Class Ceiling
First quarter-season NHRA recap
So what If the NHRA were the NFL? Yike,s that would be crazy. Based on the opening Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, February 8-11,2018, here is how the season recap would go:
So go long! That was the scene at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals /Pamona where Top Fuel Round 1 went more than an hour. Q.B Brittany Force of the Monster Energy JFR team met with unnecessary roughness as she crossed the center line of scrimmage right across the middle and hit the wall on both sides of the track. Safety Safari was all over it, with no Zebras in sight. No worries. Safety valve in place with family on starting line. Whew. Our girl is all right. Her Passer Rating has her returning with a vengeance.
Wide receiver Doug Kalitta blew a supercharger round one but takes the finals against The Sarge and he scores! He goes on to become the Top Fuel winner making this his 44th career win.
And what does Bo know? Defending Champion Bo Butner makes a real football move by winning the season opener making this his sixth win in Pro Stock putting him on an 8 round winning streak.
Touchdown! Matt Hagan lands on "snake eyes" as he brings home his second straight Winternationals Funny car title, against Robert Hight, (matching Don "The Snake" Prudhomme who won the Winternationals back to back 1976-1977)., in what was dubbed the quickest side-by-side Funny Car race in NHRA history.
Perfect segue to the second event of the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, (Feb 23-25, 2018)the 34th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.
This is where Courtney Force, blitzes the Funny Car field as she was the No. 1 qualifier and goes on to keep control of the ball in her Chevy Camaro, with a 3.834, 337.16 def. Tommy Johnson Jr., in his Dodge Charger.
A Hail Mary in Pro Stock as Chris McGaha, in his Chevy Camaro, runs a 6.529, at 211.59 mph def. Jason Line, in his Camaro. McGaha is a one car team, a one man army and had to take down Tanner Gray, Erica Enders and Alex Laughlin for his first win this season.
In Top Fuel: Steve Torrence,takes down the Big Uglies Steve Chrisman, Blake Alexander and his father, Billy Torrence, on his way in to the red zone. In the finals he runs a 3.729 seconds, 330.72 mph , def. Scott Palmer.
Fast Forward to the Amalie NHRA Gatornationals Gridiron at Gainesville Raceway in Florida (March 15-18,2018)...Tailgating is in full effect and yes, there is some fumbling past the rumbling.
Welcome to the Gatornationals 2018 Where Any Given Sunday is March 18, the day of the underdog! It is the day the Play Makers Antron Brown, Leah Pritchett, Steve Torrence, Brittany Force and even Tony Schumacher were benched.
And the Wally goes to: In Top Fuel -- Richie Crampton. This player did not even have a car last year, and what an upset! He runs a 3.854 seconds, 314.90 mph def. Shawn Reed.
In Funny Car... I'd like to refer to fast Jack Beckman, and his teammates as The Option. Fast Jack gets his first Gainesville win in his Dodge Charger, 4.035, 323.58 defeating DSR mate Matt Hagan, in his Charger, Matt took one for the team!
And last but not least is Pro Stock: Young Tanner Gray, in his Chevy Camaro, ran 6.588, 210.18 def. Bo Butner, Camaro, making this Tanners first touchdown since last year in Charlotte.
What an Option: With team DSR, you have Antron Brown, Leah Pritchett, Tony Schumacher, Ron Capps, Matt Hagan, Tommy Johnson Jr, and Fast Jack Beckman.
As quick as the first half went by, that's what I call a no huddle offense!
For more Femmefanaticsports features from the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series - Checkout our other articles on SportsMap.com or reach out on twitter @red_tery.
