NHRA Sonoma Nationals
Event 15 of 24 (Sonoma)
Sonoma Raceway
Sonoma, Calif.
July 26-28, 2019
DSR Sonoma Elimination Highlights:
- Funny Car pilot Matt Hagan raced to a runner-up finish on Sunday during the NHRA Sonoma Nationals
- Antron Brown made history during round one when he became the sixth driver to reach the ‘500 Top Fuel round wins’ milestone
- Brown and Tommy Johnson Jr. (Funny Car) recorded semifinal finishes; both drivers leave Sonoma ranked second in the championship standings
- Johnson’s semifinal appearance was his ninth of the season
(EXCERPT)
Driver Information:
Funny Car:
TOMMY JOHNSON JR.
Driver of the Make-A-Wish Foundation Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody
Qualified: No. 5 (3.886 E.T. at 324.59 MPH)
The Results:
E1: 4.084 E.T. at 273.72 MPH defeated Cruz Pedregon 3.995 E.T. at 309.98 MPH
E2: 4.031 E.T. at 318.47 MPH defeated Bob Tasca III 5.622 E.T. at 129.85 MPH
E3: 4.046 E.T. at 318.54 MPH defeated by Robert Hight 4.011 E.T. at 323.19 MPH
Race Recap:
Last weekend’s winner Tommy Johnson Jr. is in the midst of a career-best season behind the wheel of the Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat and in Sonoma, he was chasing his third triumph of 2019. After qualifying fifth with Friday night’s run of 3.886 seconds, he faced Cruz Pedregon in the opening round. Pedregon left early and set off the red light, handing Johnson the victory and setting up a rematch of last week’s final with Bob Tasca III in round two. Just like last weekend in Denver, Johnson again turned on the win light with a smooth run of 4.031 seconds at 318.47 mph to advance to his ninth semifinal of the season. Johnson’s consecutive round win run was halted at six when he couldn’t drive around Robert Hight, but he heads to Seattle with momentum and sitting solidly in second in the championship standings.
Quotable:
“I’m just extremely pleased with the way this Dodge Hellcat is performing. Today’s result wasn’t a win like last weekend, but that was a solid semifinal drag race with Robert Hight. We are ranked one and two in the points, and we put on a great show for the fans here today. It was a really close race, and things are going to get interesting. We are getting closer to the Countdown, and this car is performing flawlessly. We just need a little bit more. The next couple of races leading up to Indy, hopefully, we can get just a tick better. I think we are setting ourselves up for a really strong finish to this season.”
NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship Standings:
Top Fuel
1. Steve Torrence – 1486
2t. Antron Brown – 914
2t. Clay Millican – 914
4. Brittany Force – 894
5. Doug Kalitta – 887
6. Mike Salinas – 802
7. Leah Pritchett – 749
8. Richie Crampton – 719
9t. Terry McMillen- 641
9t. Austin Prock – 641
Funny Car
1. Robert Hight – 1283
2. Tommy Johnson Jr – 1084
3. John Force – 1035
4. Jack Beckman – 964
5. Ron Capps – 962
6. Bob Tasca III – 924
7. J.R. Todd – 889
8. Matt Hagan – 888
9. Shawn Langdon – 786
10. Tim Wilkerson – 757
About Don Schumacher Racing:
Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) is the winningest team in NHRA Drag Racing history, having claimed more than 325 NHRA national event titles and 17 world championships since opening its doors in 1998.
Headquartered in Brownsburg, Indiana, DSR fields seven professional teams competing in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing series. In Top Fuel, the Matco Tools dragster driven by three-time world champion Antron Brown, the MOPAR/Pennzoil/Sparkling Ice dragster driven by Leah Pritchett and eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher’s machine. In Funny Car, the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat driven by 2016 world champion Ron Capps, the Mopar Express Lane/Pennzoil/Sandvik Coromant Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat piloted by Matt Hagan, and in Terry and Doug Chandler’s ‘giving cars,’ 2012 NHRA world champion Jack Beckman in the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge, and Tommy Johnson Jr. behind the wheel of the Make-A-Wish Dodge.
DSR also campaigns two Factory Stock Showdown entries. The duo is piloted by Pritchett, the 2018 Factory Stock Showdown Series champion, and former Pro Stock racer Mark Pawuk.
Follow Don Schumacher Racing at Shoeracing.com, on Twitter and Instagram at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing.