By John Sturbin | Raceday San Antonio
ENNIS – Kalitta Motorsports’ signature mosh-pit victory celebration was well underway late Sunday afternoon when J.R. Todd bounded out of his Funny Car at the top end of the Texas Motorplex.
Todd had just trailered championship point-leader Matt Hagan in the final of the 41st annual Texas NHRA FallNationals for his second victory of the season. With two races remaining in the six-event Countdown to the Championship playoffs, Todd’s victory not only temporarily paused Hagan’s bid for a fifth “Flopper” crown, it also rekindled his own title hopes and allowed for a bit of braggadocio.
“There’s a new sheriff in town, Ennis,” Todd declared after winning his first Funny Car national event on the Motorplex’s famed all-concrete surface. For the record, Todd previously scored a win in Top Fuel here in 2008, allowing him to join Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, Kenny Bernstein and Mike Dunn as the only four drivers to have raised a Wally trophy in NHRA’s premier nitromethane-powered categories at The Plex.
“Anytime that you can add your name to the list with Snake, that’s one of the coolest things in my book,” Todd said. “And I’m sure that he’ll call tonight or tomorrow, remind me how much better that he is and was and all that. But either way, it means a lot to me to be on that list with my heroes. Those are three of the baddest dudes to ever drive a Top Fuel and Funny Car.”
On Sunday, Todd covered the 1,000-foot distance in 3.931-seconds at 331.76 mph in a round staged with the ambient temperature at 70 degrees and track temp of 95. Hagan ran 4.050-seconds/316.57 mph in the menacing black Johnson’s Powered Garage Dodge/SRT Hellcat fielded by Tony Stewart Racing.
Todd defeated Spencer Hyde, Alexis DeJoria and Ron Capps to reach the final. Hagan left first in the championship round, but Todd flashed a solid 0.059-seconds reaction time, quickly tracking down his rival. Hagan advanced to the final for the fifth time in the past six races and the seventh time this season after defeating Hunter Green, Daniel Wilkerson and Jordan Vandergriff, who remained second in points. Vandergriff now trails Hagan by 98 points.
Todd and his DHL Toyota GR Supra began the weekend fifth in the Countdown standings, 132 points behind Hagan and on the fringe of elimination. Sunday’s win moved Todd to third, 119 points behind Hagan and 21 points (basically one round of racing) behind Vandergriff on the road to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“We just gotta go out there and execute like we did here this weekend,” said Todd, referring to the 26th annual Mopar NHRA Las Vegas Nationals powered by Dodge from Oct. 29-Nov. 1. “You know there’s no quit. My DHL guys don’t need pep talks or anything like that; they take the same approach week-in and week-out. They know we’re capable of winning every time we show up. That’s what I love about them.
“The driver doesn’t always rise to the occasion, but I felt like I was doing a good job today and that’s what we gotta do to come out here and try and beat these guys.”
NHRA’s 75th anniversary celebration and the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule will end Nov. 12-15 at the 61st annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona, Calif.
Todd, NHRA’s 2018 Funny Car champion, moved ahead point-wise of two-time/reigning champ Austin Prock in the Motorcraft Ford Mustang Dark Horse fielded by Bob Tasca Racing and 2012 champ Jack Beckman in the PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS fielded by John Force Racing after both exited in Round 2.
“Fast Jack” – the event’s No. 1 qualifier _ fell to three-time Funny Car champion Capps and his NAPA Hydraulic Fluids Toyota GR Supra. Prock was eliminated by Vandergriff, who, ironically, has replaced Prock in JFR’s Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS.
Vandergriff defeated No. 11 qualifier Blake Alexander in Round 1 with a run of 3.877-seconds at 338.37 mph _ his career-best speed – to Alexander’s 3.913-seconds at 332.47 mph. In Round 2, the Cornwell Tools Chevy ran 3.9232 at 332.01 mph, giving Vandergriff lane-choice in the semifinal against Hagan, while Prock was disqualified via a red light foul.
