WORSHAM AND HINES EARN NHRA MELLO YELLO SERIES WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES; LANGDON, A. JOHNSON AND KRAWIEC JOIN WORSHAM AS EVENT WINNERS AT AUTO CLUB NHRA FINALS

POMONA, Calif. – RIS - Del Worsham claimed his second NHRA world championship title and first in Funny Car, and then raced to the event victory Sunday at the Auto Club NHRA Finals near Los Angeles.

Southern California native Worsham defeated Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship playoff rival Jack Beckman in the semifinals to secure the Funny Car season title at historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona and become just the third driver in NHRA history, joining Kenny Bernstein and Gary Scelzi, to win world championships in both nitro categories. Worsham won the 2011 Top Fuel world championship.

Worsham managed to win the title while Don Schumacher Racing drivers Beckman, Tommy Johnson Jr. and Ron Capps all kept lowering the national elapsed time record throughout the day. Beckman finally claimed the 20-point bonus for the record at 3.884 seconds, but it wasn’t enough.

“When I put this trophy next to my other one at home it will be real,” said Worsham, who earned $500,000 from NHRA and Mello Yello for the championship. “Every time I looked up there was a Schumacher car sitting there in my face. I was nervous about it. I was counting points. I am not going to tell you it was like any other race, because it wasn’t. I know the points are the same as the first round at Charlotte, but the circumstances here were much greater.”

Worsham also powered his DHL Toyota Camry past Tony Pedregon and Robert Hight in earlier rounds before defeating Tommy Johnson Jr. in the final round to claim his fourth victory of the season and 38th of his career, including 30 in Funny Car.

“The cars were running so fast here this weekend that the record just became part of the equation,” Worsham said. “(Beckman) was making up points before we even started racing by setting the record. Today it came down to being head to head and I am grateful for the way it worked out.”

Meanwhile, Andrew Hines claimed his second consecutive and fifth overall world championship title in Pro Stock Motorcycle when his closest rival, Louisiana alligator farmer Jerry Savoie, lost in the second round. Hines, who pocketed $75,000 for the title, is the youngest driver in NHRA history to win five world championships and continues the amazing domination by the Vance & Hines team in the two-wheel category.

“My outstanding Harley-Davidson team did a great job of keeping me focused and keeping the pressure off of me,” said Hines, who won four races during the season atop his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson, including three in the Countdown playoffs. “It was awesome that my wife [Tanya] got to give me a kiss right before I ran, and thanks to my teammate for helping to get the job done. I guess we put the fear of Harley into them. Five championships is pretty awesome.”

Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Allen Johnson (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) joined Worsham in the winner’s circle at the final playoff race of the NHRA Mello Yello Series Countdown to the Championship.

Langdon earned his second Top Fuel win of the season, sweeping both Wally trophies at this track for the second time in his career. Langdon, who won the season-opening Winternationals in the cockpit of an Alan Johnson Racing dragster, defeated Antron Brown in the final round in a Don Schumacher Racing machine. Langdon powered his Red Fuel dragster to a 3.715 at 332.43 to finish in front of the recently crowned world champion, who posted a 3.732 at 321.73 in his Matco Tools dragster.

“I love this track,” said Langdon, the 2013 world champ who now has 11 career victories. “It has always had a special place in my heart. I grew up right around the corner (Mira Loma, Calif.). I was always out here watching my heroes race. I have so many great memories out at this track. Luckily I’ve had a good career here. It makes it sweet to share these special memories with your family and friends.”

In Pro Stock, Johnson claimed his second win of the season and 26th of his career, by holding off Vincent Nobile in the final round. Johnson used a quicker reaction time and drove his Magneti Marelli/Mopar Dodge Dart to a 6.541 at 210.18 to take the win over Nobile, who clocked a quicker, but losing effort of 6.540 at 211.93 in his Mountain View Tire Chevy Camaro.

“We had struggled during the entire Countdown, never winning more than two rounds a race and losing twice in the first round,” Johnson said. “We also struggled during qualifying and in eliminations. But right before the final, we discovered that a torsion bar was bent. We fixed that, and the car went straight down the track.”

Johnson says he is happy to win the last Pro Stock race featuring carbureted engines. He added that his plans are currently 50-50 regarding whether he will compete in 2016 when NHRA introduces the new-look Pro Stock class with electronic fuel injection, among other significant class changes.

