91°µÍø

There was plenty of history made during the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series in Charlotte after Julie Nataas won the Top Alcohol Dragster title to become the first Norwegian, and 85th woman, to win an NHRA national event. Super Stock winner Monty Bogan nearly doubled up with a runner-up finish in Stock, and Stock champ Drew Skillman nearly did the same with a semifinal finish in the SAMTech.edu 91°µÍø Factory Stock Showdown. Other winners crowned at the event included Tyler Scott (Top Alcohol Funny Car), Jim Kimbrough (Comp), Jonathan Anderson (Super Comp), Joe Harper (Super Gas), and Jerry Albert (Top Sportsman presented by Racing RVs).

In Top Alcohol Dragster, Nataas defeated Duane Shields in the final round, but arguably, her biggest win came in the semi’s when she scored a holeshot win over teammate and current points leader Megan Meyer, 5.329 to 5.312. Nataas, a four-time runner-up last season, has also become the 15th woman to win in the Top Alcohol Dragster class. Nataas beat Frank Schuster and Shane Conway to reach the final.

Scott became the latest first-time winner in Top Alcohol Funny Car when he upset Annie Whiteley in the final round. Scott, who won the North Central Regional event last year in Chicago and barely missed the top 10, recorded a 5.70 in the final for the win after Whiteley shut off early. Scott, the No. 4 qualifier, won a narrow 5.593 to 5.596 battle against Johan Lindberg to earn a semifinal bye run. Reigning world champ Sean Bellemeur lost to Whiteley’s 5.511 in the semi’s. [Video]

Six years after making his first final at the JEGS Cajun SPORTSnationals in Belle Rose, La., Kimbrough broke through for his first career win in Comp. Kimbrough, in his B/DA dragster, faced a tough opponent in No. 2 qualifier Randy Daniels, but he gave himself a great chance to win with a .003 light and a (-.609) 6.781. Daniels finished with a (-.538) 8.492 in his E/SM Sunfire. Kimbrough began eliminations by beating two-time and current world champ Frank Aragona Jr. He also earned round-wins against Ken Voight and Tony Pontillo. [Video]

Bogan entered the Charlotte event with two NHRA wins to his credit and nearly left with four after a win in Super Stock and a runner-up finish in Stock. Bogan crushed the Tree in the final with a .001 but didn’t need it after former national champ Joe Santangelo fouled by four-thousandths. Bogan also got help from semifinal opponent Joe Tysinger via a red-light start, but he had his hands full in the quarterfinals against Anthony Bertozzi. Santangelo punched his ticket to the final after Byron Worner fouled in the semi’s. [Video]

Former Pro Stock racer Skillman lost in the semifinals of SAMTech.edu 91°µÍø Factory Stock Showdown due to breakage but rallied to win in Stock. Skillman earned his 17th career national event title with an incredible final-round performance that included a .002 light and an 8.868 on his 8.86 dial. That prevented Super Stock winner Bogan from joining the list of drivers that have doubled up in NHRA competition. Skillman was able to share the zMax Dragway winner’s circle with his father, Bill, who won the SAMtech.edu 91°µÍø Factory Stock Showdown title. [Video]

Anderson successfully defended his 2018 Charlotte Four-Wide victory with a nearly perfect 8.904 in the final round of Super Comp against current points leader Ray Miller III. Anderson, who also won the 2017 JEGS SPORTSnationals, defeated a tough lineup that included John Labbous Jr., Shawn Fricke, and Dan Foley. Following the win, Anderson is ranked third just behind early-season leader Miller and second-ranked Labbous. [Video]

The Super Gas title went to Harper after a stunning final-round performance that included a .006 light and a 9.913 that opponent Shannon Brinkley could not match. Harper, who also won the 2002 Houston race and the 2017 JEGS SPORTSnationals, was exceptionally sharp off the starting line with a string of .00 lights in the last four rounds and nothing worse than a .025 in eliminations. Runner-up Brinkley defeated Super Comp runner-up Miller in the quarterfinals to earn a bye into the final. [Video]

Former Division 3 champ Albert claimed the fourth win of his career and his second in Charlotte when he drove past Chuck Harris to win in Top Sportsman presented by Racing RVs. Albert made it to the final by beating former Pro Stock racer Vince Fourcade in the quarterfinals and Super Gas world champ David Tatum III in the semi’s. Albert won the final with a 6.732 on his 6.72 dial after Harris broke out by three-thousandths. [Video]