(Words by Darr Hawthorne. Photos by Bob Snyder, Jeff Burghardt, and Alexis DeJoria Racing)

Alexis DeJoria raced to her first career Funny Car victory Sunday at the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.

Antron Brown (Top Fuel) and Allen Johnson (Pro Stock) also were winners of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event at the multi-purpose motorsports facility near Phoenix.

With new management at the former Firebird Raceway, according to reports, the Nationals attracted an estimated 60,000 spectators over the three-day event. Apparently, work on the dragstrip surface was one of the main priorities of the new facility management team, headed by newcomer Paul Clayton, the managing partner.  Racing was closer and free of carnage more than any recent National event, in recent memory.

Alexis DeJoria, driving her Patron XO Café Toyota Camry-bodied funny car, powered to her first NHRA Professional win with a 4.043 elapsed time at 309.63 mph to defeat Robert Hight’s Ford Mustang, when it lost traction. On the way to the final round, DeJoria raced past Jeff Arend, teammate Del Worsham and event top qualifier and Winternationals champ John Force, advancing to the final.

This was DeJoria’s second trip to the Finals as a Pro driver; her first came in her Rookie season at the 2012 Bristol race. In 2013 she drove her Patrón sponsored hot rod to four semi-final round finishes.  Prior to making the step up to the Funny Car class, she earned a victory each in the Top Alcohol Funny Car class and Super Comp category.

DeJoria, in her third season in the seat of a Kalitta Motorsports 10,000-horsepower Funny Car, becomes the fourth female to win an NHRA Funny Car race and the 14th female in history to win an NHRA Series race with her Tommy DeLago/Glen Huszar-led team.

“When we won the finals, I couldn’t believe it,” said DeJoria, wife of noted bike builder and television personality Jesse James.  “Actually, I can because I know we can do it, but it’s such a shock at the same time. It’s surreal. It’s really amazing. I don’t think I’m going to be able to sleep.”

DeJoria’s win, gave the crowd at Phoenix a chance to see the well-known Kalitta Motorsports mosh pit celebration. DeJoria pointed out that the support of the whole organization made the win much more rewarding.  She added,” We’ve got a hot rod underneath us now, and you’re going to see more wins out of the Patrón XO Cafe team- I’m sure of that!”

Multi-time Funny Car Champion John Force now leads teammate Robert Hight by 66 points and DeJoria moves to third overall with the win, 69 points back of Force.

In Top Fuel, 2012 Champ Antron Brown defeated second year Pro racer Brittany Force with a run of 3.755 seconds at 324.20 mph in his Matco Tools dragster to her 3.793 at 322.04 in her Castrol-backed dragster.  The win was Brown’s third career victory at Phoenix and his 26th career Top Fuel win. He defeated Australian Richie Crampton, defending world champ Shawn Langdon and No. 1 qualifier Doug Kalitta before edging out Force in the final round.

“We love coming to Phoenix,” Brown said. “They revamped it and did a phenomenal job. We’ve had bad mishaps and tragedy here and some wins here. This place really holds a special place in my heart for what we’ve been through and what we’ve accomplished here.”

Force, last season’s top rookie, was in her first Top Fuel final round and her team’s consistency, with most passes in the low 3.8-second range and her last pass in the 3.7s got her to the finals.  Brown pointed out Force’s consistency and knew it would take a perfect run to claim the Wally.

“She’s at a young stage in her career, and you can tell that she’s getting better and better,” Brown said. “She was consistent all day to get those round-wins. None of these teams come out here to play games.  It’s not recess no more. School is in, and you better have your thinking caps on and be ready to do the work. I look at her as a tough, top competitor. They stepped up in the final.”

With his semifinal appearance and another low ET set in qualifying, Doug Kalitta takes over the Top Fuel series lead, 26 ahead of Pomona winner alBalooshi in the Al Anabi dragster.

Allen Johnson, who is also a 2012 series champ, scored his 21st career Pro Stock win and second at Phoenix by defeating V Gaines with his final round effort of 6.543 at 212.23 in his Team Mopar Dodge Avenger.