“This was a very special win because it will be remembered as the end of an era,” said Johnson, the 2012 Pro Stock world champ. “To do this today the way we did it by digging down deep and getting it done was very special.”

Krawiec closed the Pro Stock Motorcycle season with a victory and earned a second place points finish when he defeated two-time champ Matt Smith in the final round. Krawiec rode his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson to a 6.846 at 192.58 to finish in front of Smith’s Victory Gunner, which trailed with a 6.888 at 194.21. It was Krawiec’s fourth victory of the season, fourth at Pomona and 31st of his career.

“I’ve been to eight finals in a row here in Pomona, so this track has treated me well,” Krawiec said. “It is also a big deal for us to get the 75th win for Harley-Davidson.”

The 23-race 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season opens Feb. 11-14 with the Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.

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POMONA, Calif. -- Final finish order (1-16) at the 51st annual Auto Club NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.  The race is the final of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL:

1.  Shawn Langdon; 2.  Antron Brown; 3.  Doug Kalitta; 4.  Richie Crampton; 5.  Steve Torrence; 6.  J.R. Todd; 7.  Billy Torrence; 8.  Clay Millican; 9.  Brittany Force; 10.  Larry Dixon; 11.  Terry McMillen; 12.  Troy Buff; 13.  Dave Connolly; 14.  Cory McClenathan; 15.  Tony Schumacher; 16.  Morgan Lucas.

FUNNY CAR:

1.  Del Worsham; 2.  Tommy Johnson Jr.; 3.  Ron Capps; 4.  Jack Beckman; 5.  Alexis DeJoria; 6.  Robert Hight; 7.  Matt Hagan; 8.  Cruz Pedregon; 9.  Courtney Force; 10.  Paul Lee; 11.  Chad Head; 12.  Gary Densham; 13.  Jeff Arend; 14.  Tony Pedregon; 15.  Tim Wilkerson; 16.  John Force.

PRO STOCK:

1.  Allen Johnson; 2.  Vincent Nobile; 3.  Greg Anderson; 4.  Erica Enders; 5.  Chris McGaha; 6.  Drew Skillman; 7.  Larry Morgan; 8.  Shane Gray; 9.  Jason Line; 10.  Bo Butner; 11.  Alex Laughlin; 12.  Kenny Delco; 13.  Matt Hartford; 14.  Richie Stevens; 15.  Jonathan Gray; 16.  V. Gaines.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

1.  Eddie Krawiec; 2.  Matt Smith; 3.  LE Tonglet; 4.  Andrew Hines; 5.  Karen Stoffer; 6.  Hector Arana Jr; 7.  Chip Ellis; 8.  Jerry Savoie; 9.  Hector Arana; 10.  Steve Johnson; 11.  Scotty Pollacheck; 12.  Angie Smith; 13.  Shawn Gann; 14.  Mike Berry; 15.  Jim Underdahl; 16.  Michael Ray.

POMONA, Calif. -RIS - Sunday's final results from the 51st annual Auto Club NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. The race is the final of 24 in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel -- Shawn Langdon, 3.715 seconds, 332.43 mph  def. Antron Brown, 3.732 seconds, 321.73 mph.

Funny Car -- Del Worsham, Toyota Camry, 3.900, 328.14  def. Tommy Johnson Jr., Dodge Charger, 4.023, 305.42.

Pro Stock -- Allen Johnson, Dodge Dart, 6.541, 210.18  def. Vincent Nobile, Chevy Camaro, 6.540, 211.93.

Pro Stock Motorcycle -- Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.846, 192.58  def. Matt Smith, Victory, 6.888, 194.21.

Top Alcohol Dragster -- Joey Severance, 5.278, 271.84  def. David Sheetz, 6.567, 128.98.

Top Alcohol Funny Car -- John Lombardo Jr., Chevy Camaro, 5.445, 273.05  def. Jonnie Lindberg, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.439, 267.22.

Competition Eliminator -- Tony Mandella, Chevy S-10, 8.351, 153.44  def. Joshua Lee, Bantam Roadster, 8.867, 134.86.

Super Stock -- Jeff Adkinson, Pontiac Sunfire, 9.746, 133.50  def. Brian McClanahan, Chevy Canaro, 8.801, 146.50.

