Denver: Post race report

TOP FUEL

Rookie J.R. Todd raced to his first career victory in only his ninth start by defeating three-time world champ Tony Schumacher.

Todd became the first African American to win an NHRA POWERade event in Top Fuel . He drove his Skull Shine/Torco Race Fuels dragster to a 4.906-second finish at 291.63 mph to hold off Schumacher's 4.966 at 306.33 in his U.S. Army dragster.

Todd defeated Larry Dixon in the semifinal round, but landed in the sand trap at the end of the track when his chute failed to open.

Top qualifier Doug Kalitta moved 22 points in front of season-long leader Melanie Troxel in the POWERade Series point standings.

Kalitta powered his Mac Tools dragster to his first No. 1 qualifying performance of the season and 27th of his career.

Kalitta's Mac Tools dragster crew earned the Full Throttle Pit Crew Championship award.

FUNNY CAR

Gary Scelzi earned his first win of the season and 33rd victory of his career in his first final round appearance at Bandimere Speedway.

The defending world champion drove his Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger to a 5.132 at 301.94 to defeat Cruz Pedregon's Advance Auto Parts Chevy Monte Carlo.

Pedregon lost 35 points for oiling the track twice during Sunday's eliminations -- including during his final round with Scelzi.

Funny Car was the only category to not see a point change on Sunday as Ron Capps stayed in front of John Force.

Gary Densham earned his ninth career No. 1 qualifying award, and the first of the season.

Whit Bazemore's Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge crew earned the Full Throttle Pit Crew Championship award.

PRO STOCK

Dave Connolly used a holeshot start to upset new POWERade Series point leader Jason Line at the starting line to claim his third win of the season.

Connolly drove his Skull Gear Chevy Cobalt to a 7.123 at 193.07 to defeat Line's Summit Racing Equipment Pontiac GTO. Connolly now trails Line by 51 points in the Series standings.

Line not only claimed the points lead from teammate and defending Pro Stock world champion Greg Anderson -- he also defeated Anderson in the semifinals .

Jason Line earned his third No. 1 qualifying award of the season and the seventh of his career.

Greg Anderson's Summit Racing Pontiac GTO crew earned the Full Throttle Pit Crew Championship award.

Greg Stanfield defeated Jim Yates by a .0008-second margin of victory in the quarterfinal round of Pro Stock eliminations.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE

Two-time defending world champion Andrew Hines earned his first victory of 2006 when he rode his Screamin' Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson to a 7.435 at 179.97 around Matt Guidera's Rocklin Motorsports Buell.

Hines forced the third POWERade point lead change of the day when he defeated Geno Scali in the semifinals and in the process moved in front of season-long leader Angelle Sampey .

Chip Ellis rode his Drag Specialties Buell to his fourth No. 1 qualifying award of the season and sixth of his career.

Angelle Sampey's U.S. Army Suzuki crew earned the Full Throttle Pit Crew Championship award.

POWERade FAN NATIONALS

Justin Ashley, 11, beat out hundreds of participants to become the POWERade Fan Nationals event champion for Denver. Ashley, a seventh grade student and the son of NHRA Funny Car racer and former NHRA Pro Mod champion Mike Ashley, will ultimately be one of 23 event champions from drag strips across the country to compete to become the series champion at Pomona at the end of the season.

-nhra