“We fought the car all weekend,” said Johnson, who qualified sixth and beat Jimmy Alund, Jason Line and Dave Connolly en route to the win. “I’m only here because we have a great crew. I can’t say enough about my guys. They worked and got it right, and this is a great way to send this Mopar Express Lube Dodge Avenger out on a winning note.”

Johnson was happy to rebound from a disappointing weekend at the Winternationals two weeks ago, where he lost in the first round. (photo courtesy MOPAR Racing)

V. Gaines moves into the Pro Stock points lead for the first time in his 21-year career with his back-to-back final round appearances.

The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continues on to Gainesville, Fla. with the annual Gatornationals on March 13-16.

In Sportsman action at the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals, Ed Olpin and Val Torres Jr. each scored victories at the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park this weekend as Olpin grabbed his 4^th NHRA national event win and Torres his 3^rd.

Ed Olpin, Pleasant Grove, Utah, (far lane) was off the line first in his ’68 Camaro and won a close double break out Top Sportsman final against Paul Mitsos, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.  Olpin crossed the finish line in 7.366 seconds at 187.13 mph to Mitsos’ quicker 7.355, 185.08.

Torres, Chino Hills, Calif., (near lane) took the Top Dragster trophy in 6.694 seconds at 198.55 mph as he held off Phil Unruh, McPherson, Kan., 6.548, 210.77.  Torres took the early lead and was better at the finish line for the win.

In Super Stock, Dan Fletcher (far lane) continued to add wins to his resume picking up his 88^th national event trophy out of Churchville, N.Y.  His familiar ’69 Camaro faced off with Scott Pearson, Stewartville, Minn., and his cool ’70 AMX.  Pearson left early with a foul start handing the win to Fletcher.

Tacoma, Wash., resident Mark Faul in his red El Camino also added to his win total taking his 16^th as he faced off with Robert Pond’s Ford from Riverside, Calif., in Stock Eliminator.  This was Pond’s first round in Stock Eliminator.

Shane Thompson in Super/Comp, Aaron Kinard (Super/Gas) and Gary Reust (Super/Street) rounded out the weekend winners as Thompson from Las Vegas, (far lane) in his Super Comp dragster was near perfect out of the box with a .001 second reaction time which forced La Mirada’s Chad Langdon to break out, running too quick as he tried to chase down Thompson’s white dragster.

Aaron Kinard (near lane) from Temecula, Calif., used a .015 package to secure his win over Craig Anderson, Waxahachie, Texas, in a battle of new school vs old school Vettes.  Kinard’s ’63 out dueled Anderson’s Hughes Performance-backed ’05 Corvette, running 9.903 seconds on the 9.90 dial-in.

Nevada’s Gary Reust in his black ‘55 Chevy won his second in Super Street right off the start when David Gotts’ Camaro from Corona left too soon.  Reust clocked in at 10.943, 125.55 for the win.

NHRA Pacific Division racers will be back here at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park this coming weekend, Feb. 28-March 2 for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series regional event.

The following are the Final Round Results for Lucas Oil Drag Racing at the 30^th Annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.

Super Stock — Dan Fletcher, Chevy Camaro, 10.296, 124.41 def. Scott Pearson, AMX, foul.

Stock Eliminator — Mark Faul, Chevy El Camino, 11.691, 102.95 def. Robert Pond, Ford Fairlane, 10.133, 124.87.

Super Comp — Shane Thompson, Dragster, 8.916, 169.13 def. Chad Langdon, Dragster, 8.887, 172.83.

Super Gas — Aaron Kinard, Chevy Corvette, 9.903, 160.75 def. Craig Anderson, Corvette, 9.891, 156.75.

Super Street — Gary Reust, Chevy Bel Air, 10.943, 125.55 def. Dave Gotts, Chevy Camaro, foul.

Top Dragster — Val Torres Jr., Dragster, 6.694, 198.55 def. Phil Unruh, Dragster, 6.548, 210.77.

Top Sportsman — Ed Olpin, Chevy Camaro, 7.366, 187.13 def. Paul Mitsos, Dodge Stratus, 7.355, 185.08.