Stock Eliminator -- Leo Glasbrenner, Pontiac Firebird, 10.570, 122.06  def. Ryan McClanahan, Chevy Camaro, 9.706, 135.43.

Super Comp -- Gary Stinnett, Dragster, 9.192, 149.07  def. Prescott Dean, Dragster, 10.078, 93.96.

Super Gas -- Marko Perivolaris, Chevy Camaro, 9.918, 170.75  def. Trevor Larson, Chevy Corvette, 9.891, 168.24.

Summit Super Pro -- Todd Piper, Dragster, 7.182, 179.04  def. Chris Bear, Dragster, 7.449, 181.25.

Summit Pro -- Robert Steffen, Chevy Nova, 10.564, 125.30  def. Brock Moshier, Chevy Vega, 9.107, 137.18.

Summit Sportsman -- Nick Hastings, Ford Mustang, 12.874, 80.84  def. Adam Tabor, Chevy Nova, foul.

Summit Bike -- Mark Schwalm, Kawasaki, 7.714, 167.51  def. Rick Poole, Suzuki, 8.393, 149.83.

POMONA, Calif. -- Final round-by-round results from the 51st annual Auto Club NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, the final of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE -- Richie Crampton, 3.732, 317.49 def. Brittany Force, 3.759, 324.44; Shawn Langdon, 3.828, 318.24 def. Larry Dixon, 3.821, 316.82; Clay Millican, 3.871, 318.92 def. Morgan Lucas, 8.172, 90.46; Antron Brown, 3.725, 323.58 def. Cory McClenathan, 5.391, 128.81; Billy Torrence, 3.745, 328.46 def. Terry McMillen, 3.842, 316.08; J.R. Todd, 3.778, 329.91 def. Troy Buff, 3.845, 311.92; Doug Kalitta, 3.783, 274.33 def. Tony Schumacher, 5.732, 118.11; Steve Torrence, 3.720, 329.42 def. Dave Connolly, 4.018, 221.13;

QUARTERFINALS -- Langdon, 3.749, 325.85 def. Millican, 8.515, 80.79; Kalitta, 3.747, 323.66 def. B. Torrence, 7.079, 83.34; Crampton, 3.718, 320.20 def. Todd, 3.739, 328.22; Brown, 3.728, 326.40 def. S. Torrence, foul;

SEMIFINALS -- Langdon, 3.763, 327.19 def. Kalitta, 3.781, 314.31; Brown, 3.700, 323.58 def. Crampton, 10.354, 81.71;

FINAL -- Langdon, 3.715, 332.43 def. Brown, 3.732, 321.73.

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE -- Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 5.744, 220.94 def. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 5.787, 270.59; Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.902, 331.45 def. Paul Lee, Charger, 4.052, 316.38; Ron Capps, Charger, 3.944, 321.50 def. Jeff Arend, Charger, 4.368, 255.97; Jack Beckman, Charger, 3.897, 328.38 def. Chad Head, Toyota Camry, 4.115, 248.66; Del Worsham, Camry, 4.039, 300.93 def. Tony Pedregon, Camry, 4.432, 227.61; Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 4.010, 310.84 def. Gary Densham, Charger, 4.238, 228.11; Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 6.604 def. John Force, Camaro, DQ, 113.66; Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 3.978, 323.66 def. Courtney Force, Camaro, 3.986, 325.14;

QUARTERFINALS -- Capps, 3.885, 326.87 def. DeJoria, 3.955, 325.14; Beckman, 3.884, 326.16 def. C. Pedregon, 8.101, 84.25; Johnson Jr., 3.926, 321.58 def. Hagan, 7.451, 86.63; Worsham, 3.896, 328.30 def. Hight, 5.255, 150.85;

SEMIFINALS -- Johnson Jr., 3.891, 326.08 def. Capps, 4.052, 323.50; Worsham, 3.928, 327.35 def. Beckman, 4.088, 324.83;

