Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel) and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) also will lead their categories into Sunday’s 11 a.m. eliminations at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event.

Force, a 15-time NHRA world champion, claimed the 141st No. 1 qualifying position of his career and his 11th at Heartland Park Topeka by clocking a track record time of 4.043 seconds at 313.22 mph in his Castrol GTX Ford Mustang. He will meet former teammate Tony Pedregon in the opening round of racing.

John Force

“I’d like to take credit, but credit goes to the people,” said Force, who has won nine of his NHRA-record 134 victories at Heartland Park Topeka. “It starts with [crew chief] Mike Neff. We’ve been struggling without a doubt. My dad always taught me that when you’re struggling, don’t change midstream and forget which way you’re going; that’s going backwards. The guys believe in me, and I believe in them. They’ve turned my car around.”

Force’s daughter Courtney was second in her Traxxas Mustang with a 4.050 at 315.56 and will race Dale Creasy Jr. in the opening round. Friday top qualifier Robert Hight dropped to third, but improved on his time from yesterday, posting a 4.050 at 315.12 in his Auto Club Mustang. His first round opponent is Canadian Jeff Arend.

“We’re one, two and three and this means a lot that John Force still knows what he’s doing, because I do,” said Force, who earned his last No. 1 qualifying position in Chicago last June. “I surround myself with good people.”

One intriguing first round match includes the current Funny Car points leader, Cruz Pedregon in the Snap-on Tools Toyota, facing the defending world champion and last year’s event winner here, Jack Beckman, who drives the MTS/Valvoline Dodge Charger.

In Top Fuel, Langdon earned his third No. 1 of the season and ninth of his career with a performance of 3.767 at 322.50 in his Al-Anabi Racing dragster. He said team manager and tuning wizard Alan Johnson predicted the car would be very quick in the third session.

Shawn Langdon

“We might have got that No. 1 qualifying position last night, but it kicked the rods out right before the lights,” Langdon said. “We feel like we can get a little more out of it by working on our cylinder-dropping issue on the top end. The weather held out with the cloud cover today, and we felt that the third session was the session to really go for it.”

Langdon will seek his first Topeka victory and his second win of the season with an opening round match against veteran driver Pat Dakin.

“[Crew chief] Brian Husen does a great job making the right calls at the right time, and Alan Johnson just works magic out there,” Langdon said. “I saw Alan with his hands on his hips with his sunglasses on before the last run, so I could tell he was in his thinking mode with the track getting hotter. He made some last-minute changes to the clutch that worked out.”

Friday’s qualifying leader Tony Schumacher was second with a 3.769 at 326.08 in the U.S. Army dragster and will meet Houston winner Bob Vandergriff in the first round.  Doug Kalitta qualified third in the Mac Tools dragster with a 3.770 at 324.98 and will face Morgan Lucas in the opener.

Edwards cruised to his seventh top qualifying position of the season in Pro Stock, and will race Steve Kent in the opening round. Edwards took his 48th career No. 1 and fourth at HPT with his Friday run of 6.618 at 208.55 in his Interstate Batteries/I Am Second Chevy Camaro.

“The air wasn’t as good for us today with a higher water count, and that really affects the Pro Stock engines,” Edwards said. “They just don’t burn water very well. But even though it slowed us down and we had a problem with the transmission dead-heading the gears in the final session, we still ran very well against the rest of the field, and we’re looking forward to tomorrow.”

Edwards jointly holds the record for most No. 1 qualifying positions in a season (16) with Greg Anderson. After taking seven top spots in the first eight races, the Oklahoma native is on a similar roll to his magical 2009 season.

“Some people say that qualifying No. 1 is not that big of a deal, but to us it’s really awesome,” said Edwards, a two-time winner at HPT. “We’ve been able to do it from sea level to altitudes as high as 4,100 feet, and that’s a great feeling to be able to do it.”

Erica Enders-Stevens qualified second with a 6.625 at 208.30 in her Black iGuana Chevy Camaro and will race fellow Houston native Rodger Brogdon in the first round, while defending event winner and world champ Allen Johnson will start third in his Team Mopar Dodge Avenger and will meet Deric Kramer in the opening round.

TOPEKA, Kan. — Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the 25th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka, the eighth of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.  Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.

Top Fuel

1. Shawn Langdon, 3.767 seconds, 322.50 mph  vs. 16. Pat Dakin, 3.918, 312.71; 2. Tony Schumacher, 3.769, 326.08  vs. 15. Bob Vandergriff, 3.872, 317.64; 3. Doug Kalitta, 3.770, 324.98  vs. 14. Morgan Lucas, 3.854, 315.86; 4. Khalid alBalooshi, 3.794, 324.44  vs. 13. Brittany Force, 3.846, 320.89; 5. Spencer Massey, 3.794, 323.19  vs. 12. Terry McMillen, 3.842, 321.96; 6. Antron Brown, 3.803, 316.15  vs. 11. Leah Pruett, 3.833, 313.00; 7. Clay Millican, 3.811, 321.12 vs. 10. Brandon Bernstein, 3.819, 324.90; 8. David Grubnic, 3.813, 319.75  vs. 9. Steve Torrence, 3.817, 319.60. Did Not Qualify: 17. Scott Palmer, 3.995, 286.32; 18. Tim Cullinan, 4.062, 291.70; 19. Luigi Novelli, 4.067, 264.60.

