Category: NHRA

TORRENCE CLAIMS BACK-TO-BACK NORTHWEST NATIONALS VICTORIES
Toyota now has 11 Top Fuel wins in the last 12 NHRA events

KENT, Wash. (July 21, 2024) – For the second year in a row, Steve Torrence captured the Wally Trophy at Pacific Raceways and the NHRA Northwest Nationals as the day concluded Sunday afternoon. This is Torrence’s first victory of the 2024 season, his first win since this race a season ago, and the 55th of his career which puts him equal with Doug Kalitta in fourth on the all-time Top Fuel wins list. Torrence’s triumph is the 11th win in the last 12 Top Fuel events for Toyota.

Torrence had to defeat Toyota teammate, Shawn Langdon, in the finals, who made his fifth final round of the season. With the finals appearances by Torrence and Langdon, Toyota has now reached the final round in 34 consecutive NHRA events in either Top Fuel and/or Funny Car.

After Sunday’s action, Toyota still owns the top-five positions in the Top Fuel points standings, with Doug Kalitta now leading teammate, Langdon, heading to Sonoma next weekend.

In Funny Car, J.R Todd advanced to the semifinals for the seventh time in 2024 but fell to Austin Prock by 0.037 seconds in the penultimate round. In round one, Ron Capps suffered an engine explosion and made contact with the wall before coming to a stop. Capps was alert, exited the car under his own power and was examined by the NHRA Medical Team before being released.

NHRA is right back in action next weekend at Sonoma Raceway for the twelfth event of the 2024 season.

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series
NHRA Northwest Nationals
Pacific Raceways
Race 11 of 20

TOYOTA TOP FUEL FINISHING POSITIONS 

Name	Car	Final Result	Round-by-Round
Steve Torrence	CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Winner	W (3.749) v. R. Smith (4.347) Bye W (3.736) v. D. Kalitta (3.972) W (3.963) v. S. Langdon (4.171)
Shawn Langdon	Kalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Finalist	W (3.743) v. J. Ashley (4.685) W (3.721) v. J. Hart (3.779) W (3.771 – holeshot) v. C. Millican (3.737) W/L (4.171) v. S. Torrence (3.963)
Doug Kalitta	Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Semi-finals	W (3.670) v. B. Torrence (3.706) W (3.729) v. J. Salinas (3.738) L (3.972) v. S. Torrence (3.736)
Billy Torrence	CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	First Round	L (3.706) v. D. Kalitta (3.670)
Antron Brown	Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	First Round	L (3.745) v. J. Hart (3.742)
Justin Ashley	SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	First Round	L (4.685) v. S. Langdon (3.743)

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR FINISHING POSITIONS 

Name	Car	Final Result	Round-by-Round
J.R. Todd	DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	Semi-finals	W (3.930) v. B. Hull (4.243) W (3.867) v. B. Tasca III (3.915) L (3.921) v. A. Prock (3.884)
Alexis DeJoria	Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	First Round	L (9.113) v. B. Alexander (6.258)
Ron Capps	NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	First Round	L (5.276) v. G. Densham (4.974)

*= Non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

STEVE TORRENCE, CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Torrence Racing

TF Final Result: Winner

Talk about that final round and what this win means.

“Man, I tell you what, you take these things for granted when you get them pretty often. We’re taking this one home to my new baby girl. My wife (Natalie)’s birthday. It’s been a while. Heck, I’m out of breath and didn’t do nothing but hit the gas like three times. Shawn Langdon, Kalitta Air. Those guys have been bad-to-the-bone. I told you earlier, I was trying to take him out all day. But these CAPCO boys, Toyota, Mac Tools. We don’t have a lot of partners, but the ones we do, we think highly of and they’re the best. This is pretty cool man. One year to the day. Wasn’t sure if we were going to win one of these for a while. Richard Hogan (crew chief), Bobby (Lagana Jr., assistant crew chief). Sometimes us Torrences are hard to deal with, but them guys handle us pretty good. Thank you, guys. And all those guys from CAPCO back at home that are keeping us out here, we appreciate y’all.”

