Courtesy of the NHRA
TOPEKA, Kan. – The Mello Yello Drag Racing Series eliminations at the 30th annual Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals were postponed by NHRA officials due to inclement weather conditions following an eight-hour rain delay at the start of the day.
Racing in the Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock categories as well as the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series eliminations will be completed on Monday.
The remaining Top Fuel drivers in competition are Clay Millican, Tony Schumacher, Steve Torrence, and Terry McMillen.
Millican, the No. 1 qualifier at the event, took down Terry Totten and Doug Kalitta en route to the semifinals, as he prepares for the eight-time Top Fuel champion Schumacher on Monday.
“We will have to come in and start from scratch but we have lane choice in the morning and the weather is what it is,” Millican said. “It was rewarding to turn on the win lights, get to another semifinal, and hopefully get to more win lights tomorrow.”
Torrence will face McMillen with eliminations resume in the other match-up.
The four remaining Funny Car drivers are No. 1 qualifier Courtney Force, J.R. Todd, Shawn Langdon, and defending Funny Car champion Robert Hight. Todd, who has two wins this season will face Force, the current points leader.
“It was a completely different day of racing when you compare the conditions from qualifying,” Force said. “We had to wait around eight hours and then had to pedal it in the first round. I actually had to pedal it a couple times but we were able to get that win light in the first round. We lost lane choice for the second round against (Matt) Hagan but man, my team laid down a solid number. We gave it all we had and put it all out there with this Advance Auto Parts Camaro.”
Langdon will face off against Hight on Monday.
Pro Stock competitors completed one round of eliminations on Sunday, as No. 1 qualifier Deric Kramer prepares for Matt Hartford in the second round.
“It was fun running my old car with Will [Hatcher] driving in the other lane,” Kramer said. “I’m excited to be running on Monday because I think we’ve got a real shot at this in our American Ethanol Camaro.”
Richard Freeman, Jason Line, Erica Enders, Tanner Gray, Greg Anderson, and Drew Skillman are the other remaining Pro Stock racers in competition this weekend.
Mello Yello Drag Racing Series action at the Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals presented by Minties will continue at 10:00 a.m. on Monday starting with the Top Fuel class.
