The latest update as of October 8, 2023
There wasn't an NHRA national event this weekend, for the first time in four weeks, but the Countdown to The Championship(s) moves past the halfway point with this coming week's Texas NHRA FallNationals at the Texas Motorplex. This week wasn't an off week for the PRO Sportsman racers though, as two of the final three regional events of the Lucas Drag Racing Series season went off at St. Louis (Central Region) and Bakersfield (West Region). While Top Alcohol Dragster saw only minor changes, the big news came out of Top Alcohol Funny Car. Read on to find out what happened... and just as importantly... what happens next.
NOTE: Click on the graphics to see larger (and easier to read) versions. Note that poss(ible) points totals in RED indicate that they are mathematically eliminated from championship consideration.
The biggest change in the Top Alcohol Dragster standings was the points deduction for Tony Stewart, following his disqualification at the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals. He received zero points for that event - non-waivable - forcing him to waive the 42 points received for his second round loss at the DODGE Power Brokers U.S. Nationals. That points loss left him 63 points behind the leader, Julie Nataas, with only two events left to improve his points total, while Nataas has three possible national events left on her schedule.
With that advantage, Nataas could virtually clinch the championship if she can reach the final round at the Motorplex, but she's got almost all of the Top Ten racers, eight of them, to contend with. With such a loaded field, it's going to be difficult for any of her challengers to close the points gap, but an early exit for Nataas could change the entire complexion of the points chase. Suffice to say, it's going to be the most interesting race of the season - so far - with great performances expected from the seven racers still in mathematical contention for the 2023 TAD crown.
In sharp contrast to the dragster battle, the Funny Car championship chase has boiled down to a head-to-head battle between two-time and defending champion Doug Gordon, and three-time champ Greg Bellemeur. In a surprise move, Gordon ran at the St. Louis regional last weekend, and took him the win over Bob McCosh Jr. to open up a 42-point lead over Bellemeur. While strengthening his position in the standings, Gordon could still "run the table" for a perfect 850-point season with wins at two of the last three national events and the final regional event at Las Vegas.
To catch Gordon, the "Killer B's" team will need some clutch performances in their final two events, starting at the FallNationals. To make that task more difficult, seven of the top eight cars in the standings will be in attendance, all of them fully capable of outrunning Bellemeur or Gordon. Although none of the other racers have even a mathematical chance of taking the championship, they will still be racing hard.