FINAL -- Worsham, 3.900, 328.14 def. Johnson Jr., 4.023, 305.42.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE -- Chris McGaha, Chevy Camaro, 6.527, 211.89 def. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.537, 211.89; Larry Morgan, Camaro, 6.561, 211.43 def. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.550, 212.26; Allen Johnson, Dodge Dart, 6.571, 209.23 def. Jonathan Gray, Camaro, foul; Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.556, 211.06 def. Alex Laughlin, Camaro, 6.556, 211.26; Drew Skillman, Camaro, 6.543, 211.79 def. Richie Stevens, Dart, foul; Shane Gray, Camaro, 8.316, 116.78 def. Kenny Delco, Camaro, foul; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.536, 211.96 def. Matt Hartford, Pontiac GXP, 6.594, 210.01; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.526, 212.56 def. V. Gaines, Dart, broke;

QUARTERFINALS -- Johnson, 6.548, 209.82 def. S. Gray, 6.551, 211.76; Nobile, 6.533, 212.13 def. Skillman, 6.527, 212.23; Anderson, 6.515, 212.53 def. McGaha, 6.517, 211.99; Enders, 6.520, 212.43 def. Morgan, 6.548, 212.43;

SEMIFINALS -- Johnson, 6.572, 209.17 def. Enders, 6.542, 211.56; Nobile, 8.523, 98.09 def. Anderson, foul;

FINAL -- Johnson, 6.541, 210.18 def. Nobile, 6.540, 211.93.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

ROUND ONE -- Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.845, 195.90 def. Mike Berry, Buell, 7.107, 188.31; Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 6.903, 193.18 def. Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, 7.703, 133.43; Chip Ellis, Buell, 6.974, 191.00 def. Shawn Gann, Buell, 7.023, 187.52; LE Tonglet, Suzuki, 6.886, 191.87 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.972, 190.48; Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.915, 190.75 def. Scotty Pollacheck, Buell, 6.988, 189.63; Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.905, 191.62 def. Michael Ray, Buell, 8.251, 112.78; Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.914, 194.91 def. Angie Smith, 7.018, 188.33; Matt Smith, 6.884, 194.52 def. Hector Arana, Buell, 6.957, 193.10;

QUARTERFINALS -- Krawiec, 6.955, 184.57 def. Savoie, no time; Hines, 6.879, 190.27 def. Arana Jr, 6.898, 194.35; Tonglet, 6.871, 194.16 def. Stoffer, foul; M. Smith, 6.870, 194.32 def. Ellis, 6.928, 192.06;

SEMIFINALS -- Krawiec, 6.882, 192.38 def. Hines, 6.917, 184.80; M. Smith, 6.896, 194.72 def. Tonglet, 6.892, 190.16;

FINAL -- Krawiec, 6.846, 192.58 def. M. Smith, 6.888, 194.21.

POMONA, Calif. -- Point standings (top 10) following the 51st annual Auto Club NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, the final of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series -

Top Fuel

1.  Antron Brown, 2,692; 2.  Tony Schumacher, 2,461; 3.  Richie Crampton, 2,430; 4.  Larry Dixon, 2,412; 5.  Doug Kalitta, 2,388; 6.  Shawn Langdon, 2,387; 7.  Brittany Force, 2,363; 8.  Steve Torrence, 2,342; 9.  J.R. Todd, 2,307; 10.  Dave Connolly, 2,303.

Funny Car

1.  Del Worsham, 2,664; 2.  Jack Beckman, 2,608; 3.  Tommy Johnson Jr., 2,548; 4.  Ron Capps, 2,490; 5.  Matt Hagan, 2,418; 6.  Robert Hight, 2,370; 7.  John Force, 2,332; 8.  Alexis DeJoria, 2,313; 9.  Cruz Pedregon, 2,286; 10.  Tim Wilkerson, 2,259.

Pro Stock

1.  Erica Enders, 2,712; 2.  Greg Anderson, 2,492; 3.  Allen Johnson, 2,443; 4.  Chris McGaha, 2,442; 5.  Drew Skillman, 2,433; 6.  Vincent Nobile, 2,389; 7.  Larry Morgan, 2,376; 8.  Jason Line, 2,331; 9.  Shane Gray, 2,299; 10.  Jonathan Gray, 2,286.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

1. Andrew Hines, 2,608; 2.  Eddie Krawiec, 2,565; 3.  Jerry Savoie, 2,550; 4.  Matt Smith, 2,428; 5.  Hector Arana Jr, 2,419; 6.  Chip Ellis, 2,400; 7.  Karen Stoffer, 2,376; 8.  Hector Arana, 2,323; 9.  Jim Underdahl, 2,220; 10.  Scotty Pollacheck, 2,192.

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