Morgan Claims 10th Career Win, Jones Runners-Up
After winning two of the first four races in the Countdown to One championship series, Team Summit drivers Greg Anderson and Jason Line stumbled a bit at the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals in Nevada. But all was not lost for Summit Racing as All Star associate drivers Larry Morgan and Rickie Jones turned in a solid 1-2 finish in Pro Stock.
Team Summit Results: Pro Stock
Larry Morgan’s trip to the winner’s circle was his first since Sonoma in 2002. He defeated Jason Line in the first round, 6.698/206.01 to 6.726/206.16. He then denied points leader Mike Edwards a win in the second round with a holeshot, 6.720/205.69 to 6.677/207.59. Morgan defeated Greg Stanfield in the semi-finals, 6.729/205.19 to 6.801/195.42, to advance to his first final round of the year and the 32nd of his career. During the final run, Morgan got out of the gate first and led Rickie Jones from stripe-to-stripe, 6.720/205.69 to 6.794/203.16. Morgan is in 11th place in the points standings.
Rickie Jones’ combined good driving with a solid-running car to reach the first final round of his career. Jones bested Vinnie Deceglie on a holeshot victory in the opening round, 6.724/205.91 to 6.698/205.60, and then ran back-to-back 6.71s to defeat Roger Brogdon (6.718/205.57/6.724/205.76) and Ron Krisher (6.716/205.82 to 6.951/201.22) to advance to the final round. Jones is in 10th place in the points standings.
Greg Anderson began the race from the fourth position and defeated red-lighting Ronnie Humphrey in the opening round, 6.709/205.76 to a shut-off 12.123/90.74. In Round Two, Anderson lost on a holeshot to Greg Stanfield, 6.705/206.48 to 6.712/205.63. Anderson remains in second place in the points standings and is still in contention to win the Countdown to One championship.
Jason Line started from the ninth position and was defeated by Larry Morgan in the opening round after his car got out of the groove and slowed, 6.726/206.16 to 6.698/206.01. Unfortunately, the loss eliminated Line from championship contention. Line is third in the points standings.
Warren Johnson qualified 10th with a 6.685/206.23. Johnson was beat to the finish stripe by Rodger Brogdon in the first round. Johnson is 12th in the points standings.
Kurt Johnson qualified 16th with a 6.742/206.45. Johnson lost to Mike Edwards in Round One. Johnson is ninth in the points standings.
Team Summit Results: Top Fuel
Brandon Bernstein qualified sixth with a 3.853/317.27. Bernstein defeated Bob Vandergriff and Antron Brown before losing to Spencer Massey in the semi-finals. Bernstein is fifth in the points standings.
Doug Kalitta qualified ninth with a 3.863/314.53. Kalitta bested Thomas Nataas in Round One before losing to eventual runner-up Larry Dixon in Round Two. Kalitta is ninth in the points standings.
Team Summit Results: Funny Car
Tim Wilkerson qualified seventh with a 4.116/297.22. Wilkerson beat Jim Head and Ron Capps in the first two rounds before coming up short against Robert Hight in the semi-finals. Wilkerson is sixth in the points standings.
Next Race
The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season concludes at the same race track it began at during the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Nationals on November 12-15 in Pomona, California.
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