Funny Car

1. John Force, Ford Mustang, 4.043, 313.22  vs. 16. Tony Pedregon, Toyota Camry, 4.628, 270.81; 2. Courtney Force, Mustang, 4.050, 315.56  vs. 15. Dale Creasy Jr., Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.297, 284.45; 3. Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.050, 315.12  vs. 14. Jeff Arend, Dodge Charger, 4.132, 306.60; 4. Johnny Gray, Charger, 4.053, 313.37  vs. 13. Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 4.119, 303.30; 5. Del Worsham, Camry, 4.065, 313.15  vs. 12. Chad Head, Camry, 4.105, 310.13; 6. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.069, 312.57  vs. 11. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.094, 314.02; 7. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.071, 310.55  vs. 10. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.087, 309.77; 8. Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 4.079, 302.55  vs. 9. Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.081, 312.42. Did Not Qualify: 17. Todd Simpson, 5.293, 206.35.

Pro Stock

1. Mike Edwards, Chevy Camaro, 6.618, 208.55  vs. 16. Steve Kent, Camaro, 6.742, 206.01; 2. Erica Enders-Stevens, Camaro, 6.625, 208.30  vs. 15. Rodger Brogdon, Camaro, 6.723, 206.35; 3. Allen Johnson, Dodge Avenger, 6.633, 208.62  vs. 14. Deric Kramer, Avenger, 6.709, 205.07; 4. Jeg Coughlin, Avenger, 6.633, 208.46  vs. 13. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.699, 206.54; 5. Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.640, 208.04  vs. 12. Rickie Jones, Camaro, 6.669, 207.88; 6. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.655, 207.88  vs. 11. Larry Morgan, Ford Mustang, 6.668, 206.99; 7. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.657, 208.20  vs. 10. Matt Hartford, Avenger, 6.667, 207.53; 8. V. Gaines, Avenger, 6.658, 208.52  vs. 9. Vincent Nobile, Avenger, 6.666, 207.78. Did Not Qualify: 17. Chris McGaha, 6.754, 206.07.

Hight set the pace in Funny Car, powering his Auto Club Ford Mustang to a leading effort of 4.067 at 302.62 mph at Heartland Park Topeka. If the effort holds, this would be Hight’s first No. 1 of the season, fifth at Topeka and the 44th of his career.

Courtney Force

“We’ve been struggling in the early part of the run lately, and we definitely got it today,” Hight said. “The back half of those two runs weren’t very good. If it would have finished those runs out, this thing would have run really good. This thing could’ve run 4.03, easily. It put cylinders out on the last run because it didn’t have enough clutch to lock up.

“We definitely fixed what we’ve been looking at for almost a year. [Crew chief] Jimmy Prock just hit it right out of the box. I know it’s only two runs, but we found what we’re missing.”

Hight’s teammate Courtney Force was second with a 4.068 at 312.86 in her Traxxas Ford Mustang, and Tim Wilkerson was third in his Levi, Ray & Shoup Mustang with a 4.071 at 310.55. DHL Toyota Camry driver Del Worsham was fourth with a 4.072 at 312.64.

Schumacher, the series points leader in the 8,000-horsepower Top Fuel category, posted a 3.769 second run at 326.08 mph in his U.S. Army dragster to move from the bottom of the qualifying order up to the top of the 16-car field.

“The track was really smooth,” Schumacher said. “My (crew) took a good look at it and made the decision to go fast. (Crew chief) Mike Green made a great call there under the pressure after being bumped out of the top 12. It was a great run.”

Tony Schumacher

If his time holds through Saturday’s final two qualifying sessions (12:15 and 2:30 p.m.), this would be Schumacher’s second No. 1 of the season, second at Topeka and the 73rd of his career.

Doug Kalitta was second in his Mac Tools dragster with a 3.770 at 324.98 and Shawn Langdon was third in his Al-Anabi Racing dragster, posting a 3.777 at 317.34.

In Pro Stock, series points leader Edwards continued his recent momentum in the category by posting a leading performance of 6.618 at 208.55 in his Interstate Batteries/I Am Second Chevy Camaro.

“We’re just making nice runs right now,” Edwards said. “We’re trying to keep it simple for ourselves by just adjusting to the conditions where we are racing. This car is so consistent that it is just phenomenal.”

The quick run was anything but routine for the 2009 world champ and two-time Topeka winner. After servicing the car following the first qualifying attempt, Edwards fired it up in the pits during the warm-up and said the car didn’t sound right. With 25 minutes left before the second qualifying session, his crew jumped to action to replace the engine. They barely made it.

“To me, making the engine change that quick was more impressive than qualifying No. 1,” Edwards said. “And there’s two guys on my crew who just started with me this year. Getting everything fastened and tight was really an accomplishment. I’m really proud of those guys.”

