CAPPS, TORRENCE AND ANDERSON ARE WINNERS SEASON-OPENING CIRCLE K NHRA WINTERNATIONALS AT POMONA

POMONA, Calif. – RIS - Ron Capps raced to his first Funny Car victory in nearly a year Sunday at the Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) also were winners at the season-opening NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event near Los Angeles.

Capps emerged from a strong performing field as the winner and had to defeat defending world champion Del Worsham in the final round to take his 46th career victory. He outran Jeff Diehl, Chad Head and Robert Hight in early rounds.

In the final, Capps used a quicker reaction time and covered the distance in 3.981 seconds at 324.28 mph in his NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger to hold off the hard-charging DHL Toyota Camry of Worsham, which posted a quicker, but losing performance of 3.962 at 324.36.

It was the third Winternationals win for the popular San Diego driver who calls the historic Southern California track a second home.

“This is the most fabled track we go to and it’s the birthplace of drag racing; it is unbelievable to win here,” Capps said. “I can’t wait to get this season going. You wonder if you are ever going to see one of these [trophies] again. I am racing Del Worsham in the final, who is one of the best. We threw down. What a race. Just to know we can get in the circle and get another Wally feels good.”

In Top Fuel, red-hot Torrence powered to his first Winternationals victory and his sixth career win by outrunning Doug Kalitta in the final round. Torrence’s Capco Contractors dragster posted a 3.735 at 326.48 to edge Kalitta’s Mac Tools machine, which trailed with a 3.753 at 324.36.

Torrence, whose car has been running like a very consistent bracket dragster since pre-season testing last week in Phoenix, used a string of low 3.7-second runs to beat Steve Faria, Morgan Lucas, and Richie Crampton in the first three rounds. He saved his quickest run on Sunday for the final to beat Kalitta.

“[Tuning consultant] Alan [Johnson] and [crew chief] Richard [Hogan] have worked really well together,” said Torrence, who becomes the Top Fuel points leader for the first time in his career. “Alan is that thorn who keeps poking Richard to tune it just a little bit farther. My crew guys have done a great job. I am just the guy that sits in there and gets to drive it. It feels good. I wish the season was over already. We are going to do what we can to keep the momentum going and go on to Phoenix and try to write a story just like this one.”

Four-time world champ Anderson earned the first win in the new EFI Pro Stock era, holding off his teammate Jason Line in a photo-finish final round. Anderson also won by using a holeshot start and finished in 6.617 at 207.85 in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro to take the win over Line, whose 6.609 at 209.82 in his Summit Camaro wasn’t enough to make up for Anderson’s starting line advantage.

“I feel honored to be the first winner of the fuel injection era and get the first trophy,” said Anderson, who was the event’s No. 1 qualifier and advanced to the final with round wins over Matt Hartford, five-time champ Jeg Coughlin Jr. and last season’s top rookie Drew Skillman. With the win, he denied his teammate a third consecutive Winternationals trophy.

“I got a great light in the final and got it done,” Anderson said. “It was my day. I can’t tell you how proud I am of this Summit Racing team.  It is getting better every run. That’s going to pay off down the road. Everybody out there is in a steep learning curve right now. The other competitors in our class are going home and work hard and they will do better at Phoenix. We are going to have to buckle down and find something better again. Hopefully we will be better again come Phoenix.”

The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continues Feb. 26-28 at the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park near Phoenix.

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POMONA, Calif. -- Final finish order (1-16) at the 56th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.  The race is the first of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL:

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

FUNNY CAR:

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

PRO STOCK:

1.  Greg Anderson; 2.  Jason Line; 3.  Drew Skillman; 4.  Bo Butner; 5.  Shane Gray; 6.  Jeg Coughlin; 7.  Vincent Nobile; 8.  Allen Johnson; 9.  Chris McGaha; 10.  Joey Grose; 11.  V. Gaines; 12.  Deric Kramer; 13.  Matt Hartford; 14.  Alex Laughlin; 15.  Erica Enders; 16.  Aaron Strong.