“It was a tough semifinal race against the point-leader that didn’t go our way,” said Vandergriff, a 31-year-old resident of Atlanta. “We had a huge chance to make up some ground but, when you shoot for it, sometimes you miss and we missed it this time.
“But we’re not out of it yet. We’re still in second in the points and we still have a shot at it. We have two races left and, if we go win both of those, then let the chips fall where they may. I have full confidence in (tuners) Chris Cunningham, Jason Bunker, this entire Cornwell Quality Tools team and in myself that we can get the job done.”
That series of events eventually set up Todd’s pairing against Hagan, a 43-year-old resident of Christiansburg, Va., a five-time winner at Hall of Famer Billy Meyer’s Motorplex and NHRA Funny Car champion in 2011, 2014, 2020 and 2023.
“Yeah, he’s (Hagan) making it tough on us,” said Todd, a 44-year-old resident of Jupiter, Fla. “I know he likes to go club and party and all that. So I told him today, I’m like, ‘Why don’t you just take a race off and give the rest of us a chance?’ And he didn’t.
“That was too funny, but I’m gonna have to figure something out because I don’t want to say it’s a long- shot because anything can happen in Vegas. And you got points-and-a-half in Pomona so we’ll just go to Vegas and see what shakes out there. But either way we just we got to do the best that we can.”
Now a 24-time national event winner, Todd admitted his season has been uneven. He has advanced to at least the semifinals 10 times but only had one win, one runner-up finish, eight semifinal showings and three No. 1 qualifiers on his resume as the Stampede of Speed began in and around Ennis and Ellis County.
“I mean, we’ve been up-and-down this year and top-five during the Countdown,” said Todd, whose bright yellow Toyota is tuned by crew chiefs Dickie Venables and Jon Oberhofer. “We can’t really make up much ground.
“For sure, it’s tough to get a win period, especially in the Countdown. And like I said, Hagan’s been making it really hard on everybody in the category. Second through sixth (in points) is like a serious battle. You take him (Hagan) out of the equation, that’s a hell of a run there. But yeah, these (wins) are hard to come by and to do it here…I mean, Dickie, this is his home state and running against those guys, it means a lot for him to beat those guys in the final.
“I definitely like the combination we have – strong, aggressive-minded crew chiefs. They come up with a plan of what the car’s gonna run, and it’s spot-on with what they said. It’s awesome to have that confidence in the crew chiefs and the guys putting the thing together. It’s pretty much in my hands to do my job and get this thing off the starting line on time all the time and get this DHL GR Supra to the finish line first. We just need to pick up another hundredth (of a second) or so, and we’ll be where we need to be.”
Beckman’s dominant weekend was snapped by Capps, who said he was dealing with some lower back and shoulder issues from the effects of a massive explosion that destroyed the bodywork of his NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra on Saturday.
Beckman defeated No. 16 qualifier and Texan resident Terry Haddock in the first round, running 3.884-seconds at 335.12 mph to Haddock’s 4.000-seconds at 315.21 mph. In Round 2 against Capps, the PEAK Chevy overpowered the track and smoked its tires almost immediately after the hit, allowing Capps to take the win.
“That’s about it for our championship hopes,” said Beckman, a 60-year-old resident of Corona, Calif. “Is there a kernel of hope left there? Yes, but we can’t control it. So, we’ll go to the next two races with the intent of winning every single round, leaving with the trophies and having a fantastic offseason.
“It’s super-frustrating to be the No. 1 qualifier, run consistently quick like that, and then have our PEAK Chevy not go five feet in the second round before it blew the tires off. (Tuners) Daniel Hood and Tim Fabrisi will have that remedied by the time we roll into Las Vegas. We have such a great race car. I’m not going to let one run get us down.”
