{"id":834201,"date":"2020-07-14T06:58:53","date_gmt":"2020-07-14T13:58:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bangshift.com\/?p=834201"},"modified":"2020-07-15T07:03:16","modified_gmt":"2020-07-15T14:03:16","slug":"billy-torrence-matt-hagen-jason-line-ryan-oehler-win-restart-of-nhra-mello-yello-series-in-indy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bangshift.com\/bangshift1320\/billy-torrence-matt-hagen-jason-line-ryan-oehler-win-restart-of-nhra-mello-yello-series-in-indy\/","title":{"rendered":"Billy Torrence, Matt Hagan, Jason Line & Ryan Oehler Win Restart Of NHRA Mello Yello Series In INDY!"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Photos by Mike Burghardt) —<\/strong> <\/em>Billy Torrence powered his Capco dragster to the Top Fuel win on Sunday as the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series raced for the first time since February at the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.<\/p>\n

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Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Ryan Oehler (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won in their respective categories at the third race of the 2020 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season. It marked NHRA\u2019s first event in more than four months after suspending competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n

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Facing off with points leader Doug Kalitta in the final round, Torrence went 3.802-seconds at 322.34 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Capco Contractors dragster to beat Kalitta\u2019s 3.852 at 307.86 in a thrilling side-by-side race. It gave Torrence his first win in 2020 and sixth in his career. Torrence reached the final round by knocking off Terry Totten, T.J. Zizzo, and his son, Steve, the defending and back-to-back Top Fuel world champ.<\/p>\n

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\u201cTo come out here and be able to compete at this level, it’s always gratifying,\u201d Torrence said. \u201cThese boys worked so hard to give me a competitive car. If you can’t have fun doing this, you can’t have fun doing anything. For the people that come out here to put these events on and for all the people trying to keep all of us safe and all, just thank you. We (also) need to thank the good Lord for us being out here as a family and being able to enjoy the freedoms to come out here and drag race.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Kalitta (above) picked up round wins against Lex Joon, Leah Pruett and Antron Brown to advance to his 94th final round, also earning his 700th career round win. Kalitta has now advanced to the final round at every race in 2020.<\/p>\n

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Funny Car\u2019s Hagan drove to his first win of the 2020 season in his 11,000-horsepower Mopar Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, beating Don Schumacher Racing teammate Tommy Johnson Jr. in the final round with a 4.328 at 215.00. It gave the two-time world champ his 34th career win, and he advanced to his 61st final round thanks to victories against both Daniel and Tim Wilkerson, as well as DSR teammate and points leader Jack Beckman.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe\u2019re so glad to be doing this here with NHRA and fans in the stands,\u201d Hagan said. \u201cI can\u2019t just say enough about NHRA and this team. These guys are my family and what an amazing job by my crew chief Dickie Venables. He\u2019s dangerous when you give him a couple laps.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Johnson, the No. 1 qualifier at the event, reached his 54th final round by knocking off teammate Ron Capps, Blake Alexander and J.R. Todd.<\/p>\n

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In a battle of retiring Pro Stock drivers, top qualifier Line knocked off No. 2 qualifier Jeg Coughlin in a thrilling final round, going 6.647 at 207.21 in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro to slip past Coughlin\u2019s 6.658 at 206.76. Line picked up his first win this season and 51st in his career, also extending his incredible streak to 17 consecutive seasons with a victory. Line\u2019s road to the finals included victories against Alan Prusiensky, Alex Laughlin and KB Racing teammate Greg Anderson.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI wish I could see my dad\u2019s face because he\u2019s big into streaks and it was very important to him that I win one race every race that I\u2019ve done this, and we got it done today,\u201d said Line, who has 104 final round appearances. \u201cI want to thank Greg because he worked his tail off through all this to give us good stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Coughlin, who won the opening race of the season in Pomona and moved into the points lead, beat Bruno Massel, Chris McGaha and defending world champ Erica Enders to reach the final round for the 113th time.<\/p>\n

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It was the perfect start to the Pro Stock Motorcycle season for Oehler, who won his first career NHRA race in his first final round, going 6.974 at 194.16 on his Flyin\u2019 Ryan Racing\/B&K Cylinder Heads EBR to defeat Matt Smith. After qualifying fifth, Oehler knocked off Marc Ingwersen, Scotty Pollacheck and Hector Arana Jr. to advance to the championship round for the first time in his career. He posted a remarkable .010 reaction time and never trailed en route to the biggest moment of his PSM career.<\/p>\n

