The DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals’ thunderstorm of drag racers trickled down to their final rounds before subsiding into a winners’ circle where victors flushed their gullets with the sanguine Sonoma staple from laurel leaf-lined goblets at Sears Point Sunday.
The final day of competition was full of friendly rivalries, upsets and a lot of tears.
The Rookie Wins
Jordan Vandergriff took the lead Friday and never looked back as he beat a crowded field of pros before holding up the Diamond Wally. “We had tough battles today. Everybody ran well against us. There was no slouch against us for sure. It’s such a nice win,” Vandergriff said.
The Rookie took on his friend Austin Prock in the semi-finals before facing Daniel Wilkerson in the finals. “It’s just something that obviously doesn’t need to be stated, were talking about Austin Prock and his decision to leave this car over the last season.” he said. “I just wanted to come into this car and hold my own and try to be better–the best–and we beat the best today.
Vandergriff said he wondered what his second win would feel like after his first, and today realized, “Well, the next one feels pretty damn good.”
He battled his former classmate from Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School, Daniel Wilkerson. Vandergriff said he wanted to see Wilkerson win until they were lined up together. “I went to that final knowing they could throw down. They were the number three qualifier here, so I knew they were going to come ready, and we had to be ready,” Vandergriff said. “We had the best car and decided to be ready, so it worked out in our favor.”
He gave a huge shout out to Brittany Force, whom he said was the main influence to get him with John Force Racing.
“Thank you to her, thank you to John [Force]. Having them here makes this as sweet as the wine,” he said.
Stanfield Chugs Wine in Victory Circle
Pro Stock driver Greg Stanfield had to face his son in the first round of elimination before finally beating out six-time world champion Erica Enders for the victory later in the day.
“Actually, when I race I really don’t look at who’s in the other lane. I just try to focus on my side and what I can do, and try to do my best,” he said.
Stanfield ran a hole-shot winning 6.661 ET at 211 mph to take the Diamond Wally home.
After his seventh career professional victory, and second straight year win. He said the secret sauce to performing so well must have been the Sonoma red wine, as he held up his winner’s goblet refilled with Ones by Sabonis Family Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast. Standfield was goaded into chugging his goblet earlier on stage by the crowd of fans.
Stanfield reflected on winning the Diamond Wally, “That’s 75 years of NHRA drag racing. So that’s huge,” he said. “When you get this old and you can pull that off, it makes you feel good.”
King of Sonoma
Doug Kalitta has won for a seventh–and second straight–time at Sonoma Raceway, running an ET of 3.731 at 339 mph, beating Bay Area local Jasmine Salinas in the final run.
“Jasmine did a great job today. It’s good to have those guys back. I’m hoping that they’ll continue to run the rest of the year,” Kalitta said. “It’s a hell of an opportunity for me and all my guys to see if we can get another championship.”
Besides his own run, Kalitta is proud of the rest of his team’s performance, and he’s looking forward to seeing how things turn out.
“We’re in the heat of the battle here now. Certainly winning this race is a great momentum builder for us going into the rest of the year,” Kalitta said.
Kalitta will be giving his Diamond Wally to his crew chief, Alan Johnson, in honor of Blaine Johnson.
“It’s been 30 years since we lost Blaine Johnson and I’m going to have the honor of giving this trophy to Alan this evening once we get done with this. It’s very deserving with everything he’s put into this sport,” Kalitta said. “Blaine was a hell of a driver, so this is going to be an honor.”
After the winner’s circle closed, the last motor murmured from the track and the last fan sauntered home from the stands, a breeze blew from Sears Point like a sigh, and the valley drifted to sleep once again.