ENNIS, Texas — Final finish order (1-16) at the 41st annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex. The race is the 18th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
TOP FUEL:
1. Antron Brown; 2. Maddi Gordon; 3. Shawn Langdon; 4. Justin Ashley; 5. Leah Pruett; 6. Will Smith; 7. Doug Kalitta; 8. Tony Stewart; 9. Billy Torrence; 10. Shawn Reed; 11. Tony Schumacher; 12. Josh Hart; 13. Dan Mercier; 14. Jake Sanders; 15. Clay Millican; 16. Spencer Massey.
FUNNY CAR:
1. J.R. Todd; 2. Matt Hagan; 3. Ron Capps; 4. Jordan Vandergriff; 5. Alexis DeJoria; 6. Austin Prock; 7. Jack Beckman; 8. Paul Lee; 9. Cruz Pedregon; 10. Blake Alexander; 11. Spencer Hyde; 12. Dave Richards; 13. Chad Green; 14. Terry Haddock; 15. Hunter Green; 16. Daniel Wilkerson.
PRO STOCK:
1. Dallas Glenn; 2. Matt Hartford; 3. Greg Anderson; 4. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 5. Jeg Coughlin; 6. Erica Enders; 7. Matt Latino; 8. Chris Vang; 9. Deric Kramer; 10. Cody Anderson; 11. Jerry Tucker; 12. Kenny Delco; 13. Eric Latino; 14. Stephen Bell; 15. Aaron Stanfield; 16. Greg Stanfield.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:
1. Matt Smith; 2. Richard Gadson; 3. Ryan Oehler; 4. Steve Johnson; 5. Gaige Herrera; 6. Joey Gladstone; 7. Chase Van Sant; 8. Angie Smith; 9. Clayton Howey; 10. Malcolm Phillips Jr.; 11. John Hall; 12. Hector Arana Jr; 13. Geno Scali; 14. Marc Ingwersen; 15. GT Tonglet; 16. Chris Bostick.
ENNIS, Texas — Sunday’s final results from the 41st annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex. The race is the 18th of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:
Top Fuel — Antron Brown, 3.706 seconds, 335.75 mph def. Maddi Gordon, Foul – Red Light.
Funny Car — J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 3.931, 331.76 def. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.050, 316.57.
Pro Stock — Dallas Glenn, Chevy Camaro, 6.478, 212.30 def. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.496, 212.37.
Pro Stock Motorcycle — Matt Smith, Buell, 6.660, 203.08 def. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.654, 203.79.
Top Alcohol Dragster — Shawn Cowie, 5.207, 279.69 def. Alan Bradshaw, Broke.
Top Alcohol Funny Car — Shane Westerfield, Chevy Camaro, 5.479, 266.73 def. Doug Gordon, Camaro, 5.478, 241.27.
Competition Eliminator — Christopher Benham, Spitzer, 7.426, 148.89 def. Monty Bogan, Pontiac G5, 8.447, 127.30.
Super Stock — Jeremy Duncan, Chevy Camaro, 9.213, 139.09 def. Larry Hodge, Chevy Cavalier, 9.717, 131.67.
Stock Eliminator — Chris Knudsen, Chevy Camaro, 10.226, 125.13 def. Paul Stalba, Chevy Corvette, 10.205, 119.68.
Super Comp — Kyle Secrest, Dragster, 8.895, 174.11 def. Tom Stalba, Dragster, 88.911, 174.45.
Super Gas — Kyle Pawuk, Chevy Bel Air, 9.920, 161.98 def. Jeremy Demers, Chevy Corvette, 9.929, 157.55.
Super Street — Ross Ragland, Chevy Camaro, 10.913, 133.28 def. Cary Huber, Chevy Nova, 10.932, 126.45.
Top Dragster — Crystal Peterson-Martinez, Dragster, 6.111, 214.79 def. Dylan Hough, Dragster, 6.163, 223.99.
Top Sportsman — Chanse Bullock, Pontiac GTO, 6.526, 206.01 def. Jim Thorp, Chevy Camaro, 6.218, 230.38.
Outlaw Street — Carson Baker, Chevy Camaro, 3.666, 205.35 def. Clay Cole, Camaro, 3.662, 213.37.