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Smith, who qualified second, beat Chris Bostick, Angelle Sampey and defending world champ Andrew Hines to reach the final round for the 55th time. His 6.855 in the first round was the best for the weekend in the class.<\/p>\n

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The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continues next weekend with the Lucas Oil NHRA Summernationals at Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Raceway.<\/p>\n

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***<\/p>\n

BROWNSBURG, Ind. —<\/strong> <\/em>Final finish order (1-16) at the Inaugural E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.\u00a0\u00a0The race is the third of 18 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.<\/p>\n

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TOP FUEL:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. Billy Torrence; 2.\u00a0\u00a0Doug Kalitta; 3.\u00a0\u00a0Steve Torrence; 4.\u00a0\u00a0Antron Brown; 5.\u00a0\u00a0Leah Pruett; 6.T.J. Zizzo; 7.\u00a0\u00a0Shawn Langdon; 8.\u00a0\u00a0Clay Millican; 9.\u00a0\u00a0Doug Foley; 10.\u00a0\u00a0Justin Ashley; 11.\u00a0\u00a0Lex Joon; 12.\u00a0\u00a0Tony Schumacher; 13.\u00a0\u00a0Terry McMillen; 14.\u00a0\u00a0Luigi Novelli; 15. (above) \u00a0Cory McClenathan; 16. Terry Totten.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    FUNNY CAR:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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    1. Matt Hagan; 2.\u00a0\u00a0Tommy Johnson Jr.; 3.\u00a0\u00a0Tim Wilkerson; 4.\u00a0\u00a0J.R. Todd; 5.\u00a0\u00a0Jack Beckman; 6. Jonnie Lindberg; 7.\u00a0\u00a0Alexis DeJoria; 8.\u00a0\u00a0Blake Alexander; 9.\u00a0\u00a0Ron Capps; 10.\u00a0\u00a0Cruz Pedregon; 11. Daniel Wilkerson; 12. \u00a0(above) Mike McIntire; 13.\u00a0\u00a0Dale Creasy Jr.; 14.\u00a0\u00a0Alex Miladinovich; 15.\u00a0\u00a0Bob Bode; 16.\u00a0\u00a0Paul Lee.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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      PRO STOCK:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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      1. Jason Line; 2.\u00a0\u00a0Jeg Coughlin; 3.\u00a0\u00a0Greg Anderson; 4.\u00a0\u00a0Erica Enders; 5.\u00a0\u00a0Aaron Stanfield; 6. Matt Hartford; 7.\u00a0\u00a0Alex Laughlin; 8.\u00a0\u00a0Chris McGaha; 9.\u00a0\u00a0Bo Butner; 10.\u00a0\u00a0Troy Coughlin Jr.; 11. Kenny Delco; 12.\u00a0\u00a0Kyle Koretsky; 13.\u00a0\u00a0Deric Kramer; 14.\u00a0\u00a0Val Smeland; 15.\u00a0\u00a0Alan Prusiensky; \u00a016. (above) 16. Bruno Massel.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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        PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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        1. Ryan Oehler; 2.\u00a0\u00a0Matt Smith; 3.\u00a0\u00a0Andrew Hines; 4.\u00a0\u00a0Hector Arana Jr; 5.\u00a0\u00a0Scotty Pollacheck; 6. Eddie Krawiec; 7.\u00a0\u00a0Angelle Sampey; 8.\u00a0\u00a0Angie Smith; 9. \u00a0(above) Steve Johnson; 10.\u00a0\u00a0John Hall; 11.\u00a0\u00a0Jerry Savoie; 12.\u00a0\u00a0Marc Ingwersen; 13.\u00a0\u00a0Kelly Clontz; 14.\u00a0\u00a0Ron Tornow; 15.\u00a0\u00a0David Barron; 16.\u00a0\u00a0Chris Bostick.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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          Next Weekend’s July 18-19 event at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis.<\/strong><\/div>\n
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          The Lucas Oil NHRA Summernationals at Indianapolis will be the second of back-to-back events in Indy for the stars of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Racing action will include thrills from the ever popular Top Fuel and Funny Car divisions as well as the 2020 season debuts of the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Series presented by J&A Service and the SAMTech.edu NHRA Factory Stock Showdown and the resumption of the Mickey Thompson Tires Top Fuel Harley Series that competed at the season\u2019s first two events.<\/div>\n

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          \u00a0Check out Mike Burghardt’s photos of the weekend Finals from INDY!<\/h3>\n

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