If Edwards’ time stands, it will be his seventh No. 1 of the season, fourth at HPT and 48th of his career. Erica Enders-Stevens was second in her BLACK iGUANA Chevy Camaro with a 6.625 at 208.62 and defending event winner and world champ Allen Johnson was third in his Team Mopar Dodge Avenger with a 6.633 at 208.62.

 (Photos courtesy NHRA/National Dragster; JFR/Lester; Click to enlarge)

TOPEKA, Kan. — Friday’s results after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the 25th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka, eighth of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.  Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday’s final eliminations.

Top Fuel

1. Tony Schumacher, 3.769 seconds, 326.08 mph; 2. Doug Kalitta, 3.770, 324.98; 3. Shawn Langdon, 3.777, 317.34; 4. Khalid alBalooshi, 3.794, 324.44; 5. Spencer Massey, 3.794, 319.75; 6. Antron Brown, 3.803, 316.15; 7. Clay Millican, 3.811, 321.12; 8. David Grubnic, 3.813, 319.75; 9. Brandon Bernstein, 3.819, 324.90; 10. Steve Torrence, 3.822, 317.72; 11. Leah Pruett, 3.833, 311.85; 12. Terry McMillen, 3.842, 321.96.  Not Qualified: 13. Brittany Force, 3.847, 319.52; 14. Bob Vandergriff, 3.848, 317.57; 15. Morgan Lucas, 3.856, 315.78; 16. Pat Dakin, 3.887, 312.71; 17. Scott Palmer, 4.012, 264.60; 18. Luigi Novelli, 4.378, 214.38; 19. Tim Cullinan, 4.925, 144.74.

Funny Car

1. Robert Hight, Ford Mustang, 4.067, 302.62; 2. Courtney Force, Mustang, 4.068, 312.86; 3. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.071, 310.55; 4. Del Worsham, Toyota Camry, 4.072, 312.64; 5. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.081, 312.57; 6. Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.096, 310.48; 7. Chad Head, Camry, 4.105, 310.13; 8. John Force, Mustang, 4.117, 309.27; 9. Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 4.126, 300.06; 10. Jeff Arend, Charger, 4.132, 306.60; 11. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.136, 310.70; 12. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.147, 304.32.  Not Qualified: 13. Tony Pedregon, 4.251, 270.81; 14. Alexis DeJoria, 4.296, 251.30; 15. Johnny Gray, 4.687, 269.35; 16. Todd Simpson, 4.783, 206.35; 17. Dale Creasy Jr., 5.222, 163.87.

Pro Stock

1. Mike Edwards, Chevy Camaro, 6.618, 208.55; 2. Erica Enders-Stevens, Camaro, 6.625, 208.30; 3. Allen Johnson, Dodge Avenger, 6.633, 208.62; 4. Jeg Coughlin, Avenger, 6.633, 208.46; 5. Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.640, 208.04; 6. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.655, 207.88; 7. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.657, 208.20; 8. V. Gaines, Avenger, 6.658, 208.52; 9. Vincent Nobile, Avenger, 6.666, 207.78; 10. Matt Hartford, Avenger, 6.667, 207.53; 11. Larry Morgan, Ford Mustang, 6.668, 206.99; 12. Rickie Jones, Camaro, 6.669, 207.88.  Not Qualified: 13. Greg Stanfield, 6.672, 206.54; 14. Rodger Brogdon, 6.709, 206.35; 15. Chris McGaha, 6.715, 206.07; 16. Steve Kent, 6.717, 206.01; 17. Deric Kramer, 10.035, 90.58.

The X-DRL created the eight-car shootout for the Pro X-treme, Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous and X-treme Pro Stock classes, and will award each class $25,000 ($75,000 overall). But to qualify for the X-Treme Shootout drivers must be a top-eight points earner this weekend at No Problem Raceway in Belle Rose, La., which puts a spotlight on the X-DRL’s first visit to the track.

“I am really excited about the Bash On The Bayou race. I have never been to this track and all I hear is good things. The X-treme Shootout race is really big to us, and Brandon (Pesz) and I have been talking about this since it was announced at Bristol,” Pro X-treme driver Todd Martin said.

“We have mapped out several different scenarios for the race. The best one is just to win first round. If not, then you would have to do some pretty creative stuff in qualifying to make it. But it’s not just the money on the line, it is the opportunity to get to race in a special event at the Granddaddy of all race tracks at Indianapolis.”

Terry Leggett

Winners of the “X-treme Shootout” in all three classes will earn $10,000 in addition to the regular purse at the event. If a driver wins both the “X-treme Shootout” and the Thunder In The Heartland event in their respective class, the X-DRL also announced it will award that driver an additional $5,000 double-up bonus. In all, a driver in PX, PN, XPS could win $21,500 should they win both the eight-car shootout and event.

But competitors must take care of business at No Problem Raceway first.

“It’s a really important event and I’m really excited about it. We certainly want to end up in the shootout,” Pro X-treme driver Terry Leggett said. “The car is running well and I think we have a real good gameplan. We’re hoping to have a really good weekend.

“There’s definitely going to be some pressure. The first round will be like a final at any other race as far as pressure,” Leggett said.

