2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series

Last updated
2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season
League NHRA
Sport Drag racing
ChampionsSteve Torrence (TF)
J.R. Todd (FC)
Tanner Gray (PS)
Matt Smith (PSM)
NHRA seasons

The 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Season was announced on June 6, 2017. [1]

Contents

It was the 63rd season of the National Hot Rod Association's top drag racing competition. There were 24 Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock events, and 16 Pro Stock Motorcycle events.

Schedule

2018 NHRA Mello Yello Schedule
DateRaceSiteTVWinners
Top Fuel DragsterFunny CarPro StockPS Motorcycle
Feb 8–11 Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com Pomona, CA FS1 Doug Kalitta (1) Matt Hagan (1) Bo Butner (1)N/A
Feb 23–25 NHRA Arizona Nationals Chandler, AZFS1*Steve Torrence (1) Courtney Force (1)Chris McGaha (1)N/A
Mar 15–18 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals Gainesville, FLFS1*Richie Crampton (1) Jack Beckman (1) Tanner Gray (1) Eddie Krawiec (1)
Apr 6–8 DENSO Auto Parts NHRA Four-Wide Nationals 4 LanesLas Vegas, NVFS1*Steve Torrence (2)J.R. Todd (1)Vincent Nobile (1)N/A
Apr 20–22 NHRA SpringNationals Baytown, TXFS1 Brittany Force (1)J.R. Todd (2)Matt Hartford (1)N/A
Apr 27–29 NGK Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals 4 LanesConcord, NCFS1*Steve Torrence (3) Cruz Pedregon (1) Erica Enders-Stevens (1)Jerry Savoie (1)
May 4–6 NHRA Southern Nationals Commerce, GAFS1* Leah Pritchett (1)Courtney Force (2)Vincent Nobile (2)Eddie Krawiec (2)
May 18–21 Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals presented by Minties 2Topeka, KSFS1Clay Millican (1)Courtney Force (3)Deric Kramer (1)N/A
May 31 – Jun 3 JEGS Route 66 NHRA Nationals Joliet, ILFS1*Clay Millican (2) Robert Hight (1) Jeg Coughlin, Jr. (1)Matt Smith (1)
Jun 8–10 Virginia NHRA Nationals Petersburg, VAFS1*Steve Torrence (4)Courtney Force (4)Tanner Gray (2) L.E. Tonglet (1)
Jun 15–17 Fitzgerald USA NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Bristol, TNFS1* Tony Schumacher (1) Ron Capps (1)Jeg Coughlin, Jr. (2)N/A
Jun 21–24 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals Norwalk, OHFS1*Blake Alexander (1)Matt Hagan (2)Tanner Gray (3)Eddie Krawiec (3)
Jul 6–8 NHRA New England Nationals Epping, NHFS1Steve Torrence (5)Matt Hagan (3)Chris McGaha (2)N/A
Jul 20–22 Dodge Mile-High NHRA Nationals Morrison, CO Fox Leah Pritchett (2) John Force (1) Greg Anderson (1)Hector Arana, Jr. (1)
Jul 27–29 Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals Sonoma, CAFoxBlake Alexander (2)Robert Hight (2)Jeg Coughlin, Jr. (3)L.E. Tonglet (2)
Aug 3–5 CatSpot NHRA Northwest Nationals Kent, WAFox Antron Brown (1)Ron Capps (2)Tanner Gray (4)N/A
Aug 16–19 Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Brainerd, MNFS1Billy Torrence (1)Jack Beckman (2)Deric Kramer (2)Eddie Krawiec (4)
Aug 29 – Sep 3 Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals 1.5Clermont, INFoxTerry McMillen (1)J.R. Todd (3)Tanner Gray (5)L.E. Tonglet (3)
Countdown to the Championship
Sep 13–16 Dodge NHRA Nationals Mohnton, PAFS1*Steve Torrence (6)J.R. Todd (4)Vincent Nobile (3)Hector Arana, Jr. (2)
Sep 21–23 AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals Madison, ILFS1Steve Torrence (7)Robert Hight (3)Tanner Gray (6)Matt Smith (2)
Oct 4–7 AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals Ennis, TXFS1Steve Torrence (8)Robert Hight (4)Tanner Gray (7)L.E. Tonglet (4)
Oct 12–14 NHRA Carolina Nationals presented by WIX Filters Concord, NCFS1Steve Torrence (9)Ron Capps (3) Jason Line (1)Matt Smith (3)
Oct 25–28 Toyota NHRA Nationals Las Vegas, NVFS1Steve Torrence (10)J.R. Todd (5)Bo Butner (2)Hector Arana, Jr. (3)
Nov 8–11 Auto Club NHRA Finals 1.5Pomona, CAFS1Steve Torrence (11)J.R. Todd (6)Tanner Gray (8)Matt Smith (4)

