The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season continues
this weekend with the 34th NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass
Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona. The defending race winners are Leah
Pritchett (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock).
This is the second of 24 scheduled races this season for the
series. Here are some statistics related to the NHRA Arizona Nationals and the
2018 season.
- Top Fuel
- Defending Winner: Leah Pritchett
- Most Wins: Tony
Schumacher (5)
- Track Low ET
Record: Leah Pritchett (3.658 seconds, 2017)
- Track Speed
Record: Brittany Force (330.39 mph, 2017)
- Drivers to Win NHRA
Arizona Nationals/Series Championship in Same Season: 7
- Funny Car
- Defending Winner: Matt Hagan
- Most Wins: John
Force (8)
- Track Low ET
Record: Tommy Johnson Jr. (3.837 seconds, 2017)
- Track Speed
Record: Ron Capps (333.58 mph, 2017)
- Drivers to Win NHRA
Arizona Nationals/Series Championship in Same Season: 4 (for a combined 12 times)
- Pro Stock
- Defending Winner: Greg Anderson
- Most Wins: Bob
Glidden (5)
- Track Low ET
Record: Mike Edwards (6.498 seconds, 2013)
- Track Speed
Record: Mike Edwards (213.77 mph, 2013)
- Drivers to Win NHRA
Arizona Nationals/Series Championship in Same Season: 7 (for a combined 13 times)
Upcoming Milestones
- John Force is two victories away from 150 wins all-time.
His 148 are a record in any class in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.
- Tony Schumacher is two victories behind Bob Glidden for
fourth all-time in series wins. Schumacher has 83, while Glidden has 85.
- Schumacher is one elimination round away from 1,200 for
his NHRA career. Teammate Antron Brown is seven elimination rounds away from
1,000 in his NHRA career.
- A victory by Leah Pritchett this weekend would make her
the only driver in Top Fuel class history to win this event three consecutive
times.
- A victory at Arizona would put Ron Capps into sole
possession of ninth in all-time victories with 59. He is currently tied with
Jeg Coughlin with 58 wins.
- Greg Anderson is seven No. 1 qualifying positions away
from 100. He would become the fourth driver in series history to reach that
mark in any class and third in the Pro Stock category.
- Anderson is six races away from reaching 350 consecutive
races. He is the current active leader with 343 consecutive events, dating back
to the 2002 season finale at Pomona. His current streak is second all-time.
- Antron Brown and Doug Kalitta are each one No. 1 away from
50. The first driver to reach that mark would become the 14th driver in series
history with that many No. 1s. They are currently tied for 14th all-time with
Angelle Sampey.
Notes of Interest
- Entries in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series this weekend
include: 19 in Top Fuel; 17 in Funny Car; and 17 in Pro Stock.
- In Top Fuel, four
former NHRA Arizona Nationals winners are entered: Doug Kalitta, Antron Brown,
Tony Schumacher and Leah Pritchett.
- In Funny Car, eight
former NHRA Arizona Nationals winners are entered: Robert Hight, Jack Beckman,
Matt Hagan, Tommy Johnson Jr., John Force, Ron Capps, Cruz Pedregon and Del
Worsham.
- In Pro Stock, five
former NHRA Arizona Nationals winners are entered: Greg Anderson, Jason Line,
Erica Enders-Stevens, Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Vincent Nobile.
- Leah Pritchett, Matt Hagan and Greg Anderson are aiming to
repeat as winners of the event. Pritchett’s win last year was the second in
succession for her in the NHRA Arizona Nationals. Hagan looks for his third
victory in the event, all in the past four years. Greg Anderson has three wins
already in Arizona, including back-to-back wins in 2003 and 2004.
- Kenny Bernstein is the only driver to win the NHRA Arizona
Nationals in both Top Fuel (1991 and 1996) and Funny Car (1986).
- Don Schumacher Racing has won each of the last six Top
Fuel races at the Phoenix-area track, evenly distributed at two apiece between
Tony Schumacher, Antron Brown and Leah Pritchett.
- Drivers currently competing for Don Schumacher Racing in
the Funny Car class have won eight of the last 12 races at Wild Horse Pass.
- A total of seven drivers in the Top Fuel class have won
the NHRA Arizona Nationals and the championship in the class in the same
season: Dick LaHaie (1987); Joe Amato (1990); Eddie Hill (1993); Kenny
Bernstein (1996); Gary Scelzi (1997); Tony Schumacher (2005); and Antron Brown (2012).
- A total of four drivers in the Funny Car class have won
the NHRA Arizona Nationals and the championship in the class in the same
season: Kenny Bernstein (1986); Bruce Larson (1989); John Force (1994-1997; 1999-2001);
and Tony Pedregon (2007).
- A total of seven drivers in the Pro Stock class have won
the NHRA Arizona Nationals and the championship in the class in the same
season: Bob Glidden (1985-1988); Darrell Alderman (1991); Jim Yates (1996-1997);
Warren Johnson (1998, 2001); Jeg Coughlin Jr. (2000); Greg Anderson
(2003-2004); and Jason Line (2016).
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