Before every event of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, ESPN analyst Mike Dunn will rank the top three drivers -- and riders on weekends when the Pro Stock Motorcycle crew competes -- in each category. Up this week? The O'Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois.
Top Fuel
1. Tony Schumacher
2. Doug Kalitta
3. Richie Crampton
Kalitta still has the best car, but he can't buy a final round right now. So far this year, if Schumacher gets past the second round, he wins the race. The pressure might have got to him in the second round in New England when he did a bad job of red-lighting with a .006 light and got away with one. He did a nice job to recover from that and had a good light in the final to win on a hole shot. Being the defending champion and having three wins at his home track doesn't hurt, either.
Funny Car
1. Robert Hight
2. Alexis DeJoria
3. Ron Capps
There are 10 teams that are good enough right now to be in the rankings. Since they let me pick only three, I am putting Hight at the top because he had the best car in Epping, New Hampshire, and his crew chief Mike Neff has done well here in the past. One driver to watch is Tim Wilkerson. He might have the most well-rounded car right now, being able to run on slick tracks and still be able to step up in the good conditions.
Pro Stock
1. Dave Connolly
2. Erica Enders-Stevens
3. The Gray boys
Connolly has not had a good car at all until Epping. His performance At New England Dragway was good enough to earn the top spot because it was impressive enough to make me think the team has turned the corner on its setup. Enders-Stevens got her first win here, so she likes this track. Shane Gray has had a very good car, and Jonathan Gray has been doing the job behind the wheel. I like that team's chances.
Pro Stock Motorcycle
1. Eddie Krawiec
2. Hector Arana Jr.
3. Matt Smith
I wanted to put Angie Smith in the rankings, but the numbers just weren't there. Still, she will be my one to watch because she took out both of the Harley riders last week and had some great reaction times in doing so to get her first win. Arana has a very good bike right now.