SONOMA, Calif. (AP) — Ron Capps raced to his second Funny Car victory of the season Sunday for his fourth career win in the NHRA Sonoma Nationals.
The Californian powered his Dodge Charger to a 4.085-second run at 307.79 mph to hold off 15-time season champion John Force in the final. Capps moved to second in the season standings.
“This place has a lot of great memories,” said Capps, the Sonoma Raceway winner three of the last four seasons. “We have a big NAPA presence here and were the only Don Schumacher Racing team car in the final. No pressure, right? I try to stay humble. I have a lot of great people behind me to keep me focused. I think we can accomplish that goal of getting to the top.”
Shawn Langdon won the Top Fuel final, Vincent Nobile topped the Pro Stock field, and Hector Arana Jr. won in Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Langdon raced to his fourth victory of the season and fifth of his career, beating Morgan Lucas with a 3.920 at 240.47. Langdon extended his points lead to 102 over second-place Spencer Massey.
Nobile had a 6.572 at 208.58 in a Dodge Avenger to edge four-time series champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. Nobile has two victories this season and seven overall.
Arana claimed his fourth win of the season, riding his Buell to a 6.878 at 195.45 to beat Matt Smith.
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NHRA Sonoma Nationals results
Final results
Top Fuel: Shawn Langdon, 3.920 seconds, 240.47 mph def. Morgan Lucas, 4.628 seconds, 183.69 mph.
Funny Car: Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 4.085, 307.79 def. John Force, Ford Mustang, 4.072, 311.13.
Pro Stock: Vincent Nobile, Dodge Avenger, 6.572, 208.59 def. Jeg Coughlin, Avenger, 7.627, 137.95.
Pro Stock Motorcycle: Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.878, 195.45 def. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.877, 195.45.
Round-by-round results
TOP FUEL
Round One: Antron Brown, 3.787, 322.58 def. Clay Millican, 3.795, 323.12; Shawn Langdon, 3.743, 324.51 def. Bob Vandergriff, 3.786, 320.66; Khalid alBalooshi, 3.794, 323.50 def. Brandon Bernstein, 3.872, 322.27; David Grubnic, 3.795, 324.59 def. Terry McMillen, 3.876, 321.65; Tommy Johnson Jr., 3.786, 324.51 def. Steve Torrence, 3.918, 310.63; Doug Kalitta, 3.785, 326.87 def. Brittany Force, 4.770, 163.35; Spencer Massey, 4.291, 242.71 def. Tony Schumacher, 5.380, 148.35; Morgan Lucas, 3.757, 328.30 def. T.J. Zizzo, 3.835, 321.81.
Quarterfinals: Massey, 3.822, 324.59 def. alBalooshi, 3.820, 323.97; Brown, 3.835, 314.31 def. Johnson Jr., 6.996, 85.31; Lucas, 4.296, 266.16 def. Grubnic, 4.323, 193.68; Langdon, 3.799, 324.67 def. Kalitta, 3.819, 326.87.
Semifinals: Lucas, 3.808, 322.50 def. Massey, 3.832, 317.72; Langdon, 3.804, 324.98 def. Brown, 5.346, 114.57.
Finals: Langdon, 3.920, 240.47 def. Lucas, 4.628, 183.69.
FUNNY CAR
Round One: Johnny Gray, Dodge Charger, 4.057, 315.42 def. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 4.941, 157.25; Ron Capps, Charger, 4.066, 311.20 def. Del Worsham, Toyota Camry, 4.855, 188.94; Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 4.705, 185.08 def. Matt Hagan, Charger, 5.228, 189.87; Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.057, 313.29 def. Todd Lesenko, Charger, DQ; John Force, Mustang, 4.073, 312.86 def. Tony Pedregon, Camry, 4.267, 258.22; Jeff Arend, Charger, 4.170, 287.23 def. Gary Densham, Charger, 5.081, 151.70; Courtney Force, Mustang, 4.088, 317.72 def. Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 4.831, 168.94; Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.018, 317.49 def. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.105, 312.21.
Quarterfinals: C. Force, 4.089, 315.34 def. Beckman, 4.067, 313.51; J. Force, 4.057, 313.95 def. Gray, 4.991, 153.14; DeJoria, 4.145, 306.33 def. Hight, 4.127, 283.91; R. Capps, 4.099, 308.35 def. Arend, 6.018, 115.56.
Semifinals: R. Capps, 4.048, 315.34 def. C. Force, 4.506, 186.59; J. Force, 4.086, 311.34 def. DeJoria, 4.095, 309.84.
Finals: R. Capps, 4.085, 307.79 def. J. Force, 4.072, 311.13.
PRO STOCK
Round One: Vincent Nobile, Dodge Avenger, 6.565, 210.70 def. Jason Line, Chevy Camaro, 6.573, 210.97; Jeg Coughlin, Avenger, 6.562, 210.54 def. Rodger Brogdon, Camaro, 6.586, 211.43; Rickie Jones, Camaro, 6.541, 211.56 def. Larry Morgan, Ford Mustang, 6.563, 210.57; V. Gaines, Avenger, 6.555, 211.96 def. Steve Kent, Camaro, 6.608, 210.05; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.571, 211.36 def. JR Carr, Mustang, 6.608, 208.91; Mike Edwards, Camaro, 6.541, 212.09 was unopposed; Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.523, 212.23 def. Deric Kramer, Avenger, 6.608, 209.43; Allen Johnson, Avenger, 6.534, 211.93 def. Chris McGaha, Avenger, 6.600, 210.47.
Quarterfinals: Anderson, 6.559, 211.30 def. Gaines, 6.541, 212.06; Nobile, 6.559, 211.16 def. Edwards, 6.532, 212.33; Johnson, 6.534, 212.06 def. Jones, foul; Coughlin, 6.544, 211.43 def. Gray, 6.541, 211.89;.
Semifinals: Nobile, 6.557, 211.39 def. Anderson, foul; Coughlin, 6.556, 211.53 def. Johnson, 6.539, 211.63.
Finals: Nobile, 6.572, 208.59 def. Coughlin, 7.627, 137.95.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
Round One: Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.824, 195.56 def. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.873, 195.00; Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.874, 195.11 def. Adam Arana, Buell, 6.838, 195.79; Angie Smith, Buell, 6.866, 193.99 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.830, 195.51; Katie Sullivan, Suzuki, 6.871, 191.08 def. Michael Ray, Buell, 7.635, 140.43; LE Tonglet, Suzuki, 6.858, 194.55 def. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, foul; Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.842, 194.83 def. Scotty Pollacheck, Buell, 6.854, 193.79; Hector Arana, Buell, 6.805, 198.15 def. John Hall, Buell, 6.884, 192.82; Matt Smith, Buell, 6.826, 196.44 def. Shawn Gann, Buell, 6.922, 194.10.
Quarterfinals: Sullivan, 6.928, 190.35 def. A. Smith, foul; Arana Jr, 6.851, 196.64 def. Savoie, 6.872, 195.11; M. Smith, 6.843, 196.73 def. Krawiec, 6.842, 196.87; H. Arana, 6.816, 198.44 def. Tonglet, 6.868, 195.22.
Semifinals: Arana Jr, 6.856, 195.25 def. Sullivan, 6.904, 190.89; M. Smith, 6.827, 195.59 def. H. Arana, 6.891, 196.07.
Finals: Arana Jr, 6.878, 195.45 def. M. Smith, 6.877, 195.45.
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Article source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/motor/nhra/2013/07/28/nhra-sonoma-nationals-langdon-capps-nobile/2594769/