Frankie Taylor (top), who ran the fastest time in X-DRL history through two races by going 3.646 in Bristol, sees it as a tremendous chance to lower that record while also qualifying for the shootout.

“It’s going to be a great opportunity to go fast and the forecast looks good, too,” Taylor said. “It’s not too far from home, and having something like the X-treme Shootout on the line makes for an even better race. We can’t wait to start racing.”

Todd Hoerner

It’s also a chance for some drivers to immediately turn around their seasons. It has been a struggle through two races for X-treme Pro Stock standout Todd Hoerner, but a strong performance at No Problem Raceway could put him back on track, and into the shootout as well.

“I’m hopeful guys will come to have a chance at the big purses. It was great for the X-DRL to step up and do this for the racers, and it brings excitement to an already competitive program,” Hoerner said. “I hope the racers decide to come race in Belle Rose, and also I hope the fans come to watch some great side-by-side racing.”

Todd Tutterow and his GALOT Motorsports team had a strong performance in Bristol before the event was rained out, switching from a turbocharger combination to a blower motor in Pro X-treme. It yielded good results almost immediately, as Tutterow ran a season-best 3.672, and he’s excited to continue that momentum at No Problem Raceway.

“The GALOT Motorsports team has had a great season so far, and we’re excited to be a part of the X-DRL’s X-treme Shootout. Our Pro X-Treme Mustang has been running really well lately and we’re feeling confident about the pair making some strong passes,” Tutterow said. “This is a great opportunity for all of the drivers involved in the PX, PN and XPS classes and we would like to thank the X-DRL for the opportunity to be involved.”

Bob Rahaim

For 2012 Pro Nitrous world champion Bob Rahaim, the institution of the “X-treme Shootout” is an indication of the direction the X-DRL is headed. Rahaim, who was the No. 1 qualifier in Tulsa, will be racing for the first time at No Problem Raceway and hopes to get a strong read on the track throughout qualifying in the Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous class.

“The X-treme Shootout is exciting and it’s going to be a really neat deal there. I’m excited for everybody at the X-DRL. I think they’re on the right track. It’s going to take time to put it all together, but the tracks have been good and the people have been great,” Rahaim said. “We just have to do our thing and let the chips fall where they may. I’ve never been this to track, so that’s going to present a whole series of things to sort, but I’m sure if the weather cooperates, we’ll have a good handle for eliminations.”

Competitors will get three qualifying attempts on Friday and one on Saturday before eliminations begin. Live coverage of the event will be available at www.X-DRL.com, www.1320go.com and www.dragracecentral.com.

(DI.com file photos by Ian Tocher; Click to enlarge)

Last weekend in Atlanta, Gray raced to the closing round of eliminations for the third consecutive event; in Charlotte at the four-wide race several weeks ago, the second-generation drag racer put together a better combination than this challengers to qualify all the way up in the No. 3 position and then move through eliminations. The Denver, N.C.-based Gray graduated to the last act and came up short at what he has considered his home track for the past few years, but the stage was set for positive and rather immediate future results.

Shane Gray

Just one week later in Houston, Gray improved to start from the No. 2 position and powered his way through eliminations once again with support from his motivated team. Gray’s Texas triumphs included knocking out the defending series champion en route to the final and then posting a 6.589 in the money round that was identical to his opponent and lost by just a tick.

Another top-half qualifying effort came through in Atlanta, and the Gray Motorsports crew prepared a great racecar for Sunday. When the car wasn’t quicker than that of his opponent, Gray made up the difference at the starting line with a collection of psychic .00-second reactions, including a .001-second start in the final. Gray was just two-hundredths of a second away from sharing the winner’s circle with his father, Atlanta Funny Car winner Johnny Gray, in what would have marked the first time in the history of NHRA that a father and son doubled-up in the professional ranks at a national event.

“That sure would have been neat, and we truly believe we can make that happen this year if everything lines up right again. We have so many important guys with us at the track and back at the shop who contribute to where we are today with this program, and hopefully we’re closing in on a win,” said Gray.

“My crew chief Justin Elkes is just awesome, and Rick Jones has sure been a huge help. Nick Ferri heads up the engine department, Jerry Haas has given us a great racecar with the Gray Motorsports Chevy Camaro, and I think the combination of everybody working together just makes my job pretty darn easy.”

A return to Topeka marks a journey back to the site of Gray’s most recent victory in the extremely tight Pro Stock class; he won there in 2011, and after a humbling 2012 in which no further victories were logged, Gray is eager to see what he can do in Kansas with a rejuvenated, thriving program.

“Racing is a combination of a lot of things, and right now, we’ve got a good racecar and good engines,” said Gray. “Really, it just gives you confidence. When the car is bad, you don’t know whether it’s going to go right, left, up, down, backwards, forward. You just don’t know what it’s going to do, and that takes away any confidence you might have had in a sport where confidence is key – but here lately, the Gray Motorsports Chevy Camaro has been a car that I can count on.

“I feel good. I’m genuinely excited. I have a great car and an awesome team behind me, and that’s really all I can ask for. The rest is up to me.”

