IHRA: Points battle moves to the Alamo city

As you'd expect, the points battle for the 2016 championship is close with just one race in the books, and it is expected to get even tighter as the IHRA leaves Orlando SpeedWorld Dragway and heads to San Antonio Raceway for the Good Vibrations Motorsports Texas Nationals Fueled by Sunoco. The IHRA Drag Racing Series rolls into the Alamo city April 1-2.

The current points were set at the IHRA AMSOIL Nitro Nationals at Orlando Speed World Dragway in the four Pro classes with some unexpected wins and some track records. Every class put on a stellar show.

Indeed, the AMSOIL Nitro Funny Car class picked up where it left off in 2015 with Jason Rupert and Mike McIntire Jr. running side-by-side in the first two rounds of qualifying, but it was Rupert who took the top spot followed by Mark Sanders and Mike McIntire Jr. The momentum continued for Rupert as he shattered the AMSOIL Nitro Funny Car record with a 5.559 at 261.93 mph in the first round.

The semifinals brought with it an unexpected twist as Rupert and Shawn Bowen faced off and both shook their tires after the start. Bowen recovered from the incident and pedaled into the finals against Mike McIntire Jr. Those two raced side-by-side until McIntire got out of the groove and Bowen took the win. Bowen takes the points lead with 113, with McIntire second with 94, Rupert third with 76.

In Pro Stock, J.R. Carr laid down a 6.234 at 225.26 mph pass in the first round of qualifying, which gave him the top spot for Sunday's eliminations, followed by Trevor Eman and John Konigshofer. Carr lost in the first round, though, as 2015 IHRA Pro Stock Champion Cary Goforth (ABOVE) defeated him with a 6.484 at 223.02 mph pass. Goforth and John Pluchino matched up in the final round of eliminations. Pluchino encountered a similar fate as Carr, and Goforth claimed the win with a 6.35 at 224.58 mph run. Goforth took the points lead with 113, followed by Pluchino (90) and Carr (76) going into San Antonio.

In Pro Mod, it was no surprise that series regulars Billy Harper, Jerico Baldulf and newcomer Adam Flamholc dominated, as Harper set a new elapsed time record in qualifying with a 5.875 at 241.32 mph. In eliminations, Harper and Baldulf advanced into the semifinals but Flamholc ran an impressive 5.894 at 237.80 mph pass against Harper's 5.966 at 233.68 mph in the semis.

That put Flamholc against Baldulf, but Baldulf suffered an engine problem. Flamholc ran a 5.884 at 246.08 mph and celebrated his first IHRA win. That gives him the points lead with 112, Harper 96, and Baldulf close at 95 points.

2015 IHRA Nitro Motorcycle World Champion Jay Turner qualified his new bike on top, with Rickey House and Randal Andras close behind.

In eliminations, Jake Stordeur surprised the crowd as he defeated Turner in the first round and eventually ended up in the finals with Turner's teammate Randal Andras. Andras ran a 6.380 at 215.62 mph against Stordeur's 6.649 at 207.75 mph run and took home the first Ironman of the 2016 season. Andras left with 114 points, to Stordeur's 89. Rickey House is third with 75 points.

The 2016 IHRA Drag Racing Series season continues at the Good Vibrations Motorsports Texas Nationals Fueled by Sunoco at San Antonio Raceway on April 1 – 2. The two-day show will feature the AMSOIL Nitro Funny Car class, Pro Mod, Pro Stock, Nitro Motorcycles and sportsman racing. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit IHRADRS.com.