POMONA, Calif. -- Sunday's final results from the 56th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. The race is the first of 24 in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel -- Steve Torrence, 3.735 seconds, 326.48 mph  def. Doug Kalitta, 3.753 seconds, 324.36 mph.

Funny Car -- Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 3.981, 324.28  def. Del Worsham, Toyota Camry, 3.962, 324.36.

Pro Stock -- Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.617, 207.85  def. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.609, 209.82.

Top Alcohol Dragster -- Shawn Cowie, 5.314, 272.23  def. Don St. Arnaud, 5.332, 279.85.

Top Alcohol Funny Car -- Jonnie Lindberg, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.423, 271.90  def. John Lombardo Jr., Chevy Camaro, 5.456, 272.83.

Competition Eliminator -- Doug Lambeck, Pontiac Sunfire, 8.406, 158.61  def. Dan Fletcher, Chevy Cobalt, 8.027, 167.55.

Super Stock -- Jimmy DeFrank, Chevy Cobalt, 9.315, 119.52  def. Fred Moreno, Ford Mustang, Foul - Red Light.

Stock Eliminator -- Dan Fletcher, Chevy Camaro, 10.474, 128.36  def. Don Little, Dodge Challenger, 9.899, 130.67.

Super Comp -- Steve Williams, Dragster, 8.895, 186.25  def. Robert Naber, Dragster, 8.880, 180.91.

Super Gas -- Robert Naber, Chevy Corvette, 9.901, 160.23  def. Mike Wiblishouser, Corvette, Foul - Red Light.

Top Fuel Harley -- Len Darnell, Harley, 6.435, 218.16  def. Kevin Boyer, American, Foul - Centerline.

POMONA, Calif. -- Final round-by-round results from the 56th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, the first of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE -- Richie Crampton, 3.794, 322.73 def. Troy Buff, 3.815, 315.56; Clay Millican, 3.724, 327.11 def. Leah Pritchett, Foul - Red Light; Terry McMillen, 3.837, 314.31 def. Tony Schumacher, 3.893, 299.06; Steve Torrence, 3.762, 326.08 def. Steve Faria, 4.220, 195.93; Doug Kalitta, 3.724, 328.22 def. Scott Palmer, 4.205, 248.29; J.R. Todd, 3.766, 325.45 def. Brittany Force, 3.756, 320.05; Antron Brown, 3.768, 320.97 def. Shawn Langdon, 5.478, 132.78; Morgan Lucas, 4.366, 182.33 def. Dave Connolly, 4.698, 140.18;

QUARTERFINALS -- Todd, 3.797, 323.89 def. McMillen, 4.007, 291.13; Crampton, 4.056, 267.00 def. Millican, 6.274, 97.46; Torrence, 3.782, 324.98 def. Lucas, 4.244, 196.79; Kalitta, 3.785, 323.97 def. Brown, 3.803, 317.72;

SEMIFINALS -- Kalitta, 3.731, 318.77 def. Todd, 4.620, 167.74; Torrence, 3.749, 323.97 def. Crampton, 3.760, 322.19;

FINAL -- Torrence, 3.735, 326.48 def. Kalitta, 3.753, 324.36.

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE -- Courtney Force, Chevy Camaro, 3.925, 329.34 def. Gary Densham, Dodge Charger, Broke - No Show; Ron Capps, Charger, 4.009, 320.74 def. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Solara, 6.767, 101.42; Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.243, 286.98 def. John Hale, Charger, 4.231, 254.28; Robert Hight, Camaro, 3.928, 324.67 def. Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 4.413, 198.29; Alexis DeJoria, Toyota Camry, 3.968, 323.04 def. James Campbell, Charger, 4.048, 307.09; Del Worsham, Camry, 4.391, 213.70 def. Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 5.333, 134.97; Chad Head, Camry, 3.986, 320.97 def. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.278, 229.51; John Force, Camaro, 3.975, 320.81 def. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 6.418, 101.95;