(Photos by Ian Tocher; Click to enlarge)

Pedregon’s nitro Funny Car team is enthusiastic about having Herzog back on board for the eighth race of the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

“Herzog has been a longtime supporter of my team,” said Pedregon. “Although they scaled back some this year, it is great for them to step in at their home track and continue to show how much they value their customers and the sport of Drag Racing.”

“Herzog Contracting Corp. is once again excited to pair up with Tony Pedregon Racing for the NHRA Kansas Nationals,” said Dan Samford, Vice President of Equipment Division. “Our seven-year run with the Pedregons brought us two NHRA Funny Car World Championships. That’s something that put us as sponsors in an elite group.

“The Pedregon’s bring excitement and all out competition to the line each time they compete in the NHRA Drag Racing Series.”

Herzog has been affiliated with the team since 2004 and plans to have a large group of employees and customers in attendance for the race.

“We will be at Topeka in full force with the Herzog group of employees and customers to hopefully put the Herzog branded Toyota in the winner’s circle,” said Samford. “Herzog is a full service, ‘all out’ transportation contractor. We put our customers in the winner’s circle with each project we complete and NHRA entertainment does the same with every event they produce.”

Pedregon made his mark on the Heartland Park in Topeka when he won sequential races in 2001, 2002, and 2003.

Enders-Stevens has inked an initial two-race marketing partnership with Tomball, Texas-based DGI Beverage, creators of the innovative pouch drink. The wildly popular NHRA racer will continue her Championship hunt with Cagnazzi Racing, introducing the BLACK iGUANA brand of packaged cocktails to drag racing fans nationwide.

Erica Enders-Stevens

“We’re very excited to bring BLACK iGUANA the national exposure and marketing horsepower it deserves. They’ve been huge supporters of ours and couldn’t be a better group of guys to work with. It’s a great product with a taste, look and convenience that can become a major player in the industry,” said Enders-Stevens.

“As they work on growth and investment as a company, we’re looking to prove our program and the loyal NHRA fans can play a huge role in achieving their corporate goals. If we do our job, and the fans respond well, this is just the beginning of a very exciting marketing partnership.”

With their entry into NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing, DGI Beverage looks to grow the BLACK iGUANA brand with a national marketing program that follows the same grassroots philosophy of promotion that got them their start. The family-run company regularly sponsors and supported local festivals, music and community events across the South.

“We came up with the idea for BLACK iGUANA while enjoying time spent outdoors with family and friends. And that’s what going to the races is all about,” said co-founder Earl Castor.

“We fell in love with Erica and how the drag racing community supports products that support NHRA teams. It’s fans get an experience and level of access to their favorite drivers that’s unlike anything else in motorsports. We want to be a part of that.”

The NHRA Kansas Nationals begin at 5:00 PM CDT at Heartland Park Topeka and continuing Saturday at 12:15 PM. Sunday eliminations are set to begin at 11:00 AM. ESPN2’s broadcast of qualifying will begin at 4:30 PM on Saturday, with eliminations airing at 8:00 PM Sunday, May 19th.

Hagan, in his Magneti Marelli/Rocky Footwear Dodge Charger recently raced to his first win of the season at Charlotte, breaking a 23-race winless streak. Last weekend at Atlanta, when Hagan raced to the No. 1 qualifying position he ended a 29-race drought from the top of the qualifying order.

Matt Hagan

“You never doubt yourself; you always put that first foot forward and know it could be your weekend at any time,” Hagan said. “It really just helped our team come together. We have a new deal, a new outlook and I think as far as having a new leader here with [crew chief] Dickie [Venables] tuning this car, it didn’t take as long as I thought it would with a change like that.

“I’m very excited about that. I’m excited that we ended our drought. I think that we kind of created our own drought so it was nice to come out of something that I think we created ourselves.”

When the 2011 Funny Car season came to a close, Hagan was on top of the world. He won the season-ending event in Pomona, was crowned the Funny Car world champion for the first time in his career and his focus was set on 2012 and the defense of his championship. But four first-round losses and one failure to qualify in the first six races of 2012 derailed his championship defense hopes and the team never rose higher than 11th in points.

This season is turning out to be a complete opposite for the team with one win, two runner-up finishes and one No. 1 qualifying position. They have also led the points and are currently second, only 13 behind leader Cruz Pedregon. Not only is Hagan’s confidence high following the win, but also that of his entire crew.

“It was phenomenal,” Hagan said. “To watch [the crew] light up; we had a new kid on the car that had never won before. It was very exciting. You’re making memories that they won’t ever forget for the rest of their life. That’s something that they’ll take with them even when they are done with the sport.

“It’s just cool to be a part of that. I was very excited for them, just knowing that they worked so hard to get there. I’m just excited in our second final of the year we were able to seal the deal.”

Hagan has found success this year with the addition of veteran tuner Venables as crew chief of the 8,000-horsepower Funny Car. Venables, a two-time Funny Car champion crew chief with Pedregon Racing in 2007 and John Force Racing in 2003, brings decades of experience and success to the car.

