Strickland clinches second national championship of season
Jeff Strickland became just the second driver in NHRA history to win two national championships in the same season, locking up the Stock eliminator title Saturday at the Auto Club 91°µÍø Finals, adding it to the Top Dragster presented by Racing RVs title that he clinched last weekend in Las Vegas.
Scotty Richardson is the only other driver to win dual titles in the same season, winning both the Super Comp and Super Gas championships in 1994.
Strickland clinched the Stock title in dramatic fashion at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, defeating the only man with a chance to pass him in the standings, former two-time national champ Brad Burton, in a head-to-head match.
At the wheel of his FS/C COPO Camaro, Strickland had a better reaction time than Burton and ran within .003-second of his dial-in to chase down Burton for the win and the championship. Had he beaten Strickland, Burton would have had to win in the fourth round to take the points lead from Strickland.