2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series

The 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Season was announced on June 6, 2017.[1]

2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season
LeagueNHRA
SportDrag racing
ChampionsSteve Torrence (TF)
J.R. Todd (FC)
Tanner Gray (PS)
Matt Smith (PSM)

It was the 63rd season of the National Hot Rod Association's top drag racing competition. There were 24 Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock events, and 16 Pro Stock Motorcycle events.

Schedule
2018 NHRA Mello Yello Schedule
Date Race Site TV Winners
Top Fuel Dragster Funny Car Pro Stock PS Motorcycle
Feb 8–11 Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com Pomona, CA FS1 Doug Kalitta (1) Matt Hagan (1) Bo Butner (1) N/A
Feb 23–25 NHRA Arizona Nationals Chandler, AZ FS1* Steve Torrence (1) Courtney Force (1) Chris McGaha (1) N/A
Mar 15–18 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals Gainesville, FL FS1* Richie Crampton (1) Jack Beckman (1) Tanner Gray (1) Eddie Krawiec (1)
Apr 6–8 DENSO Auto Parts NHRA Four-Wide Nationals 4 Lanes Las Vegas, NV FS1* Steve Torrence (2) J.R. Todd (1) Vincent Nobile (1) N/A
Apr 20–22 NHRA SpringNationals Baytown, TX FS1 Brittany Force (1) J.R. Todd (2) Matt Hartford (1) N/A
Apr 27–29 NGK Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals 4 Lanes Concord, NC FS1* Steve Torrence (3) Cruz Pedregon (1) Erica Enders-Stevens (1) Jerry Savoie (1)
May 4–6 NHRA Southern Nationals Commerce, GA FS1* Leah Pritchett (1) Courtney Force (2) Vincent Nobile (2) Eddie Krawiec (2)
May 18–21 Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals presented by Minties 2 Topeka, KS FS1 Clay Millican (1) Courtney Force (3) Deric Kramer (1) N/A
May 31 – Jun 3 JEGS Route 66 NHRA Nationals Joliet, IL FS1* Clay Millican (2) Robert Hight (1) Jeg Coughlin, Jr. (1) Matt Smith (1)
Jun 8–10 Virginia NHRA Nationals Petersburg, VA FS1* Steve Torrence (4) Courtney Force (4) Tanner Gray (2) L.E. Tonglet (1)
Jun 15–17 Fitzgerald USA NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Bristol, TN FS1* Tony Schumacher (1) Ron Capps (1) Jeg Coughlin, Jr. (2) N/A
Jun 21–24 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals Norwalk, OH FS1* Blake Alexander (1) Matt Hagan (2) Tanner Gray (3) Eddie Krawiec (3)
Jul 6–8 NHRA New England Nationals Epping, NH FS1 Steve Torrence (5) Matt Hagan (3) Chris McGaha (2) N/A
Jul 20–22 Dodge Mile-High NHRA Nationals Morrison, CO Fox Leah Pritchett (2) John Force (1) Greg Anderson (1) Hector Arana, Jr. (1)
Jul 27–29 Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals Sonoma, CA Fox Blake Alexander (2) Robert Hight (2) Jeg Coughlin, Jr. (3) L.E. Tonglet (2)
Aug 3–5 CatSpot NHRA Northwest Nationals Kent, WA Fox Antron Brown (1) Ron Capps (2) Tanner Gray (4) N/A
Aug 16–19 Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Brainerd, MN FS1 Billy Torrence (1) Jack Beckman (2) Deric Kramer (2) Eddie Krawiec (4)
Aug 29 – Sep 3 Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals 1.5 Clermont, IN Fox Terry McMillen (1) J.R. Todd (3) Tanner Gray (5) L.E. Tonglet (3)
Countdown to the Championship
Sep 13–16 Dodge NHRA Nationals Mohnton, PA FS1* Steve Torrence (6) J.R. Todd (4) Vincent Nobile (3) Hector Arana, Jr. (2)
Sep 21–23 AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals Madison, IL FS1 Steve Torrence (7) Robert Hight (3) Tanner Gray (6) Matt Smith (2)
Oct 4–7 AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals Ennis, TX FS1 Steve Torrence (8) Robert Hight (4) Tanner Gray (7) L.E. Tonglet (4)
Oct 12–14 NHRA Carolina Nationals presented by WIX Filters Concord, NC FS1 Steve Torrence (9) Ron Capps (3) Jason Line (1) Matt Smith (3)
Oct 25–28 Toyota NHRA Nationals Las Vegas, NV FS1 Steve Torrence (10) J.R. Todd (5) Bo Butner (2) Hector Arana, Jr. (3)
Nov 8–11 Auto Club NHRA Finals 1.5 Pomona, CA FS1 Steve Torrence (11) J.R. Todd (6) Tanner Gray (8) Matt Smith (4)

* Finals televised on tape delay. Ennis, TX race broadcast schedule and channel changed from FS2 to FS1 because of 2018 National League Division Series presented by Doosan Game 3 start times.[2]

