Gray, Wendland put Pitch Energy in first place; Schumacher takes Army to fifth championship round in ’13

TOPEKA, KS – Johnny Gray moved into sole possession of first place in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series for the first time in his career Sunday after winning for the second consecutive weekend.

Gray, 60, with crew chief Rob Wendland, a Lawrence, Kan. native, and assistant Rip Reynolds won for the third time in eight Mello Yello events when the Pitch Energy Dodge Charger R/T produced four runs in the elimination rounds at Heartland Park Topeka that included the last three that ranged 4.047 to 4.067 seconds.

It almost was the fifth time that Don Schumacher Racing left an event this year with both titles in NHRA’s premier categories, but Tony Schumacher and the U.S. Army team was stopped by Al-Anabi Racing’s Shawn Langdon for the Top Fuel title 3.750 to 3.781.

Schumacher was able to maintain his Top Fuel points lead but Langdon passed DSR’s Antron Brown for the No. 2 spot. Brown, the reigning world champ for Matco Tools, lost in the opening round and fell to third.