ENNIS, Texas (Oct. 15, 2023) \u2013 Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan gave Tony Stewart Racing its first-ever nitro sweep in Top Fuel and Funny Car on Sunday at the Texas Motorplex, while Pro Stock\u2019s Erica Enders became the winningest female in NHRA history with her 47th career national event victory to close out a historic and record-breaking 38th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals.<\/p>\n
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Pro Stock Motorcycle\u2019s Gaige Herrera also won at the 19th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, and the fourth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.<\/p>\n
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Enders, the reigning and five-time world champion, won in her home state for the second straight year to set the new all-time mark for NHRA national event wins by a female, going 6.469-seconds at 211.15 mph in her Johnson\u2019s Horsepowered Garage\/Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro to get past Dallas Glenn\u2019s 6.493 at 210.40. Enders\u2019 third victory this year also helped extend her lead to an impressive 85 points over Greg Anderson with two races remaining, also picking up her first playoff win of 2023.<\/p>\n
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After qualifying third as part of the quickest field in Pro Stock history, Enders delivered four straight runs in the 6.40s, knocking off Eric Latino, Cristian Cuadra and Troy Coughlin Jr. to reach the finals. Enders led wire-to-wire against Glenn, surpassing Angelle Sampey for most wins by a female and adding another legacy-defining victory to remarkable career.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe have a lot of wins that mean an awful lot to us, but as a little girl with big dreams to be a professional driver one day, this one will sit proudly alongside some other ones,\u201d Enders said. \u201cThis has been quite the journey and it hasn\u2019t been easy. (Team owner) Richard Freeman gave me this opportunity 10 years ago and I\u2019ll always be grateful. My team has been awesome and we\u2019ve never looked back. This was quite the weekend.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe came in here on a mission. It\u2019s such a tight field and you see how everyone qualified, and it\u2019s absolutely crazy. It\u2019s cutthroat competition, but I love racing at the (Texas) Motorplex. I\u2019m so thankful for the Meyer family and we\u2019re so blessed to race in Texas. It was a great day and my guys are amazing. I\u2019m really grateful for this group. I\u2019m so thrilled to be here and we\u2019ve got the points lead going to Vegas.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Glenn took down Bo Butner, Camrie Caruso and Aaron Stanfield to reach the finals for the ninth time in 2023.<\/p>\n
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In Top Fuel, Pruett finished off the sweep for Tony Stewart Racing, closing out the weekend in style with a holeshot victory, going 3.684 at 330.47 in her 11,000-horsepower Mobil 1 dragster to defeat Steve Torrence in the championship round. It gave Pruett the points lead in the Countdown to the Championship for the first time in her career as she rolled to her second victory this season and 12th in her career.<\/p>\n
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She defeated Shawn Langdon, Doug Kalitta, who entered the weekend with the points lead, and Clay Millican to reach the finals, making a trio of runs in the 3.60s. In the final, Pruett posted a .055 reaction time, which proved to be the difference in holding off Torrence\u2019s run of 3.662 at 333.05. It led to a memorable celebration for the entire Tony Stewart Racing team, which enjoyed its first nitro sweep as Pruett now leads Kalitta by just four points with two races left in the season.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe\u2019re going to take this momentum on and keep trying to do the best we can,\u201d Pruett said. \u201cBeating Doug was huge. You can\u2019t win a championship here, but you can lose one and we made sure we are deep in the hunt, and I couldn\u2019t be prouder. I think we showed (today) what we can do in the Countdown.<\/p>\n
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\u201cMatt and I had some time in the staging lanes (before the final round) and we just talked about what it takes to be there. He said the key is just focus. I just made sure I was focused on what I could do to get the best performance out of my car. (Now) we\u2019re going to try to do what Tony Stewart Racing does best and that\u2019s to keep winning.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Torrence took down Buddy Hull, Antron Brown and his father, Billy, to pick up his sixth finals appearance this year and 87th in his career. He also remains in the thick of the championship hunt, trailing Pruett by only 13 points.<\/p>\n
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Hagan took command of the Funny Car class in impressive fashion over the past two races, winning his second straight event, this time defeating John Force in the final round on Sunday in Dallas with a run of 3.883 at 332.25 in his 11,000-horsepower American Rebel Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. It\u2019s the sixth win this season and the 49th career victory for Hagan, who jumped from third to first in the points standings this weekend. He leads Bob Tasca III by 36 points and Robert Hight by 69 points after putting together a spectacular string of runs on Sunday at the Texas Motorplex.<\/p>\n
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While Ron Capps and Hight both lost in the first round, and Tasca fell a round later, Hagan knocked off Paul Lee, Terry Haddock and Tim Wilkerson to reach the finals, staying in the 3.80s throughout the day. Force smoked the tires early in the run as Hagan made another clean pass, sending him into the points lead and setting the stage for Pruett to deliver the nitro sweep for Tony Stewart Racing just a few minutes later.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s a dogfight in Funny Car,\u201d said Hagan, who is seeking his fourth career world championship. \u201cIt\u2019s just that tough out there. My team put a great car under me and I\u2019m just super proud of them. It takes tons of support to do what we\u2019re doing and to win six races in a year, it\u2019s incredible. It\u2019s just so hard to do and it says a lot about what our team is doing and how great Tony Stewart is as a team owner.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThis was our opportunity to rise to the occasion and our team did that. The chances for Robert, Ron and Tasca going out early is pretty rare, so it was an unreal day for us. We did what we needed to do to turn on win lights. To double-up with this team at TSR, it\u2019s just incredible. I\u2019m really proud of the organization I drive for and there\u2019s only more great things to come, I\u2019m sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Force advanced to the championship round for the second time this season and the 266th time overall thanks to victories against Jeff Diehl, Cruz Pedregon and J.R. Todd.<\/p>\n
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After a record-breaking weekend, it was only fitting that Gaige Herrera capped off his special weekend in Pro Stock Motorcycle with a victory, knocking off teammate Eddie Krawiec in the final round with a run of 6.644 at 203.30 on his Mission Foods\/Vance & Hines Suzuki. It was Herrera\u2019s seventh straight run in the 6.60s this weekend at the Texas Motorplex, a streak that included Saturday\u2019s record-breaking blast of 6.627 at 204.16. He followed with his ninth win of his magnificent 2023 season on Sunday, strengthening his points lead in the process.<\/p>\n
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He knocked off Blaine Hale, Chris Bostick and Hector Arana Jr. to reach the final round and then put together his quickest run of the day in the final round to beat Krawiec for a second straight race, again denying the multi-time world champ his 50th career win. Herrera now holds a 156-point lead over Krawiec and will have a chance to clinch his first career world championship in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n
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\u201cA year can make a world of difference. I\u2019m just here living the dream,\u201d Herrera said. \u201cThis bike has been flying all weekend and this whole weekend has been cool. This is a special one right here and one I\u2019ll never forget. It\u2019s been this incredible what this Vance & Hines team has given me. My bike has been flying and it’s crazy how fast it is and how easy it has been to ride. It\u2019s on a string right now.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s been an incredible experience this weekend in Dallas. Getting the national record (on Saturday) and then the win, and doing it in front of all these great fans all weekend, it\u2019s been amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Krawiec advanced to his third final round this year and 84th in his career by getting past Cory Reed, Matt Smith and Joey Gladstone.<\/p>\n
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The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series returns to action Oct. 26-29 with the NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.<\/p>\n
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ENNIS, Texas — Final finish order (1-16) at the 38th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex.\u00a0The race is the 19th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series.<\/p>\n
TOP FUEL:<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0Leah Pruett; 2.\u00a0Steve Torrence; 3.\u00a0Billy Torrence; 4.\u00a0Clay Millican; 5.\u00a0Mike Salinas; 6.<\/p>\n
Antron Brown; 7.\u00a0Spencer Massey; 8.\u00a0Doug Kalitta; 9.\u00a0Buddy Hull; 10.\u00a0Doug Foley; 11.\u00a0Justin Ashley; 12.\u00a0Brittany Force; 13.\u00a0Tony Schumacher; 14.\u00a0Austin Prock; 15.\u00a0Shawn Langdon; 16.\u00a0Josh Hart.<\/p>\n
FUNNY CAR:<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0Matt Hagan; 2.\u00a0John Force; 3.\u00a0Tim Wilkerson; 4.\u00a0J.R. Todd; 5.\u00a0Cruz Pedregon; 6.\u00a0Bob Tasca III; 7.\u00a0Alex Laughlin; 8.\u00a0Terry Haddock; 9.\u00a0Chad Green; 10.\u00a0Blake Alexander; 11.\u00a0Robert Hight; 12.\u00a0Jack Wyatt; 13.\u00a0Paul Lee; 14.\u00a0Alexis DeJoria; 15.\u00a0Ron Capps; 16.\u00a0Jeff Diehl.<\/p>\n
PRO STOCK:<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0Erica Enders; 2.\u00a0Dallas Glenn; 3.\u00a0Troy Coughlin Jr.; 4.\u00a0Aaron Stanfield; 5.\u00a0Greg Anderson; 6. Matt Hartford; 7.\u00a0Cristian Cuadra; 8.\u00a0Camrie Caruso; 9.\u00a0Fernando Cuadra Jr.; 10.\u00a0Chris McGaha; 11.\u00a0Eric Latino; 12.\u00a0Mason McGaha; 13.\u00a0Kyle Koretsky; 14.\u00a0Bo Butner; 15.\u00a0Jerry Tucker; 16. Deric Kramer.<\/p>\n
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0Gaige Herrera; 2.\u00a0Eddie Krawiec; 3.\u00a0Hector Arana Jr; 4.\u00a0Joey Gladstone; 5.\u00a0John Hall; 6.<\/p>\n
Matt Smith; 7.\u00a0Marc Ingwersen; 8.\u00a0Chris Bostick; 9.\u00a0Kelly Clontz; 10.\u00a0Ryan Oehler; 11.\u00a0Jianna Evaristo; 12.\u00a0Malcolm Phillips Jr.; 13.\u00a0Steve Johnson; 14.\u00a0Cory Reed; 15.\u00a0Blaine Hale; 16.\u00a0Chase Van Sant.<\/p>\n
ENNIS, Texas — Sunday’s final results from the 38th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex. The race is the 19th of 21 in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:<\/p>\n
Top Fuel — Leah Pruett, 3.684 seconds, 330.47 mph\u00a0def. Steve Torrence, 3.662 seconds, 333.09 mph.<\/p>\n
Funny Car — Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.883, 332.25\u00a0def. John Force, Chevy Camaro, 6.818, 94.02.<\/p>\n
Pro Stock — Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.469, 211.55\u00a0def. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.493, 210.40.<\/p>\n
Pro Stock Motorcycle — Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.644, 203.30\u00a0def. Eddie Krawiec, Suzuki, 6.706, 202.56.<\/p>\n
Top Alcohol Dragster — Julie Nataas, 5.129, 279.76\u00a0def. Kirk Wolf, 9.048, 88.36.<\/p>\n
Top Alcohol Funny Car — Doug Gordon, Chevy Camaro, 5.414, 271.12\u00a0def. Jim Whiteley, Camaro, 6.226, 163.75.<\/p>\n
