Todays top NHRA drivers
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Todays top NHRA drivers
Some of the top drivers in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) today have storied histories in the sport – and a few have some rich bloodlines. Whether new to the sport or veterans, these drivers will have long careers before they’re done.
John Force Racing is a family affair – father John Force, daughter Ashley Force-Hood, and son-in-law Robert Hight are all contenders when it comes to the Funny Car division. The elder statesman and owner of the team, 14-time champion Force has seen many triumphs, tragedies, and dramas on and off the track, but is still a “force” (no pun intended) to be reckoned with, even in his 60s. Hight was the 2009 winner of the Countdown to the Championship, followed by Force-Hood, who became the first woman to win a Funny Car event in 2008 – by beating her father.
Larry Dixon, the 2002 and 2003 Top Fuel division champ, is one of the division’s most consistent competitors – he also has four second-place points finishes in his career. Another Top Fuel veteran, Tony Schumacher has won every championship since Dixon’s double (2004 through 2009) – Schumacher is the first NHRA driver to win six consecutive titles.
Mike Edwards, the 2009 Pro Stock champion, and four-time Pro Stock champ Jeg Coughlin Jr. continue to be top competitors, but veteran Warren Johnson, a six-time champ,is still a contender as well, even as he nears age 70 – with 96 career Pro Stock wins, he is truly the “Professor of Pro Stock.”
Pro Stock Bike driver Andrew Hines is a three-time champion, winning Harley-Davidson’s first-ever title in the series in 2004. Hector Arana won his first Pro Stock Bike title at the age of 51 – only his third full-time season on the circuit.