J.R. TODD, DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, Kalitta Motorsports

FC Final Result: Semifinals

Can you overview your day and your outlook for Sonoma?

“Pretty good. The car went down the track every run and we made some really good, quick runs and it was pretty consistent all weekend. Just dropped a cylinder, we’ve been dropping cylinders all weekend so if we fix that up, I think we have a really good chance of competing for a win in Sonoma.”

Going to Sonoma as the event winner, what’s that going to be like for next weekend?

“Yeah, it’s one of my favorite tracks. We’ve had a lot of success there in the past, so it’s nice to be going back to a track that we’ve won at in the past and hopefully we can compete.”

RON CAPPS, NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, Ron Capps Motorsports

FC Final Result: First Round

Take us through that accident and how you’re feeling.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just such a bummer. First and foremost, Guido (Dean Antonelli, crew chief) and our NAPA Auto Care guys work so hard on the safety aspect. And I know John Force is watching and he’s a big reason for a lot of the safety reasons on the car. It beat my head around pretty good. But obviously, I’m fine. Just bummed as a team owner. We run a good Toyota Supra body and unfortunately, lost that round and we were really looking forward to vying for a win here. But we’re well-prepared. Best parts in the world. Best people in the world. I was staging the car, and it had some sprinkles on the windshield. None that I was worried about, but I knew Guido was trying to put in a decent run to give us lane choice in the next round and it’s my fault for over-abusing it. I’m pretty decent at pedaling these cars. Just seeing Gary Densham out the window, I don’t think I waited long enough like I normally do to keep it rolling a nitro engine like this. We’ll be good. We’ll head to Sonoma. The backup car we had upstairs (in the hauler) is a car that won a lot of races for us the last couple years, so again, Guido and the guys are as prepared as any team out here, if not more so. We’re already ready to run. All good.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships. 

Toyota directly employs more than 49,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 34 million cars and trucks at our nine manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 10th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 28 electrified options.

Through its Driving Possibilities initiative, the Toyota USA Foundation has committed to creating innovative educational programs within, and in partnership with, historically underserved and diverse communities near the company’s U.S. operating sites.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Prock, S. Torrence, Enders & Herrera all take No. 1 spots at NHRA Northwest Nationals

SEATTLE (July 20, 2024) – Funny Car points leader Austin Prock stayed red-hot in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge at Pacific Raceways, winning his fourth straight specialty race and fifth this season for John Force Racing on Saturday as part of the 35th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals.

Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, while Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Prock, Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Herrera all qualified No. 1 at the 11th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Prock went 3.993-seconds at 320.13 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS to defeat veteran Ron Capps in the finals of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, continuing his domination in the bonus race. He’s now won the challenge five times this year, advanced to six finals and earned 17 bonus championship points in the process.

Prock also made the quickest run in every qualifying session this weekend in Seattle, putting down impressive laps in a variety of weather conditions. At the site of his first professional victory, Prock will aim to pick up his fourth win in what’s already been an incredible 2024 season.

“This team has been very, very consistent. It’s definitely been a fun race car to drive,” Prock said. “We were low in all four qualifying sessions this weekend, and then ended up winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge as well, so another great start for the weekend.

“The biggest deal about the Challenge is those points that stay with you when the points reset, and they are huge. You see so many people win or lose a championship by one or five points and other people are accumulating them than them as well, but we’ve definitely been doing a good job of getting them.”

Capps qualified second with a 3.886 at 331.53 and Paul Lee is third after going 3.917 at 327.03.

In Top Fuel, Justin Ashley claimed his third Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win of the season on Saturday in Seattle, taking down defending world champion Doug Kalitta in the final round with a run of 3.890 at 315.49 in his 11,000-horsepower Scag Power Equipment/Toyota dragster. The third specialty race victory paces the Top Fuel field, a year after he dominated the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, and puts Ashley in another strong position for Sunday eliminations. He defeated Antron Brown earlier in the day and then got past the points leader for the Saturday win.

