Post-Race Report Event 12: NHRA Norwalk Nationals Summit Motorsports Park Norwalk, Ohio

Todd advances to third straight semifinal

Race Recap: J.R. Todd and the DHL/WIX Filters team earned their third straight semifinal finish in Norwalk today.

Todd and the DHL/WIX Filters team was only able to hit the track twice in qualifying due to weather, but the Jon Oberhofer and Todd Smith-tuned machine made quick work of their first opportunity recording a 4.044 second pass, which secured a top half starting spot.

For the third time in four races, Todd drew Bob Tasca III on raceday. Todd got a big jump on Tasca III on the starting line and the DHL/WIX Filters Camry was clean to the finish line with a solid 4.016 second pass. That gave him lane choice over Ron Capps in the quarterfinals.

Todd got the advantage on the former champion at the start and Capps fell to tire smoke nearly immediately. Todd’s elapsed time improved to a 4.004 seconds and he advanced to his third straight semifinal.

In the semifinals, Todd picked his lane over Matt Hagan. It was a close race throughout the 1,000 foot distance, but Hagan got to the stripe first to end Todd’s weekend.

Statistics:
Qualified: No. 7 (4.044 sec., 315.27 mph)

E1: Todd defeated Tasca III – 4.016 sec., 316.01 mph to 5.438 sec., 142.39 mph
E2: Todd defeated Capps – 4.004 sec., 321.27 mph to 9.588 sec., 81.59 mph
E3: Todd defeated by Hagan – 4.031 sec., 321.50 mph to 3.981 sec., 320.58 mph

Quotable: “Not the end result we wanted for this DHL/WIX Filters Toyota team, but a good day for points. We are making up ground on the cars in front of us, and hopefully we can keep moving forward.”

Point Standings: Fifth; leads Ron Capps by 12 points by fourth; trails Robert Hight by four points for fourth

Crampton scores Norwalk round win

Race Recap:

Richie Crampton earned a round win at the Summit Motorsports Park today in Norwalk, Ohio.

Crampton and the Top Fuel field got only two attempts at the track in qualifying. After the first pass did not go as the DHL/Kalitta Air team would have liked, Rob Flynn and Connie Kalitta tuned Crampton to a 3.888 second pass which easily secured Crampton a spot in the field.

The 10th starting spot meant a draw with part-time competitor and Ohio native Pat Dakin. Crampton was solid on the tree, and the DHL ride recorded its best pass of the weekend, a 3.802, to secure the round win.

That advanced Crampton past the first round for the second time in three events; this time the draw was Terry McMillen. Despite another solid effort at the tree and a clean 3.810 second run, McMillen was able to score the round win by a few feet at the line. With the result, Crampton moved within one point of the top ten in the standings.

Statistics:
Qualified: No. 10 (3.888 sec., 316.60 mph)

E1: Crampton defeated Dakin – 3.802 sec., 321.81 mph to 3.834 sec., 318.24 mph
E2: Crampton defeated by McMillen – 3.810 sec., 320.51 mph to 3.793 sec., 327.11 mph

Quotable: “We’re heading in the right direction for sure. We’re starting to keep our eye on those valuable points. We definitely needed a round win or two here. Now we just need to keep moving forward as we head to Epping in two weeks.”

Point Standings: 11th; trails Scott Palmer by one point for 10thStatistics:
Qualified: No. 10 (3.888 sec., 316.60 mph) E1: Crampton defeated Dakin – 3.802 sec., 321.81 mph to 3.834 sec., 318.24 mphE2: Crampton defeated by McMillen – 3.810 sec., 320.51 mph to 3.793 sec., 327.11 mph

Point Standings: 11th; trails Scott Palmer by one point for 10th

Langdon has solid raceday performance

Race Recap: Shawn Langdon scored a round win and gave the points leader quite a fight at today’s Norwalk Nationals.

Langdon was outside of the qualifying order going into Saturday, but the Global Electronic Technology team had a great plan. A stellar 4.050 second pass tuned by Nicky Boninfante and Kurt Elliott meant a bonus point and a top half starting spot for Langdon.

In the first round, Langdon was the final nitro pair to see the track with his opponent, former Kalitta driver and Funny Car world champion Del Worsham. Langdon got a slight advantage at the tree, and lowered his elapsed time from Saturday to advance past Worsham and further secure his top ten placement.

In the quarterfinals, Langdon came up against points leader Courtney Force. He was able to get three hundredths at the starting line, but he needed just a little more as Force was able to drive around Langdon despite a weekend-best run of 4.025 seconds.

Statistics:
Qualified: No. 8 (4.050 sec., 308.71 mph)

E1: Langdon defeated Worsham – 4.045 sec., 318.77 mph to 4.847 sec., 202.00 mph
E2: Langdon defeated by C. Force – 4.025 sec., 315.19 mph to 3.971 sec., 325.37 mph

Quotable: “We had a great weekend for how it started off. The Global Electronic Technology Toyota ended up the eighth qualifier and we made two good runs today. We gave the points leader a pretty solid run. We are picking away at it. We are back inside the top ten, which is a plus and we have a better race car, which is also a plus. We just came up a little bit short today in the quarterfinals. We have a week to go over everything and get ready for Epping.”

Point Standings: Ninth; leads Bob Tasca III by five points for 10th; trails John Force by 45 points for eighth

Kalitta loses a close one in the first round

Race Recap: Doug Kalitta and the Mac Tools team fell in a close race in the first round of the Norwalk Nationals today at Summit Motorsports Park.

Despite only two chances at the race track in qualifying, Kalitta and the Mac Tools team made the most of it by getting down the track both laps. Their best pass, a 3.844 second run, got pushed out of the top half to ninth in what ended up being the final qualifying session.

In the first round, Kalitta faced fellow top five driver Leah Pritchett in the first round. Kalitta was able to score a slight advantage at the starting line, but Pritchett was able to drive back around and score the round win win a close race.

Statistics:
Qualified: No. 9 (3.844 sec., 320.74 mph)

E1: Kalitta defeated by Pritchett – 3.805 sec., 321.73 mph to 3.794 sec., 328.94 mph

Quotable: “The Mac Tools team just lost a close race today in Norwalk. Nothing to hang our heads about. We will go home, regroup and get ready for Epping in a couple weeks.”

Point Standings: Fourth; leads Leah Pritchett by 13 points for fifth; trails Tony Schumacher by 68 points for third