Photos by Leon McVay and Fred Hanyon, MSA

AREND, TEAM KALITTA CELEBRATE EMOTIONAL WIN
Lucas, Line and Phillips claim wins at rain-delayed race;
Ashley Force Hood assumes points lead in Funny Car
MEMPHIS – Jeff Arend and Funny Car team owner and NHRA icon Connie Kalitta celebrated an emotional, tearful victory Monday at the rain-delayed O’Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals at Memphis Motorsports Park. Joining Arend in the winner’s circle at the 21st of 24 races in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series were Morgan Lucas (Top Fuel), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Michael Phillips (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

Arend, who replaced Connie’s late son Scott Kalitta in the DHL Toyota Solara, turned in a blistering 4.091 at 310.41 in the final round to easily outrun Tony Pedregon’s trailing 16.659 at 37.81 in the Quaker State Chevy Impala. The speed was the fifth fastest 1000-foot Funny Car speed recorded.

“Everyone had tears in their eyes at the end of the track, myself included,” said an emotional Arend, who won for only the second time in his career and first time since Reading, 1996. “I know how big this is for Connie (Kalitta, team owner) after continuing to run this Funny Car after going through the ultimate tragedy (his son Scott’s death at Englishtown, N.J. in June 2008). He did it, because what he and Scott wanted to do was to have a competitive Funny Car. I think we proved today that we have one now.”

Meanwhile, by reaching the semifinals, Ashley Force Hood ascended into first place in Funny Car at the halfway point of NHRA’s six-race playoff, the Countdown to 1. The 26-year old daughter of John Force is seeking to become the first woman in history to win a championship in NHRA’s ultra-competitive Funny Car division.

Final finish order (1-16) for professional categories at the 22nd annual O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Memphis Motorsports Park. The race is the 21st of 24 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL:
1. Morgan Lucas; 2. Tony Schumacher; 3. Doug Kalitta; 4. Steve Torrence; 5. Larry Dixon; 6.Bob Vandergriff; 7. Tim Cullinan; 8. Cory McClenathan; 9. Shawn Langdon; 10. Spencer Massey; 11. Brandon Bernstein; 12. Clay Millican; 13. T.J. Zizzo; 14. Pat Dakin; 15. Antron Brown; 16. Terry Haddock.

FUNNY CAR:
1. Jeff Arend, Toyota Solara; 2. Tony Pedregon; 3. Ron Capps; 4. Ashley Force Hood; 5. Robert Hight; 6. Tim Wilkerson; 7. John Force; 8. Matt Hagan; 9. Mike Neff; 10. Bob Tasca III; 11. Jim Head; 12. Jack Beckman; 13. Del Worsham; 14. Cruz Pedregon; 15. Daniel Wilkerson; 16. Justin Schriefer.

PRO STOCK:
1. Jason Line, Pontiac GXP; 2. Ron Krisher; 3. Greg Anderson; 4. Mike Edwards; 5. Johnny Gray; 6. Allen Johnson; 7. Greg Stanfield; 8. Rodger Brogdon; 9. Steve Spiess; 10. Kurt Johnson; 11. Warren Johnson; 12. Jeg Coughlin; 13. Steve Schmidt; 14. Mark Hogan; 15. Dave River; 16. Larry Morgan.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:
1. Michael Phillips, Suzuki; 2. Eddie Krawiec; 3. Matt Smith; 4. Hector Arana; 5. Douglas Horne; 6. Steve Johnson; 7. GT Tonglet; 8. David Hope; 9. Karen Stoffer; 10. Craig Treble; 11. Junior Pippin; 12. Bailey Whitaker; 13. Shawn Gann; 14. Redell Harris; 15. Andrew Hines; 16. Joe DeSantis.

MILLINGTON, Tenn. -- Monday's final results from the 22nd annual O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Memphis Motorsports Park. The race is the 21st of 24 in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:
Top Fuel -- Morgan Lucas, 5.133 seconds, 251.44 mph def. Tony Schumacher, 8.216 seconds, 75.19 mph.
Funny Car -- Jeff Arend, Toyota Solara, 4.091, 310.41 def. Tony Pedregon, Chevy Impala, 16.659, 37.81.
Pro Stock -- Jason Line, Pontiac GXP, 6.576, 210.05 def. Ron Krisher, Chevy Cobalt, foul.
Pro Stock Motorcycle -- Michael Phillips, Suzuki, 6.935, 193.54 def. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.948, 192.22.