“This is really meaningful, especially this time of the year because we’re getting closer and closer to the Countdown,” Ashley said. “The way the points are, they get added after the [Countdown points] reset, so these points and qualifying bonus points are super important. Any time we can get a win in competition, whether it’s on race day, or the Mission Foods Challenge, I think it’s really beneficial for us.

“I think we had a really good start to the year but then there was a stretch recently over the last four or five races where we’ve been struggling. We had a good bounce back in Norwalk, then we ended up qualifying No. 2 here. We’re working on some things, testing out some things, just adjusting the tune up, so I’m pretty happy with where we’re at, and a win like this is good for the team.”

Defending event winner Steve Torrence easily held on to the No. 1 spot for the second time this season and 39th in his career thanks to Friday’s 3.688 at a track-record 335.32. Torrence made a solid run to close out qualifying as well, as the four-time world champ has his sights set on his first victory of the 2024 campaign.

“I feel confident; that last run was a good, clean run down through there that we needed,” Torrence said. “We probably could have run quicker but we needed to get good information to go A to B and set up for tomorrow because we’ll have some of these conditions that are very similar. We put ourselves in a good position as No. 1.”

Ashley also qualified second with a 3.694 at 331.04, while Brittany Force took third with a 3.701 at 333.08.

Pro Stock’s Aaron Stanfield, who has won back-to-back national events, now has a Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory to his credit, going 6.557 at 208.10 in his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Janac Brothers car to beat a red-lighting Mason McGaha in the final round. It was a strong turnaround on Saturday for Stanfield, who struggled on Friday but rebounded over the final two qualifying sessions in a big way. He took down Deric Kramer in the opening round and then earned the victory when McGaha went red on the starting line.

“I really enjoy the #2fast2Tasty Challenge. We won the championship (for the bonus race) last year and to just now get our first one, it’s taken us a minute but it’s a blast and it’s good to have some continued success,” Stanfield said. “We’ve had a really good race car and I’ve been driving decent, so hopefully we can continue to build on race day.”

His teammate, reigning world champion Erica Enders, stayed atop the loaded category thanks to Friday’s impressive 6.500 at 209.98 in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Scag Power Equipment car. It hands the six-time world champion her fifth No. 1 spot this season and 39th in her career, and Enders, who opens eliminations against Val Smeland, will look for a big Sunday as she seeks her 50th national event win. Eric Latino took the second spot with Friday’s run of 6.518 at 209.82, while McGaha’s 6.520 at 209.85 gave him the third spot.

“We knew we weren’t going to improve on our run from last night, so we were definitely working on a few other things with the race car, just preparing for the Countdown [to the Championship], just trying to get things in order,” Enders said. “That’s at the forefront of our minds, but the weather conditions were obviously not as conducive for great runs today as they were last night.

“We’ve had some really great success here in the past, so I’m hopeful that that trend continues and we can finally get that 50th [win] off our back. It’s a huge milestone for me and for women but I just want to get back in the winner’s circle. That’s my main goal.”

Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera enjoyed another terrific day at Pacific Raceways, holding on to the No. 1 qualifier position and also picking up the win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge over rival Matt Smith, going 6.745 at 200.32 on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. Smith went red in the final round matchup of the specialty race, handing the victory to Herrera, who claimed his third victory this season in the bonus race, but also his first in two months.

He again made four strong runs in qualifying, also taking the No. 1 spot for the fourth time this season on the strength of Friday’s 6.734 at 201.22. It’s also the 18th in his career as Herrera looks to win his 12th consecutive race and seventh straight this season.

“It was a little hot today for sure, so we were battling the track a little bit, but we made a few changes to the transmission to accommodate the heat, and it paid off in the in the final against Matt Smith,” Herrera said. “Unfortunately, he went red or it probably would have been a really good race.

“Tomorrow I think we’ll have to go at least another [6.]70 and it might even dip in the [6.]60s. It just depends on what the weather’s going to do. It’s an early start, so tomorrow is going to be good.”

Chase Van Sant took second after going 6.742 at 199.44 and Smith is third with a run of 6.755 at 201.43.

Eliminations for the NHRA Northwest Nationals begin at 10:30 a.m. PT on Sunday at Pacific Raceways.

