Robert Hight, Richie Crampton, Shane Gray and Eddie Krawiec all grabbed top spots an the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park. This is round two of the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship and Eliminations will be held at Gateway Sunday starting at 11 am.
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Funny Car
Robert Hight’s great Friday night run (3.893 ET / 328.38) held on Saturday and he will run in the #1 qualifying position in Sunday’s Eliminations at Gateway Motorsports Park.
The top qualifying position extended Hight’s streak of starting No. 1 at least once every season of his professional career that started in 2005. Hight will face John Hale in the first round.
“Saturday is more conducive to what you are going to race with on Sunday especially if you look at the weather forecast. Basically three of the four runs we were low e.t.,” said Hight. “That gives you a lot of confidence.”
The 37-time national event winner knows that nothing is guaranteed in this highly competitive class.
“Its been a great weekend,” said Hight. “I’m more excited about tomorrow’s race than I have been in a long time.”
Jack Beckman’s run of 3.9074 ET / 325.22 mph moved him into second place for the weekend.
He is currently eighth in points and he is hoping for a strong finish a Gateway to improve is chances for the NHRA championship title.
“2012 was the last time I won St. Louis and that year ended for me about as perfect as a year could end for a driver,” Beckman said, referring to his 2012 Funny Car world championship.
“At this point, every single round is huge. The cars that are top three and four in points, they’re not going out first early. We can’t rely on them stumbling. We have to go deep every single race day from here on out.”
Psn Driver Vehicle ET Speed
1. Robert Hight Auto Club Camaro 3.893 328.38
2. Jack Beckman Infinite Hero Charger 3.907 325.22
3. Ron Capps NAPA Auto Parts Charger 3.910 322.81
4. Tim Wilkerson Levi, Ray & Shoup Mustang 3.912 325.61
5. Matt Hagan Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots 3.914 327.51
6. Courtney Force Traxxas Camaro 3.918 324.36
7. Del Worsham DHL Camry 3.929 324.75
8. Tommy Johnson Jr. Make A Wish Charger 3.944 324.12
9. Alexis DeJoria Tequila Patron Camry 3.945 323.27
10. John Force Peak Camaro 3.958 323.19
11. Chad Head Head Inc. Camry 3.994 321.42
12. Cruz Pedregon Snap-on/Wix Filters Camry 4.009 314.68
13. Brian Stewart Brian Stewart Motorsports Must 4.009 295.79
14. John Bojec Speed City Solara 4.037 293.22
15. Dale Creasy Jr. Tek Pak Inc. Impala 4.118 294.56
16. John Hale Oberto Beef Jerky Charger 4.156 279.56
--------- Not Qualified ---------
17. Jack Wyatt Jack Wyatt Racing Stratus 4.274 283.91
18. Brandon Welch AutoAnything Monte Carlo 4.289 290.07
Top Fuel
The racer from Australia, Richie Crampton, qualified for the top spot for NHRA Midwest Nationals eliminations to be held Sunday at Gateway Motorsports Park. His run of 3.733 ET /323.50 mph
“It was a good run yesterday, and I’m sure we left a little bit on the table today,” said Hight.
For Crampton it was his first top qualifier of the season and the 5th of his career
Tony Schumacher had the best run on Saturday with a 3.740 ET at 325.30 mph but it was only enough to get him into second place for Sunday’s eliminator round..
“We made two changes right before that last run even though we had a really good car, which speaks volumes about this U.S. Army team,” said Schumacher, who will face No. 15 seed Chris Karamesines in Sunday’s opening round of eliminations.
Schumacher won the Midwest Nationals in 2006 and 2010 and he is an eight-time Top Fuel champion. He was the only driver to best the 3.8-second mark every run this weekend, his early Friday run of 3.797 seconds at 322.19 mph being his slowest.
“Man, after finishing the day like that, I just can’t wait to get back here in the morning and represent the U.S. Army in this bad-to-the-bone race car,” said Schumacher.
Schumacher will face 84 year old, Chris Karamesines in the first round. Yes, Karamesines, is an 84 year old racer and he has never won an NHRA event but will attempt win against all odds on Sunday against one of all time best Tony Schumacher.
