Tony Pedregon scores big in Funny Car eliminator winning his first race since becoming a team owner at the beginning of the 2004-racing season. Pedregon, driving his Quaker State-sponsored Chevy Monte Carlo out duels his former boss John Force in a super exciting final round which saw both drivers battle tire smoke. Pedregon is able to recover first to win his first event since Las Vegas in 2003.

FC class racing is superb at Maple Grove Raceway as class racers produce one of the quickest fields in NHRA history with a bump spot of 4.887 secs.

Gary Scelzi, driving the Oakley/Mopar Dodge Stratus paces the field with a 4.766 secs and looks pretty well unstoppable before succumbing to tire smoke in the semi final round while in a race against Pedregon. Scelzi had beaten out his top points rival Robert Hight in a dramatic round two pairing, and with that padded his points lead (slightly). John Force’s r/up finish moved him to within 31 points of Scelzi.

FC class newcomer Mike Ashley is rewarded with his career best run. Ashley, participating in only his 2nd career start in the nitro class runs a great 4.864 secs at 318.39 mph to qualify #13, driving his cool looking Chevy Monte Carlo. Ashley however loses out in round one to Frank Pedregon’s strong running Toyo Tires sponsored Dodge Stratus.

Greg Anderson stretches out his overall points lead in Pro Stock by winning his 7th event this season. Anderson wheels his Pontiac GTO past another Pontiac GTO in the Championship final as he prevails over a suddenly resurgent Jim Yates. Anderson’s 6.721 secs at 205.19 mph was just able to run down Yates’s 6.771 secs at 204.57 mph. Yates did have a terrific .008 RT in the final.

Anderson’s event victory included low ET of the meet at 6.680 secs, which flashed up in round one. Greg’s teammate Jason Line, driving the other Summit Racing Equipment Pontiac GTO, qualified on the pole (6.735 secs) and also set top speed at 206.35 mph.

Rookie driver Erica Enders made history in Pro Stock class racing as she qualified strong 6.760 secs (10th) and won her first round over Rickie Smith. That win-light made her only the second woman Pro Stock driver in history to win a round. (Lucinda McFarland was the first some 15 years ago). Erica’s impressive event showing, driving the Slammers-sponsored Chevy, ended in round two however as her 6.734 secs could not handle eventual event winner Greg Anderson.

PS racing was another quick field featuring a bump spot of 6.777 secs. Class competition did include the debut of a new team and car driven by Pennsylvania-based Max Naylor. Naylor was impressive driving his ’04 Dodge Stratus but his 6.853 secs best did fall well short of the cut.

Tony Schumacher, his crew chief Alan Johnson, and his U.S. Army-sponsored team were relentless again while winning in Top Fuel – their 5th win in 8 final round appearances this season. Schumacher was the only car capable of 4.4 secs elapsed times the entire event and ultimately that was turned into victory. Tony was able to earn some revenge for his recent final round loss at Indy to Larry Dixon, as his 4.498 secs at 323.74 mph in the final won over Dixon’s Miller Lite dragster, which recorded a 4.575 secs at 322.11 mph.

Schumacher’s victory combined with Doug Kalitta’s loss to Larry Dixon in round two did shake up the 2005 POWERade Top Fuel points chase. Schumacher’s lead is now 100 (with 4 races left) and Dixon has moved past Kalitta into second place by 5 points (1392 to 1387).

The Top Fuel racing highlight reel at Maple Grove also featured a career best run for Melanie Troxel. Driving her Skull Gear-sponsored dragster, Melanie recorded a terrific 4.550 secs to qualify #5 but improved on that to a first round 4.509 secs at 322.65 mph to defeat Clay Millican. Melanie ran a 4.558 secs in round two however that was turned back by Morgan Lucas’s quicker 4.536 secs.

Angelle Sampey took top honors in Pro Stock Motorcycle as she won for the second time this season riding the U.S. Army sponsored Suzuki. Angelle had a great .005 RT in the final round and combined that with a run of 7.139 secs 191.84 mph (top speed) to defeat the Buell driven by Ryan Schnitz.

Angelle’s win was her 6th career win at Maple Grove Raceway, the site of her first career win.

PSM attracted 25 entries and was paced by overall points leader Andrew Hines who ran 7.098 secs. Low ET of the meet was however, was set by Chip Ellis who went 7.071 secs aboard the S&S Machine sponsored Buell owned by George Bryce, during round one of competition.

Top Alcohol racing at the Toyo Tires Nationals featured stout competition and big wins for Frank Manzo (TAFC) and Bill Reichert (TAD).

Manzo beat his archrival Bob Newberry in a final round pairing of the divisions top-rated two cars. Manzo won easily driving his Lucas Oil-sponsored Pontiac Firebird after Newberry’s machine developed problems. Manzo was credited with low ET and top speed for the class at 5.577 secs 259.01 mph.

The TAD title went to Michigan’s Bill Reichert who took an easy single driving the Bars Leaks dragster after his scheduled opponent Art Gallant was shut off after his burnout. Reichert’s first national event victory of the ’05 season came from the pole (5.331 secs) and included top speed at 274.94 mph.

Ohio’s Ron Erks nearly doubled up Sportsman class competition at the event. Erks won the Super Comp title when he edged out Canada’s Jim Morrison in the final round (8.903 secs to 8.904 secs) but lost the Super Gas final to John Asta when he had a -.001 foul start.

Competition eliminator featured the first career national event win for Gerry Russo E/SMA Chevy Cavalier. Russo, from New Jersey, beat the C/D of Don Eckel III in the final round. Nova Scotia’s Allyn Armstrong, driving his 4-cylinder Opel had earned the pole in Comp (-.0596) before losing out in round one.

IHRA Top Fuel star Doug Foley made his first career NHRA circuit start driving the Torco Fuels dragster. Foley qualified #14 with a 4.632 secs at 318.69 mph and then ran a career best 4.581 secs at 320.74 mph in round one but was edged out by Doug Herbert's 4.536 secs at 318.39 mph. Foley had beaten Herbert out of the gate (.069 to .107 RT)