Robert Hight raced to his second win of 2015 at the 15th annual Toyota NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The No. 3 qualifier dispatched Gary Densham, Del Worsham, Ron Capps and Tommy Johnson Jr. on the way to his 36th career Funny Car win in the Automobile Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car. Hight’s winning elapsed time of 3.955 seconds was the second quickest run of the day and his third three second run of race day.

“It’s good to be in Las Vegas. Seeing the stands so full here on Saturday and Sunday we all know drag racing is still alive thanks to you fans. Auto Club pays me to win races, and luckily we got the job done today. This hasn’t been the season that we have been looking for with the Auto Club Chevy. We have been working hard and it is coming together,” said Hight from the Las Vegas winner’s circle stage. “This has been a tough week for John Force Racing. Our Monster Energy rig crashed in Missouri on the way here. The whole John Force Racing team pulled together got that Monster rig here. That was a big win. This is just a bonus.”

(Robert Hight beat a tire-spinning Tommy Johnson Jr in the Las Vegas fuel FC final round)

The win moves the former crewman turned Funny Car driver into sole possession of 4th place on the all-time Funny Car win list. Before today’s win he was tied with Don Prudhomme and Cruz Pedregon. He only trails John Force (143), Ron Capps (44), and Tony Pedregon (43).

Hight has four previous wins at The Strip (Toyota Nationals, 2009; Summitracing.com Nationals, 2007, 2011, and 2012). This win moves Robert into a second place tie with Matt Hagan for most Funny Car wins in Countdown events with seven. Cruz Pedregon has won eight times in the Countdown.

This is Robert Hight’s second consecutive final round at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He lost the spring race to teammate John Force earlier this year. The win moves Hight up to No. 6 in Mello Yello point standings.

(Tommy Johnson Jr reset the track record at 3.931 secs while qualifying #1)

(Posted by Elon Werner – Photos by David Allio & Ron Lewis)

Event Essentials:   NHRA Toyota Nationals  (Oct 29 – Nov. 1st, 2015)