DRAG RACING ACTION ONLINE  BILLY KLEINSPEHN

IMAGES NHRA PHOTO AND PHIL HUTCHISON

 

There is a a famous say Going Out On Top and every NHRA Champion wants to end their championship season winning the finals.

However there are some champions who’s final career event win came at the finals and with this weekend being the final event of NHRA’s 75th Anniversary season at the NHRA finals let’s take a look back at five NHRA legends who scored their final career win as a driver at the NHRA Finals.

NUMBER 5

Tanner Gray 2018

In just two years of full time NHRA Pro Stock racing Tanner Gary quickly established himself as one of the greatest in the class history with his historic win at the spring Vegas race in 2017 at the age of seventeen becoming the youngest Pro winner in NHRA history along with four other wins that season earned him Rookie of The Year Honors.

In 2018 right around the beginning of the Countdown to the Championship Gray announced his decision to move away from Drag Racing to return to his roots in circle track Stock Car Racing but that didn’t stop him as he would win eight races that season would clinch the title at Pomona and would go out a winner defeating Drew Skillman in the final for his 13th and final victory.

NUMBER 4

Bruce Larson 1989

When you think of great Funny Car drivers from Pa one that is always near the top is Bruce Larson.

The veteran racer who campaigned his famous USA 1 Funny Cars and even raced Pro Stock for a time being was favorite at many Match Races across the country.

In 1985 Larson would team up with another Pa legend Joe Amato and with sponsorship with Sentry Tachs and Gages and with former sprint car driver Maynard Yingst gave the Funny Car class a sign of things to come.

After scoring his first NHRA National Event win at the 88 Cajuns Larson would win both the WinterNationals and NHRA Finals and four other events to clinch the 1989 Winston Funny Cars Championship ending Kenny Bernsteins four year reign as champion. 

The NHRA Finals win over John Force was his seventh and final win of his NHRA career though he would win several IHRA races in Top Fuel driving for Big Daddy Don Garlits. 

NUMBER 3

Matt Hines 2002

In 1996 the world was introduced to a young man named Matt Hines who took the Pro Stock Bike Class by storm winning his first National event in Denver that year and would follow it up the following race at Brainerd to earn co Rookie of The Year honors.

Between 97-99 Matt would go on to win three consecutive titles including one of the greatest season in the classes history in 98 with 10 wins during that season. 

After losing the title in 00-02 to Angelle Sampay Hines would score his 30th and final win as a rider at the NHRA Finals defeating Geno Scali in the final before transferring over to the crew chief role of Vance and Hines. 

NUMBER 2

Kenny Bernstein 2003

In 2001 one of the greatest to ever strap into a nitro car Kenny Bernstein announced that he would retire from driving after the 2002 season in what would be known as the Forever Red Tour.

After winning the championship in 01 Bernstein would come up one spot short of being a repeat champion finishing number 2 in the points standings to fellow Beer Wars rivial Larry Dixon.

After losing the championship in 2002 at his final race of his Forever Red Tour Bernstein would suffer a disappointing first round loss to eventual runner up Yuichi Oyama.

In 2003 the Bud Prince son Brandon would take over the seat of the Budweiser King.

Brandon who was no stranger to driving a race car won the Division Seven TAD title and won three National Events in that class during the 2001 season which included the historic first father son double up National Event win in NHRA History at the spring Vegas race. 

Brandon’s rookie season was off the great start winning three of the first eight races of the season and even took the points leader before disaster struck.

During first round of the Englishtown Event Brandon would suffer a broken back during a frightening over the wall crash that would unfortunately end his season behind the wheel.

Dad Kenny would be Brandon’s replacement and by the time the tour heading into Pomona for the NHRA Finals Kenny was the hottest driver in the classes winning three of the previous four events.

Running consistently in the 4.50s dad Kenny would get his chance for redemption as he would make it to the final against two time Top Fuel Championship Scott Kalitta.

In what would be one of the wildest finals in Top Fuel that season both drivers would smoke the tires but Kenny would recover first to score his 69th and final career win as a driver.

NUMBER 1

Frank Manzo 2013 

When you think of the winningest drag racer of time the names of Garlits and Force all come to mind. But when you think of the greatest of all time that honor would have to go to New Jerseys own Frank Manzo.

With over 200 NHRA event wins between NHRA Divisional and National events plus 17 National Championships and 21 Divisional Championships the Ace has earned his spot in Drag Racing history.

In 2013 Manzo announced his retirement for driver at the US Nationals but he wasn’t stopping as he would not only win the US Nationals but his 17th Lucas Oil World Championship and win the Auto Ckub finals in his final race def Clint Thompson in the finals for his 105th NHRA National Event Win.