Class Ceiling
NHRA recap: Another showdown between Gray and Enders-Stephens highlights big week
By Tery Red (Crew Chief for Mr. Mad/RigTech Motorsports)
Jun 25, 2018, 6:19 am
It was a competitive weekend in several events. NHRA.com
We will run NOR WALK!
Welcome to Summit Racing , the World's Speed Shop here Norwalk, Ohio as the NHRA Mello Yellow Drag Racing Series continues to heat up.
NHRA 'S Women of Power were in full force , how apropo with the First Lady of Drag Racing, Shirley "Cha Cha" Muldowney making another nostalgic appearance in the state of the Hall of Fame as well as the birthplace of Alice Rufie Jordan Blake , the first female law graduate at Yale. Erica Enders- Stephens was on the top of the tree this weekend giving her contenders much grief in her Melling Performance Pro stock Camaro. Angie Smith also drilled them out the gates on her Pro Stock Bike, with two back to back .005! Whew! Brittany Force and Leah Pritchett went up in smoke early on. Angelle Sampey is still fighting.
Not too far up the road is Cleveland, home of King James. Hmmm , is he a need for speed fan? I will have to ask him.
John Force is usually the motivational speaker between rounds with his fast-talking, high energy interviews. He is grasping for straws now and pleading for support, even recalling essential advice given previously by "The Mongoose.".Team Force, give 'em help! This deep into the series and no top 10. I'm starting to get a bit nervous. To quote Matt Hagan, "Courtney is killing it out there," even beating out Poppa Force. He can't seem to catch a break. I'm not mad at you. John Force, you know how to do this, never give up, never surrender!
Another segment of excitement was the side by side between the Vigilante and the Cowboy! The Dodge Dynasty should be so proud to have these Hemi's representing here at the NHRA Mello Yellow Drag Racing Series for the School of Automotive Machinists and Technology NHRA Factory Stock Showdown. The Vigilante brings it home.
Meanwhile, Blake Alexander is on the map. Steve Torrence has got to work a few bugs out. Terry McMillen and Mike Salinas put in work, too. Clay Millican and Greg Anderson also looked promising.
The highlight of the weekend of course was the ever fervent grudge match between Erica Enders -Stephens and boy band hopeful Tanner Gray. It has been tit for tat with these two Pro Stock winners, and here come the finals after Erica beat em out the gates being quick on the draw. They burn out, Tanner turns on the first stage lights, then Erica. Tanner bumps in, then Erica and click , click, boom! Tanner Gray leaps out with a . 008 as our dear Erica slept with a . 048
What a cliff hanger. How will they end the series?
Stay tuned for the NHRAMello Yello Drag Racing Series as they head to the New England Nationals, July 6-8.
And this weekend's winners:
Top Fuel -- Blake Alexander, 4.011 seconds, 297.81 mph def. Terry McMillen, 4.155 seconds, 289.20 mph.
Funny Car -- Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.094, 288.21 def. Courtney Force, Chevy Camaro, 4.220, 227.54.
Pro Stock -- Tanner Gray, Chevy Camaro, 6.615, 209.62 def. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.608, 208.30.
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Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a tiebreaking two-run homer for his first major league hit, and the Chicago Cubs swept the Houston Astros with a 3-1 victory on Thursday.
Nico Hoerner had three hits and Mike Tauchman went 1 for 1 with three walks as Chicago won for the fourth time in five games. Hayden Wesneski (2-0) pitched 2 1/3 perfect innings for the win in relief of Javier Assad.
Houston has lost a season-high five straight and eight of nine overall. At 7-19, it is off to its worst 26-game start since it was 6-20 in 1969.
First-year manager Joe Espada was ejected by plate umpire Jansen Visconti in the top of ninth.
Crow-Armstrong was recalled from Triple-A Iowa when Cody Bellinger was placed on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with two fractured ribs. The 22-year-old outfielder, who is considered one of the team’s top prospects, made his big league debut last year and went 0 for 14 while appearing in 13 games.
He picked a perfect time for his first major league hit.
Houston had a 1-0 lead before Dansby Swanson scampered home on a fielder’s choice grounder for Miguel Amaya in the sixth.
Espada then replaced Rafael Montero with Bryan Abreu, who threw a wild pitch with Crow-Armstrong trying to sacrifice Amaya to second. Crow-Armstrong then drove his next pitch deep to right, delighting the crowd of 29,876 at Wrigley Field.