IHRA: Numbers are in for 2016 championships

Above: Jason Rupert

The tally is in for the IHRA Drag Racing Series four Pro categories – Pro Stock, Pro Mod, Nitro Motorcycle and AMSOIL Nitro Funny Cars. Here's how the season shaped up:

PRO STOCK: It came right down to the final race, the Northern Nationals at US 131 Motorplex in Martin, Mich., where persistent showers delayed the program, but the IHRA and US 131 track workers made sure the surface, one of the best in drag racing, could take all the power the racers could give it.

Pro Stock was a tight battle between defending champ Cary Goforth and his top challenger, Trevor Eman, that would be decided by which driver did best at US 131. And the matchup everyone was waiting for came in the semifinals – the winner would be the season champion. Goforth narrowly beat Eman with a 6.319 at 221.57mph against a 6.342 at 220.91mph to claim his third consecutive championship title. Goforth finished off the night with a Northern Nationals win against J.R. Carr.

All season, multiple Pro Stock racers would rise to the top and challenge Goforth. And though they didn't make the top five, Dean Goforth – Cary's dad – John Pluchino and John De Floridan often made life tough for the points leaders. But in the end, here's the top five in points:

1 Cary Goforth, 473.
2 Trevor Eman, 431.
3 J.R. Carr, 400
4 Larry O'Brien, 296
5 John Konigshofer, 232

NITRO MOTORCYCLE: Invariably, the man to beat was defending champion Jay Turner, but a very tough field proved over and over that he could be beat. Had Bob Malloy not missed a race, the final standings might have been even closer, but Turner kept battling back, and would not be denied another championship. They didn't make the top five in points, but Tii Tharpe, Ricky House and Randall Andras were never easy to beat. In the final race, Turner had a terrible weekend, but so did Malloy, and Malloy would have needed a string showing to top Turner in points. The final race had Frank Capone running a 6.459 at 220.26mph to Tii Tharpe's 6.503 at 200.80mph, giving a jubilant Capone his first victory.

1 Jay Turner, 482
2 Bob Malloy, 414
3 Jake Stordeur, 389
4 Tracy Kile, 384
5 Frank Capone, 328

PRO MOD: This was the only class essentially decided before the Northern Nationals, with Billy Harper dominating the field in his black nitrous-injected Dodge Viper. At the final race, Harper wasn't a factor, though, as Billy Glidden took the win with a World Record pass of 5.831 seconds against first-time finalist Jason Hamstra. A final note: Sixth in points was IHRA favorite Bill Lutz, who missed the last half of the season due to illness. We hope to see him back next season.

1 Billy Harper, 418
2 Ruben Tetsoshvili, 216
3 Billy Glidden, 168
4 Adam Flamholc, 164
5 Jerico Balduf, 149

AMSOIL NITRO FUNNY CAR: Time and time again, defending champ Jason Rupert would storm into the track, kick it in qualifying, then somehow manage to miss the final round win. No matter – there were plenty of strong cars waiting for their chance, and they took it. With four teams close enough for the championship at the Northern Nationals, it would take Rupert to hit on all cylinders, every pass, to take home the big trophy.

And he did. It was a near-flawless performance for the Littlefield & Rupert Chevrolet Camaro, as he and Mike McIntire, Jr. paired off in the final round, and Rupert took it, setting the ET World Record in the process with a run of 5.522 at 262.54mph.

This left McIntire second in the points, Shawn Bowen third, and a disappointed Mark Sanders in fourth, as Sanders couldn't qualify the Mr. Explosive Ford into the field. Thought they didn't make the top five in points, legends like Paul Romine, Bruce Litton and Richard Hartman were major fan favorites.

1 Jason Rupert, 574
2 Mike McIntire, Jr., 505
3 Shawn Bowen, 494
4 Mark Sanders, 399
5 Tim Boychuk, 337

Announcements regarding the 2017 IHRA Drag Racing Series schedule will be coming soon – stay tuned.