“Tommy DeLago [former crew chief] and I had a lot of success; he’s a brilliant tuner and a great crew chief, but the chemistry and communication between Dickie and I surpass what I’ve had in the past,” Hagan said. “Dickie is just a great guy and he’s easy to get along with. We hang out outside the race track and at the track. When you have that kind of chemistry, it definitely helps out on the racetrack and I think it shows.”

The NHRA Kansas Nationals is the eighth race of the 24-race NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season and numerous rounds of racing remain before a champion is crowned at Pomona. Hagan knows what it takes to win a championship and hopes the momentum continues during the remainder of the season.

“I’ve never felt this excited about a team, a car or a crew,” Hagan said. “We’ve won a championship, we’ve been runner-up, set world records, but I’ve just never had this kind of chemistry with a team up until this point. For me it is very, very exciting and I just want to grow that and continue to build on that chemistry that we have.

“These kids working on the car are very, very positive; they are learning fast and are dedicated to their job. It makes me want to be more dedicated and step up and make sure that I’m getting us a couple hundredths on the tree, they get us a couple hundredths on the race track and that’s a tough combination to beat.”

When Hagan isn’t behind the wheel of his Funny Car he can often be found on a tractor at his 1,000-acre cattle ranch he owns and operates in Southwestern Virginia. As he interacts with the fans at the event he shares a common bond with many of them.

“I can relate to a lot of folks in Topeka and Kansas because it’s a farming community,” he says. “I sit at the ropes and talk more about farming than racing. It’s always nice to get out there and see how everyone’s doing and what the farming community is into and maybe do a little bench racing too at the ropes.”

Along with Hagan, many drivers in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series will be vying for wins at the crown jewel of the Midwest. David Grubnic (Top Fuel), Jack Beckman (Funny Car), and Allen Johnson (Pro Stock) will try to defend their 2012 event victories. The event will be televised on EPN2HD with five hours of event coverage.

Hagan has shared the points lead this season with teammates Ron Capps and Johnny Gray as well as Courtney Force and Cruz Pedregon, all leading the standings early in the season. Alexis DeJoria, Tim Wilkerson, Robert Hight and veteran Del Worsham will all be looking to grab their first win of the season at the NHRA Kansas Nationals.

(Photos by Ian Tocher; Click to enlarge)

Anderson was fined $5,000 and penalized 10 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series championship points for removal of safety equipment (lifting of helmet shield), which is prohibited from the time the vehicle leaves the starting line until the vehicle is on the return road as outlined in the 2013 NHRA Rulebook, section 2, page 1.

Rickie Jones

The Elite Motorsports team was fined $10,000 and its driver Rickie Jones penalized 25 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series championship points for improper modification of the Electrimotion Pro Stock Shutoff Controller Kit, required in all Pro Stock vehicles.

The Electrimotion Pro Stock Shutoff Controller Kit is a safety element installed on Pro Stock vehicles to assist an impaired driver in stopping the race vehicle beyond the finish line.  Modification or tampering with the Electrimotion Pro Stock Shutoff Controller Kit is strictly prohibited, as outlined in section 16, page 10 of the 2013 NHRA Rulebook.

Both fines must be paid in full prior to the driver or team being allowed to participate at any future NHRA events.  Both fines can be appealed, as outlined in section 1, pages 16-23 of the 2013 NHRA Rulebook.

(Photos by Ian Tocher; Click to enlarge)

The top 8 in points at the conclusion of the Memphis Drags IV will also compete in the $500,000.00 ADRL Battle for the Belts on Friday, September 6, during Dragstock X at Rockingham Dragway in North Carolina.

The complete PDR rules are as follows:

REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

DESIGNATION: Pro Drag Radial or PDR followed by car number. Numbers must be at least 4” tall and on both side windows, upper left of rear window and upper right of windshield.

FIELD: 16 car qualified field.

Minimum weight at conclusion of run, including driver 3,200 lbs.

Naturally Aspirated Small Block, deduct 1,000 lbs.

Naturally Aspirated Big Block, deduct 600 lbs.

Small Block with Nitrous Oxide, deduct 850 lbs.

Big Block with Nitrous Oxide, deduct 500 lbs.

Small Block with Supercharger or Turbocharger, deduct 500 lbs.

4 Cylinder and 6 Cylinder Engines, deduct 750 lbs.

Non 4-Link Chassis, deduct 100 lbs.

All rules subject to change at the sole discretion of the ADRL Technical Services Department.

BODY

BODY: The car must retain its original appearance and profiles. Factory roof and quarter panels must be used. Aftermarket fiberglass replacement panels are limited to hood, front end, doors, deck lid and bumpers only. Aftermarket wings and spoilers are permitted. Complete stock appearing front and rear bumpers required. No Pro Mod, panel bodies or full chassis cars allowed. Maximum front end overhang of 45” as measured from centerline of front spindles. An ADRL accepted extension may be used to reach 45” if the front end overhang of the body is less than 45”. All vehicles must be professionally finished, painted, lettered, numbered and decaled.

FIREWALL: Firewall must be within 2 inches of stock location. Firewall will be measured from the centerline of front spindle to the farthest point on firewall. Engine must remain in front of firewall.

