Prime Gasoline’s Justin Ashley picked up his third win of the season on Sunday at Brainerd Worldwide Raceway, defeating Shawn Langdon within the closing spherical of the forty second Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals.
Blake Alexander (Humorous Automobile) and Dallas Glenn (Professional Inventory) additionally gained the thirteenth of 20 races through the 2024 NHRA Mission Meals Drag Racing Sequence season.
Ashley led wire-to-wire towards Langdon, going 3.745s at 329.34mph in his Scag Energy Tools/Toyota dragster to roll to his 14th profession victory. Ashley defeated Billy Torrence, Tony Stewart and Josh Hart to achieve the ultimate spherical, incomes his first profession Prime Gasoline win at Brainerd and likewise getting his first victory since April.
He moved to 3rd in factors and showcased spectacular consistency throughout eliminations, with all 4 runs between 3.74s and three.76s. That bodes nicely for a robust efficiency in Indy and the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
“The whole lot that we’ve completed all through your entire common season to date has been completed with intent and function,” Ashley mentioned. “We wish to win each race that we go to, however in the end, it’s about positioning ourselves nicely for Indy and past. We broke out a brand new automotive this weekend and kudos to Mike (Inexperienced) and Tommy (DeLago), they did an incredible job. The automotive went up and down the observe each time at this time. There’s simply one thing a couple of new chassis that feels nice. There’s going to be ups and downs, it’s about staying level-headed.
“This class is so troublesome, it’s so robust. The margin of error is so small, so once you’re capable of be constant like that, it simply will increase your possibilities of successful. It’s a type of sports activities that any given Sunday, something can occur. It’s so onerous to run in such a good window like that, however this group got here by means of and obtained it completed.”
Langdon went to the finals for the sixth time in 2024 and the forty fourth time in his profession, getting previous Shawn Reed, Kalitta Motorsports teammate Doug Kalitta and Ida Zetterstrom, who made her NHRA Prime Gasoline debut this weekend. Kalitta now holds an 84-point lead over Langdon.
In Humorous Automobile, Blake Alexander loved a terrific redemption weekend in Brainerd after the group battled again following an explosion in Sonoma. The turnaround was spectacular and Alexander ended his weekend within the winner’s circle for the primary time this season, selecting up the win in his Head Racing Ford Mustang when defending world champion Matt Hagan went purple within the closing spherical. Alexander would have been robust to beat, posting a 3.927s at 324.67mph within the championship spherical after staying within the low 3.90s your entire day.
It’s the fourth profession victory for Alexander – and his second in Humorous Automobile – and he superior to the ultimate spherical on the power of spherical wins towards Dave Richards, Jack Beckman and Chad Inexperienced. Working with crew chief Jim Head, Alexander has changed into a legit contender and can head to the Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals seventh in factors, feeling totally succesful his group can compete towards anybody. Alexander proved that in Brainerd, taking one other step ahead in his profession at a observe meaning an excellent deal to him.
“Sonoma was the toughest race I’ve ever had in my profession after which to come back right here and have top-of-the-line races I’ve ever had in my profession, it means quite a bit,” Alexander mentioned. “I don’t wish to sound boastful, however I do know that after I’m on, I’m one of many prime guys out right here. I do know after I’m not on, similar to anybody else, I could be a downside for my race group. So I’m making an attempt to maintain it tight, 4 straight runs each single time. Saying that’s very easy to do, however doing that’s actually onerous.
“I’m actually happy with this group, they labored actually onerous on the mixture and seeing them pull the strings on it in between runs. We’re making legit horsepower now and when it turns right into a horsepower recreation we will play that recreation now and I’m fairly happy with that. It’s only a good to position to come back to and when you possibly can really feel that the individuals who personal the observe and the followers care, it simply makes this large distinction.”
After struggling in qualifying, Hagan reached the finals for the fourth time this yr and 91st time in his profession, getting previous Ron Capps, Daniel Wilkerson and J.R. Todd. Austin Prock stays within the factors lead, holding a 218-point benefit over Bob Tasca III heading to Indy.
Professional Inventory factors chief Dallas Glenn obtained again to his successful methods in spectacular trend, selecting up a repeat win in Brainerd after defeating Mason McGaha within the closing spherical, going 6.613s at 206.95mph in his RAD Torque Programs Chevrolet Camaro. It’s the third season of the season for Glenn – and his first since Chicago in Could – and the eleventh in his profession. Brainerd additionally continues to deal with Glenn very nicely, defeating Eric Latino with a 6.598s, defending world champion Erica Enders and Aaron Stanfield, who had gained three of the previous 4 races, to achieve the ultimate spherical.
McGaha left first however bumped into bother as Glenn cruised to a victory. It opened up his lead over KB Titan Racing teammate Greg Anderson to 184 factors heading to the regular-season finale in Indy and will get Glenn again on observe, additionally snapping the six-race successful streak of Elite Motorsports within the course of.
“It feels actually good,” Glenn mentioned. “I went to 3 finals in that six-race streak the place they saved successful. It was undoubtedly good to lastly seal the deal. We made a very nice run there within the closing, though I form of obtained caught with my pants down on the tree. I saved flickering all of it day and had actually lengthy timber, then hastily I get a fast one and it caught me off guard.
“Everyone on the crew did an superior job. You go up second spherical towards Erica and you realize she’s going to be robust, and you then observe it up with Aaron Stanfield, who’s gained three out of the final 4 – yeah, it was a troublesome day. It is a large Professional Inventory space, the Zoo is all the time a great time, and other people round right here undoubtedly present up for this race. They help it, and it’s actually nice seeing the stands packed and everyone up towards the fence cheering each run you go up and down.”
McGaha reached his first closing spherical of the season and third in his profession due to victories towards No. 1 qualifier Jerry Tucker, David Cuadra and Fernando Cuadra Jr.
The NHRA Mission Meals Drag Racing Sequence returns to motion Aug. 28-Sept. 2 with the seventieth annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
