The 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule brings the dragsters to The Chevrolet Performance US Nationals. The US Nationals is the last event of the regular season. Top Fuel’s Clay Millican qualified first in his respective division. Matt Hagan was the fastest in the Funny Car Division and Bo Butner took home the top spot in the Pro Stock Division.
Clay Millican managed to retain the number one spot through Sunday. He accomplished it with his Saturday night’s performance of 3.692 seconds at 316.82 miles per hour in his Great Clips dragster. The speedy Millican’s time is a US Nationals track record.
This is his fourth career number one qualifier and first of the 2016 season. The feisty racer is chasing his first career victory. Millican will battle it out with Terry McMillen on Monday morning.
“This is an incredible group that we have together that makes this thing go,” said Millican. “I’m the one everyone talks to, but the truth is it is all those young men that work on the car. It is really a proud moment for this small team to be able to go out here and be the No. 1 qualifier at the US Nationals. This also is my fourth number one qualifier with the NHRA. But this is certainly the biggest one, no doubt about it.”
Steve Torrence landed in the second spot in his Capco Contractors hot-rod with a 3.702 pass second at 328.06 miles per hour. The two-time US Nationals champion will duel Indianapolis local Bruce Litton in the beginning round.
Brittany Force powered her Monster Energy dragster to a third place spot. The prodigal daughter will race Pat Dakin on next. Tony Schumacher and reigning world champ Antron Brown claimed the fourth and fifth placements for the US Nationals.
Clay McMillen and 10th place qualifier Leah Pritchett are in an epic points battle for the last spot in the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship. Pritchett is holding on to a one point difference over McMillen. Their fates will also be decided after the smoke clears on Monday’s eliminations.
Matt Hagan’s pass on Friday night of 3.858 seconds at 330.80 miles per hour in his Mopar Dodge Charger planted him in the number one qualifying spot. Hagan’s interval was also a Lucas Oil Raceway record.
The experienced dragster earned his 25th number one qualifier title of his career. Furthermore, it was Hagan’s fourth of the 2016 season. The super fast racer will be matched against John Bojec in the opening round of the US Nationals.
“I didn’t think it was going to stick, but I’m glad it did,” said Hagan, who is chasing his first win at the Big Go. “I was surprised to see that .85-second pass was still it. That’s racing. Everybody is swinging for the fence and digging deep. Unfortunately, sometimes you miss it. We’ll get focused for tomorrow. I also up this morning with a sore throat and running a fever, but whether you got a cold or not, you got to get in the race car focused.”
Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger R/T pilot Jack Beckman piloted his Infinite Hero Dodge Charger to a third qualifying place. He accomplished it with a 3.859 second run at another track record speed of 333.08 miles per hour. The 2012 Funny Car world champion faces Dave Richards in the first round of the event.
Ron Capps, the NHRA current points leader, is third with a 3.861 second pass at 325.30 miles per hour. He is paired up with Bob Bode. John Force’s daughter Courtney Force faces Jim Campbell in the first round.
Bo Butner powered his hot-rod to the top position in the Pro Stock Division. He sped down the quarter-mile track with a 6.571 second run at 210.24 miles per hour. As a result, he claimed the third number one on his racing resume’. Furthermore, he has collected four runner-up’s this year.
“Hopefully, we will also get some of this hometown love,” said Butner, who is from Floyds Knob, Ind. “We also have a very fast car, and we’ve had a very fast car all year long. This is the toughest class ever, and it’s hard to win. You have to also have a little luck and some breaks, but I feel good about this weekend. I think we’ll maybe finish it up like we need to and win.”
Greg Anderson drove his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro to a second place seeding. The phenom roared down the track with a 6.576 second run at 209.92 miles per hour. The six-time Indianapolis winner, has seven wins in 11 final round appearances this season and currently sits second in points. Anderson will go straight up with the five-time world champ Jeg Coughlin Jr. to start his run to another victory.
