Ron Capps topped the Funny Car field Sunday in the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals to take the season lead with one race left in the regular season, and Erica Enders raced to her third Pro Stock victory of the season and second in a row.
Capps powered away from 15-time series champion John Force in the final round for his third victory of the season, third at Brainerd International Raceway and 36th of his career.
Capps cruised to a final-round performance of 4.134 seconds at 304.05 mph in a Dodge Charger, while Force's Ford Mustang lost traction and finished in 6.633 at 116.35.
''I'm pretty excited to go to Indy with the points lead,'' said Capps, who leads Robert Hight by 53 points. ''Force is cagey. He's good here. ... I was doubtful that we were going to get a win. He's been eking it out all day and getting on a roll. He knows how to take it to the next level. I looked over at about 800 feet and didn't see him ahead of me, and we got the win light.''
Enders outran series points leader Allen Johnson in the final round with a 6.649 at 208.26 in a Chevy Cobalt. She's the first female driver to win at BIR since Shirley Muldowney won a Top Fuel title in 1982.
Morgan Lucas won the Top Fuel division, and Eddie Krawiec topped the Pro Stock Motorcycle field.
Lucas edged Antron Brown at the finish for his third victory of the season and his third victory in the event sponsored by his family's oil company. Lucas posted a 3.818 at 316.90 to hold off Brown's charging dragster, which trailed with a 3.831 at 313.80. Brown moved into the series lead, 58 ahead of Spencer Massey.
Krawiec remained undefeated in Pro Stock Motorcycle, claiming his sixth victory of the season and increasing his series points lead by defeating Hector Arana Jr.
