Story By: SARA SLAUGHTER / ELITE MOTORSPORTS – INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Aaron Stanfield and his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / Janac Brother’s Racing team dominated raceday at the 70th running of the Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals to pick up their fourth Pro Stock victory of the season Monday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
On his way to winning the 12th Pro Stock victory of his career, Stanfield also picked up the win the Factory X category making him the first driver in the 70 years of the U.S. Nationals to double-up on raceday. His two wins count for his 29th and 30th career NHRA national event wins.
“This is what dreams are made of, right here. Indy is always a busy week for me. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions the whole entire time. I knew I had two good hot rods and a good chance to win in both categories, but this race has kicked my butt in the past. So, this feels great,” Stanfield said. “I’ve been close to doubling a couple of times and had both cars in the final round a few times this year. It’s eluded me, but I’m okay with not being able to get it done at those past races because this is the place to do it if you’re going to do it. Man, there’s just so much history at this racetrack. It’s special to me to not only win Indy in Pro Stock and Factory X but to win them both in the same day and put my name down on the history books.”
In the Pro Stock final, Stanfield faced teammate and five-time Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. and his SCAG Power Equipment / Outlaw Mile Hi Light Beer car. It would be a tight drag race between the two Elite powered hot rods. Stanfield would come out on top with a 6.561-second pass at 209.36 mph while Jeg Jr. ran 6.562 at 209.59.
“I have some incredible people that are behind me on both sides and I’m very thankful for Jason and Nikki Johnson of Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage, Melling, the whole Melling family was here this weekend. If it wasn’t for Joe Janac, I would never have had the opportunity to be in this position. He holds a really special place to me,” Stanfield said. “We’re going to have some fun tonight, celebrate and then it’s back to work tomorrow. We definitely want that No. 1 on our window at the end of the year.”
Stanfield entered Monday sitting in the No. 4 qualifying spot to face Matt Hartford first round. Stanfield got the win on a holeshot with a .024-second reaction time and 6.560-second pass at 209.36 mph to defeat Hartford’s .075 with a 6.553 pass at 209.49. In the second round, Stanfield lined the JHG / Melling car up next to Pro Stock rookie Cory Reed. Reed would have a mechanical failure on the starting line giving Stanfield a solo 6.555 at 210.14.
In the semifinals, Stanfield had to get through Pro Stock points leader and No. 1 qualifier Greg Anderson. Stanfield would have a clean pass at 6.574 seconds and 209.62 mph while Anderson ended his near perfect weekend by rattling the tires to coast to a 31.292 at 62.50.
With the victory, Stanfield and the JHG / Melling team move themselves into second in the Pro Stock points standings. With the U.S. Nationals marking the end of the NHRA regular season, Stanfield will enter the Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s six-race playoffs, well within striking distance of his first Mission Foods NHRA Pro Stock world championship.
“The Indy win is great, but the icing on the cake would be a championship, for sure, but we have a long way to go and I could tell you that it’s going to be a dogfight all the way to the end,” Stanfield said. “I’ve said it, I think you can win from any position. Whoever wins this championship is going to have earned it.”
The next Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series event and the kick-off to the NHRA Countdown to the Championship will be the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pennsylvania Sept. 12-15.