FLOORS: Replacing stock floors with .024″ steel or .032″ aluminum allowed. Driver’s side floor pan must be .024” steel and must be welded in place extending from firewall to back of driver’s seat. Carbon fiber or composite materials may not be utilized in any portion of the flooring in the driver’s compartment except for any panel located behind the driver including suspension covers and wheel tubs.

HOOD SCOOP: Allowed.  Must be finished and painted to follow the bodies paint scheme.

STREET EQUIPMENT: Functional headlights, taillights and brake lights required.

WINDOWS AND WINDSHIELD: Required. May be replaced 1/8” inch think lexan, plexiglass or other shatterproof material.

INTERIOR: Factory appearing dash and door panels required. Door panels may be made of aluminum or carbon fiber.

CHASSIS

BATTERY: Maximum of two batteries allowed. All batteries must be securely fastened. An external master electrical shut off clearly labeled “PUSH OFF” is required.

BRAKES: Four wheel brakes with dual master cylinder mounted above frame rails required.

CHASSIS: SFI 25.1 E, 25.2 or 25.3 certification required. Full tube chassis strictly prohibited. Entries must retain front factory frame rails. Front frame rails may be notched or modified. Frame rails must be in stock location. Frame rails must extend to the center of the front spindle. Plus or minus 2” allowed. ADRL approved after market, bolt on front end clips on pre 1970 vehicles allowed.

DRIVER LOCATION: Must be in stock location, on left side of vehicle.

GROUND CLEARANCE: Minimum of 3” required from whatever portion of the vehicles body or frame rail that breaks staging beam to 12” behind front axle centerline.

STEERING: If removable steering wheel is used, SFI 42.1 steering wheel disconnect required.

SUSPENSION: Race car type suspension required. Solid suspension prohibited.  Shock absorbers required for all four wheels. After market suspensions permitted.

TIRES: Automotive type tires designed specifically for racing required. Tires cannot be located outside of bodyline. Manufacturer, model and size information must be clearly designated. Maximum tire size is 315 DOT Radial Tire, maximum width of 12 inches. Drag Radial tires only, the use of racing slicks is strictly prohibited.

WHEEL BASE: Wheelbase must be within 2” of factory specs. Maximum variation is 2” side to side. Wheelbase will be measured from centerline of front spindle to centerline of rear axle.

WHEELIE BARS: Strictly prohibited.

WHEELS: Wheels meeting SFI spec 15.1 recommended. Maximum width 16”.

DRIVELINE AND ENGINE

CLUTCH AND FLYWHEEL: Clutch and flywheel meeting SFI 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 or 1.5 certification required. SFI 30.1 flex plate required on all torque converter equipped cars.

CYLINDER BORE SPACING: Bore Spacing is set at a maximum of 5.300”.

DRIVELINE: A full 360 degree driveshaft tube is required over yoke, extended a minimum of 12” required from transmission tail shaft. Minimum thickness of tube housing is .050” chrome moly or titanium.  Two piece units accepted with a minimum of 6 3/8” grade 8 bolts. Vehicles with stock floor pans and stock transmission tunnels do not need drive shaft tube. All vehicles must have two driveshaft loops within 6 inches of the front and rear u joints.

ENGINE CONTAINMENT SYSTEM: SFI 7.1 lower engine containment system required. If a flexible 7.1 system is not utilized, an ADRL approved carbon fiber or aluminum belly pan with a minimum 2” vertical lip is required.

EXHAUST: Automotive type system designed specifically for racing required. Exhaust gasses must be directed out of the body towards the rear of vehicle and away from the driver and fuel system.

HARMONIC BALANCER: SFI 18.1 certification required.

FLYWHEEL SHIELD: SFI 6.1-6.3 certification required.

FUEL: Alcohol, gasoline and methanol allowed. The use of nitro methane is strictly prohibited.

INTAKE MANIFOLD: An ADRL approved burst panel is recommended on all vehicles.

NITROUS OXIDE: Allowed.

POWER ADDER: Single power adder only. Dual power adders permitted only on 4 and 6 cylinder engines.

REAR END: Aftermarket axles and axle retention devices mandatory. Titanium wheel studs prohibited.

STARTER: Required. All entries must be self starting. No push starts allowed.

SUPERCHARGER: Allowed.

TURBOCHARGER: Allowed. Max size for twin turbos 94 mm. Max size for single turbo 121 mm.

TRANSMISSION: Any type allowed.

MISCELLANEOUS

CREDENTIALS/LICENSE:  A valid ADRL competition license is required.  A valid  NHRA or IHRA competition license may be transferred when presented with a current physical.

COMPUTER: Allowed.

DATA AND ELECTRONICS ACQUISITION: Allowed.

STARTING LINE ENGINE CONTROL DEVICES: Allowed.

TOW VEHICLES: Allowed. A valid driver’s license is required to operate any type of tow vehicle. All passengers must be seated inside of vehicle with all doors closed. Riding in open hatchback, trunk or cargo area not allowed. ATV’s are allowed with a maximum of one passenger who must be seated at all times. Golf carts are allowed with a maximum of four passengers who must be seated at all times. Posted pit speeds must be obeyed at all times. If pit speed is not posted, maximum pit speed will be 5 mph.

