3.743, 330.88 def. Shawn Reed, 4.776, 157.04; Brittany Force, 3.759, 329.91 def. Richie Crampton, 3.766, 325.14; Scott Palmer, 3.798, 329.34 def. Terry McMillen, 4.726, 133.46; Doug Kalitta, 3.746, 332.26 def. Steve Torrence, Foul – Red Light;
QUARTERFINALS — Alexander, 3.791, 330.23 def. Brown, 3.822, 317.72; Kalitta, 3.772, 329.50 def. Millican, 5.111, 147.79; Schumacher, 4.375, 192.71 def. Force, 4.985, 144.77; Palmer, 3.811, 325.92 def. Litton, 4.163, 231.68;
SEMIFINALS — Alexander, 3.878, 313.15 def. Palmer, 7.634, 106.52; Schumacher, 3.836, 317.42 def. Kalitta, 3.837, 274.44;
FINAL — Alexander, 4.004, 287.41 def. Schumacher, 4.345, 219.65.
FUNNY CAR:
ROUND ONE — Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 3.995, 318.99 def. Richard Townsend, Toyota Camry, 10.192, 85.25; Del Worsham, Camry, 3.983, 325.22 def. Courtney Force, Chevy Camaro, 4.091, 300.00; Jack Beckman, Charger, 3.973, 320.58 def. J.R. Todd, Camry, 4.242, 225.18; Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 4.004, 317.27 def. Jonnie Lindberg, Mustang, 4.022, 317.79; Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.958, 320.89 def. Jim Campbell, Charger, 4.115, 310.13; Robert Hight, Camaro, 3.974, 322.65 def. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.010, 321.96; Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 4.012, 321.58 def. Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 4.103, 306.40; John Force, Camaro, 4.026, 323.12 def. Shawn Langdon, Camry, 4.000, 321.27;
QUARTERFINALS — Hight, 4.010, 317.19 def. Tasca III, 12.467, 67.36; Capps, 3.969, 322.65 def. Hagan, 4.512, 190.59; Johnson Jr., 4.016, 323.35 def. Beckman, 4.013, 314.83; J. Force, 4.069, 316.75 def. Worsham, 4.080, 268.87;
SEMIFINALS — Hight, 3.956, 322.04 def. Johnson Jr., 3.990, 323.81; Capps, 4.000, 321.04 def. J. Force, 4.081, 321.42;
FINAL — Hight, 3.984, 319.75 def. Capps, 4.077, 296.11.
PRO STOCK:
ROUND ONE — Drew Skillman, Chevy Camaro, 6.532, 211.79 def. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.560, 211.49; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.530, 211.56 def. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 7.155, 146.35; Tanner Gray, Camaro, 6.509, 211.79 def. Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.553, 210.73; Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.537, 211.86 def. Fernando Cuadra, Camaro, 6.582, 208.97; Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.506, 211.16 def. Alan Prusiensky, Dodge Dart, Foul – Red Light; Alex Laughlin, Camaro, 6.558, 210.18 def. Bo Butner, Camaro, 8.274, 110.94; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.528, 211.49 def. Joey Grose, Camaro, 18.077, 43.99; Jason Line, Camaro, 6.505, 211.96 def. Steve Graham, Camaro, 6.620, 209.62;
QUARTERFINALS — Coughlin, 6.534, 211.43 def. Laughlin, 6.563, 210.28; Anderson, 6.534, 211.36 def. Skillman, 6.585, 211.33; Kramer, 6.523, 211.39 def. Gray, 6.532, 211.46; Line, 6.538, 211.10 def. Enders, 6.547, 211.96;
SEMIFINALS — Coughlin, 6.548, 211.13 def. Anderson, 6.554, 212.43; Kramer, 6.525, 211.10 def. Line, 6.551, 211.26;
FINAL — Coughlin, 6.532, 212.16 def. Kramer, 6.534, 210.54.
Super Stock — Don Keen, Ford Mustang, 10.315, 127.86 def. Mark Kirby, Plymouth Duster, 10.242, 126.07.
Stock Eliminator — Leo Glasbrenner, Pontiac Firebird, 10.595, 120.23 def. Jody Lang, Chevy Malibu, 12.224, 97.68.
Super Comp — Robert Naber, Dragster, 8.911, 177.84 def. Matt Woodard, Dragster, 8.920, 175.43.
Super Gas — Matt Blodgett, Chevy Nova, 9.908, 141.50 def. Ron Mackenzie, Chevy Corvette, Foul – Red Light.
Top Dragster presented by RacingRVs.com — John Richardson, Dragster, 28.098, 192.66 def. Andy Spiegel, Dragster, Foul – Red Light.
Top Sportsman presented by RacingRVs.com — Ken Ratzloff, Studebaker, 7.230, 191.35 def. Ted Kellner, Pontiac Firebird, 7.314, 187.29.
Point standings (top 10) following the 31st annual Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway, the 15th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:
Pro Stock Motorcycle
- Hines, 687*; 2. Eddie Krawiec, 651*; 3. LE Tonglet, 609*; 4. Hector Arana Jr, 562*; 5. Jerry Savoie, 534*; 6. Matt Smith, 473; 7. Scotty Pollacheck, 449; 8. Angie Smith, 336; 9. Hector Arana, 321; 10. Angelle Sampey, 320.
Top Fuel
- Steve Torrence, 1,168*; 2. Tony Schumacher, 1,031*; 3. Clay Millican, 1,025*; 4. Leah Pritchett, 989*; 5. Doug Kalitta, 951*; 6. Antron Brown, 809; 7. Terry McMillen, 728; 8. Brittany Force, 697; 9. Scott Palmer, 617; 10. Richie Crampton, 608.
Funny Car
- Courtney Force, 1,197*; 2. Ron Capps, 1,032*; 3. Robert Hight, 1,024*; 4. Matt Hagan, 1,001*; 5. Jack Beckman, 967; 6. J.R. Todd, 863; 7. Tommy Johnson Jr., 819; 8. John Force, 807; 9. Shawn Langdon, 680; 10. Bob Tasca III, 656.
Pro Stock
- Greg Anderson, 1,126*; 2. Tanner Gray, 1,031; 3. Erica Enders, 1,023; 4. Vincent Nobile, 979; 5. Jeg Coughlin, 956; 6. Chris McGaha, 907; 7. Drew Skillman, 895; 8. Jason Line, 857; 9. Deric Kramer, 828; 10. Bo Butner, 822.
story and photos by Tim Hailey with gobs of help from NHRA and team reports
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