Factory Stock Showdown — Mark Pawuk, Dodge Charger, 7.522, 185.07 def. Lee Hartman, Dodge Challenger, 7.542, 183.32.
Junior Dragster Shootout — Tyler Wells, 8.210, 83.21 def. Abigail Wilson, McIlivan, 7.994, 82.59.
ENNIS, Texas — Final round-by-round results from the 41st annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex, the 18th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:
TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE — Will Smith, 3.746, 334.65 def. Josh Hart, 3.778, 338.04; Maddi Gordon, 3.715, 340.08 def. Shawn Reed, 3.743, 331.98; Antron Brown, 3.715, 337.99 def. Dan Mercier, 3.789, 328.44; Doug Kalitta, 3.687, 341.61 def. Tony Schumacher, 3.764, 335.07; Tony Stewart, 3.696, 338.55 def. Spencer Massey, Foul – Red Light; Shawn Langdon, 3.705, 340.37 def. Jake Sanders, 3.808, 324.82; Leah Pruett, 3.684, 338.86 def. Billy Torrence, 3.731, 336.80; Justin Ashley, 3.738, 327.96 def. Clay Millican, 5.406, 122.09;
QUARTERFINALS — Langdon, 3.707, 339.88 def. Smith, 3.743, 333.68; Ashley, 4.222, 257.94 def. Stewart, 4.925, 158.37; Gordon, 3.720, 336.70 def. Kalitta, 4.438, 185.31; Brown, 3.696, 338.40 def. Pruett, 3.735, 335.57;
SEMIFINALS — Gordon, 3.722, 335.07 def. Ashley, 9.567, 78.30; Brown, 3.720, 334.32 def. Langdon, 3.738, 337.89;
FINAL — Brown, 3.706, 335.75 def. Gordon, Foul – Red Light.
FUNNY CAR:
ROUND ONE — J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 3.940, 329.60 def. Spencer Hyde, Ford Mustang, 3.917, 324.00; Alexis DeJoria, Chevy Camaro, 3.902, 331.56 def. Dave Richards, Mustang, 3.953, 332.84; Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.918, 332.20 def. Hunter Green, Charger, 9.466, 91.42; Jack Beckman, Camaro, 3.884, 335.12 def. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 4.000, 315.21; Austin Prock, Mustang, 3.883, 331.74 def. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.897, 326.61; Jordan Vandergriff, Camaro, 3.877, 338.37 def. Blake Alexander, Toyota Supra, 3.913, 332.47; Paul Lee, Charger, 4.095, 255.87 def. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, Foul – Red Light; Ron Capps, GR Supra, 3.922, 330.11 def. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.976, 299.72;
QUARTERFINALS — Hagan, 3.948, 331.37 def. Lee, 11.077, 58.40; Capps, 3.917, 332.67 def. Beckman, 10.111, 85.17; Vandergriff, 3.922, 332.01 def. Prock, Foul – Red Light; Todd, 3.930, 333.75 def. DeJoria, 3.890, 314.66;
SEMIFINALS — Hagan, 3.931, 335.10 def. Vandergriff, 11.821, 72.73; Todd, 3.912, 333.01 def. Capps, 3.933, 330.86;
FINAL — Todd, 3.931, 331.76 def. Hagan, 4.050, 316.57.