SAFETY EQUIPMENT

DRIVER RESTRAINT SYSTEM: SFI 16.1 certification required (7 point system recommended).

FIRE SYSTEM: Required (SFI  17.1  system  recommended). System must contain a minimum of 10 lbs. of fluid or gas fire suppression agent for naturally aspirated, nitrous oxide equipped, turbocharged or supercharged gasoline burning entries. System must contain a minimum of 20 lbs. of fluid or gas fire suppression agent for methanol and alcohol burning entries. One nozzle required inside driver’s compartment must be directed at driver’s feet. Two or more nozzles must be directed at front of engine and fuel cell. All fire suppression must be released with a single actuation (i.e. single handle, button or lever).

HEAD AND NECK RESTRAINT: SFI 38.1 required. An aluminum skid plate located above driver’s head is recommended.

HELMET: SN-2005 or newer, SFI 31.2 or 41.2 required. Use of open face helmet prohibited. Eject Helmet Removal System (Part # SDR 890-01-30) or equivalent required.

MASTER ELECTRICAL CUTOFF: Required. Must be clearly labeled “PUSH OFF”.

PARACHUTES: Mandatory. Separate shroud-line mounting points with 1/2” sleeved grade 8 bolts required.

PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: A driver’s suit meeting SFI Spec 3.2A/15, SFI Spec 3.3/15 gloves and SFI Spec 3.3/15 boots mandatory for all gasoline burning entries.  Drivers suit meeting SFI Spec 3.2A/20, SFI Spec 3.3/20 gloves and SFI Spec 3.3/20 boots mandatory for all methanol burning entries.

RF SHUTDOWN RECEIVER: Properly functioning Electrimotion shutoff device (part numbers SB001 and RF001) recommended.

ROLL BAR PADDING: SFI 45.1 required.

TRANSMISSION: Aftermarket planetary, clutchless, or OEM or aftermarket automatic transmission permitted. All automatic transmissions must be covered by a one piece SFI 4.1 restraint.

UPHOLSTERY: Driver’s seat foamed with energy absorbing material, formed for the driver and covered with flame retardant material is recommended. Lateral helmet supports recommended.

WINDOW NET: SFI 27.1 required.

(Photos by Ian Tocher; Click to enlarge)

The final was Bernstein’s first since winning the season finale in Pomona, Calif., last year, and it propelled him up two spots to seventh in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series standings for Top Fuel.

But it was hardly easy. Bernstein walked gingerly Saturday and was visibly in pain when he got in and out of the race car.

Despite enduring a painful back condition, Brandon Bernstein still made time for the fans at Atlanta Dragway.

“It was painful; it was very painful today,” Bernstein said. “You’re still going rounds, but with back pain like this shooting down the leg and the numbness in my toes it wasn’t fun driving today. But I can’t say enough about our ProtectTheHarvest.com team. They did an awesome job today. We just came up a little short in the final. I think the sun came out a little too much on us. It just got us a little bit.”

Bernstein made four passes of 3.847 seconds or better–two in the abbreviated qualifying Friday and two more Saturday–to meet Antron Brown in the final, but Bernstein’s car smoked the tires soon after passing the Christmas tree and Brown surged to the victory.

“I’m really proud of the guys,” Bernstein said. “They did a great job. Hey, we got to the final. We got some more points and that’s what we were here to do. Yeah, we’d like to win all the races, but the big key is to stay in the top 10 and keep us up there for the championship.”

Bernstein, the No. 4 qualifier, started the day with a fortunate win over Terry McMillen. While Bernstein popped the blower and made a pass of 4.128 seconds at 213.23 mph, McMillen smoked the tires and slowed to a run of 6.876 seconds at 87.07 mph.

But crew chief Joe Barlam and the team had the ProtectTheHarvest.com rail running better in the second round, when Bernstein stepped up with a pass of 3.847 seconds at 318.47 mph to take out Khalid alBalooshi, who made a run of 4.071 seconds at 318.47 mph.

That put Bernstein against No. 1 qualifier Shawn Langdon, who lowered the Atlanta track record in the second round. This time Bernstein was the driver with the track record, making a stellar pass of 3.761 seconds at 324.05 mph to beat Langdon’s 3.807-second run at 324.44 mph.

“That was a huge run,” Bernstein said. “Obviously the conditions were perfect, and Joe knew they were perfect. We had to run a good number against him because that’s AJ’s (Alan Johnson) car and Shawn’s a good leaver. You’ve got to be ready for that kind of race. It’s just unfortunate we couldn’t put it together in the final.”

Brown’s winning pass was 3.801 seconds at 321.35 mph while Bernstein coasted across the finish line with a run of 7.105 seconds at 90.64. Still, Bernstein’s team made its best showing of the season, giving the veteran driver his 299th career round-win and evening his record at 7-7 this season.

“We made a huge step, a big, big step, especially with the new clutch package that we’re running,” Bernstein said. “Joe has got a better handle on it. I don’t think it’s perfect but he’s got a better handle on it. We made some really good strides this weekend, and we’re really excited about going in to Topeka.”

(Photos by Ian Tocher; Click to enlarge)