KENT, Wash. (AP) — Matt Hagan raced to his fourth victory of the year to extend his Funny Car points lead, beating Bob Tasca III on Sunday in the NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways.
Hagan, the 2011 Funny Car champion, powered his Dodge Charger to a 4.171-second run at 294.75 mph. Tasca, seeking his first win in nearly a year, slowed to a 5.324 at 164.81 in his Ford Shelby Mustang.
Hagan also outran Alexis DeJoria, Johnny Gray and Courtney Force en route to his ninth career victory.
“The chemistry of this team is something I’ve never had before,” Hagan said. “It shows on the racetrack and it trickles down from the top, where (crew chief) Dickie (Venables) is a great leader. It’s phenomenal to strap into this race car and know I have the opportunity to win every time I sit in it. I like to get patted on the back as much as anyone, but this is 100 percent hats off to my team.”
Morgan Lucas won in Top Fuel, and Vincent Nobile topped the Pro Stock field.
Lucas claimed his first victory of the season and eighth of his career, knocking off David Grubnic in the final. Lucas finished in 3.908 at 296.57, while Grubnic followed in 4.253 at 256.31.
Nobile won for the second straight week and picked up his third victory of the year, beating four-time season champion Jeg Coughlin in a rematch of the final round last week in Sonoma, Calif. Nobile’s posted a 6.586 at 210.54 in his Dodge Avenger, and Coughlin had a 6.615 at 210.60.
NHRA Northwest Nationals
Final results
Top Fuel: Morgan Lucas, 3.908 seconds, 296.57 mph def. David Grubnic, 4.253 seconds, 256.31 mph.
Funny Car: Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.171, 294.75 def. Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 5.324, 164.81.
Pro Stock: Vincent Nobile, Dodge Avenger, 6.586, 210.54 def. Jeg Coughlin, Avenger, 6.615, 210.60.
Round-by-round results
TOP FUEL
Round One: Morgan Lucas, 3.817, 318.32 def. Doug Kalitta, 4.905, 148.62. Khalid alBalooshi, 3.820, 315.34 def. Brittany Force, 5.886, 111.69. Shawn Langdon, 3.823, 315.05 def. Troy Buff, 3.864, 303.71. David Grubnic, 3.789, 317.72 def. Brandon Bernstein, 3.827, 311.34. T.J. Zizzo, 3.843, 313.22 def. Tony Schumacher, 3.902, 302.62. Antron Brown, 3.866, 310.63 def. Bob Vandergriff, 3.826, 313.58. Clay Millican, 3.807, 316.67 def. Tommy Johnson Jr., 4.552, 172.19. Steve Torrence, 3.836, 308.57 def. Spencer Massey, 3.842, 313.88.
Quarterfinals: Zizzo, 3.975, 276.75 def. Brown, 4.626, 179.56. Langdon, 3.836, 309.06 def. Torrence, 3.874, 294.11. Grubnic, 3.848, 311.49 def. Millican, 3.840, 310.05. Lucas, 3.869, 305.29 def. alBalooshi, 3.942, 284.69.
Semifinals: Grubnic, 3.847, 310.55 def. Zizzo, 4.611, 167.74. Lucas, 3.867, 308.43 def. Langdon, 4.825, 168.16.
Final: Lucas, 3.908, 296.57 def. Grubnic, 4.253, 256.31.
FUNNY CAR
Round One: Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 4.115, 293.79 def. Jeff Arend, Dodge Charger, 4.134, 296.05. Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.077, 300.20 def. John Hale, Chevy Impala, foul. Johnny Gray, Charger, 4.096, 296.96 def. Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.521, 224.70. Cruz Pedregon, Toyota Camry, 4.064, 299.80 def. Del Worsham, Camry, 4.184, 292.96. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.155, 292.84 def. Todd Lesenko, Charger, 4.161, 280.08. Paul Lee, Charger, 4.133, 299.13 def. John Force, Mustang, 4.086, 297.42. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.137, 287.53 def. Tony Pedregon, Camry, 5.855, 116.94. Courtney Force, Mustang, 4.086, 300.80 def. Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 4.161, 291.26.
Quarterfinals: Hagan, 4.175, 289.82 def. Lee, 5.243, 143.90. Tasca III, 4.105, 293.60 def. C. Pedregon, 4.228, 271.19. Wilkerson, 4.153, 291.32 def. Hight, 4.924, 162.35. C. Force, 4.106, 300.40 def. Gray, 4.722, 173.61.
Semifinals: Hagan, 4.121, 292.65 def. C. Force, 4.115, 301.27. Tasca III, 7.440, 93.64 def. Wilkerson, foul.
Final: Hagan, 4.171, 294.75 def. Tasca III, 5.324, 164.81.
PRO STOCK
Round One: Jason Line, Chevy Camaro, 6.609, 209.62 def. Larry Morgan, Ford Mustang, 6.637, 208.55. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.571, 210.50 def. Rodger Brogdon, Camaro, 6.618, 210.24. Vincent Nobile, Dodge Avenger, 6.592, 209.30 def. Chris McGaha, Avenger, 6.641, 208.55. Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.578, 209.69 def. V. Gaines, Avenger, 6.593, 210.47. Jeg Coughlin, Avenger, 6.582, 209.39 def. Steve Kent, Camaro, 6.640, 208.68. Mike Edwards, Camaro, 6.559, 211.03 def. Deric Kramer, Avenger, 6.663, 208.17. Rickie Jones, Camaro, 6.596, 209.95 def. Matt Hartford, Avenger, 6.629, 209.33. Allen Johnson, Avenger, 6.555, 211.13 def. JR Carr, Mustang, 6.667, 207.34.
Quarterfinals: Coughlin, 6.675, 202.58 def. Gray, 16.073, 50.28. Anderson, 6.608, 209.17 def. Jones, 10.364, 86.59. Edwards, 6.590, 210.21 def. Line, 6.612, 209.46. Nobile, 6.589, 209.75 def. Johnson, 6.583, 210.37.
Semifinals: Coughlin, 6.632, 208.71 def. Edwards, 6.602, 211.06. Nobile, 6.592, 209.85 def. Anderson, 6.621, 210.01.
Final: Nobile, 6.586, 210.54 def. Coughlin, 6.615, 210.60.
Point standings
Top Fuel: 1. Shawn Langdon, 1,292; 2. Tony Schumacher, 1,145; 3. Spencer Massey, 1,140; 4. Antron Brown, 958; 5. Doug Kalitta, 956; 6. Khalid alBalooshi, 920; 7. Morgan Lucas, 884; 8. Clay Millican, 822; 9. Bob Vandergriff, 758; 10. Steve Torrence, 741.
Funny Car: 1. Matt Hagan, 1,151; 2. Cruz Pedregon, 1,034; 3. Ron Capps, 1,017; 4. John Force, 996; 5.Johnny Gray, 991; 6. Courtney Force, 983; 7. Jack Beckman, 951; 8. Tim Wilkerson, 877; 9. Bob Tasca III, 874; 10. Robert Hight, 841.
Pro Stock: 1. Mike Edwards, 1,421; 2. Allen Johnson, 1,333; 3. Jeg Coughlin, 1,241; 4. Vincent Nobile, 1,032; 5. Shane Gray, 999; 6. Jason Line, 955; 7. Greg Anderson, 894; 8. V. Gaines, 778; 9. Erica Enders-Stevens, 743; 10. Rodger Brogdon, 692.
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