Fuel Funny Car class racing during NHRA’s Toyota Summer Nationals produced a impressive winner and also a near barrier breaking run for drag racing!

After winning 9X in his career as a Top Fuel driver, talented young gun racer J.R. Todd powered to his first career Funny Car victory during the event held at scenic Sonoma Raceway north of San Francisco.

Todd clinched the victory with a 4.049-second pass at 323.27 mph in his DHL Toyota Camry against Tim Wilkerson who went up in smoke in his Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Shelby Mustang during the final round.

The victory makes Todd the first African-American to win in the NHRA Funny Car category. He also becomes the second driver in NHRA history to win at Sonoma Raceway in both nitro categories, the first was Don Prudhomme.

“Our car showed us a lot of promise in Denver which gave us hope coming into here,” Todd stated. “We’ve been struggling so bad this season; I’m just happy to win a Funny Car. I was able to win here last year in Top Fuel and to be able to come back and do it again in Funny Car is pretty special.”

Todd powered past teammate, Alexis Dejoria, 16-time world champion John Force and Jack Beckman before entering the finals. Wilkerson took down Cruz Pedregon, No. 1 qualifier Robert Hight and Courtney Force en route to his second final round appearance this season.

Todd sits ninths in the standings, while Ron Capps stays in first despite his first-round exit. Matt Hagan and Beckman round out the top three, respectively, in the points standings.

But while Todd’s victory was significant – an NHRA national speed setting record effort by John Force Racing team driver Robert Hight did grab motorsports headlines.

Hight, racing his special edition CHP-themed AAA Auto Club Chevy Camaro came ever so close to breaking the 340 mph barrier during qualifying when he ran 339.87 mph. That is the fastest speed ever seen in drag racing history – including Top Fuel dragster class racing.

Robert Hight’s stellar record-setting pass came during Friday’s second qualifying session and included a (track record for the class) 3.807 secs ET which gave him the pole for the class.

Hight’s run was more than four hundredths quicker than the field over the four qualifying sessions, and his speed was the first to top 339 mph in any professional NHRA category.

(Robert Hight came very close to a barrier breaking 340 mph(!) run @ NHRA Sonoma)

“Things are definitely going the right direction for us,” said Hight. “To come in here and get low ET and to set the quickest run in history, that is pretty awesome.”

Hight’s pass Friday earned him his second career No. 1 at Sonoma – his “home track,” as he grew up in northern California – and third of the season. It is also the 10th No. 1 for John Force Racing in 2017.

Hight did run to the second round on Sunday before losing out to Tim Wilkerson in a side by side tire smoking battle.

Event Essentials:   NHRA Toyota Sonoma Nationals (July 28-30th, 2017) 

Posted with files by Bruce Biegler, NHRA Communications & Lee Montgomery

Photos by Marc Gewertz