Pro Stock Consecutive Finals (2 Viewers)

[Dave]

With the amazing start Jason Line and also KB Racing has gotten to the season, I wondered where it ranked all time. So I started doing some research and sorting and came up with the following. It's pretty impressive to say the least, more for Jason personally than the team streak. I only included 4 or more consecutive finals for drivers and 5 or more for teams. There are plenty more that were 3 in a row or back to back. I might have missed some of the team finals, but i'm pretty certain the lists are correct. It's a lot of names to sort through with 789 Pro Stock national events completed. They do not include the Pro Stock Challenges, Winston All-Stars, Winston Invitationals, or No Bull Showdowns.

Drivers:
17 - Bob Glidden Montreal 77 to Columbus 79
16 - Lee Shepherd Columbus 81 to Brainerd 82
9 - Lee Shepherd Pomona to Seattle 80
8 - Bob Glidden Columbus 80 to Pomona 81
8 - Greg Anderson Gainesville to Columbus 04
8 - Jason Line Pomona to Topeka 16 - Ended
8 - Greg Anderson Houston to Joliet 16 - Ended
7 - Bob Glidden Denver to Pomona 87
6 - Bob Glidden Indy 84 to Baton Rouge 85
6 - Butch Leal Pomona to Montreal 87
6 - Bob Glidden Seattle to Phoenix 88
6 - Greg Anderson Seattle to Joliet 03
5 - Ronnie Sox Dallas 70 to Dallas 71 all wins
5 - Bob Glidden Montreal 74 to Gainesville 75
5 - Bob Glidden Englishtown to Ontario 79
5 - Warren Johnson Richmond to Topeka 96
5 - Jim Yates Madison to Brainerd 97
5 - Greg Anderson Madison to Brainerd 04
5 - Dave Connolly Reading to Richmond 07 all wins
5 - Mike Edwards bristol to norwalk 09
5 - Jason Line norwalk to brainerd 09
4 - Wayne Gapp indy 73 to pomona 74
4 - Wayne Gapp Englishtown to Seattle 75
4 - Wally Booth Montreal to Ontario 76
4 - Frank Iaconio Baton Rouge 83 to Englishtown 83
4 - Lee Shepherd Indy 83 to Pomona 84
4 - Bruce Allen Montreal to Brainerd 87
4 - Darrell Alderman Pomona to Gainesville 91
4 - Warren Johnson Gainesville to Columbus 91
4 - Darrell Alderman Sonoma to Indy 91
4 - Warren Johnson Englishtown to Denver 93
4 - Scott Geoffrion Topeka 94 to Pomona 95
4 - Warren Johnson Seattle to reading 95 all wins
4 - Jim Yates Reading to Dallas 97 all wins
4 - Jeg Coughlin las vegas to atlanta 00 all wins
4 - Jeg Coughlin memphis to vegas 02 all win
4 - Greg Anderson Dallas 03 to pomona 04
4 - Greg Anderson joliet to pomona 04
4 - Dave Connolly somona to indy 08
4 - Jeg Coughlin houston to madison 09
4 - Greg Anderson charlotte to las vegas 10
4 - Mike Edwards topeka to bristol 10 all wins
4 - Mike Edwards pomona to charlotte 10
4 - Greg Anderson sonoma to indy 11
4 - Jason Line Indy to reading 11
4 - Erica Enders Brainerd to madison 15
4 - Greg Anderson Atlanta to epping 15

Teams:
17 - Bob Glidden Racing Montreal 77 to Columbus 79
16 - Reher-Morrison Columbus 81 to Brainerd 82
16 - KB Racing Gainesville to Reading 04
13 - KB Racing Pomona to Joliet 16 - Ended
11 - Team Mopar - Wayne County Pomona to Sonoma 94
10 - KB Racing Reading 06 to Atlanta 07
9 - Reher-Morrison Pomona to Seattle 80
9 - Team Mopar - Wayne County Reading 94 to Atlanta 95
9 - Team WJ Richmond to Reading 95
9 - Cagnazzi Racing Brainerd 07 to Pomona 08
8 - Bob Glidden Racing Columbus 80 to Pomona 81
8 - Team Jegs Pomona 99 to Atlanta 00
7 - Bob Glidden Racing Denver to Pomona 87
7 - Team WJ Etown to Memphis 05
7 - KB Racing Sonoma to Reading 11
6 - Bob Glidden Racing Indy 84 to Baton Rouge 85
6 - Team Nationwise Pomona to Montreal 87
6 - Bob Glidden Racing Seattle to Phoenix 88
6 - Team WJ Atlanta to Topeka 96
6 - Team WJ Houston 00 to Houston 01
6 - KB Racing atlanta to Madison 05
6 - KB Racing Memphis to Las Vegas 05
6 - KB Racing Pomona to Atlanta 08
5 - Sox and Martin Dallas 70 to Dallas 71
5 - Bob Glidden Racing Montreal 74 to Gainesville 75
5 - Bob Glidden Racing Englishtown to Ontario 79
5 - Team WJ Sonoma to Reading 96
5 - Joe Gibbs Racing Madison to Brainerd 97
5 - Mike Edwards Racing Bristol to Norwalk 09
5 - Team Elite Seattle to Madison 15

To start a season:
13 - KB Racing - Pomona to Joliet 2016 - Ended
11 - Team Mopar - Wayne County - Pomona to Sonoma 1994
9 - Bob Glidden Racing - Entire 1978 Season
9 - Reher-Morrison - Pomona to Seattle 1980
9 - Reher-Morrison - Pomona to Brainerd 1982
7 - Team Jegs - Pomona to Atlanta 2000
6 - Team Nationwise - Pomona to Montreal 1987
6 - KB Racing - Pomona to Atlanta 2007
6 - KB Racing - Pomona to Atlanta 2008
5 - Team Mopar - Wayne County - Pomona to Atlanta 1995
4 - Bob Glidden Racing - Pomona to Columbus 1979
4 - Bob Glidden Racing - Pomona to Baton Rouge 1985
4 - Team Mopar - Wayne County - Pomona to Gainesville 1991
4 - Mike Edwards Racing - Pomona to Charlotte 2010

 

[Frank]

Good stuff Dave, thanks for putting this together. I was really surprised to see The Professor never had 6 or more in a row. I would have thought for sure he had a 6, 7, or 8 final in a row streak during his prime.

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

Good stuff Dave, thanks for putting this together. I was really surprised to see The Professor never had 6 or more in a row. I would have thought for sure he had a 6, 7, or 8 final in a row streak during his prime.

That was the first thing that jumped out at me too, Frank......

Sean D

 

[mick]

thanks dave.....a lot of info to compile, and look at.
in '97 yates was dominate and i think can be shown on your lists by joe gibbs racing in '97 (mcdonalds).
can't remember was there a 2nd mcd's PS'r with yates that year?
and in '87 we see b. leal on the list and also on team list for same year in '87 (nationwise)....did butch have a 2nd driver on nationwise team?....don coonce maybe?

those lists really highlite domination by a short list of teams/drivers over the years.
if you can, enjoy what we're watching rite now......hoping jason will extend his streak

 

[Dave]

thanks dave.....a lot of info to compile, and look at.
in '97 yates was dominate and i think can be shown on your lists by joe gibbs racing in '97 (mcdonalds).
can't remember was there a 2nd mcd's PS'r with yates that year?
and in '87 we see b. leal on the list and also on team list for same year in '87 (nationwise)....did butch have a 2nd driver on nationwise team?....don coonce maybe?

Yates did not have a teammate to add to his totals, just as Bob Glidden, Lee Shepherd, Butch Leal, and Mike Edwards didn't. I knew that Joe Gibbs Racing was who owned Yates team. I just named Leal as Team Nationwise, but it was likely something else. That's why some of the team streaks match the driver streaks as they are one in the same.

I thought this is a good streak going for KB Racing, but it's not quite to halfway of their longest streak. For Jason, I hope he continues to add to it. Who knows, he might even reach Lee Shepherd and Bob Glidden levels!

Something else to consider. Had Alderman and Geoffrion not suffered holeshot losses at Seattle and Brainerd, and traction issues at Indy, the Wayne County streak would have been 23 consecutive finals. From Darrell's return in 94 to the starting line backfire at Atlanta 95. That's a lot! Unfortunately after Memphis, the break in happened and the rest was history. Also had Bob Glidden not red lighted against Randy Humphrey at Denver 79, his streak would have also been 23.

It's definitely hard to string that many races together with no driving or mechanical issues.

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

did butch have a 2nd driver on nationwise team?....don coonce maybe?

Don drove for/partnered with Albert Clark and was "teammates" with Warren for a bit, but I don't recall him being with Leal and Nationwise.......

Sean D

 

[Dave]

We'll just go on ahead and update this.

 

[mick]

i think it's great the resurgence of opinion on PS here on the mater....the class is a little low on participants rite now, but
interest in the class seems to be peeking

 

[Dennis]

and in '87 we see b. leal on the list and also on team list for same year in '87 (nationwise)....did butch have a 2nd driver on nationwise team?....don coonce maybe?

I don't recall a second Nationwise pro stocker, but they did have one of those teams with a handful of sportsman drivers. One of them was Larry Morgan in Comp Eliminator.

 

[mick]

in a few weeks we'll be coming up on 13 years since the 1993 oldsmobile springnationals @ columbus, the race where jason debuted in a rather forgettable way along with taylor lastor (sp?), both ending up on their roofs on a very questionable lane that day.
pro winners that day were doug herbert, gordy bonin, wj and john myers. 1993 event sponsors chief auto parts / motorcraft / slick 50 / winston / fram / goody's / oldsmobile / mopar parts / western auto / autolite / colonel's truck accessories / pioneer / craftsman.....powerade(coca cola) i think was in 3rd year with nhra?

 

[ironpony]

2003 Spring Nationals, we were there quite a cross wind that day. If I Remember right 2 in a row?

 

[Dave]

in a few weeks we'll be coming up on 13 years since the 1993 oldsmobile springnationals @ columbus, the race where jason debuted in a rather forgettable way along with taylor lastor (sp?), both ending up on their roofs on a very questionable lane that day.
pro winners that day were doug herbert, gordy bonin, wj and john myers. 1993 event sponsors chief auto parts / motorcraft / slick 50 / winston / fram / goody's / oldsmobile / mopar parts / western auto / autolite / colonel's truck accessories / pioneer / craftsman.....powerade(coca cola) i think was in 3rd year with nhra?

You kinda mixed up a few decades there. Jason had his debut in 2003, 13 years ago. Gordie Bonin won in 1993, 23 years ago.

 

[mick]

woops, thanks guys.....was looking @ wrong decade .....yes i meant 2003.

 

[none]

Look what you started, Dave: http://www.nhra.com/blog/fast-five/

 

[vegasnitro]

The thing I remember most about Columbus 2003 is that Jeggie should have gone turtle, but he used the chutes to straighten out and save the car. It was at that moment I realized he is not human and was sent from the future to show us the way down the quarter mile.

 

[mick]

all streaks still in tact for KB racing, not so for individual driver jason.....damn it greg, you Q 4th and stayed on same
side of ladder as jason.

 

[Dave]

Updated the post, and some other "chasing history" stats:

All time Pro Stock win list:
1 - Warren Johnson 97
2 - Bob Glidden 85
2 - Greg Anderson 85
4 - Jeg Coughlin 58
5 - Jason Line 42
6 - Mike Edwards 40
6 - Kurt Johnson 40
8 - Darrell Alderman 28
9 - Dave Connolly 26
9 - Lee Shepherd 26
9 - Allen Johnson 26

Not sure if it was mentioned, but Tony Schumacher passed Warren Johnson for 3rd on the all time consecutive starts list at Epping.

All time consecutive starts:
1 - John Force - 395 - Pomona 1 1988 to Las Vegas 1 2007 (Skipped Houston due to the death of Eric Medlen)
2 - Greg Anderson 313 - Pomona 2 2002 to Current (Skipped events due to heart surgery)
3 - Tony Schumacher - 309 - Topeka 2003 to Current
4 - Warren Johnson - 303 - Atlanta 1987 to Sonoma 2002

Keep in mind, At the current 24 national event per year rate, it will be near the end of the 2019 season before Greg could take the overall lead, and early in the 2020 season before Tony Schumacher could.

Also I don't think any other driver has a current streak of even 200 events. Andrew Hines might be pretty close, but PSM doesn't run all the events so it takes him longer to get there.

 

[Dave]

KB matches their 2nd best final round streak. They are one away from the all time Wayne County record (without the nitrous!). Greg closes the gap to 2nd on the all time Pro Stock win list.

 

[Frank]

Dave, I'm wondering with the plethora of data you have, if you could put together an all time winning percentage chart. It's always bugged me when I hear a top end interview after a win and the interviewer says, "you just passed Big Daddy Don Garlits on the all time Top Fuel wins list, how does that feel?" With 20+ events in the modern era of NHRA, to me, it's unfair to compare total wins of drivers today versus drivers from the past. If they had 20+ events when Garlits, Glidden, Muldowney, C. Kalitta, Prudhomme, etc., were in their primes, I think we can all agree their win totals would be higher. Instead of total wins, I want to see who has the greatest winning percentages of all time. How many events did they attend, and of those, what percentage did they walk away the winner? I would love to see a top 20/25 list for each of the four pro classes, and ultimately, a top 50 or 75 or 100 greatest winning percentage regardless of class (Manzo, Blaine Johnson, Pat Austin, Rampy, Fletcher come to mind). Unless you have the time/data let's just look at national events and leave out the divisionals. As for the early days, I'll leave it up to you if you want to count 'big events' like March Meet as a national event.

Maybe Alan Reinhart can get you in touch with Lewis Bloom to help out.

If this is way too much work, no worries, just thought I'd throw it out there.

 

[Leebone]

I like it. I was never a fan of parity. We have a competition inside the competitions, watching the other teams trying to catch up. I think it's healthy for the sport. Makes the other teams work harder. Will be interesting to see who will be the first non-KB car to win.