Class Ceiling

First quarter-season NHRA recap

Fast Jack Beckman had a strong first quarter. NHRA.com

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.

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The Houston Astros managed to win the AL West once again, and while things got a little nerve wracking toward the end of the season, when it mattered most, the 'Stros took care of business.

It certainly didn't hurt to get a little help from the Mariners, beating the Rangers 1-0 on Sunday, paving the way for the Astros to secure the division. Rangers fans and members of their broadcast team were none too pleased with the Diamondbacks resting some of their starters on Sunday.

But let's be real, with the division on the line, the Rangers couldn't even manage to score a single run on Sunday against Seattle. That's why they're playing in the Wild Card series, not because of how Arizona approached Sunday's game.

So what did we learn during these must-win games over the last week? A lot was made of GM Dana Brown's comments on the team's flagship station. Brown was hoping manager Dusty Baker would put the best offensive lineup on the field. Yainer Diaz did not start a single game of the Diamondbacks series. But Chas McCormick played every game of the Mariners and Diamondbacks series, except for the finale against Seattle, after being hit in the back with a fastball the night before.

Michael Brantley played in two of three against Arizona, so he appears to be an option Dusty will turn to moving forward. And with the Astros only scoring 1 and 2 runs in two of the three wins against the D-Backs, the Astros need every bit of offense they can get.

Plus, we discuss how getting extra rest for Michael Brantley, Jose Abreu, and the bullpen could pay huge dividends for the club. And don't look now, but Jose Abreu is getting hot at just the right time!

Be sure to watch the video above for the full discussion.

And be sure to watch Stone Cold 'Stros (an Astros podcast) every Monday on SportMapHouston's YouTube channel.

Listen to ESPN 97.5 and 92.5 FM for Houston's best sports talk.


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