CatSpot NHRA Northwest Nationals
Event 16 of 24 (Seattle)
Pacific Raceways
Kent, Washington
August 3-5, 2018
DSR Seattle Elimination Highlights:
- DSR ‘doubles-up’ for the second time in 2018
- Antron Brown and Ron Capps achieve milestone victories
- Brown, 50th Top Fuel win
- Capps, 60th professional win
- Brown claimed his third consecutive Seattle Top Fuel victory
- All-DSR Top Fuel final between Brown and Leah Pritchett
- Capps reached the final round for the third straight event
(EXCERPT)
Driver Information:
Funny Car:
TOMMY JOHNSON JR.
Driver of the Make-A-Wish Foundation Dodge Charger R/T
Qualified: No. 7 (3.977 E.T. at 321.35 MPH)
The Results:
E1: 4.177 E.T. at 301.74 MPH defeated John Force 5.598 E.T. at 138.27 MPH
E2: 4.074 E.T. at 318.09 MPH defeated Robert Hight 4.551 E.T. at 215.37 MPH
E3: 4.062 E.T. at 316.08 MPH defeated by Courtney Force 4.011 E.T. at 320.20 MPH
Race Recap:
It was an all-John Force Racing day for Tommy Johnson Jr., who picked off John Force and Robert Hight, before succumbing to Courtney Force in the semifinals.
Johnson was quick on the throttle and had the starting line advantage against the elder Force. Both drivers had issues – Force lost traction and Johnson had a hole out, but Johnson charged on in the Make-A-Wish Dodge and crossed the stripe first.
In the quarterfinals, Johnson defeated the reigning world champion with a 4.074 versus Hight’s 4.551. Johnson, who has wins in both Top Fuel (career first) and Funny Car at Pacific Raceways, had the better reaction time versus C. Force, but Force was able to pull ahead before the 330-foot mark and drive away with the win, ending Johnson’s chances for a second consecutive Northwest Nationals final round appearance.
Quotable:
“Sure, we would’ve liked to win, but two semis on ‘the swing’ is not bad. It’s important right now to get the points. The Countdown is coming, and the Make-A-Wish Dodge is improving every race, and we’re doing better every race, so if you’re going to peak, it’s getting close to the right time to peak.”
NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship Points Standings:
Funny Car
1. Courtney Force – 1300*
2. Ron Capps – 1146*
3. Robert Hight – 1085*
4. Matt Hagan – 1064*
5. Jack Beckman – 999
6. J.R. Todd – 914
7. Tommy Johnson Jr. – 892
8. John Force – 824
9. Shawn Langdon – 736
10. Bob Tasca III – 691
*Clinched berth in NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship