Robert Hight and the Automobile Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS team put together an ideal Sunday to race their way to their fourth win of the season at the Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals presented by Minties. The victory, which was his third at the Heartland Motorsports Park where he earned his Funny Car license, ties him with Don “Snake” Prudhomme at 49 all-time wins.

“It’s a real big deal. I can’t believe my name is used in the same sentence as Don Prudhomme. Forty-nine, that’s crazy. You know what’s really crazy is that I’m only 100 back from John (Force), but I’m coming,” Hight said.

Robert Hight beat Jack Beckman to the stripe in the fuel FC title (top) to put his team into NHRA victory lane for the 49th time.

The streak of perfection began for Hight in his fourth qualifying effort when he ran 4.015-seconds to be low of the session. The pass improved him from No. 13 to No. 9 entering race day, only the second time this season he’s qualified in the bottom half of the field. Hight would go on to be low of each elimination round on Sunday.

Hight and the Auto Club team picked up the win against Shawn Langdon in the first round when the Jimmy Prock and Chris Cunningham tuned hot rod blew the field away with a 3.897-second pass at 330.88 mph. The pass would go on to be the quickest and fastest of the entire event for the Funny Car category.

In the second round, Hight matched up with reigning world champion J.R. Todd. Todd would run into trouble on his pass for only a 9.547-second elapsed time. The Auto Club Camaro would have another impressive run at 3.921-seconds and 328.70 mph. The round win would set Hight to face Tommy Johnson Jr., a rematch of the final round from the Route 66 NHRA Nationals in Chicago just a week ago where Hight came away as the runner-up.

John Force sniffed again at his milestone 150th career NHRA win — going to semi final round on Sunday.

Both veteran racers would leave the starting line too early however, Johnson Jr. left first, fouling out at -.102 compared to Hight’s -.100 giving the Auto Club team the win. Though the race was won at the start, Hight would continue the streak of low ET of the round with a 3.900-second pass at 330.63 mph and take lane choice over Jack Beckman in the finals.

Beckman, who ended John Force’s run for his 150th win at the Heartland Nationals in the semifinals, beat Hight on the starting line but that was the only victory he’d have for the rest of the afternoon. Hight would cross the finish line at 3.895-seconds and 330.88 mph bettering Beckman’s 3.969 at 323.97 for his fourth win of the season, third at the facility and 49th of his career that began 25 years ago as a crew guy on John Force’s Funny Car.

“It was 25 seasons ago that I came in here. I flew in and met the team and went to work doing the clutch. That was pretty cool, and then I got my Funny Car license here. I have a lot of fond memories here, and now getting to win this race here a few times is pretty cool,” Hight said. “This is a great racetrack, the fans are great, it’s one of my favorites.”

Hight continues to lead the Funny Car pack as the NHRA Mello Yello points leader, a title he has yet to relinquish this season. His closest challenger is 208 points away.

Event Essentials:   NHRA Menard’s Heartland Nationals (June 7-9th, 2019) 

Defending NHRA World Champion JR Todd qualified on the pole at Topeka (3.924 secs)

Posted by Sara Slaughter
Photos Courtesy of NHRA and Gary Nastase