Backstretch Motorsports

KENT, Wash. – After a shaky first half of the season that included six DNQs, Tony Bartone (shown left) raced to his first NHRA POWERade Series victory Sunday at the 21st annual Schuck’s Auto Supply NHRA Nationals after more than six years of professional racing.

Bartone defeated veteran driver Ron Capps, also looking to break out of a winless streak that dates back to Richmond 2007, in the final round. Bartone powered his Canidae Pet Foods Chevy Monte Carlo to a 4.454-second pass at 238.17 mph to get the long-awaited win, while Capps posted a 4.708 at 227.46 in his NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger R/T.

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TOPEKA, Kan. – Larry Dixon, Tony Bartone, and Dave Connolly were able to hold on to the top spots in their respective categories Saturday at the O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals.

Despite the heat and humidity at Heartland Park Topeka the three drivers’ Friday night qualifying runs were enough for them to maintain the No. 1 qualifying positions in their respective categories.

Dixon’s run Friday night of 4.527 seconds at 325.30 mph in his U.S. Smokeless Tobacco dragster was strong enough to keep the top spot in Top Fuel. It’s Dixon’s first No. 1 qualifier of the season, 28th of his career, and third at Heartland Park Topeka.

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TOPEKA, Kan. – After nearly two years since his last No. 1 qualifier, Funny Car driver Tony Bartone raced to the provisional top spot Friday at the O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals.

Larry Dixon and Dave Connolly were also No. 1 qualifiers in their respective categories at the ninth of 24 events on the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

Bartone drove his Canidae Pet Food Chevy Monte Carlo to a 4.881-second pass at 301.81 mph to become the provisional top qualifier. It would be Bartone’s second career No. 1 qualifier, with his first coming in 2006.

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