After rain delayed the completion of the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway to Monday morning, Robert Hight and the Cornwell Tools / AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS team made the day count with their third win of the season, second consecutive at the facility and a jump into the points lead.
Hight and the Cornwell Tools Chevy had already gotten through Jim Campbell and Matt Hagan in the first two rounds of racing on Sunday. They came into the semifinals to face reigning world champion Ron Capps. The Cornwell Tools Camaro had a smooth ride down Maple Grove Raceway recording a 3.861-second pass at 330.31 mph while Capps smoked the tires almost immediately to cross the finish line at 11.331 and only 59.00.
In Hight’s 100th career final round, he’d handle the Cornwell Tools Chevy to a 3.854-second pass at 330.39 mph to defeat Chad Green’s 3.928 at 327.27.
““This Cornwell Tools car is running right at the right time. We did exactly what we needed to do this weekend. But it’s hard to get too excited about it because we won here last year and we didn’t get it done in the end. We have to stay focused and move on to Charlotte,” Hight said. “It’s not getting any easier. This win, from the second round to the final, we knocked down three contenders. You go up there against Chad Green you don’t lay up. That car ran a lot of 3.80’s this weekend. You knock off Hagan and Capps…the Hagan race, that was one of the closest races, maybe in the history of Funny Car. That’s insane. We can’t get too carried away yet. We have to go win some more races. My opinion is, in this Countdown, you’re going to have to win three races, maybe four if you’re going to be the champion.
“I’m a bit bummed that all the Cornwell Tools employees and dealers had to leave. This is their first win on the side of my Funny Car. We’ve been so close this year and didn’t get it done for them,” Hight continued. “I wish they could have been here to celebrate. I’m going to give this trophy and buy another one. It’s going back to Van Wert and Mogadore. their two factories because those guys work really hard behind the scenes to build great tools and they’re also excited about this program. They deserve some trophies and an ‘attaboy’ for this win.”
With the win, Hight and the Cornwell Tools / AAA shifted into the No. 1 spot in the points standings just three points in front of Capps in second with five events left in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship. Brittany Force and the Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac team finish the weekend in the No. 6 spot, Austin Prock and the Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist dragster team are sitting No. 8 and John Force in the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevy Camaro SS are No. 9.
To catch Monday’s racing action from the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, tune into FOX Sports 1 (FS1) at 9:30 p.m. ET.
The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series continues its NHRA Countdown to the Championship next weekend at zMAX Dragway with the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals Sept. 22-24.
JFR PR
