As Sunday’s track temperatures heated up on elimination Sunday at the NHRA Carolina Nationals, so too did the competition in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. And when racing was complete, three drivers – Top Fuel’s Antron Brown, Pro Stock’s Dallas Glenn and Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Matt Smith – secured wins and wrestled away the points lead with just four races remaining. In Funny Car, points leader Austin Prock extended his advantage with a category-best seventh win this season.
Brown Earns Top Spot for First Time Since 2017
With back-to-back victories to kick off the Countdown, seven-time zMAX Dragway winner Brown continues his journey in the NHRA Playoffs looking for his fourth Top Fuel world title.
After qualifying 10th, Brown faced No. 12 qualifier Doug Foley for the Wally. The duo went head-to-head in the final pass, where Brown was able to clock a 3.848-second run at 319.90 mph to top Foley by 0.014 seconds. With this win, Brown tallied his 79th career win across the Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle divisions.
Earlier in the day, Brown bested Steve Torrence, Billy Torrence and Doug Kalitta to reach the finals.
“We knew the final run was going to be the toughest,” Brown said. “It was just a tough, hard, fought day, and we just beat all the resistance with persistence all day and never quit.”
After a successful weekend in Charlotte, Brown moved into the Top Fuel points lead for the first time since 2017.
Prock Continues Magical Rookie Season
After qualifying second behind Matt Hagan, Funny Car rookie Prock raced past Alexis DeJoria, Ron Capps and his John Force Racing teammate Jack Beckman before meeting Hagan at the start line for the final run. Continuing in his dominance this season, Prock walked away with the win after a close 3.924-second pass overtook reigning zMAX Dragway Four-Wide champion Matt Hagan by 0.054 seconds.
“My team has been doing such a great job and giving me the opportunity to learn every time I get out there,” Prock said. “Really cool to win in Mr. (Rick) Hendrick’s hometown. This trophy is going back to him. Nothing makes you happier than making your sponsors and team happy.”
With the win, Prock becomes just the second person ever to win in both the Top Fuel and Funny Car categories at zMAX Dragway. Being the car to beat in his “Prock Rocket,” he now looks to carry his momentum into the next round of NHRA playoffs.
Hometown Favorite Glenn Gets It Done
In the final pass of the Pro Stock division, both Glenn and Aaron Stanfield took off to 207 mph, but with a razor-thin 0.004 of a second separating the two, Glenn claimed the win with a final round pass of 6.626 seconds. Glenn, who started as the No. 4 seed heading into Sunday’s elimination race, beat Mason McGaha, Matt Hartford and Pro Stock legend Erica Enders, before meeting Stanfield in the finals.
“We made some adjustments for the final [round], knowing Aaron [Stanfield] was going to be tough,” Glenn said. “I felt like the final lap was the only lap today that I drove really well. Overall, I felt like we had the car to win, and I’m looking forward to trying to win again next week.”
With this victory, Glenn collected his 13th career win and was able to take the points lead back from Stanfield as the two continue to battle for a world title.
Smith Sweeps The Weekend
Smith swept the weekend at his home track in Pro Stock Motorcycle competition. The North Carolina native topped the charts in both Friday and Saturday’s qualifying rounds, earning the No. 1 spot in Sunday’s bracket. Smith finished the job with a time of 6.84 seconds at 199 mph, holding off Richard Gadson to keep the Wally in his home state.
“When I went down the track, I tried to stay excellent and tough against Richard, but when I went through the lights, I didn’t see my win light turn on,” Smith said. “I didn’t know if I won or not. Trying to figure out who won, I saw the camera was focused on me, and that’s when I knew it was ours. All in all, what a weekend it was to win at my home track.”
Gadson finished in the runner-up position with a time of 6.875 seconds and 197.31 seconds. With Smith’s Carolina Nationals win, this puts him ahead of Gaige Herrera in the overall points standings going into Midwest Nationals.
Spiderman Prevails in Top Fuel Championship Battle
In the Top Fuel Motorcycle division, Larry “Spiderman” McBride rode his way to victory with his best time of 3.284 seconds, earning the veteran racer the inaugural Top Fuel Motorcycle World Championship.
NEXT UP:
America’s Home for Racing’s fall season continues Oct. 11-13 at the pivotal Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 weekend. Both NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series drivers will take on the newly reconfigured course, which includes two all-new turns, in a pivotal NASCAR Playoffs clash that will see four drivers eliminated from championship contention in each series.
TICKETS:
To purchase Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 weekend tickets, fans can shop online atwww.charlottemotorspeedway.com or call 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Kids 12 and under get in all weekend for just $10.
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