Drag Racing Online - Race Results

WINS, TITLES (MAYBE?) AND GOODBYES AT TOPEKA

Notes by Chris Martin. Photos by Jeff Burk

Scelzi Takes Record 7th NHRA Event Win

In winning the NHRA Advance Auto Parts Nationals Top Fuel title, Gary Scelzi collared a record seventh event win in a single season with the Johnson Family/Team Winston dragster. Scelzi's win over Doug Kalitta's MGM Grand dragster in the final allowed him to pass Don Garlits (1985), Joe Amato (1990), and Scott Kalitta (1995). Scelzi said he was calling the car "Old No. 7" in honor of Jack Daniels Tennessee sipping whiskey and the record fete. Scelzi enjoys a 49-point lead over closest rival, defending Winston champ Tony Schumacher in the Winston standings.

Coughlin Is NHRA 2000 Pro Stock World Champ
By taking his ninth Pro Stock win of the season, Jeg Coughlin collared the NHRA Winston Pro Stock title almost. According to NHRA press releases, he has to at least qualify at the upcoming AutoZone Nationals at Memphis to snare the title. However, according to the TNN coverage at Topeka, Coughlin was 18 rounds ahead of the competition when he beat Warren Johnson in the semifinals. Four races are left, Memphis, Dallas, Houston, and Pomona with four rounds apiece available…aw, to hell with the math, Coughlin and his Rich Maskin-tuned Olds Cutlass have it locked.

... And Force Isn't Far From Title Number 10
In winning career victory No. 90, John Force has moved ever so close to another milestone, 10 NHRA Winston World Championships in Funny Car. It's not sewn up but a 272-point lead over closest competitor Jerry Toliver and the WWF/"the Rock" Camaro is going to be hard to flag down in four races.

Ormsby Jr. Takes Federal-Mogul Dragster
Gary Ormsby Jr.'s father is, of course, the kid whose late father won the 1989 NHRA Winston world title. Heartland Park Topeka's parking area even has a street named after him, Gary Ormsby Drive. Young Ormsby logged a 5.548/251.02 in the final to beat Texan Bill Bybee and accomplish something his late great father never did: win at Topeka. The late Ormsby did, however, make history when a 4.88 at the 1990 Topeka race held up as the first 4.8-second Top Fuel run in history.

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