NHRA Sonoma Nationals
Event 15 of 24 (Sonoma)
Sonoma Raceway
Sonoma, Calif.
July 26-28, 2019
DSR Sonoma Elimination Highlights:
- Funny Car pilot Matt Hagan raced to a runner-up finish on Sunday during the NHRA Sonoma Nationals
- Antron Brown made history during round one when he became the sixth driver to reach the ‘500 Top Fuel round wins’ milestone
- Brown and Tommy Johnson Jr. (Funny Car) recorded semifinal finishes; both drivers leave Sonoma ranked second in the championship standings
- Johnson’s semifinal appearance was his ninth of the season
(EXCERPT)
Driver Information:
Funny Car:
JACK BECKMAN
Driver of the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat
Qualified: No. 3 (3.879 E.T. at 333.41 MPH)
The Results:
E1: 3.996 E.T. at 320.74 MPH defeated Jeff Diehl 4.529 E.T. at 195.45 MPH
E2: 3.995 E.T. at 321.81 MPH defeated by Matt Hagan 3.924 E.T. at 325.37 MPH
Race Recap:
“Fast Jack” Beckman has been exceptionally close to earning his first Wally of 2019, and the 2015 Sonoma Nationals winner was hoping to put it all together this weekend. He qualified third after making four consistent runs and looked poised to breakthrough in the second leg of the Western Swing. Beckman, who was honored with the Eric Medlen Award on Thursday evening, motored his Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat to an opening-round victory over Jeff Diehl with a pass of 3.996 seconds at 320.74 mph in his 700th career round of competition. The win earned Beckman a rematch with teammate and fellow Hellcat Funny Car racer Matt Hagan, who he defeated last weekend in the first round of the Dodge Mile-High Nationals. Beckman and Hagan powered to the two quickest runs of the session, but Hagan was able to edge past for the win.
Quotable:
“I think it’s probably a measure of respect for our team that our opponents run low E.T. against us so often, but that just tells us we are going to have to push harder relative to the racetrack. Dickie (Venables) and his team just opened a can of you-know-what on us in that run. I don’t know that any crew chief saw that coming. We have a great Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat right now. We made it down the racetrack six times in a row. This team is ready to celebrate on Sunday, and we’re going to go win in Seattle.”
NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship Standings:
Top Fuel
1. Steve Torrence – 1486
2t. Antron Brown – 914
2t. Clay Millican – 914
4. Brittany Force – 894
5. Doug Kalitta – 887
6. Mike Salinas – 802
7. Leah Pritchett – 749
8. Richie Crampton – 719
9t. Terry McMillen- 641
9t. Austin Prock – 641
Funny Car
1. Robert Hight – 1283
2. Tommy Johnson Jr – 1084
3. John Force – 1035
4. Jack Beckman – 964
5. Ron Capps – 962
6. Bob Tasca III – 924
7. J.R. Todd – 889
8. Matt Hagan – 888
9. Shawn Langdon – 786
10. Tim Wilkerson – 757
About Don Schumacher Racing:
Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) is the winningest team in NHRA Drag Racing history, having claimed more than 325 NHRA national event titles and 17 world championships since opening its doors in 1998.
Headquartered in Brownsburg, Indiana, DSR fields seven professional teams competing in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing series. In Top Fuel, the Matco Tools dragster driven by three-time world champion Antron Brown, the MOPAR/Pennzoil/Sparkling Ice dragster driven by Leah Pritchett and eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher’s machine. In Funny Car, the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat driven by 2016 world champion Ron Capps, the Mopar Express Lane/Pennzoil/Sandvik Coromant Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat piloted by Matt Hagan, and in Terry and Doug Chandler’s ‘giving cars,’ 2012 NHRA world champion Jack Beckman in the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge, and Tommy Johnson Jr. behind the wheel of the Make-A-Wish Dodge.
DSR also campaigns two Factory Stock Showdown entries. The duo is piloted by Pritchett, the 2018 Factory Stock Showdown Series champion, and former Pro Stock racer Mark Pawuk.
Follow Don Schumacher Racing at Shoeracing.com, on Twitter and Instagram at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing.