On three occasions this season, Greg Stanfield advanced to the Pro Stock championship round only to be disappointed.
The fourth race was a charm Sunday for Stanfield and the Nitro Fish/Coffman Tank Trucks GXP team. Starting from the 12th position, he put on a dazzling driving display on the way to a very satisfying fifth career title in the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
Stanfield left the starting line first in every round and the GXP lit the win light each time. In order, he ousted Larry Morgan, Roger Brogdon, nemesis Allen Johnson and, in the finals, Kurt Johnson.
The stellar performance also moved him into seventh place in the Full Throttle Series final standings.
In the title round, Stanfield had a .009-second reaction to Johnson’s .016, and easily drove away when Johnson’s car spun the tires hard, forcing him to abort the run. Stanfield stopped the timer in 6.597 seconds, 209.59 mph and the celebrating began.
“It takes luck to win a race and we got our share (Sunday),” said a happy Stanfield, who finished second at this track in the season-opening Winternationals in February. “We had problems with the car, but we still kept winning rounds. When we got to the last round, I told Eddie (crew chief Eddie Guarnaccia) to give it everything and he did.”
“This was a team effort,” Guarnaccia commented, “and it was all year. Some things seemed to go our way Sunday and Greg did a good job as usual.”
Stanfield set the tone for the Finals from the beginning. His .022-second reaction to Morgan’s .075 provided a hole-shot win, 6.595 at 209.52 to 6.587, 210.34. In the next round, he left with a .028 to Rodger Brogdon’s .050 and won with a 6.605, 209.39 to 6.587 at 209.82.
In the semifinals, Stanfield avenged two consecutive losses to Allen Johnson with a 6.609 at 209.23 to Johnson’s slowing 6.737 at 177.46.
“It is exciting when we win, but it is really hard to win,” Stanfield commented. “We needed that one.
“We have a good team. I want to thank Kenny Koretsky and J.D. and Terrisa Coffman for their support all season.”
Koretsky also praised the team. “It was an exciting day. Greg was focused and Eddie gave him a good car to drive.”
“It was a long season . . . and it had a very happy ending,” J. D. Coffman commented.
“We ran well at the beginning of the season, but we’ve been struggling since mid-season,” Stanfield concluded. “It is huge to win the last race of the year and it is special to give the team the win. They worked a hard all year.
“It is a good way to go into the off season.”
The new season begins Feb. 9 at Pomona.
The fourth race was a charm Sunday for Stanfield and the Nitro Fish/Coffman Tank Trucks GXP team. Starting from the 12th position, he put on a dazzling driving display on the way to a very satisfying fifth career title in the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
Stanfield left the starting line first in every round and the GXP lit the win light each time. In order, he ousted Larry Morgan, Roger Brogdon, nemesis Allen Johnson and, in the finals, Kurt Johnson.
The stellar performance also moved him into seventh place in the Full Throttle Series final standings.
In the title round, Stanfield had a .009-second reaction to Johnson’s .016, and easily drove away when Johnson’s car spun the tires hard, forcing him to abort the run. Stanfield stopped the timer in 6.597 seconds, 209.59 mph and the celebrating began.
“It takes luck to win a race and we got our share (Sunday),” said a happy Stanfield, who finished second at this track in the season-opening Winternationals in February. “We had problems with the car, but we still kept winning rounds. When we got to the last round, I told Eddie (crew chief Eddie Guarnaccia) to give it everything and he did.”
“This was a team effort,” Guarnaccia commented, “and it was all year. Some things seemed to go our way Sunday and Greg did a good job as usual.”
Stanfield set the tone for the Finals from the beginning. His .022-second reaction to Morgan’s .075 provided a hole-shot win, 6.595 at 209.52 to 6.587, 210.34. In the next round, he left with a .028 to Rodger Brogdon’s .050 and won with a 6.605, 209.39 to 6.587 at 209.82.
In the semifinals, Stanfield avenged two consecutive losses to Allen Johnson with a 6.609 at 209.23 to Johnson’s slowing 6.737 at 177.46.
“It is exciting when we win, but it is really hard to win,” Stanfield commented. “We needed that one.
“We have a good team. I want to thank Kenny Koretsky and J.D. and Terrisa Coffman for their support all season.”
Koretsky also praised the team. “It was an exciting day. Greg was focused and Eddie gave him a good car to drive.”
“It was a long season . . . and it had a very happy ending,” J. D. Coffman commented.
“We ran well at the beginning of the season, but we’ve been struggling since mid-season,” Stanfield concluded. “It is huge to win the last race of the year and it is special to give the team the win. They worked a hard all year.
“It is a good way to go into the off season.”
The new season begins Feb. 9 at Pomona.
