Class Ceiling
NHRA report: Hot track in Thunder Valley makes for strong weekend in Bristol
By Tery Red ( Crew Chief for Mr. Mad /RigTech Motorsports)
Jun 18, 2018, 7:00 am
Tommy Lee wound up in the sand trap. Competitionplus.com
Welcome to Femmefanaticsports where this week's journey goes to the Fitzgerald USA NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tenessee. You have the Perfect Trifecta: The birthplace of country music plus The Home of Bristol Motor Speedway, (a NASCAR Sprint Cup track that is one of the most well-known motorsports facilities in the country.) and Bristol Dragway, where the Fitzgerald USA NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals event is held.
Just give me that old time Rock and Roll, right on down the track!
I would be remiss if I didn't mention that classy First Lady of Drag Racing, Shirley "ChaCha" Muldowney graced the presence of fans in Thunder Valley and reminisced about Tom "The Mongoose " McEwen and how thrilled she was when he asked her for her autograph at a track meet years ago. WOW, that is amazing Class Ceiling stuff right there! Just imagine that back in the day, the Mongoose, forward thinker that he was, gives her the symbolic Fist Bump, High Five, Atta Girl, by requesting her John Hancock. She immediately paid it forward and bought and wore one of his shirts and did not part with it for the day. Sweet dreams are made of this!
A little lightning and thunder would have been most welcome this weekend here in Thunder Valley. A bit of rain could have cooled the track down ....track temperatures were up to 139.° Now remember, we're in Thunder Valley, so we're talking about major horsepower, a super hot track and less track treatment with scorching temperatures, both behind the wheel and on the track. The driver has to make some real time, real life decisions on the dime. Should I stay in it off the starting line? Yes! I have the Holeshot...But I'm smoking the tires...Foot off pedal...Straighten up...Foot back on pedal...Don't touch the centerline...Pedal off...Get back in it... Foot back on the pedal.... watch out for the wall, foot off pedal, win beam insight, foot on pedal, my opponent coming over the lane, foot off pedal, Get this win! All in 4 seconds . Just ask Brittany Force .
Funny thing, as it heats up here, Iron Man Clay Millican seems to have no problem getting down the track, putting his field on the map in qualifying sessions with a 3 second pass! Maybe, just maybe it has to do with The Thunder from down under Crew Chief, Dave Grubnic. What's the secret?
Doug Winters lived to tell after crossing the centerline and kissing the wall during Pro Mod Qualifying .
Pro Stock Rocker Tommy Lee waltzed the Sand trap as his chutes failed to deploy and his brakes failed to grab during third round qualifying. Safety, first, last, always. Great job NHRA Safety Safari!
Matt Hagan lit the fire as leader of the DSR qualifying pack. There is nothing Funny about those cars.
This weekend's event proved to be , thuderous, brutal, and action packed.
Victory Circle:
Top Fuel: Tony Schumacher, 3.946, 313.58 def. Salinas, 5.251, 152.18.
Funny car: Ron Capps, 4.234, 296.37 def. Tasca III, 4.300, 286.98.
Pro stock: Jeg Coughlin, 6.709, 205.10 def. Anderson, 6.741, 205.07.
Take me out to the Race Track!
June 21-24 2018
Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals
Norwalk, Ohio
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.