Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals: Round 1 Eliminations Recap
The opening round of eliminations at the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals delivered high drama, holeshot victories, and standout performances across the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series classes at Bristol Dragway.
Top Fuel
Top Fuel produced several competitive matchups, with a mix of top qualifiers and veterans advancing. Key storylines included strong runs from points contenders and a notable performance by Tony Stewart.
Round 1 Winners (Top Fuel):
| Winner | Defeated | ET | MPH | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doug Kalitta | Josh Hart | 3.799 | 330.31 | Close holeshot win |
| Tony Stewart | Justin Ashley | 3.841 | 325.53 | Solid veteran performance |
| Antron Brown | Will Smith | 3.805 | 328.78 | Strong Matco Tools run |
| Leah Pruett | (Solo) | 3.770 | 332.43 | No. 1 qualifier advances cleanly |
| Tony Schumacher | Keith Murt | 3.866 | 328.62 | Consistent pass |
| Maddi Gordon | Billy Torrence | 3.817 | 329.26 | Holeshot victory |
| Shawn Reed | Clay Millican | 3.822 | 328.30 | Big margin win |
| Shawn Langdon | Jasmine Salinas | 3.764 | 335.40 | Quickest run of the round |
Funny Car
Funny Car saw holeshot wins and mechanical failures play a major role. Austin Prock, Matt Hagan, and Ron Capps looked strong heading into later rounds.
Round 1 Winners (Funny Car):
| Winner | Defeated | ET | MPH | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Prock | Dave Richards | 4.081 | 302.69 | Holeshot victory |
| Spencer Hyde | Cruz Pedregon | 4.001 | 316.52 | Pedregon broke |
| Jack Beckman | Jeff Arend | 4.032 | 320.20 | Solid pass |
| Matt Hagan | Jon Capps | 4.101 | 295.98 | Opponent red-light |
| Jordan Vandergriff | Alexis DeJoria | 3.999 | 322.88 | Upset with strong run |
| Daniel Wilkerson | JR Todd | 4.045 | 321.35 | Big margin |
| Ron Capps | Chad Green | 3.989 | 324.44 | Quick and consistent |
Pro Stock
Pro Stock featured ultra-close racing with several holeshots deciding outcomes. Multiple strong Camaro entries advanced.
Round 1 Winners (Pro Stock):
| Winner | Defeated | ET | MPH | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Anderson | Jeg Coughlin Jr. | 6.664 | 204.76 | Holeshot |
| Aaron Stanfield | Erica Enders | 6.667 | 204.54 | Solid win |
| Matt Latino | Eric Latino | 6.656 | 205.38 | Red-light by opponent |
| Dallas Glenn | Stephen Bell | 6.643 | 205.91 | Close race |
| Matt Hartford | Shane Tucker | 6.675 | 205.07 | Holeshot |
| Greg Anderson | Kenny Delco | 6.656 | 204.45 | Veteran strength |
| Greg Stanfield | Troy Coughlin Jr. | 6.662 | 203.98 | Tight finish |
Pro Stock Motorcycle
PSM delivered quick, competitive runs with several strong reaction times.
Round 1 Winners (Pro Stock Motorcycle):
| Winner | Defeated | ET | MPH | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joey Gladstone | John Hall | 6.894 | 196.53 | Strong start |
| Angie Smith | Geno Scali | 6.904 | 196.30 | Holeshot |
| Chase Van Sant | Brayden Davis | 6.970 | 195.68 | Red-light by opponent |
| Chris Bostick | Jianna Evaristo | 6.934 | 194.55 | Close |
| Kelly Clontz | Ryan Oehler | 6.996 | 193.57 | Win on stripe issues |
| Steve Johnson | Marc Ingwersen | 6.969 | 191.05 | Holeshot |
| Richard Gadson | Wesley Wells | 6.846 | 196.82 | Strong performance |
| Gaige Herrera | Bye | 6.840 | 198.03 | Advanced cleanly |
Top Alcohol Dragster & Funny Car
Detailed Round 1 results for Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car were not fully available in the primary event pages at the time of reporting (links aligned with broader nitro data). Updates from official NHRA sources are recommended for complete pairings and times in these classes.
Top Sportsman
Top Sportsman provided classic bracket-style action with dial-ins, stripe battles, and byes.
Round 1 Winners (Top Sportsman - selected highlights):
| Winner | Defeated | ET | MPH | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen Firestone | James Hinkle | 6.407 | 216.97 | Holeshot |
| Michael Chitty | Jacky Bennett | 6.674 | 208.84 | Freebie (no-show) |
| Jeff Brooks | Rick McDonough | 6.479 | 209.92 | Strong start |
| Gerard Milette | Vince Hoda | 7.184 | 186.36 | Holeshot |
| Johnny Brooks | Kevin Edmonds | 7.151 | 190.30 | Stripe battle |
| Mark Roberts | Rob Mendenhall | 7.527 | 180.21 | Close on the stripe |
| Doug Gbur | Frank Altilio | 7.002 | 198.61 | Stripe win |
| John Benoit | Bye | 6.662 | 206.95 | Advanced |