(photos by Big Bob Snyder) The 2018 NHRA Mello Yello season has begun with completion of Pro Nitro Spring Training at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park over last weekend. Many new cars, or maybe new sponsors with new vinyl wraps on top of last year’s chassis we there, looking for another record-setting season of 1,000 foot drag racing.
Don Schumacher Racing’s Leah Pritchett unofficially ran the fastest Top Fuel pass on Saturday at the sunny motorsports facility outside of Phoenix. NHRA returns to the same facility for the NHRA Arizona Nationals Feb. 23 -25 for the second event of the series. The season starts this weekend at the 58th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Pritchett will qualify for the historic Pomona event in yellow Pennzoil livery for two sessions on Friday then switch to MOPAR/US Army sponsorship for the remainder of the event.
Pritchett piloted her Mopar/Papa John’s/Pennzoil dragster to a pass of 3.664-seconds at 334.73 mph. Last season, she set both ends of the track record at the NHRA Arizona Nationals and is seeking to reset it again in a couple of weeks.
“We struggled a little bit when we first came out of the box,” Pritchett said. “It took us all the way to the fourth day to get to the finish line and put down that pass. What was crazy about that run was how smooth it was. It was awesome. I was smiling ear to ear.”
Current Top Fuel world champion Brittany Force ran the second quickest pass of the day with a 3.692 at 327.43 in her Monster Energy dragster. “It feels good getting back in the car,” Force said. “It’s a new car and we’re trying to figure this thing to be ready (for Pomona). I’m always going to be learning and for me, I’m going to come out and start our season with a handful of goals in mind. I want to improve as a driver and there’s still things I need to work on. I want to better myself as a driver and always try to do that.”
Mike Salinas in his Scrappers’ Racing Top Fueler rounded out the top three with a pass of 3.733 at 325.53.
Matt Hagan led the Funny Car class with a pass of 3.843 at 332.84 in his Mopar Express Dodge Charger R/T. Current Funny Car world champion Robert Hight ran a pass of 3.880 at 332.02 in his Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS. Hagan will try to get the jump on the loaded Funny Car class for a second straight Winternationals, but it won’t be easy against a talented field that includes reigning world champion Robert Hight, Courtney Force, Jack Beckman, Tommy Johnson Jr. and 2016 Funny Car Champion Ron Capps in the NAPA funny car.
In Pro Stock, Erica Enders ran a 6.572 at 208.97 in her Melling Performance / Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro. Greg Anderson (below) wheeled his KB Racing/Summit-backed Camaro to a solid pass of 6.595 at 209.20.
Many of the same racecars and teams are already parking at the Pomona Fairplex dragstrip for the historic Winternationals. Qualifying for the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series will begin on Friday, February 9th with two Professional sessions, two on Saturday, February 10 with final eliminations for the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com in Pomona, California on Sunday, February 11.
Also in Phoenix testing were a handful of Mickey Thompson Tires NHRA Top Fuel Harley Drag Racing Series bikes readying for the new season, which starts for them in Gainesville, Florida at the Gatornationals.