PRO STOCK:
ROUND ONE — Jeg Coughlin, Chevy Camaro, 6.509, 211.55 def. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.972, 177.84; Chris Vang, Camaro, 6.500, 210.73 def. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.498, 212.54; Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.477, 211.82 def. Cody Anderson, Camaro, 6.491, 210.83; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.478, 212.50 def. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.481, 212.40; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.473, 212.75 def. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.496, 210.86; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.464, 212.87 def. Stephen Bell, Camaro, 6.527, 210.76; Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.495, 212.62 def. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, Foul – Red Light; Matt Latino, Camaro, 6.481, 212.66 def. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.495, 210.52;
QUARTERFINALS — Hartford, 6.501, 212.98 def. Vang, 20.554, 38.17; Coughlin Jr., 6.505, 211.39 def. M. Latino, 6.539, 212.19; G. Anderson, 6.487, 212.22 def. Enders, 6.511, 212.30; Glenn, 6.482, 212.33 def. Coughlin, 6.503, 211.21;
SEMIFINALS — Hartford, 6.843, 210.69 def. Coughlin Jr., 15.430, 69.66; Glenn, 6.498, 212.22 def. G. Anderson, 6.520, 211.42;
FINAL — Glenn, 6.478, 212.30 def. Hartford, 6.496, 212.37.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:
ROUND ONE — Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.674, 200.65 def. John Hall, Buell, 6.803, 201.32; Angie Smith, Buell, 6.739, 201.97 def. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.925, 180.88; Ryan Oehler, 6.729, 199.35 def. Clayton Howey, Buell, 6.785, 197.04; Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.762, 201.11 def. Geno Scali, Suzuki, 6.822, 200.48; Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.694, 201.88 def. Marc Ingwersen, 6.835, 197.10; Joey Gladstone, Buell, 6.772, 200.44 def. GT Tonglet, Buell, 6.886, 196.68; Matt Smith, Buell, 6.693, 201.78 def. Malcolm Phillips Jr., Suzuki, 6.791, 199.16; Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.669, 202.46 def. Hector Arana Jr, Foul – Red Light;
QUARTERFINALS — Oehler, 6.762, 200.52 def. Gladstone, 6.803, 199.50; Gadson, 6.719, 201.13 def. A. Smith, 8.940, 95.65; M. Smith, 6.715, 201.22 def. Van Sant, 6.811, 199.29; Johnson, 6.673, 201.23 def. Herrera, 6.669, 202.68;
SEMIFINALS — M. Smith, 6.718, 200.70 def. Oehler, 6.778, 200.53; Gadson, 6.703, 201.30 def. Johnson, 6.780, 198.59;
FINAL — M. Smith, 6.660, 203.08 def. Gadson, 6.654, 203.79.
ENNIS, Texas — Point standings (top 10) following the 41st annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex, the 18th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series –
Top Fuel
1. Shawn Langdon, 2,546; 2. Doug Kalitta, 2,407; 3. Antron Brown, 2,322; 4. Tony Stewart, 2,294; 5. Leah Pruett, 2,281; 6. Will Smith, 2,261; 7. Maddi Gordon, 2,260; 8. Justin Ashley, 2,227; 9. Billy Torrence, 2,198; 10. Josh Hart, 2,197.
Funny Car
1. Matt Hagan, 2,503; 2. Jordan Vandergriff, 2,405; 3. J.R. Todd, 2,384; 4. Austin Prock, 2,348; 5. Jack Beckman, 2,343; 6. Ron Capps, 2,315; 7. Alexis DeJoria, 2,276; 8. Daniel Wilkerson, 2,207; 9. Chad Green, 2,155; 10. Spencer Hyde, 2,149.
Pro Stock
1. Dallas Glenn, 2,432; 2. Greg Stanfield, 2,418; 3. Matt Hartford, 2,391; 4. Greg Anderson, 2,354; 5. Troy Coughlin Jr., 2,333; 6. (tie) Cody Anderson, 2,250; Aaron Stanfield, 2,250; 8. Jeg Coughlin, 2,248; 9. Matt Latino, 2,228; 10. Erica Enders, 2,208.
Pro Stock Motorcycle
1. Richard Gadson, 2,475; 2. Gaige Herrera, 2,417; 3. Matt Smith, 2,390; 4. Ryan Oehler, 2,334; 5. John Hall, 2,308; 6. Jianna Evaristo, 2,288; 7. Angie Smith, 2,287; 8. Chase Van Sant, 2,242; 9. Steve Johnson, 2,171; 10. Clayton Howey, 2,158.
