Two-time Top Fuel winner Richie Crampton eyes Epping trophy

EPPING, NH – Only two drivers in NHRA’s premier Top Fuel category have managed to win multiple events this season, past champion and current points leader Antron Brown and reigning Auto Club Rookie of the Year Richie Crampton, the affable Aussie who drives the powerful Lucas Oil dragster.

Following his victory Sunday in Englishtown, N.J., Brown has three victories on his 2015 résumé, but Crampton isn’t far behind, already claiming two Wally trophies this year, the latest just a few weeks back on May 25 in Topeka, Kan.

“The parity in the class has really made for a crazy start to the season,” said Crampton, who also won in Las Vegas. “It’s wild that we’re nine races into the schedule and only Antron and myself have won more than one race. It speaks to the level of competition in Top Fuel.

“I’m pretty honored just to be mentioned with a driver like Antron. He won his 50th national event in Englishtown, which is astonishing, but for a new driver like myself, it’s something to say we’ve won four times in less than a season and a half. Aaron Brooks and Rod Centorbi (tuners) and the guys that make up this team are first-rate; I’m just the lucky guy that gets to drive the car.”

Crampton has made the most of his promotion from clutch specialist to driver, winning four race titles, including the sport’s most prestigious event, the U.S. Nationals, last September, and taking home honors such as rookie of the year in both the NHRA and in the eyes of a panel of experts from RACER magazine.

Now he’d like to strike gold again, and the next race on the docket is the third annual NHRA New England Nationals, running June 12-14 at New England Dragway in Epping, N.H.

“The race you always want to win is the next one on the schedule, so I want to win Epping,” said Crampton, who hails from Adelaide, Australia. “After running so well in Topeka we hit a bump in Englishtown, didn’t qualify all that well, and ended up losing early. That’s the cruel nature of this sport at times.

“I know from experience, both as a crewman and a driver, that the best way to put a bad race behind you is to do well at the next one, so we’ll be ready to roll this Friday.”

Top Fuel qualifying sessions will be held at 5 and 7:30 p.m. ET, Friday, and 1 and 3:30 p.m., Saturday. Eliminations begin at 11 a.m., Sunday. ESPN2 will broadcast all the qualifying action from 7:30 to 10 p.m., Saturday, and the elimination rounds from 5 to 8 p.m., Sunday.