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KENT, Wash. — Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the 35th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways, the 11th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.

Top Fuel — 1. Steve Torrence, 3.688 seconds, 335.32 mph vs. 14. Ron Smith, 4.349, 275.51; 2. Justin Ashley, 3.694, 331.04 vs. 13. Shawn Langdon, 4.146, 184.98; 3. Brittany Force, 3.701, 333.08 vs. 12. Tony Schumacher, 3.911, 317.79; 4. Doug Kalitta, 3.710, 326.40 vs. 11. Billy Torrence, 3.872, 315.19; 5. Jasmine Salinas, 3.734, 332.43 vs. 10. Tony Stewart, 3.778, 319.90; 6. Shawn Reed, 3.736, 325.61 vs. 9. Clay Millican, 3.768, 319.60; 7. Antron Brown, 3.746, 329.42 vs. 8. Josh Hart, 3.748, 329.99.

Funny Car — 1. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.838, 328.62 vs. Bye; 2. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.886, 331.53 vs. 15. Gary Densham, Ford Mustang, 5.114, 153.14; 3. Paul Lee, Dodge Charger, 3.917, 327.03 vs. 14. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Camry, 4.282, 244.21; 4. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.919, 326.48 vs. 13. Buddy Hull, Charger, 4.076, 312.57; 5. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.975, 319.52 vs. 12. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.072, 302.48; 6. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.018, 318.32 vs. 11. Dave Richards, Camry, 4.072, 315.27; 7. Alexis DeJoria, GR Supra, 4.027, 318.99 vs. 10. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 4.069, 308.85; 8. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.046, 311.27 vs. 9. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.050, 308.00.

Pro Stock — 1. Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.500, 209.98 vs. 16. Val Smeland, Camaro, 6.610, 209.33; 2. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.518, 209.92 vs. 15. Sienna Wildgust, Camaro, 6.583, 209.85; 3. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.520, 210.18 vs. 14. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.573, 209.65; 4. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.521, 210.93 vs. 13. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.556, 210.28; 5. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.527, 209.59 vs. 12. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.548, 211.06; 6. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.532, 211.13 vs. 11. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.537, 210.14; 7. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.532, 209.69 vs. 10. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.534, 209.69; 8. Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.533, 209.82 vs. 9. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.534, 211.00.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Joey Grose, 6.657, 207.85.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.734, 201.22 vs. 12. Eiji Kawakami, Suzuki, 7.122, 185.59; 2. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.742, 199.94 vs. 11. Brandon Litten, EBR, 7.073, 184.77; 3. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.755, 201.43 vs. 10. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.872, 199.02; 4. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.756, 199.88 vs. 9. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.812, 197.19; 5. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.765, 201.43 vs. 8. John Hall, Beull, 6.807, 199.73; 6. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.792, 197.33 vs. 7. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.802, 200.86.

TORRENCE CLAIMS NO. 1 QUALIFIER FOR NHRA NORTHWEST NATIONALS
Justin Ashley wins #2Fast2Tasty challenge in strong day for Team Toyota

KENT, Wash. (July 20, 2024) – In his quest to defend his Northwest Nationals title, Steve Torrence claimed the No. 1 qualifying spot for tomorrow’s eliminations at Pacific Raceways just outside of Seattle. The three-time Top Fuel world champion posted a blistering 3.688 elapsed time under the lights on Friday, earning his second No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 39th of his career. Torrence goes for career win number 55 tomorrow.

Justin Ashley followed Torrence by qualifying in the No. 2 seed for tomorrow’s eliminations, missing out on the top spot by just 0.006 seconds. Doug Kalitta was the other Toyota Top Fuel Dragster in the top-five seeds, claiming the No. 4 spot. Ashley also defeated Kalitta in the Top Fuel Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge Saturday evening, his third challenge win of the season.

In Funny Car, Ron Capps is in excellent position to capture his first victory of the 2024 season, earning the No. 2 qualifying position for tomorrow. Capps goes into Sunday just three round wins away from 900 in his historic career. J.R Todd is close behind Capps in the No. 4 spot and Alexis DeJoria enters tomorrow in 7th.

