Championship Drag Racing

O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals
Houston, Texas
(March 28-30)

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Team Reports News and notes from NHRA's Pro teams at the OReilly NHRA Spring Nationals. These reports will be updated and new ones added as they become available. About these reports

Sunday Alan Bradshaw: Rare red-light ends Bradshaw's bid for first Top Fuel victory Antron Brown: Brown earns first career Top Fuel win Brandon Bernstein: Bernstein suffers traction problems Cory McClenathan: McClenathan reaches quarterfinals Dave Grubnic: Grubnic makes early exit Doug Foley: Close race allows Foley, team to showcase their talents Doug Herbert: Herbert has strong day, advances to final four Doug Kalitta: Kalitta advances to semifinals Hillary Will: Will out in round one Morgan Lucas: First-round loss for Lucas Rod Fuller: Fuller suffers rare early defeat Tony Schumacher: Schumacher absorbs tough second-round loss Urs Erbacher: Erbacher becomes first Euro TF driver in 30 years to score round win Saturday Alan Bradshaw: Back-to-back No. 1 qualifiers for Bradshaw Antron Brown: Brown races to No. 12 spot Cory McClenathan: McClenathan nails down No. 4, sets top speed Doug Foley: Foley maintains firm grip on fifth starting slot Doug Herbert: Herbert holds No. 2 position Morgan Lucas: Lucas to face Dixon in first round Rod Fuller: Fuller drives to lucky 13th spot Tony Schumacher: Schumacher to start 10th Friday Alan Bradshaw: Bradshaw sits No. 1 going into final day of qualifying Antron Brown: Brown eyes position in top half of field Doug Foley: Foley flies into No. 5 spot in first day qualifying action Doug Herbert: Herbert makes strong run, takes provisional No. 2 position Rod Fuller: Fuller aims to improve Tony Schumacher: "The Sarge" ends up 10th Pre-race Antron Brown: Brown looking to end second-round jinx Brandon Bernstein: Bernstein looking for third Houston victory Cory McClenathan: McClenathan looking for third Houston victory Doug Foley: Foley driving deep in the heart of Texas to continue fight Doug Herbert: No bull about it, Herbert heads to site of biggest win Doug Kalitta: Kalitta ready for a rebirth Hillary Will: Will going for the gold J.R. Todd: Defending event champ Todd eyes identical outcome Rod Fuller: Fuller looking for win in team owner's hometown Tony Schumacher: Schumacher likes view from the top Urs Erbacher: European drag racing champ looking to rope a win, and some cattle, in Texas

