Alex Laughlin Wins Pro Stock Title at NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals

26 Jun 2017

Alex Laughlin holding his Wally at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tennessee

Winning his first Wally trophy of the season at the 17th annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway in Tennessee, Alex Laughlin sealed his Pro Stock title with a perfect reaction time in the finals outrunning Bo Butner by .001 seconds with a 6.71-second run. Laughlin defeated Butner in his Gas Monkey Energy Chevrolet Camaro.

Laughlin is the eighth different winner in 11 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock events this year.

Alex Lauglin Pro Stock winner at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tennessee

“We didn’t really have anything handed to us; we had some good matchups all day,” Laughlin said. “I definitely feel like I had a point to prove. We have a competitive car on the starting line. I came into this weekend with the confidence to win.”

Before defeating Butner in the final round, Laughlin flew past Alan Johnson and the No.1 qualifier Jeg Coughlin as well as rookie Tanner Gray. Making his fourth final round appearance, Butner was racing against two-time Pro Stock champion Erica Enders in the semifinals.

Clay Millican won the Top Fuel title at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tennessee

Clay Millican, the Top Fuel winner, raced to a 3.825-second pass at 316.38 mph beating Leah Pritchett who raced a 3.881 seconds at 307.09 mph in her Papa John’s dragster. Millican posted his first Top Fuel win in his career in front of a hometown crowd in Bristol. Millican is the 103rd different driver to win in Top Fuel.

“I love what I do,” Millican said. “There were times I ever wondered if this was going to happen. I don’t deserve this credit. I’m really happy for David Grubnic and all of the boys who work on this car and I mean that one hundred percent."

On his way to the finals Millican fought past Kyle Wurtzel, Brittany Force and Steve Torrence. Before being defeated by Millican, Pritchett was up against Troy Coughlin Jr., Scott Palmer and Shawn Langdon. With the runner-up finish Pritchett moved from third to second and Millican is seventh in the Top Fuel standings. Torrence leads the Top Fuel standings by 11 points over Pritchett.

Ron Capps won the Funny Car title at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tennessee

With his fifth victory this season, defending Funny Car champion Ron Capps in his NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger R/T raced against his teammate Jack Beckman in his Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger R/T with a pass of 4.054 at 317.05 mph to Beckman’s 4.040-second run.

“We’ve gotten a few lucky rounds, but it’s been preparation in the off season,” Capps said. “We had runs on Sunday against four of the toughest cars, drivers and crew chiefs combined. You read down the list of people we had to beat in a new car that was prepared. There are not very many teams that are that prepared to pull a car out and have a quicker set-up than we were.”

Each winning the most Funny Car Victories at Bristol Drag way Capps ties John Force with winning four.

Ron Capps victory race at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tennessee

Going into the final round, Capps best Alexis DeJoria, Robert Hight and teammate Mate Hagan. Beckman beat Cruz Pedregon, Courtney Force and teammate Tommy Johnson Jr. before Capps and Beckman met in the second consecutive final round. Beckman beat Capps in the finals in Englishtown but Capps came out the winner in Bristol.

The 2017 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season continues at the 11th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park.

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