Tomorrow’s eliminations at Pacific Raceways begin at 10:30 a.m. PST with live TV coverage beginning at 4 p.m. EST on FOX.

Toyota Post-Qualifying Recap
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series
NHRA Northwest Nationals
Pacific Raceways
Race 11 of 20

TOYOTA TOP FUEL QUALIFYING POSITIONS 

Name	Car	Qualifying Position	First Round Opponent
Steve Torrence	CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	1st	R. Smith
Justin Ashley	SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	2nd	S. Langdon
Doug Kalitta	Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	4th	B. Torrence
Antron Brown	Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	7th	J. Hart
Billy Torrence	CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	11th	D. Kalitta
Shawn Langdon	Kalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	13th	J. Ashley

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING POSITIONS 

Name	Car	Qualifying Position	First Round Opponent
Austin Prock	Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Funny Car	1st*	Bye
Ron Capps	NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	2nd	G. Densham
J.R. Todd	DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	4th	B. Hull
Alexis DeJoria	Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	7th	B. Alexander

*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

STEVE TORRENCE, CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Torrence Racing

TF Qualifying Result: 1st

Will you be able to sustain the momentum you have from qualifying?

“That’s a good start for these CAPCO boys, but what we’re really looking for is a good finish. We’ve gone a whole calendar year without a winners’ circle celebration and, man, that’s too long!”

JUSTIN ASHLEY, SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, SCAG Racing

TF Qualifying Result: 2nd

What’s the feeling in winning the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge?

“Well quite a bit (of pride). Let’s be honest, tomorrow is a completely different day. I actually expect the conditions to be the same as they were now, today, but I hear it’s going to be a bit cooler and there’s going to be some cloud cover, so it’ll be a totally different day. Nonetheless, we have a lot of pride. We wanted to win this race for everybody at SCAG Power Equipment, Philips, Toyota and all of the wonderful partners we have. This team works incredibly hard. They’ve been grinding. We’ve been constantly trying to find ways to improve, and honestly, you have to in this Top Fuel field as it’s so deep and so talented, top to bottom. Really appreciate Mission Foods for putting this whole deal on. We’ll definitely take the win, definitely take the championship points. Mike Green (crew chief), Tommy DeLago (co-crew chief), all of the guys. Great job.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships. 

Toyota directly employs more than 49,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 34 million cars and trucks at our nine manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 10th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 28 electrified options.

Through its Driving Possibilities initiative, the Toyota USA Foundation has committed to creating innovative educational programs within, and in partnership with, historically underserved and diverse communities near the company’s U.S. operating sites.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

SEATTLE (July 19, 2024) – Four-time Top Fuel world champion Steve Torrence made the fastest run in Pacific Raceways history on Friday, powering to the provisional No. 1 position at the 35th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals.

Austin Prock (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 11th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

In the first-ever night session at Pacific Raceways, Torrence, the defending event winner in Seattle, went 3.688-seconds at 335.32 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Capco Contractors/Toyota dragster under the lights. If that holds, Torrence, who is looking for his first win since his Seattle triumph last year, would earn his second top qualifier of the season and 39th in his career.

“To go out and run 335 [mph], that’s a stout run,” Torrence said. “Tonight’s a hero run for all of us, and not really going to be relevant for anything tomorrow or race day, but you kind of get to pound your chest a little bit and say, ‘Hey, we’re low E.T., we’re No. 1. I think that that’ll stay safe for the rest of the weekend so we’ll get ready for our race day tune up now.

“It was really cool. There were are a lot of fans here and to race in front of at night was special. The people here at Pacific Raceway did a great job trying to put on a good show for the fans, and that’s what it’s about.”

Justin Ashley is currently second after going 3.694 at 331.04 and Brittany Force is third with a 3.701 at 333.08.

