Spencer Hyde edges Chad Green in a bruising opening-round Funny Car duel on Sunday at the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals, advancing after a relentless, throttle-lift pedalfest.

Both drivers repeatedly lift and reapply throttle to tame tire spin under more than 12,000 horsepower, keeping the cars straight while searching for the narrowest usable traction window.

Each decision happens within fractions of a second, balancing load transfer and blower torque so the slicks reattach without detonating the run with further shake or smoke.

The bout features nearly six pedal events per lane, turning the contest into traction management rather than outright elapsed-time supremacy.

Hyde times the final reapplication better, carries marginally higher drive, and wins the stripe to secure progression to round two.

The performance aligns with his upward trend in the Countdown, as detailed in recent analysis of Hyde’s campaign.

For Green, the run confirms competitive pace, but a narrow deficit in clutch and power delivery timing proves decisive under the lane’s evolving grip profile.

Crew chiefs target a conservative launch followed by aggressive mid-track power, demanding disciplined pedal inputs as the track tightens and the blower package delivers peak torque.

Hyde and Green demonstrate the feel required in the seat, complementing the box settings and clutch window chosen on the line.

Sunday’s race sits among the day’s fiercest eliminations, as captured in the event winners roundup, underscoring the razor margins dictating Midwest Nationals progress.

Hyde’s refinement follows recent gains in speed and consistency, echoing form shown during testing and regional outings, including his Michigan pace.

The broader Funny Car field remains volatile, with momentum swinging week to week, highlighted by Lee Hartman’s back-to-back surge elsewhere in the class.

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Nicholas Rivera

Nicholas Rivera delivers NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car news, including eliminator-round results and reaction-time stats. He brings track-side interviews, contender profiles, and championship-point breakdowns straight from drag-racing’s biggest national events.