DRAG RACE
2017 NHRA PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 8/ JULY 28-30, 2017
SONOMA RACEWAY / SONOMA, CALIFORNIA
P88
get to Reading [Pennsylvania] in
September."
With just two races remain-
ing to qualify for the Countdown
to the Championship playoffs,
there is a battle brewing for
the number 10 spot between
Angie Smith, who is currently
number 10, and Steve Johnson,
who is just 22-points back in
11th. Liberty Racing teammates
Angelle Sampey and Cory Reed
are also still in the mix, less than
100-points out of a playoff spot.
The next event will be the
Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd,
Minnesota., August 17-20. CN
there were four runs in excess
of 199-mph including a pair by
Smith. Smith also tied the cur-
rent NHRA speed record with a
199.88-mph run, just missing the
long-awaited 200-mph barrier.
"We tried, but it just wasn't
there," Smith said. "You need
to have perfect weather condi-
tions, and that includes a nice
tail-wind and we didn't have it.
We were close, but just missed
it. We probably won't get an-
other chance to do it until we
we didn't expect this, at least not
this soon," Tonglet said. "This
has been a dream season, but
it's not over."
Tonglet, who now holds a
commanding lead in the points
standings, also happened to
win against the quickest field of
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycles
ever assembled. Smith was the
low qualifier with a 6.771 and
Steve Johnson was the number
16 qualifier with a 6.890.
There was also the small
matter of the class' first 200-
mph run, which did not hap-
pen, although several teams
came close. Given the favorable
weather conditions on Sunday,
Hector Arana Jr. was one of
the many tough copetitors that
Tonglet had to get through
before getting to the final.
