Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tennessee is affectionally known as Thunder Valley. That’s because the track is nestled between two mountains—which amplifies the thunderous roar of the dragsters as they make their runs. Suffice it to say, the tack is a favorite of both the drivers and spectators. Despite no Pro Stock racing this weekend, there was plenty of other top-notch competition that saw a few win droughts end, so let’s get to it in this week’s NHRA Wrap-Up.
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2021 NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Top Fuel Results
Speaking of racers who like Thunder Valley, Mike Salinas grabbed his first win of the season this past weekend—making it two in a row at that track, as he won the last event in Bristol during the 2019 season too. Squaring off against current Top Fuel points leader Steve Torrence in the finals, early engine trouble with Torrence’s car gave Salinas the win with a 3.854-second, 245.05 mph run.
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2021 NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Funny Car Results
Alexis DeJoria’s winless drought stretches back to 2017, but it ended with an exclamation point this past weekend in Bristol. Paired up with J.R. Todd for a final round matchup, DeJoria nailed a 0.002 reaction time on her way to a 3.921-second, 327.66 mph run, slipping past Todd’s 3.939/326.32 effort.
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2021 NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Pro Stock Motorcycle Results
Aside from a few exhibition runs, Pro Stock Motorcycle racing has never been an official points event at Thunder Valley. Until now, that is. And Angelle Sampey is probably pretty happy with that, as she becomes the first PSM racer to lift a Wally in Bristol. It was an all-woman final round too, as Sampey faced off against Karen Stoffer. But it was Sampey’s 6.773-second, 196.85 mph run that gave her the win over Stoffer’s 6.760/197.83 pass.
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The Sixth Race in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship is the Dodge//SRT NHRA Nationals Presented By Pennzoil at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas, NV October 29 – 31.
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Current 2021 NHRA Countdown to the Championship Points Standings
Pro Stock
- Greg Anderson, 2520
- Erica Enders, 2439
- Dallas Glenn, 2337
- Kyle Koretsky, 2334
- Aaron Stanfield, 2304
- Chris McGaha, 2278
- Troy Coughlin Jr., 2274
- Mason McGaha, 2224
- Matt Hartford, 2214
- Deric Kramer, 2178
Top Fuel
- Steve Torrence, 2575
- Brittany Force, 2502
- Justin Ashley, 2428
- Mike Salinas, 2425
- Billy Torrence, 2357
- Leah Pruett, 2291
- Clay Millican, 2265
- Antron Brown, 2252
- Shawn Langdon, 2228
- Doug Kalitta, 2180
Funny Car
- Ron Capps, 2490
- Matt Hagan, 2489
- J.R. Todd, 2407
- John Force, 2389
– Cruz Pedregon, 2389 - Bob Tasca III, 2343
- Robert Hight, 2337
- Alexis DeJoria, 2319
- Tim Wilkerson, 2249
- Blake Alexander, 2184
Pro Stock Motorcycle
- Matt Smith, 2451
- Angelle Sampey, 2426
- Steve Johnson, 2395
- Eddie Krawiec, 2340
- Scotty Pollacheck, 2291
- Karen Stoffer, 2250
- Joey Gladstone, 2235
- Angie Smith, 2225
- Andrew Hines, 2177
- Ryan Oehler, 2150
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