MILLINGTON, Tenn. -- Final round-by-round results from the 22nd annual O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Memphis Motorsports Park, the 21st of 24 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE -- Morgan Lucas, 3.871, 309.84 def. Shawn Langdon, 3.886, 311.27; Doug Kalitta, 3.850, 313.88 def. Brandon Bernstein, 3.905, 304.53; Steve Torrence, 3.925, 305.08 def. Pat Dakin, 11.540, 83.17; Tim Cullinan, 4.614, 270.97 def. Antron Brown, DQ; Bob Vandergriff, 3.897, 294.56 def. Spencer Massey, 3.901, 307.72; Cory McClenathan, 3.927, 314.61 def. T.J. Zizzo, 5.747, 116.82; Larry Dixon, 3.850, 316.15 def. Clay Millican, 3.953, 309.06; Tony Schumacher, 3.828, 313.73 def. Terry Haddock, broke; QUARTERFINALS -- Torrence, 3.888, 305.77 def. McClenathan, 4.190, 211.89; Kalitta, 3.862, 314.53 def. Cullinan, 4.128, 227.61; Lucas, 3.870, 307.09 def. Dixon, 3.873, 301.54; Schumacher, 3.839, 312.93 def. Vandergriff, foul; SEMIFINALS -- Lucas, 3.849, 308.00 def. Torrence, 3.867, 308.43; Schumacher, 3.843, 311.34 def. Kalitta, 3.858, 314.02; FINAL -- Lucas, 5.133, 251.44 def. Schumacher, 8.216, 75.19.

FUNNY CAR:
ROUND ONE -- Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 4.258, 289.94 def. Daniel Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, DQ; Jeff Arend, Toyota Solara, 4.646, 201.82 def. Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.745, 260.56; Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.104, 306.88 def. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.158, 301.33; Ashley Force Hood, Mustang, 4.239, 306.19 def. Del Worsham, Solara, 5.732, 230.53; Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.081, 307.51 def. Justin Schriefer, Chevy Camaro, broke; Tony Pedregon, Chevy Impala, 4.104, 307.37 def. Mike Neff, Mustang, 4.126, 307.51; Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.314, 305.15 def. Cruz Pedregon, Solara, 10.927, 84.21; John Force, Mustang, 4.307, 302.82 def. Jim Head, Solara, 4.675, 250.88; QUARTERFINALS -- Arend, 4.104, 305.36 def. Force, 4.170, 302.14; Force Hood, 4.115, 307.72 def. T. Wilkerson, 4.132, 305.84; T. Pedregon, 5.224, 127.70 def. Hagan, 5.315, 289.63; Capps, 4.109, 306.05 def. Hight, 4.117, 306.33; SEMIFINALS -- T. Pedregon, 4.104, 308.57 def. Capps, 4.116, 306.19; Arend, 4.109, 307.37 def. Force Hood, 4.119, 307.93; FINAL -- Arend, 4.091, 310.41 def. T. Pedregon, 16.659, 37.81.