Funny Car points leader Austin Prock continued his absolute domination in qualifying on Friday, making the best run of both sessions and just missing the track record under the lights, going 3.838 at 328.62 in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS. It was an incredible run that easily put him atop the field, which could cement his eighth No. 1 qualifier in the first 11 races of the season. Prock was thrilled to put together a standout run in the first night session in Pacific Raceways history, putting him on track for what he hopes is another stellar weekend.

“It was another great day for this Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS. These guys are just animals,” Prock said. “I know I keep saying that, but they impress me every weekend. They were making adjustments up until we fired the race car in the water box, just fine tuning, reading the racetrack, reading the competition, and they obviously made a really good call. I believe it will hold [as No. 1] because it’s going to be pretty hot tomorrow.”

Ron Capps jumped to second with a 3.886 at 331.53 and Paul Lee sits third after going 3.917 at 327.03.

In Pro Stock, reigning world champion Erica Enders made the most of her run under the lights at Pacific Raceways, going 6.500 at 209.98 in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Elite Performance to take over the top spot in Seattle. Enders struggled during the first run of the day but came back with a vengeance as she looks to claim her fifth No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 39th in her career. Pro Stock didn’t race at Pacific Raceways in 2023 and Enders would love to be in the winner’s circle as the category returns this weekend, as it would also mean her 50th national event win.

“Our first run, by no means was anything that we were proud of, and it was just super frustrating when something like that happens, but my team continues to prove over and over that really doesn’t matter,” Enders said. “When their backs are against the wall, when the pressure’s on them, they always seem to do really great, so I’m very proud of them. They gave me a good race car and we threw a really nice number out there. It would have been cool to go a thousandth faster and be in the .40s but we’re just super happy to turn it around.”

Eric Latino took the second spot after a run of 6.518 at 209.82, while Mason McGaha’s 6.520 at 209.85 puts him third.

Pro Stock Motorcycle debuted at Pacific Raceways a year ago and on Friday, Gaige Herrera continued to dominate at the facility, setting the track speed record and taking the provisional No. 1 spot with an impressive run of 6.734 at 201.22 on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. Herrera has quickly taken a liking to the Pacific Northwest, making the quickest run of both sessions as he looks to pick up his fourth No. 1 qualifier in 2024 and 18th in his career.

Of course, Herrera is also undefeated in 2024 and his past 11 races, looking to continue his dominant run this weekend at Pacific Raceways.

“I feel like me and the bike are one at this point, so we came in there very confident on what we’re going to run,” Herrera said. “If we didn’t bog on the starting line in Q2, we probably would have run a .68. We just didn’t accommodate for the track tightening up that quick as the sun went down, the track dropped quite a bit on the temperature. and it hurt us. Hopefully, we’ll hold on to one spot, but there’s a lot of good bikes out there.”

Chase Van Sant is currently second after going 6.742 at 199.44 and Richard Gadson is third with a run of 6.756 at 199.35.

Qualifying continues at 1:30 p.m. PT on Saturday at the NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways.

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KENT, Wash. — Friday’s results after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the 35th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways, 11th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday’s final eliminations.

Top Fuel — 1. Steve Torrence, 3.688 seconds, 335.32 mph; 2. Justin Ashley, 3.694, 331.04; 3. Brittany Force, 3.701, 333.08; 4. Doug Kalitta, 3.710, 326.40; 5. Jasmine Salinas, 3.734, 332.43; 6. Shawn Reed, 3.736, 325.61; 7. Antron Brown, 3.746, 329.42; 8. Josh Hart, 3.748, 329.99; 9. Clay Millican, 3.768, 319.60; 10. Tony Stewart, 3.778, 319.90; 11. Billy Torrence, 3.872, 315.19; 12. Tony Schumacher, 4.389, 186.46; 13. Ron Smith, 5.184, 207.18; 14. Shawn Langdon, 6.734, 96.33.

