NHRA Countdown: Points After Midwest Nationals

Race three of the NHRA Countdown to the Championship is in the books following Sunday’s NHRA Midwest Nationals World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Ill.

Jack Beckman (Funny Car), Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) picked up victories.

Here’s are the standings as the series prepares for an off-week before visiting the Texas Motorplex for the Texas NHRA FallNationals:

Funny Car

The hunt for a championship in Funny Car is shaping up to be a battle between John Force Racing teammates.

Driving in place of an injured John Force, 2012 champion Jack Beckman topped the category on Sunday, out-dueling three-time champion Ron Capps in the finals.

Beckman’s teammate, Austin Prock, lost to the former champ in the semifinals. Prock, however, has a 105-point advantage with three races to go.

Notably, Capps, a three-time champion, vaulted to fourth in the standings, 194 markers behind Prock.

1	Austin Prock	2454
2	John Force	2349	-105
3	Bob Tasca III	2295	-159
4	Ron Capps	2260	-194
5	Matt Hagan	2249	-205
6	J.R. Todd	2191	-263
7	Blake Alexander	2176	-278
8	Daniel Wilkerson	2162	-292
9	Chad Green	2159	-295
10	Alexis DeJoria	2145	-309
11	Cruz Pedregon	2107	-347
12	Buddy Hull	2075	-379
13	Dave Richards	2064	-390

Top Fuel

Tony Schumacher snagged win No. 2 on the season for his JCM Racing team, defeating Steve Torrence in the finals.

Schumacher narrowed his gap to points leader Antron Brown considerably from 173 points to 103 following the win (sixth in points). Brown was ousted by the eight-time champion in the second round.

Justin Ashley, who entered Sunday second in the standings, lost to Torrence in the semifinals. Ashley, however, cut into Brown’s lead (from 53 points behind to 34).

1	Antron Brown	2344
2	Justin Ashley	2310	-34
3	Shawn Langdon	2284	-60
4	Doug Kalitta	2257	-87
5	Steve Torrence	2256	-88
6	Tony Schumacher	2241	-103
7	Clay Millican	2211	-133
8	Brittany Force	2171	-173
9	Tony Stewart	2150	-194
10	Billy Torrence	2113	-231
11	Shawn Reed	2103	-241
12	Josh Hart	2087	-257

Pro Stock

With a victory on Sunday, Dallas Glenn extended his points lead over Aaron Stanfield to 31 markers after entering the weekend a mere eight points ahead.

Erica Enders (-90) and Greg Anderson (-116) follow suit. The next closest competitor is Jeg Coughlin, a distant 232 points behind Glenn.

1	Dallas Glenn	2437
2	Aaron Stanfield	2406	-31
3	Erica Enders	2347	-90
4	Greg Anderson	2321	-116
5	Jeg Coughlin	2205	-232
6	Cristian Cuadra	2157	-280
7	Jerry Tucker	2150	-287
8	Troy Coughlin Jr.	2143	-294
9	Matt Hartford	2142	-295
10	Eric Latino	2127	-310
11	Mason McGaha	2121	-316
12	Chris McGaha	2084	-353
13	Deric Kramer	2023	-414

Pro Stock Motorcycle

Gaige Herrera took command of the Pro Stock Motorcycle points lead again on Sunday after his eighth win of the season.

Herrera entered the race trailing Matt Smith by 25 points. Smith suffered a surprise exit to Geno Scali in the second round.

1	Gaige Herrera	2404
2	Matt Smith	2370	-34
3	Richard Gadson	2339	-65
4	Hector Arana Jr	2267	-137
5	Chase Van Sant	2248	-156
6	Angie Smith	2206	-198
7	John Hall	2205	-199
8	Jianna Evaristo	2170	-234
9	Steve Johnson	2127	-277
10	Chris Bostick	2096	-308

Funny Car

1

Austin Prock

2454

2

John Force

2349

-105

3

Bob Tasca III

2295

-159

4

Ron Capps

2260

-194

5

Matt Hagan

2249

-205

6

J.R. Todd

2191

-263

7

Blake Alexander

2176

-278

8

Daniel Wilkerson

2162

-292

9

Chad Green

2159

-295

10

Alexis DeJoria

2145

-309

11

Cruz Pedregon

2107

-347

12

Buddy Hull

2075

-379

13

Dave Richards

2064

-390

Top Fuel

1

Antron Brown

2344

2

Justin Ashley

2310

-34

3

Shawn Langdon

2284

-60

4

Doug Kalitta

2257

-87

5

Steve Torrence

2256

-88

6

Tony Schumacher

2241

-103

7

Clay Millican

2211

-133