* Finals televised on tape delay. Ennis, TX race broadcast schedule and channel changed from FS2 to FS1 because of 2018 National League Division Series presented by Doosan Game 3 start times. [2]

Additional Rules for Specially Marked Races

4 Lanes: The Four-Wide Nationals in both Las Vegas and Charlotte in the spring will compete with cars on four lanes.

1.5: The U. S. Nationals and Auto Club Finals will have their race points increased by 50% . Drivers who qualify but are eliminated in the first round receive 30 points, and each round win is worth 30 points. The top four receive 10, 9, 8, and 7 points, respectively, for qualifying positions, with the 5–6 drivers receiving 6 points, 7–8 drivers receiving 5 points, 9–12 receiving 4 points, and 13–16 receiving 3 points. Also, the top four, not three, drivers after each session receive points for fastest times in each round (4-3-2-1).

Event changes

On January 16, 2018, Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey ceased all drag racing operations at the facility due to ongoing safety concerns as well as rising maintenance costs. Two weeks later, the NHRA Summernationals, already scheduled to take place there in June, was announced to be moved to Virginia Motorsports Park in Petersburg, Virginia. [3] The last NHRA professional event at VMP had taken place in 2009. [4]

Because of a series of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series date changes, the NHRA changed the dates of numerous rounds to avoid conflicts. The race in Joliet was moved to early June, as the normal date had been reassigned to the NASCAR meeting at the nearby Chicagoland Speedway, and the Countdown dates in Reading and Charlotte were swapped since the Charlotte date would have been too close to the NASCAR road course playoff race.

2: Due to inclement weather throughout the day, Final Elimination Rounds at the Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals in Topeka, Kansas did not start until around 7 PM CDT on May 20, 2018. After fog began settling in during the second round of pro racing, it was postponed until the following day at 10 AM CDT when the semifinal and final rounds were held.

Final standings

Top Fuel [5]
Pos.DriverPointsPoints BackChassis
1Steve Torrence2900–MLR
2Tony Schumacher2596−304DSR (MG)
3Clay Millican2573−327Hadman
4Leah Pritchett2456−444DSR (MG)
5Brittany Force2417−483Force
6Antron Brown2378−522DSR (MG)
7Mike Salinas2308−592Scrappers
8Doug Kalitta2308−592Kalitta
9Terry McMillen2301−599McMillen
10Scott Palmer2231−669Thompson
Funny Car [5]
Pos.DriverPointsPoints BackMake
1J.R. Todd2726–Toyota
2Robert Hight2532−194Chevrolet
3Tommy Johnson, Jr.2519−207Dodge
4Ron Capps2510−216Dodge
5Tim Wilkerson2418−308Ford
6Courtney Force2409−317Chevrolet
7Jack Beckman2405−321Dodge
8Matt Hagan2371−355Dodge
9John Force2356−370Chevrolet
10Shawn Langdon2285−441Toyota
Pro Stock [5]
Pos.DriverPointsPoints BackMake
1Tanner Gray2758–Chevrolet
2Jeg Coughlin, Jr.2571−187Chevrolet
3Drew Skillman2559−199Chevrolet
4Erica Enders-Stevens2525−233Chevrolet
5Jason Line2472−286Chevrolet
6Vincent Nobile2452−306Chevrolet
7Greg Anderson2418−340Chevrolet
8Bo Butner III2379−379Chevrolet
9Deric Kramer2268−490Chevrolet
10Chris McGaha2184−574Chevrolet
Pro Stock Motorcycle [5]
Pos.DriverPointsPoints BackMake
1Matt Smith2666–Buell
2Eddie Krawiec2627−39Harley-Davidson
3Hector Arana, Jr.2536−130Buell
4L.E. Tonglet IV2532−134Suzuki
5Gerald Savoie2464−202Suzuki
6Andrew Hines2450−216Harley-Davidson
7Angelle Sampey2349−317Buell
8Angie Smith2303−363Buell
9Steve Johnson2290−376Suzuki
10Scotty Pollacheck2258−408Suzuki

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References

  1. ↑ "NHRA announces 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule". NHRA.com. National Hot Rod Association. June 6, 2017. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  2. ↑ "NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series TV schedule". NHRA.com. National Hot Rod Association . Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  3. ↑ BangShift.com, Bad News: Raceway Park Will Cease Drag Racing Operations – The End Of Englishtown Appears To Be Nigh by Brian Lohnes, January 16, 2018, Retrieved Jan. 30, 2018.
  4. ↑ National Hot Rod Association, NHRA partners with Virginia Motorsports Park to host NHRA Virginia Nationals, NHRA.com, January 30, 2018, Retrieved Jan. 30, 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series points". nhra.com. Archived from the original on 2013-02-21. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
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