CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
DODGE NHRA NATIONALS
MAPLE GROVE RACEWAY AT MOHNTON, PENNSYLVANIA
OCT. 2, 2016
Chevrolet Continues Winning Ways in Pro Stock in Countdown Round 3
• Vincent Nobile, driving Chevrolet Camaro SS, scores first Pro Stock victory since 2014
• Greg Anderson, competing in his 401st Pro Stock race, is runner-up
• Brittany Force jumps from fifth to third in Top Fuel standings with runner-up finish
• No. 5 qualifier Robert Hight leads John Force Racing Funny Car trio
MOHNON, Pa. (Oct. 2, 2016) – Vincent Nobile lifted the Wally and his expectations.
Nobile, driving the Mountain View Tire Chevrolet Camaro SS, defeated Greg Anderson in the Pro Stock final of the Dodge NHRA Nationals to climb to third in the standings — 83 points arrears of division leader Jason Line — after three of six rounds of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship.
It was the first Pro Stock national victory for Nobile, a two-time runner-up this season, since June 29, 2014, when he beat Line at Joliet, Illinois.
Also making waves at Maple Grove Raceway was Brittany Force, who advanced to her fifth Top Fuel final round of the season in the Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster after qualifying a season-low 12th. Force, a three-time winner this season, jumped two positions to third in the standings.
Inclement weather Friday and Saturday wiped out all but one round of qualifications.
Nobile claimed his third No. 1 qualifier spot of the season to continue a strong second half of the season. Nobile, 25, of Melville, New York, has qualified no lower than fourth in the past six races. He powered the Chevrolet Camaro SS to a pass of 6.575 seconds at 209.85 mph in the final to Anderson’s 6.582-second run.
“We came here and had one goal and that was to win this race,” said Nobile, who became the 18th Pro Stock competitor with double-digit wins. “I said before we came here we have one option and that is to win, and we did it as a team. It’s been awhile since I’ve held a Wally. That win light turned on and I didn’t realize how fast you could tear up. I’m just so proud of my guys. This is a huge day for us. Qualifying No. 1, bringing home the win, and that just kept our championship alive.”
It was the first time the Chevy drivers have been matched in a final round.
Anderson, who competed in his 401st career race, reached the final for the 13th time this season and 138th time in his career. Anderson, driving the Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS, became the eighth NHRA competitor to surpass 1,000 elimination rounds. He is 708-293.
Anderson defeated KB Racing teammate and No. 2 qualifier Line (Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS) in one semifinal. It was the 13th time in 21 races this season that Anderson and Line have faced off. Nobile dispatched Shane Gray (Valvoline/Nova Services Chevrolet Camaro SS) in the other.
First-round winners included Chris McGaha (Harlow Sammons of Odessa Chevrolet Camaro SS) and John Gaydosh Jr. (Pypes Performance Chevrolet Camaro SS), who earned his second-ever round win.
Chevrolet has claimed 28 national event wins so far during the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season in Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock.
Force, who advanced to the final at Maple Grove Raceway in 2014 and the semifinals in ’15, fell in the final round for the first time in three meetings this season to Top Fuel points leader Antron Brown. They had identical 3.721-second runs, with Brown edging Force by .003 of a second on reaction time.
“This was still a great weekend for us,” she said. “We would have obviously have liked to be in the winner’s circle but we still have a lot of positives. We moved from fifth to third in the points. The tough part is we have to keep this momentum and keep moving up. Hopefully, at the next race we will get all four of our qualifying passes and do exactly what we did this weekend to get the win.”
The John Force Racing trio of Funny Car drivers suffered first-round exits. Robert Hight, the No. 1 qualifier a week earlier at St. Louis in the Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS, earned the No. 5 qualifier spot this weekend. Courtney Force (Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS) was the No. 8 qualifier, and John Force, who holds a record seven wins at Maple Grove Raceway, was the No. 14 qualifier in the PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS.
Round 4 of the Countdown to the Championship – the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals — will be contested Oct. 14-16 at the Texas Metroplex in Ennis. FS1 will telecast three hours of live eliminations and finals, starting at 2 p.m. ET.
Because of the weather delays over the weekend, Chevrolet COPO Camaro drivers will compete in Stock Eliminator and Super Stock elimination rounds Monday.
ROGER ALLEN, CHEVROLET RACING NHRA PROGAM MANAGER: “Congratulations to Vincent Nobile and the Mountain View Tire team for their victory over a very tough competitor in Greg Anderson, who reach another milestone with 1,000 rounds. The Pro Stock competition in the Countdown to the Championship is tightening, and the good thing is that the top five are Chevy drivers. Also congratulations to Brittany Force and the Monster Energy Top Fuel team. To qualify 12th and come up just short of winning for the fourth time this season is quite an accomplishment. We look forward to more exciting runs with Round 4 of the Countdown in two weeks in Dallas.”
An interview with Pro Stock winner VINCENT NOBILE, Mountain View Racing, Mountain View Tire Chevrolet Camaro SS:
Q: IT’S GOT TO FEEL GREAT TO BREAK THROUGH FOR THE WIN?
VINCENT NOBILE: “Earlier this week I got a call from the NHRA for an interview and they asked me what I had to do this week, and I told them we need to qualify No. 1 and we need to win the race. There is no option. My guys got it done and I can’t thank them enough for giving me a fast race car each lap. I’ve never had much luck here in Reading, Pennsylvania, and my family always comes out here. It’s always a disappointment when you can’t make everybody proud. They are always proud regardless; I have such a good family. But to be able to put the car in the winner’s circle, what a great day. Eighty-three points out of first place, that was our goal. Even if Jason (Line) had made it to the final, we would have to beat him as well to get some gains on him. We made a bunch of gains this weekend; we’re still in it to win it. Ultimately, that is the main goal; to hold up the big trophy at the end of the year. If we didn’t win this race, we might have counted ourselves out. Here we are; can’t wait for Dallas.”
Q: HOW INTENSE WAS THE PRESSURE IN THE BOX AT THE FINAL RUN?
VINCENT NOBILE: “Honestly, I think I controlled myself pretty good. I didn’t feel too much pressure. All I kept saying between each round was ‘championship, championship, championship.’ I had somebody tell me last race that I couldn’t do it under pressure, so I hope I proved that person wrong. It only helped me, and honestly I think that person told me that to help me. It was a big day for Mountain View Racing, NAPA Auto Parts, and we got the Chevrolet in the winner’s circle.”