(Photos by Jeff and Mike Burghardt) – This year has brought new interest, new winners and new professional teams into the NHRA Mello Yello Series. There have been some subtle changes, but there’s no doubt that the unpredictability of final round participants and the stunted dominance of the “usual suspects” from the mega-teams has brought more racers and ultimately more spectators into the packed grandstands for the 2018 season.
In light of the changes, California native Blake Alexander brought home the second Top Fuel victory of his career in front of a sellout crowd at the 31st annual Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway.
Robert Hight in Funny Car, Jeg Coughlin Jr. in Pro Stock and LE Tonglet in Pro Stock Bike were also winners in their respective categories at the 15th of 24 events on the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.
Alexander powered to the winner’s circle with a run of 4.004-seconds at 287.41 mph in his Pronto Auto Service Center dragster to take down the winningest driver in Top Fuel history, Tony Schumacher, in the finals. Despite having competed at only six events on the season, Alexander now has three final round appearances as he is now one of four Top Fuel competitors with multiple wins on the year.
Alexander took down Mike Salinas, three-time world champion Antron Brown and Scott Palmer as he continues to make a bid to qualify for the Countdown to the Championship.
Schumacher’s third runner-up finish of the season helped vault him into second in the points standings as he continues to close the gap on points leader Steve Torrence.
The defending Funny Car world champion Hight used a 3.984 at 319.75 in his Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS to beat Ron Capps in the finals. He secured his second win of the season and the second of his career in Sonoma.
Hight qualified 11th and was able to defeat Tim Wilkerson, Bob Tasca III and Tommy Johnson Jr. on his path to victory as he locked in his position in the Countdown playoffs.
DSR’s Ron Capps, in the NAPA backed funny car now has two runner-ups in his three final rounds on the year, as he and teammate Matt Hagan each joined Courtney Force by locking in their spot in the 2018 Countdown.
Coughlin Jr. drove to a 6.532 at 212.16 in his JEGS. com Performance Chevrolet Camaro to defeat Deric Kramer in the final round as he became the second driver in the Pro Stock class with three victories on the year. The five-time world champion secured his third career win in Sonoma and first since 2010.
Coughlin Jr. defeated Alex Laughlin, Tanner Gray and No. 1 qualifier Greg Anderson before locking down the win.
Despite falling in the semifinals, Anderson became the first driver in the Pro Stock class to clinch a spot in the Countdown.
Tonglet brought home the win in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class after a 6.771 at 198.52 on his Nitro Fish Racing Suzuki to take down points leader Andrew Hines in the final round. The 2010 world champion notched his third consecutive victory at Sonoma Raceway as he now has two wins on the season.
Tonglet took down Cory Reed, Joey Gladstone and No. 1 qualifier Eddie Krawiec en route to the victory.
Andrew Hines now has four runner-up finishes on the season as the current points leader will look for his first win in 2018 when Pro Stock Motorcycle returns to the circuit in Brainerd.
Five competitors in Pro Stock Motorcycle have now clinched a spot in the Coutndown, as Hines, Krawiec, Tonglet, Hector Arana Jr. and Jerry Savoie have locked-in their postseason berths.
The 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season continues at Pacific Raceways in Seattle, Washington from August 3-5.
Boy it sure sounds like the NHRA is wanting everyone to think that all the races are standing room only. The headline reads “Sonoma sell out”. But the pictures tell a different story.
That particular photo was shot on Friday afternoon at Sonoma, however a sell out usually means that all of the available tickets for seating have been sold. A ticket buyer is not required to stay in his seat for the duration of the event.
True, NHRA has not sold out every event this year and have not declared that to be so, but they have had a number of ticket sell outs on individual days and that is good for all of drag racing.
GREAT photography. You guys were everywhere at once.