Competition Eliminator — Jim Greenheck, Chevy Camaro, 7.163, 188.39\u00a0def. Shaun Vincent, Chevy S-10, 8.748, 118.66.<\/p>\n
Super Stock — Tyler Wudarczyk, Chevy Camaro, 10.367, 126.89\u00a0def. Victor Penrod, Chevy Camaro, Foul – Red Light.<\/p>\n
Stock Eliminator — Jerry Emmons, Chevy Camaro, 10.514, 113.36\u00a0def. Jimmy Hidalgo Jr., Pontiac GTO, 10.892, 107.05.<\/p>\n
Super Comp — Michael Holcombe, Dragster, 8.915, 173.22\u00a0def. Dave Long, Dragster, 8.924, 167.62.<\/p>\n
Super Gas — Trevor Larson, Chevy Corvette, 9.928, 161.38\u00a0def. Steve Collier, Chevy Vega, 9.941, 160.59.<\/p>\n
Super Street — Donnie Durenberger, Chevy Nova, 10.920, 146.44\u00a0def. Mark McCall, Pontiac Trans Am, 10.903, 144.76.<\/p>\n
Top Sportsman — Curt Fredrich, Chevy Camaro, 6.523, 211.08\u00a0def. David Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.113, 232.20.<\/p>\n
Top Dragster — Holden Laris, Dragster, 6.103, 205.62\u00a0def. Dane Ward, Dragster, Foul – Red Light.<\/p>\n
Factory Stock Showdown — Lenny Lottig, Chevy Camaro, 7.628, 172.42\u00a0def. Doug Hamp, Camaro, 13.736, 77.99.<\/p>\n
ENNIS, Texas — Final round-by-round results from the 38th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex, the 19th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:<\/p>\n
TOP FUEL:<\/p>\n
ROUND ONE — Antron Brown, 3.682, 329.00 def. Austin Prock, 5.861, 132.99; Leah Pruett, 3.678, 333.90 def. Shawn Langdon, 9.241, 94.23; Billy Torrence, 3.664, 335.42 def. Tony Schumacher, 5.326, 133.84; Spencer Massey, 3.719, 327.58 def. Brittany Force, 4.676, 156.30; Doug Kalitta, 3.689, 329.74 def. Josh Hart, 9.918, 58.18; Steve Torrence, 3.664, 333.21 def. Buddy Hull, 3.739, 324.42; Mike Salinas, 3.689, 335.77 def. Doug Foley, 3.773, 293.16; Clay Millican, 3.789, 269.53 def. Justin Ashley, 4.356, 197.29; QUARTERFINALS — Millican, 3.709, 333.43 def. Salinas, 3.669, 331.30; Pruett, 3.697, 331.52 def. Kalitta, 4.319, 174.45; B. Torrence, 3.713, 332.94 def. Massey, 3.752, 327.44; S. Torrence, 3.684, 333.19 def. Brown, 3.736, 311.76;<\/p>\n
SEMIFINALS — Pruett, 3.681, 329.82 def. Millican, 5.325, 122.55; S. Torrence, 3.697, 333.88 def. B. Torrence, 3.715, 332.77;<\/p>\n
FINAL — Pruett, 3.684, 330.47 def. S. Torrence, 3.662, 333.09.<\/p>\n
FUNNY CAR:<\/p>\n
ROUND ONE — Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 4.248, 239.34 def. Jack Wyatt, Dodge Charger, 4.840, 167.70; Terry Haddock, Mustang, 4.266, 298.73 def. Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 4.273, 288.68; John Force, Camaro, 3.839, 331.74 def. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Camry, 10.318, 89.19; Alex Laughlin, Charger, 4.237, 275.21 def. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 8.428, 85.81; Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.895, 318.88 def. Paul Lee, Charger, 5.014, 148.91; J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.882, 327.11 def. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 4.164, 237.60; Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.935, 332.10 def. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.939, 326.87; Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.416, 202.42 def. Alexis DeJoria, GR Supra, 5.238, 209.17; QUARTERFINALS — Wilkerson, 3.866, 327.58 def. Tasca III, 3.921, 328.25; Force, 3.845, 327.68 def. Pedregon, 3.889, 328.59; Todd, 3.928, 327.03 def. Haddock, 5.920, 112.88; Hagan, 3.868, 331.30 def. Laughlin, 4.344, 255.77;<\/p>\n
SEMIFINALS — Hagan, 3.875, 328.85 def. Wilkerson, 3.897, 328.95; Force, 4.711, 288.31 def. Todd, 6.830, 106.21;<\/p>\n
FINAL — Hagan, 3.883, 332.25 def. Force, 6.818, 94.02.<\/p>\n
PRO STOCK:<\/p>\n
