Robert Hight powered his Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro Funny Car to victory at the JEGS Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway.

The reigning and two-time Funny Car world champ earned his 42nd career win, first of the season and first at Route 66 Raceway.

Hight defeated 2016 Funny Car world champion Ron Capps in the finals with a 4.073-second pass at 310.63 mph. It is the 14th consecutive year that Hight has won at least one race making him the only professional racer to win an event every year of his career. It also marks the 21st different event where he has celebrated a victory.

(Defending NHRA World Champion Robert Hight won his first race of the season at the Jegs Route 66 Nationals)

“I always thought Chicago might have my number because this is my fourteenth time racing here and I have never won this race. I have been in a couple finals and John Force has kicked my ass a couple times. I finally got it done today in Chicago. That is big because as a driver you want to win at every venue you go to. There is not a better place than Chicago. I can’t believe this place is 20 years old. I remember rolling in here as a crew guy and thinking look at how amazing this stadium is. This is one of the top spots in the country.”

At the opening of the day, Hight was qualified 12th after a tricky two days of qualifying.

“Qualifying didn’t go that well. I don’t even think I pulled the parachutes before first round. We just weren’t making it down the track,” Hight commented.

(Ron Capps scored a R/UP finish in the Napa Dodge)

Hight’s line-up of opponents was stacked in a Funny Car class that is more competitive than ever. He had the task of defeating Cruz Pedregon in round one. Both spun the tires but Hight crossed the finish line first. Round two was a rematch of the Topeka final where Hight fell to teammate Courtney Force. This weekend, it was Hight who had the advantage laying down a 4.064 pass at 316.97 to advance to the semifinals. Hight took out rival Bob Tasca III with another 4.0 run of 4.076 at 315.12 en route to his final round match up against Capps.

“In the first round we spun and we dodged a bullet. Cruz didn’t make it down the track and I had to pedal it. We got by first round and after that we were able to get it and make clean passes,” Hight explained. “We had lane choice in the semis but then Capps ran better so we were back in the right lane in the final. That is what you are going to get every time you win a race. You are going to go up against a tough line up. There are no easy wins. You saw a lot of upsets first round. There are no easy ones in this class. I qualified 14th in Topeka and raced to the final and lost to Courtney. I was 12th here and it just shows you how tough it is out here. When you win one of these you definitely earned it. There is a lot of pride with a win.”

Courtney Force set top speed (again!) this time at 327.66 mph.

Last season, Hight picked up his first win late in the summer at the Denver event, winning this early in the season has Hight, only a third of the way in, excited for what the year could bring.

“It’s a great weekend for this Auto Club team in our fourth final of the year. Last year I won the championship and I didn’t win my first race until Denver so I am way ahead of last year, this could get really good,” Hight said.

Robert Hight and his team visited victory lane for the 42nd time in their career (Auto Imagery Photo)

The victory lands Hight solidly third in points behind only Courtney Force and Jack Beckman and ahead of event No. 1 qualifier Matt Hagan.

Bob Tasca III had a superb event effort – going to the semi final round in the Motorcraft Ford Mustang

Chicagoland’s own – Dale “Peanut” Creasy qualified #14 for the FC program

Event Essentials:   NHRA Jegs Route 66 Nationals (May 30-June 3rd, 2018) 

Matt Hagan qualified #1 in FC with a low ET run of 3.917 secs

Tommy Johnson Jr did some serious body damage to his Dodge in round one on Sunday

Posted with files by Sara Slaughter and Bruce Biegler
All photos by Bruce Biegler