Sunday Ashley Force: Force reaches second career final Bob Gilbertson: Gilbertson's NHRA debut a huge success Bob Tasca III: Smoking tires take out Tasca Cruz Pedregon: Pedregon grabs points lead Del Worsham: Worsham back in the winner's circle Gary Scelzi: Scelzi falls in first round Jack Beckman: Beckman bumped out in opening round Jerry Toliver: Toliver out in first round John Force: Force reaches semifinals Mike Neff: Neff falls in first round Ron Capps: Capps posts strong run, is ousted in first round Tim Wilkerson: Wilkerson makes quickest pass of the day Tommy Johnson: Johnson’s driving skills help make gains Tony Bartone: Bartone makes it to semifinals Saturday Ashley Force: Force has top speed, No. 6 spot Bob Tasca III: Tasca earns No. 15 spot, will face Bartone in first round Cruz Pedregon: Pedregon qualifies on the pole Del Worsham: Worsham stays fourth; broken switch is "killjoy" on final pass Gary Scelzi: Scelzi makes field in No. 16 Jack Beckman: Beckman snares No. 8 in qualifying, moves into points lead Jerry Toliver: Toliver qualifies 13th John Force: Force qualifies in ninth spot Melanie Troxel: Traction trouble keeps Troxel on sidelines Mike Neff: Neff leads JFR into battle Robert Hight: Hight misses cut Ron Capps: Capps collects No. 5 in qualifying Scott Kalitta: Kalitta barely misses eliminations Tim Wilkerson: Wilkerson takes the 12th spot Tony Bartone: Bartone stays at No. 2 Friday Ashley Force: Force blasts into field Bob Tasca III: Tasca sits 12th, confident heading into Saturday Del Worsham: Worsham lands 4th John Force: Stressful day yields ninth spot Mike Neff: Neff races into field Robert Hight: Points leader not currently qualified Ron Capps: Capps No. 5 after two qualifying rounds Tim Wilkerson: Wilkerson qualified No. 10 Tony Bartone: No. 2 spot is great birthday present for 'Big Jim' Dunn Pre-race Ashley Force: Ashley Force excited about belated Houston debut Bob Gilbertson: Gilbertson to join NHRA tour at Houston Bob Tasca III: Tasca eager for full event weekend Dave Grubnic: Grubnic vying for vindication Del Worsham: Worsham's hopes hinge on hooking up the horsepower Gary Scelzi: Funny Car racer Scelzi still holds Top Fuel record in Houston Jack Beckman: Beckman happy with his status Jerry Toliver: Toliver ready to rock Houston John Force: After 2007 absence, Force back at HRP Melanie Troxel: Troxel sees good times ahead ... beginning in Houston Mike Neff: Amped up Neff eager for first win Robert Hight: Hight returns to site of first win, looking for first championship Ron Capps: Capps reflects on season, shoots for third straight Houston win Scott Kalitta: Kalitta hoping for high-speed highlights Tim Wilkerson: Wilkerson remains focused on job at hand Tommy Johnson: Johnson looking for consistency Tony Bartone: Bartone set for Houston after Gainesville crash

Sunday Jeg Coughlin: Coughlin cedes points lead with rare red-light Justin Humphreys: Humphreys loses early but stays ninth in points Ken Koretsky: Red-light spoils Koretsky's 50th birthday plans Kurt Johnson: Johnson powers to a runner-up finish Warren Johnson: WJ rebounds to post a quarterfinal finish Saturday Jeg Coughlin: Even during an 'off' weekend, Coughlin still 'on' in the eyes of many Justin Humphreys: Humphreys' best run puts him 15th Ken Koretsky: Koretsky gets early birthday present: qualifies 13th Kurt Johnson: Johnson is the No. 1 qualifier Tom Hammonds: Hammonds misses field by one, but engine makes it in Warren Johnson: Repairs completed, WJ qualifies ninth Friday Jeg Coughlin: Despite wild ride in Round 2, Coughlin still earns top-half spot Kurt Johnson: Sitting on top, KJ and crew turn their attention towards teammate Tom Hammonds: Two qualifying session down hammonds behind three slots Warren Johnson: On-track incident has WJ and crew thrashing Pre-race Allen Johnson: Johnson needs to ‘get better on Sundays’ Jeg Coughlin: Coughlin shrugs off historic milestones with singular focus Justin Humphreys: Four qualifying attempts, good runs on race day on Humphreys’ agenda Ken Koretsky: Koretsky hopes for sunshine Kurt Johnson: KJ and crew hungry heading into Houston Tom Hammonds: Hammonds chases a win and adocates student achievement Warren Johnson: WJ ready to celebrate 20 years at HRP with a win

Sunday Angelle Sampey: Sampey salvages 6th in points Angie Smith: McBride gets by Chip Ellis: Ellis advances to the semifinals in second straight race Chris Rivas: Rivas out in first round Matt Smith: Smith dominates at Houston Steve Johnson: Johnson advances to second round Saturday Chip Ellis: Ellis qualifies No. 2 Chris Rivas: Rivas qualifies tenth Pre-race Angie Smith: McBride leads the females Chip Ellis: Ellis seeks to continue fast season start Chris Rivas: Rivas looks forward to more riding time Karen Stoffer: Stoffer eager for Houston after Gainesville glitch Matt Guidera: Guidera grabs point lead Matt Smith: Smith is ready

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