C. Force, Nobile, and Langdon Capture Wins at Pomona

Courtney Force is the real deal. Photo by Marc Gewertz / NHRA / Associated Press

Courtney Force not so gently reminded everyone she’s more than just John’s daughter Sunday, capturing the second win of her young Funny Car career at the NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.

Vincent Nobile won in Pro Stock, and Shawn Langdon won in Top Fuel.

Force powered her Traxxas Ford Mustang past Dodge Charger driver Ron Capps with a pass of 4.025 seconds at 317.12 miles-per-hour to earn her second career victory.

“It was definitely unbelievable,” Force said. “My team, [crew chiefs] Ron Douglas and Dan Hood, thanks to them, they had given me a great race car all weekend long. I just try to keep it straight down the center, and they really made my job easy. I really owe it to those guys. We got the win, and I’m just proud of my team.”

Nobile claimed his sixth Pro Stock victory with a pass of 6.571 at 211.03 in his Dodge Avenger, taking the automatic victory over Jeg Coughlin Jr., who turned on the red-light at the starting line and fouled out in his Dodge Avenger.

In Top Fuel, Langdon drove his Al-Anabi Racing dragster to the win with his pass of 3.721 at 322.27, defeating seven-time champion Tony Schumacher and the U.S. Army team.

It was a tough opening-season outing for Team Summit’s Pro Stock drivers Jason Line and Greg Anderson in their Chevy Camaro factory hot rods. Both suffered first round eliminations. Line lost to Shane Gray on a holeshot, and Anderson was defeated early by Greg Stanfield.

Pro Stock Championship point standings

  1.  Vincent Nobile            118
  2.  Jeg Coughlin               95
  3.  V. Gaines                  81
  4.  Greg Stanfield             72
  5.  Allen Johnson              52

Funny Car Championship point standings

  1.  Courtney Force            124
  2.  Ron Capps                  94
  3.  Johnny Gray                76
  4.  Bob Tasca III              71
  5.  Gary Densham               60

Top Fuel Championship point standings

  1.  Shawn Langdon             116
  2.  Tony Schumacher           106
  3.  Khalid alBalooshi          74
  4.  Antron Brown               67
  5.  Brandon Bernstein          60

The NHRA and Drag Race Central contributed to this report.