QUARTERFINALS -- Capps, 3.972, 322.81 def. Head, 4.592, 264.86; Worsham, 3.981, 322.04 def. DeJoria, 4.164, 246.93; Hight, 3.955, 324.67 def. C. Force, 4.101, 258.62; J. Force, 4.010, 315.34 def. Beckman, 4.131, 292.46;

SEMIFINALS -- Worsham, 3.978, 321.81 def. J. Force, 4.033, 315.71; Capps, 3.938, 321.35 def. Hight, 3.949, 313.44;

FINAL -- Capps, 3.981, 324.28 def. Worsham, 3.962, 324.36.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE -- Jeg Coughlin, Dodge Dart, 6.671, 207.88 def. Erica Enders, Dart, 15.804, 55.37; Allen Johnson, Dart, 8.381, 115.66 def. Alex Laughlin, Chevy Camaro, 11.387, 80.24; Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.693, 208.59 def. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.670, 208.97; Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.675, 209.01 def. Aaron Strong, Camaro, Foul - Red Light; Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.601, 209.79 def. Deric Kramer, Dart, 6.729, 207.88; Jason Line, Camaro, 6.606, 210.21 def. V. Gaines, Dart, 6.694, 208.26; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.593, 208.14 def. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.778, 206.54; Drew Skillman, Camaro, 6.642, 208.68 def. Joey Grose, Camaro, 6.684, 207.02;

QUARTERFINALS -- Skillman, 6.658, 208.42 def. Nobile, Foul - Centerline; Line, 6.623, 209.72 def. Johnson, Broke; Butner, 6.623, 208.91 def. Gray, 6.716, 208.17; Anderson, 6.615, 207.85 def. Coughlin, Foul - Red Light;

SEMIFINALS -- Line, 6.624, 209.46 def. Butner, 6.653, 209.26; Anderson, 6.622, 207.94 def. Skillman, 6.651, 208.91;

FINAL -- Anderson, 6.617, 207.85 def. Line, 6.609, 209.82.

POMONA, Calif. -- Point standings (top 10) following the 56th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, the first of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series -

Top Fuel

1.  Steve Torrence, 106; 2.  Doug Kalitta, 94; 3.  Richie Crampton, 77; 4.  J.R. Todd, 72; 5.  Clay Millican, 57; 6.  Morgan Lucas, 52; 7.  Antron Brown, 48; 8.  Terry McMillen, 46; 9.  Tony Schumacher, 42; 10.  Brittany Force, 37.

Funny Car

1.  Ron Capps, 119; 2.  Del Worsham, 97; 3.  Robert Hight, 80; 4.  John Force, 69; 5.  Jack Beckman, 65; 6.  Courtney Force, 59; 7.  Alexis DeJoria, 55; 8.  Chad Head, 54; 9.  Tim Wilkerson, 33; 10.  (tie) Gary Densham, 32; Matt Hagan, 32; Cruz Pedregon, 32.

Pro Stock

1.  Greg Anderson, 125; 2.  Jason Line, 105; 3.  Bo Butner, 84; 4.  Drew Skillman, 75; 5.  Vincent Nobile, 54; 6.  Jeg Coughlin, 53; 7.  (tie) Shane Gray, 52; Allen Johnson, 52; 9.  Chris McGaha, 35; 10.  Alex Laughlin, 33.

Dusty Brandel

President of the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association, Inc. Worked with Mike Hollander since Tapsis, Compuserve, etc. and has posted to the website since the beginning. First Female photo-journalist to be given a garage and pit pass for the NASCAR garage, 1972 at Ontario Motor Speedway. One of first seven female writers, photographers given access to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway garage and pits in 1971. Past President of Greater Los Angeles Press Club, 1992-96, and first female editor of the 8-Ball publication for the Press Club

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Volume 2016, Issue 2, Posted 11:28 PM, 02.14.2016