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Femme Fanatic Sports: A look at motor sports from a female perspective -- the NHRA
Tery Red (Crew Chief for Rig Tech Motorsports )
Apr 18, 2018, 8:22 pm
Vegas debuted a four-lane track. NHRA.COM
Welcome to Femmefanaticsports, which covers the feminine perspective of Motorsports, etc.
What readers should know
Four lane race debuts at Las Vegas Strip
When: April 6-8, 2018
Where: Las Vegas, Nevada.
What: The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Debuted it's first event on a Four Wide Lane!
One of my favorite things of all time is being at the Houston Zoo at feeding time to hear the thunderous roar of the majestic lion as he awaits his breakfast. The power of the vibrations rising from the waves sent from the ground, rattling my bones, readjusting my footing, Inciting my heart to throbbing!
The next best thing I find that really gets the adrenaline going is being in the stands at a Motorsports Park. In Belle Rose, Louisiana there is No Problem Raceway, then there is Texas Motorplex in Ennis and of course Royal Purple Raceway in Baytown, just to name a few.
These tracks are host to some of the wildest rides in the 1/4 mile. You have the John Force Racing, Team which includes some of the fastest women on the track- Brittany Force with a 3.667 second- pass at 330.31 mph at Pomona Autoclub Raceway, the same track where now retired Alexis Dejoria was the first woman to break the 3 second Funny Car barrier. Wild, right? When you consider that these ladies are contending with amazing male counterparts like John Force, Tony Schumacher and Clay Millican, now that's very classy ladies, amazing feat indeed. The aforementioned are all traditional two-lane tracks.
So now to the point; each time the 11000 horsepower engines torpedoed off the starting line, it was quadruple the excitement. This novelty track is the first of its kind on the West Coast.
And the winner is: Steve Torrence took the win in Top Fuel in the four lane quad dual beating out "The Sarge "(#1 Qualifier), 3× World Champion Antron Brown and Doug Kalitta.
JR Todd took the win in Funny Car; Vincent Nobile took the top in Pro Stock.
Houston's very own Erica Enders is a formidable contender as 2x Pro Stock World Champion in this circuit as well with Melling Performance as her Sponsor, as she has shown us before, she is the one to watch.
Visiting a nearby track can be an excellent time for family bonding. It makes for a thrilling field trip for the home school setting . It allows boys and girls to get a closer look at the mechanics of professional racing teams and their garages on wheels.
All you gear heads can walk the pits to quench your quest for your inner machine head. Don't forget earmuffs/plugs for the little ones, seat cushions for the stands, sunscreen, sun visor/caps, comfortable walking shoes for your visit to the pits, And your need for speed!
Looking ahead
NHRA Mello Yellow Drag Racing Series Enthusiasts can get a taste of this excitement in our own backyard:
What: NHRA Spring Nationals, Houston,Tx
When: April 20-22
Where: Royal Purple Raceway 2525 FM 565 Baytown,Tx 77523
SportsMap featured contenders
Pro stock: Houstons' very own Erica Enders-Stephens.
Top Fuel dragster: Leah Pritchett (Don SchumacherRacing).
Top Fuel Dragster: Brittany Force (John Force Racing).
Funny car: Courtney Force (John Force Racing )
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Despite a last-minute comeback attempt by Gonzaga on Saturday, the Cougars defeated the Bulldogs and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the sixth straight NCAA Tournament.
Houston will face the No.4 seed Purdue, who made it to the championship game last year.
The Boilermakers will be one of the toughest opponents the Cougars have faced thus far and will essentially have the home-court advantage with the game taking place in Indianapolis.
Despite the daunting matchup on paper, Houston is currently an -8.5 favorite to win this game. The Cougars should be able to handle Purdue so long as their offense stays hot and they continue to play defense at an elite level.
Keep the offense flowing
Houston guard LJ Cryer matched a career-high with 30 points against Gonzaga and has been the offensive focal point of this team.
This season, the Baylor transfer has averaged 15.6 points per game and has stepped up to be one of the unquestioned leaders of this team.
In addition to Cryer, the Cougars have Milos Uzan and Emanuel Sharp, who can carry the offensive load as they did during the Big 12 Tournament and against SIUE on Thursday.
J’Wan Roberts is another key factor for Houston’s success. The senior forward seems to have recovered from his ankle injury and has been a productive player since returning to the lineup.
Roberts leads the team in rebounds and is one of the most efficient scorers for the Cougars, averaging more than 50% from the field over his last five seasons.
Houston’s dynamic offense and elite defense makes this team one of the toughest to beat during the tournament.
Containing Purdue’s stars
The Boilermakers have two proficient scorers on their team, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Braden Smith, who each average over 15 points per game.
Kaufman-Renn scored 22 points in his previous game against McNeese State and has been one of Purdue’s best players for most of this year.
Roberts and Joseph Tuggler will likely be assigned to the junior forward to slow down his offense, forcing his teammates to step up.
Smith is Purdue’s second-leading scorer, averaging 16 points per game, and has the most assists and steals for the Boilermakers this season.
Both Uzan and Cyrer, who have been elite parameter defenders, will cover the Purdue guard and limit his production.
Containing both Kaufman-Renn and Smith will be Houston’s top priority and the key to come away victorious.
Play Cougar basketball
Head coach Kelvin Sampson has now made it to at least the Sweet 16 six consecutive times and has his team well-positioned to make another deep tournament run.
Since arriving in Houston, the 69-year-old coach has turned this program from an afterthought to one of the best basketball teams in the country year after year.
Sampson’s key to his success is instilling a defensive-first mentality into his team and getting the best effort out of his players.
This season is no different, as Houston has the number-one ranked defense in the nation and is holding their opponents to 58.4 points per game on average.
If the Cougars can create consistent offense and continue playing defense at an elite level, they should win this game with ease and advance to the Elite 8 for the first time in three years.
The Houston-Purdue game will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium on Friday at 9 pm. The winner will play either Kentucky or Tennessee in the next round.