ROUND ONE — Aaron Stanfield, Chevy Camaro, 6.503, 210.72 def. Kyle Koretsky, Camaro, 7.191, 209.24; Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.509, 212.11 def. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Ford Mustang, 6.518, 211.56; Cristian Cuadra, Mustang, 6.508, 211.34 def. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 16.153, 51.88; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.492, 210.84 def. Bo Butner, Camaro, 8.331, 111.99; Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 6.526, 210.65 def. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, Foul – Red Light; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.467, 212.23 def. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.530, 210.95; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.481, 211.83 def. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.522, 211.53; Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.476, 212.56 def. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.530, 210.85; QUARTERFINALS — Glenn, 6.515, 209.29 def. Caruso, 6.536, 211.03; Stanfield, 6.498, 210.50 def. Anderson, 6.488, 210.69; Coughlin Jr., 6.501, 211.84 def. Hartford, 6.509, 210.74; Enders, 6.473, 211.74 def. C. Cuadra, 6.511, 211.33;<\/p>\n
SEMIFINALS — Glenn, 6.500, 210.40 def. Stanfield, Broke; Enders, 6.476, 211.88 def. Coughlin Jr., 6.843, 164.08;<\/p>\n
FINAL — Enders, 6.469, 211.55 def. Glenn, 6.493, 210.40.<\/p>\n
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:<\/p>\n
ROUND ONE — Chris Bostick, 6.851, 194.95 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.051, 166.45; Marc Ingwersen, 6.800, 197.74 def. Jianna Evaristo, Suzuki, 6.972, 163.86; Matt Smith, Suzuki, 6.845, 198.55 def. Ryan Oehler, 6.868, 187.60; Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.725, 203.48 def. Malcolm Phillips Jr., Suzuki, 7.008, 186.76; John Hall, 6.804, 199.06 def. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, Broke – No Show; Joey Gladstone, Buell, 6.738, 197.50 def. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.763, 199.12; Eddie Krawiec, Suzuki, 6.853, 201.67 def. Cory Reed, Suzuki, 7.138, 167.81; Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.657, 202.65 def. Blaine Hale, Suzuki,<\/p>\n
7.262, 186.57;<\/p>\n
QUARTERFINALS — Gladstone, 6.766, 200.30 def. Ingwersen, Foul – Red Light; Krawiec,<\/p>\n
6.731, 201.05 def. Smith, 6.857, 197.75; Arana Jr, 6.779, 199.99 def. Hall, Foul – Red Light; Herrera, 6.656, 204.01 def. Bostick, Foul – Red Light;<\/p>\n
SEMIFINALS — Krawiec, 6.692, 203.88 def. Gladstone, 6.814, 195.10; Herrera, 6.661, 203.49 def. Arana Jr, 6.734, 199.40;<\/p>\n
FINAL — Herrera, 6.644, 203.30 def. Krawiec, 6.706, 202.56.<\/p>\n
ENNIS, Texas — Point standings (top 10) following the 38th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex, the 19th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series –<\/p>\n
Top Fuel<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0Leah Pruett, 2,414; 2.\u00a0Doug Kalitta, 2,410; 3.\u00a0Steve Torrence, 2,401; 4.\u00a0Justin Ashley, 2,306; 5.\u00a0Antron Brown, 2,304; 6.\u00a0Mike Salinas, 2,283; 7.\u00a0Clay Millican, 2,270; 8.\u00a0Brittany Force, 2,249; 9.\u00a0(tie) Austin Prock, 2,195; Tony Schumacher, 2,195.<\/p>\n
Funny Car<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0Matt Hagan, 2,461; 2.\u00a0Bob Tasca III, 2,425; 3.\u00a0Robert Hight, 2,392; 4.\u00a0Ron Capps, 2,362; 5. John Force, 2,263; 6.\u00a0J.R. Todd, 2,249; 7.\u00a0Chad Green, 2,240; 8.\u00a0Tim Wilkerson, 2,236; 9.\u00a0Alexis DeJoria, 2,196; 10.\u00a0Alex Laughlin, 2,194.<\/p>\n
Pro Stock<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0Erica Enders, 2,454; 2.\u00a0Greg Anderson, 2,369; 3.\u00a0Dallas Glenn, 2,361; 4.\u00a0Matt Hartford, 2,346; 5.\u00a0Aaron Stanfield, 2,331; 6.\u00a0Troy Coughlin Jr., 2,309; 7.\u00a0Deric Kramer, 2,252; 8.\u00a0Kyle Koretsky, 2,219; 9.\u00a0Camrie Caruso, 2,205; 10.\u00a0Cristian Cuadra, 2,188.<\/p>\n
Pro Stock Motorcycle<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0Gaige Herrera, 2,560; 2.\u00a0Eddie Krawiec, 2,404; 3.\u00a0Matt Smith, 2,386; 4.\u00a0Hector Arana Jr,<\/p>\n
2,381; 5.\u00a0Chase Van Sant, 2,254; 6.\u00a0Angie Smith, 2,203; 7.\u00a0Jianna Evaristo, 2,202; 8.\u00a0Marc<\/p>\n
Ingwersen, 2,190; 9.\u00a0Steve Johnson, 2,171; 10.\u00a0Kelly Clontz, 2,156.<\/p>\n
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS<\/strong><\/p>\n Leah Pruett<\/p>\n Top Fuel Winner<\/p>\n Mobil 1 Top Fuel Dragster<\/p>\n 3.684 seconds, 330.47 mph<\/p>\n NOTE: Leah Pruett picked up her first Texas Motorplex win on Sunday when she took down Steve Torrence in the final round of the Texas NHRA FallNationals thanks to her 3.684-second pass at 330.47 mph.<\/p>\n