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Erica Enders’ run of form in the NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock Drag Racing Series continues as she took her third victory in this breakout season at Brainerd, meantime Ron Capps’ Funny Car victory has elevated him to the points lead on the eve of the Countdown.
Enders took her second straight win by beating points leader, Allen Johnson, in the final round with a performance of 6.649 at 335.17kph (208.26mph). Johnson had to contend with tyre shake from the start.
“There are a lot of tough guys out there,” Enders said post-race. To be able to run against the best out here shows that our hard work is finally paying off. We’ve been chasing them for a number of years.”
To get to the finals, Enders accounted for Shane Gray, heavy hitter Jason Line and Larry Morgan.
FUNNY CAR
For the first time this season, Ron Capps ends a weekend looking down from atop the points ladder – being able to get past Robert Hight to take the lead into the US Nationals.
Capps – who has been the form driver through the middle part of the season – drove past John Force who had a return to form aboard the Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang.
To get to the final, Capps got past last start winner, Courtney Force in the TRAXXAS Mustang before seeing off Johnny Gray and Matt Hagan. Hight was eliminated in the first round by team-mate Mike Neff before Neff red lighted in the second round to Tim Wilkerson. Force then cleaned up Wilkerson in the semi-final.
“I’m pretty excited to go to Indy with the points lead,” said Capps. “Force is always good here, he’s cagey. Once we got past 800 feet and I couldn’t see him, I knew that we had the win light.”
TOP FUEL
Young gun Morgan Lucas took another victory to add to what has already been a fascinating NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel Championship. Lucas defeated Antron Brown – who extended his lead at the top of the points ladder to 68 over Spencer Massey with just one event before the Countdown remaining.
Lucas’ win was narrow – a 3.818 at 510kph (316.90mph) to Brown’s 3.831 at 505kph (313.80mph).
Australian team, Rapisarda Racing qualified for the field, with Cory McClenathan establishing the 12th quickest time. He made it past the first round defeating Shawn Langdon before being eliminated by Lucas on his charge to the finals.
Australian racer Dave Grubnic was also eliminated in his second run having disposed of Clay Millican in his opening round matchup, Grubnic was a victim of Brown’s on his way to the decider.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
Eddie Krawiec continued his outstanding run of 2012 aboard the Screamin’ Eagle Harley Davidson, taking a comfortable win to extend his undefeated 2012 run over Hector Arana Jnr.
The final was an anti-climax with Arana jumping the gun and red lighting.
Arana had earlier eliminated the second placed man in the points standings, Andrew Hines in the semi-finals.
The next event on the NHRA Tour is the biggest drag racing event on the planet – the US Nationals in Indianapolis in two weekends’ time – August 29 to September 3. With it being the last event prior to the Countdown and the most prestigious event on the calendar, tensions among the NHRA elite are expected to be at an all time high.