Psn Driver Vehicle ET Speed
1. Richie Crampton Lucas Oil Dragster 3.733 323.50
2. Tony Schumacher U.S. Army Dragster 3.740 325.30
3. J.R. Todd SealMaster Dragster 3.750 322.04
4. Doug Kalitta DEWALT FLEXVOLT Dragster 3.752 325.92
5. Shawn Langdon Red Fuel/Sandvik Dragster 3.766 325.61
6. Steve Torrence Capco Contactors Dragster 3.768 323.19
7. Leah Pritchett Papa Johns Dragster 3.770 325.92
8. Brittany Force Monster Energy Dragster 3.778 323.35
9. Clay Millican Denso/Great Clips Dragster 3.798 323.35
10. Wayne Newby Rapisarda Autosport Internatio 3.801 318.69
11. Pat Dakin Commercial Metal Fabrications 3.805 309.06
12. Antron Brown Matco Tools Dragster 3.808 316.97
13. Terry McMillen Amalie Motor Oil Dragster 3.895 310.41
14. Kyle Wurtzel Xtreme Edge Inc. Dragster 3.896 315.19
15. Chris Karamesines Lucas Oil/Strange Engineering 3.979 301.00
16. Kebin Kinsley Hennen Motorsports Dragster 4.000 307.16
--------- Not Qualified ---------
17. Luigi Novelli National Machine Repair Dragst 4.168 263.92
18. Scott Palmer Mark Industries/VooDoo II Drag 5.305 198.67
19. Troy Buff BME Dragster 6.737 95.96
Pro Stock
Shane Gray and Greg Anderson are great friends off the track and put on a show for the fans in Pro Stocks all weekend. Gray and Anderson were each in one of the top three positions after each qualifying run. Anderson had the lead Friday, but Gray took the lead after the first pass on Saturday. Anderson held off Gray to capture the top spot going into Sunday’s eliminations with a 6.630 ET / 208.55
” We are really confident in our car,” said Gray. “The only person who can screw it up is me.”
Gray is currently in 6th place in the countdown after a rough start last weekend in the first round. This week’s top spot was his second pole of the year and sixth in his career.
Bo Butner steadily moved his way up all weekend and took third place.
“They always give me the best car,” said Butner. “Starting 2nd, let’s keep it going.”
Psn Driver Vehicle ET Speed 1. Shane Gray Valvoline/Nova Services Camaro 6.604 209.65 2. Bo Butner Jim Butner Auto Camaro 6.605 209.36 3. Greg Anderson Summit Racing Equipment Camaro 6.605 209.92 4. Vincent Nobile Mountain View Tire Camaro 6.606 209.43 5. Alex Laughlin Gas Monkey Garage/360 Wraps Ca 6.610 209.14 6. Jason Line Summit Racing Equipment Camaro 6.611 209.43 7. Chris McGaha Harlow Sammons of Odessa Camar 6.621 209.07 8. Drew Skillman Ray Skillman Chevy Camaro 6.625 209.04 9. Allen Johnson Marathon Petroleum Dart 6.625 208.46 10. Jeg Coughlin Magnetimarelli/JEGS Dart 6.648 207.46 11. Erica Enders Elite Motorsports Dart 6.663 207.21 12. Aaron Strong Strong Trucking/FigSpeed Camar 6.674 207.15 13. Deric Kramer American Ethanol/Novozymes Dar 6.679 206.57 14. Alan Prusiensky Arcraceengines.com Dart 6.750 205.26 15. Mark Hogan EMSI Inc. GXP 6.797 203.09 16. Dave River River Racing Cobalt 6.904 198.93
Pro Stock Motorcycles
Eddie Krawiec saved his best for his last run of qualifying. Krrawiec did not qualify in his first run on Friday, then moved 4th and stayed 4th after the first run on Saturday.
“I didn’t think our bike would run that well,” said Krawiec describing his final run.
The last pole winning run was 8.819 ET / 197.02 mph. This was the sixth time this season that Krawiec had the top spot heading into the race final. But in recent weeks he has not been able to replicate his early season success.
“We have been trying to refine our package,” said Krawiec. “It is easier said than done.
Kraweic is currently 4th in the Countdown to the Championship. He admitted his team runs better in cooler weather rather than the 110 degree track temperatures in the last run.
“We know we are in the right direction,” said Krewiec. “This run all the stars were aligned.”
Kraweic will try to keep the stars in alignment against Joe DeSantis in Sunday’s first elimination race.
Psn Rider Vehicle ET Speed 1. Eddie Krawiec Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines 6.819 197.02 2. Angelle Sampey Precision Service Equipment Bu 6.831 197.02 3. Chip Ellis PiranaZ Buell 6.850 196.53 4. Jerry Savoie Savoie's Alligator Farm Suzuki 6.852 196.27 5. Matt Smith Victory Motorcycles Victory 6.860 195.36 6. Andrew Hines Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines 6.867 194.58 7. Hector Arana Lucas Oil Buell 6.880 195.53 8. Cory Reed Precision Service Equipment Bu 6.884 194.13 9. LE Tonglet Nitro Fish Suzuki 6.899 195.22 10. Karen Stoffer Big St Charles Motorsports/SEP 6.904 195.14 11. Hector Arana Jr Lucas Oil Racing TV Buell 6.910 195.68 12. Melissa Surber Kosman Specialties Buell 6.914 193.74 13. Steve Johnson Slick 50 Suzuki 6.929 193.57 14. Jim Underdahl Bad Boy Buggies Suzuki 6.955 195.73 15. Angie Smith Victory Motorcycles Victory 6.968 191.35 16. Joe DeSantis Team Joey D Suzuki 7.271 188.49
Story by Kevin Proot
Photos by Larry Vancil
St. Louis Motor Racing News / stlracing.com