PRO STOCK

Chris McGaha, driver of the Harlow Sammons Racing Chevrolet Camaro known as the Silver Bullet, wheeled his way to the winner's circle. It was the second consecutive victory for the Odessa, Texas, native after scoring the first win of his career in Sonoma just last week.
 
"We moved up in the points, and we're real excited about that," said McGaha, now No. 3 in the Pro Stock standings with two races left before the Countdown to the Championship field is set. "We knew we were close to Jason Line, but going around him, wow, that's a big deal.”

Joey Grose

McGaha obliterated the track records for elapsed time and speed with a mind-blowing 6.488-second pass at 213.40 mph as his opponent, Joey Grose, fouled out. Not a soul on the property had wheeled a Pro Stock car to 213 mph before, and no one has done it since the second-generation drag racer's spectacular opening pass on Sunday. No one had ever before – or has since – made a run in the 6.40-second zone.
 
In the second round, it was Vincent Nobile on the block, and McGaha was first to leave the starting line and first to the finish, sending his challenger home on a 6.524, 212.76 to 6.538, 212.43. With lane choice over Shane Gray in the semifinals, McGaha again had the advantage and left the line .003-second ahead. At the stripe his 6.533, 212.23 did the job as Gray slowed to a tire spinning 15.389.

In the final against Jeg Coughlin Jr., McGaha was .029 at the tree and clocked a completely shocking 6.507, 212.59 in a decisive win over Coughlin's 6.532, 212.63. The margin of victory was .014-second, or about 4 feet, as McGaha won his second race in a row.

"If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best," said McGaha of his final round victory over Coughlin. "The fact that we've gotten on a roll here, it gives us a legitimate chance [at the championship]. I've seen guys in the past who maybe peak too early. I don't know if we have or not, but I don't really care at this point. We have two wins, and I'm ready to go right now. Anyone that wants to go right now, I'm ready."

JEGS.com driver Jeg Coughlin Jr. has been a force to be reckoned with in his return to Pro Stock, following up a semifinal finish in Sonoma with a final-round appearance at the NHRA Northwest Nationals on Sunday at Pacific Raceways with the Stockseth Racing/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet.

Coughlin was appearing in his first final of the season. The five-time world champ is running a limited schedule for Elite Motorsports this season. The final was Coughlin's 100th of his career, though he came just short of winning for the 75th time in NHRA and 59th in Pro Stock.

"We were one round closer," Coughlin said. "We got to our 100th final round and were knocking on the door for that big 75, which would have been pretty sweet."

"You've got to tip your hat to the McGaha group," Coughlin said. "They did one helluva job, and he's driving well. That's what it takes, and they got it done again."