PRO STOCK:
ROUND ONE -- Johnny Gray, Dodge Stratus, no time def. Larry Morgan, Stratus, no time; Greg Stanfield, Pontiac GXP, 6.628, 207.78 def. Steve Spiess, Chevy Cobalt, 6.642, 207.46; Allen Johnson, Stratus, 6.624, 208.68 def. Warren Johnson, GXP, 6.653, 208.75; Ron Krisher, Cobalt, 6.604, 208.46 def. Kurt Johnson, Cobalt, 6.648, 209.23; Rodger Brogdon, GXP, 6.662, 207.66 def. Jeg Coughlin, Cobalt, 6.690, 208.10; Jason Line, GXP, 6.614, 209.20 def. Steve Schmidt, Cobalt, 6.716, 204.73; Greg Anderson, GXP, 6.620, 209.72 def. Mark Hogan, Pontiac GTO, 6.878, 170.97; Mike Edwards, GXP, 6.603, 209.26 def. Dave River, Cobalt, 13.714, 61.70; QUARTERFINALS -- Anderson, 6.587, 209.88 def. Stanfield, 6.625, 207.72; Line, 6.601, 209.69 def. A. Johnson, 6.620, 208.49; Krisher, 6.657, 207.98 def. Brogdon, 6.687, 207.50; Edwards, 6.579, 209.36 def. Gray, foul; SEMIFINALS -- Line, 6.590, 209.59 def. Anderson, 6.618, 209.26; Krisher, 6.599, 208.94 def. Edwards, 6.699, 208.04; FINAL -- Line, 6.576, 210.05 def. Krisher, foul.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:
ROUND ONE -- Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.063, 189.42 def. Junior Pippin, Buell, foul; David Hope, Buell, 7.269, 177.95 def. Shawn Gann, Buell, 7.095, 183.02; Douglas Horne, Buell, 6.934, 191.70 def. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 6.963, 191.92; Michael Phillips, Suzuki, 6.934, 194.94 def. Craig Treble, Suzuki, 6.970, 191.40; GT Tonglet, Suzuki, 7.080, 188.36 def. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 10.557, 108.81; Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.976, 189.36 def. Bailey Whitaker, Buell, 7.078, 183.92; Matt Smith, Suzuki, 6.928, 192.30 def. Redell Harris, Buell, 9.023, 95.38; Hector Arana, Buell, 6.914, 192.77 def. Joe DeSantis, Suzuki, 12.890, 59.65; QUARTERFINALS -- Krawiec, 6.955, 193.18 def. Horne, foul; Phillips, 6.938, 193.40 def. Tonglet, 7.111, 188.46; Smith, 6.940, 190.22 def. Hope, broke; Arana, 6.889, 192.96 def. Johnson, foul; SEMIFINALS -- Krawiec, 6.929, 192.03 def. Smith, 6.944, 191.10; Phillips, 6.976, 191.78 def. Arana, foul; FINAL -- Phillips, 6.935, 193.54 def. Krawiec, 6.948, 192.22.

MILLINGTON, Tenn. -- Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the 22nd annual O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Memphis Motorsports Park, the 21st of 24 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series -

Top Fuel
1. Tony Schumacher, 2,369; 2. Larry Dixon, 2,315; 3. Cory McClenathan, 2,276; 4. Antron Brown, 2,249; 5. Morgan Lucas, 2,236; 6. Shawn Langdon, 2,221; 7. Brandon Bernstein, 2,191; 8. Spencer Massey, 2,186; 9. Doug Kalitta, 2,146; 10. Clay Millican, 2,093.

Funny Car
1. Ashley Force Hood, 2,308; 2. Robert Hight, 2,305; 3. Tony Pedregon, 2,282; 4. Jack Beckman, 2,235; 5. Ron Capps, 2,220; 6. Bob Tasca III, 2,206; 7. John Force, 2,184; 8. Tim Wilkerson, 2,181; 9. Mike Neff, 2,130; 10. Del Worsham, 2,116.

Pro Stock
1. Mike Edwards, 2,374; 2. Jason Line, 2,296; 3. Greg Anderson, 2,293; 4. Jeg Coughlin, 2,260; 5. Allen Johnson, 2,234; 6. Greg Stanfield, 2,222; 7. Johnny Gray, 2,199; 8. Ron Krisher, 2,189; 9. Kurt Johnson, 2,145; 10. Rickie Jones, 2,020.

Pro Stock Motorcycle
1. Hector Arana, 2,420; 2. Eddie Krawiec, 2,392; 3. Michael Phillips, 2,255; 4. Matt Smith, 2,253; 5. Andrew Hines, 2,249; 6. Douglas Horne, 2,210; 7. Karen Stoffer, 2,159; 8. Shawn Gann, 2,157; 9. Craig Treble, 2,136; 10. Matt Guidera, 2,020.

LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES RESULTS

Super Stock -- Mike Tueffel, Pontiac Grand Am, 8.690, 158.15 def. Jerry Emmons, Chevy Cavalier, 9.674, 135.61.

Stock Eliminator -- Danny Byrd, Chevy Camaro, 11.065, 118.04 def. Jerry Emmons, Camaro, 10.559, 124.57.

Super Comp -- Luke Bogacki, Dragster, 8.852, 180.31 def. Billy Torrence, Dragster, foul.

Super Gas -- Jeremy Jensen, Chevy Corvette, 9.911, 154.56 def. Brian Forrester, Corvette, 9.921, 156.88.

Back to Home Page

Events | Links | Advertising |Contact Us

© 2000 - 2009 Motorsport America