Additional Rules for Specially Marked Races

4 Lanes: The Four-Wide Nationals in both Las Vegas and Charlotte in the spring will compete with cars on four lanes.

  • All cars will qualify on each lane as all four lanes will be used in qualifying.
  • Three rounds with cars using all four lanes.
  • In Rounds One and Two, the top two drivers (of four) will advance to the next round.
  • The pairings are set as follows:
    • Race One: 1, 8, 9, 16
    • Race Two: 4, 5, 12, 13
    • Race Three: 2, 7, 10, 15
    • Race Four: 3, 6, 11, 14
    • Semifinal One: Top two in Race One and Race Two
    • Semifinal Two: Top two in Race Three and Race Four
    • Finals: Top two in Semifinal One and Semifinal Two
  • Lane choice determined by times in previous round. In first round, lane choice determined by fastest times.
  • Drivers who advance in Rounds One and Two will receive 20 points for each round advancement.
  • In Round Three, the winner of the race will be declared the race winner and will collect 40 points. The runner-up will receive 20 points. Third and fourth place drivers will be credited as semifinal losers.

1.5: The U. S. Nationals and Auto Club Finals will have their race points increased by 50% . Drivers who qualify but are eliminated in the first round receive 30 points, and each round win is worth 30 points. The top four receive 10, 9, 8, and 7 points, respectively, for qualifying positions, with the 5–6 drivers receiving 6 points, 7–8 drivers receiving 5 points, 9–12 receiving 4 points, and 13–16 receiving 3 points. Also, the top four, not three, drivers after each session receive points for fastest times in each round (4-3-2-1).

Event changes

On January 16, 2018, Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey ceased all drag racing operations at the facility due to ongoing safety concerns as well as rising maintenance costs. Two weeks later, the NHRA Summernationals, already scheduled to take place there in June, was announced to be moved to Virginia Motorsports Park in Petersburg, Virginia.[3] The last NHRA professional event at VMP had taken place in 2009.[4]

Because of a series of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series date changes, the NHRA changed the dates of numerous rounds to avoid conflicts. The race in Joliet was moved to early June, as the normal date had been reassigned to the NASCAR meeting at the nearby Chicagoland Speedway, and the Countdown dates in Reading and Charlotte were swapped since the Charlotte date would have been too close to the NASCAR road course playoff race.

2: Due to inclement weather throughout the day, Final Elimination Rounds at the Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals in Topeka, Kansas did not start until around 7 PM CDT on May 20, 2018. After fog began settling in during the second round of pro racing, it was postponed until the following day at 10 AM CDT when the semifinal and final rounds were held.

Final standings
Top Fuel[5]
Pos.DriverPointsPoints BackChassis
1Steve Torrence2900–MLR
2Tony Schumacher2596−304DSR (MG)
3Clay Millican2573−327Hadman
4Leah Pritchett2456−444DSR (MG)
5Brittany Force2417−483Force
6Antron Brown2378−522DSR (MG)
7Mike Salinas2308−592Scrappers
8Doug Kalitta2308−592Kalitta
9Terry McMillen2301−599McMillen
10Scott Palmer2231−669Thompson
Funny Car[5]
Pos.DriverPointsPoints BackMake
1J.R. Todd2726–Toyota
2Robert Hight2532−194Chevrolet
3Tommy Johnson, Jr.2519−207Dodge
4Ron Capps2510−216Dodge
5Tim Wilkerson2418−308Ford
6Courtney Force2409−317Chevrolet
7Jack Beckman2405−321Dodge
8Matt Hagan2371−355Dodge
9John Force2356−370Chevrolet
10Shawn Langdon2285−441Toyota
Pro Stock[5]
Pos.DriverPointsPoints BackMake
1Tanner Gray2758–Chevrolet
2Jeg Coughlin, Jr.2571−187Chevrolet
3Drew Skillman2559−199Chevrolet
4Erica Enders-Stevens2525−233Chevrolet
5Jason Line2472−286Chevrolet
6Vincent Nobile2452−306Chevrolet
7Greg Anderson2418−340Chevrolet
8Bo Butner III2379−379Chevrolet
9Deric Kramer2268−490Chevrolet
10Chris McGaha2184−574Chevrolet
Pro Stock Motorcycle[5]
Pos.DriverPointsPoints BackMake
1Matt Smith2666–Buell
2Eddie Krawiec2627−39Harley-Davidson
3Hector Arana, Jr.2536−130Buell
4L.E. Tonglet IV2532−134Suzuki
5Gerald Savoie2464−202Suzuki
6Andrew Hines2450−216Harley-Davidson
7Angelle Sampey2349−317Buell
8Angie Smith2303−363Buell
9Steve Johnson2290−376Suzuki
10Scotty Pollacheck2258−408Suzuki

References
  1. "NHRA announces 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule". NHRA.com. National Hot Rod Association. June 6, 2017. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  2. "NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series TV schedule". NHRA.com. National Hot Rod Association. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  3. BangShift.com, Bad News: Raceway Park Will Cease Drag Racing Operations – The End Of Englishtown Appears To Be Nigh by Brian Lohnes, January 16, 2018, Retrieved Jan. 30, 2018.
  4. National Hot Rod Association, NHRA partners with Virginia Motorsports Park to host NHRA Virginia Nationals, NHRA.com, January 30, 2018, Retrieved Jan. 30, 2018.
  5. "NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series points". nhra.com. Archived from the original on 2013-02-21. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
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