Funny Car — 1. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.838, 328.62; 2. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.886, 331.53; 3. Paul Lee, Dodge Charger, 3.917, 327.03; 4. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.919, 326.48; 5. Chad Green, Ford Mustang, 3.975, 319.52; 6. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.055, 312.42; 7. Dave Richards, Toyota Camry, 4.072, 315.27; 8. Buddy Hull, Charger, 4.076, 312.57; 9. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.114, 247.16; 10. Alexis DeJoria, GR Supra, 4.429, 196.16; 11. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 4.553, 183.97; 12. Daniel Wilkerson,

Mustang, 4.572, 182.55; 13. Gary Densham, Mustang, 5.114, 153.14; 14. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 5.484, 128.89; 15. Jeff Diehl, Camry, broke.

Pro Stock — 1. Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.500, 209.98; 2. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.518, 209.92; 3. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.520, 209.85; 4. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.521, 210.93; 5. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.527, 209.59; 6. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.532, 211.13; 7. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.532, 209.69; 8. Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.533, 209.82; 9. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.534, 211.00; 10. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.534, 209.69; 11. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.537, 210.14; 12. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.548, 211.06; 13. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.556, 210.28; 14. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.573, 209.65; 15. Sienna Wildgust, Camaro, 6.583, 209.85; 16. Val Smeland, Camaro, 6.610, 209.33.

Not Qualified: 17. Joey Grose, 6.790, 205.07.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.734, 201.22; 2. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.742, 199.94; 3. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.756, 199.35; 4. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.804, 197.33; 5. John Hall, Beull, 6.807, 199.73; 6. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.812, 197.19; 7. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.822, 200.56; 8. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.835, 199.52; 9. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.836, 200.62; 10. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.872, 199.02; 11. Brandon Litten, EBR, 7.073, 182.50; 12. Eiji Kawakami, Suzuki, 7.122, 183.44.

INDIANAPOLIS (July 19, 2024) – NHRA officials announced today the 2024 NHRA Sweepstakes, which features a variety of prizes from NHRA partners.

Camping World, K&N Performance, A-iPower, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Summit Racing Equipment and RevZilla are all part of this year’s NHRA Sweepstakes, which is offering more than $25,000 worth of prizes winnings to lucky NHRA fans.

One grand prize winner will be awarded a 2024 Keystone Coleman 17B travel trailer from Camping World.

Six first-prize winners will each be awarded a K&N Performance Cold Air Intake System.

One second-prize winner will be awarded an A-iPower GXS7100iRD Dual Fuel/Remote Start Inverter Generator

One third-prize winner will be awarded a certificate that is good for one set of four passenger or light truck tires from Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.

One fourth-prize winner will be awarded a $1,000 SummitRacing.com gift card. The gift card is only valid at summitracing.com and is subject to the terms and conditions of Summit Racing.

One fifth-prize winner will be awarded a $1,000 RevZilla.com gift card. The gift card is only valid at RevZilla.com and is subject to terms and conditions.

To enter, fans may visit the NHRA Sweepstakes landing page to complete the online entry form. Please visit NHRA Sweepstakes Official Rules for terms and conditions. The sweepstakes will begin at 9 a.m. ET on July 19, 2024, and end at 11:59 p.m. ET on December 6, 2024. No purchase necessary. Terms and conditions apply.

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About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 110 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

SEATTLE (July 18, 2024) – Pro Stock points leader Dallas Glenn is ready to travel west to Seattle for his home race at Pacific Raceway for this weekend’s 35th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals.

Glenn, originally from Covington, Wash., will take on all the top names in the Pro Stock field at the NHRA Northwest Nationals as the category returns to Seattle after a year away. Glenn, for one, is ready to return to the scenic facility in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro for the fan-favorite event in the Pacific Northwest.

“I grew up one exit down from Pacific Raceways so to get a win here would be really awesome,” Glenn said. “I don’t know if I would call it extra pressure for what I’m feeling coming into racing at my first home track, but I would definitely call it excitement.”

Glenn currently leads the points thanks to his two wins in Pomona and Chicago and three runner-up finishes during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. His teammate Greg Anderson sits in second, thanks to his two wins in 2024. Reigning champion Erica Enders is currently third while Aaron Stanfield is fourth, thanks to his back-to-back wins in Richmond and Norwalk.

“I think we can attribute our success so far this season to just building off our awesome season last year,” said Glenn. “I know we didn’t end up as high as we wanted in the points last year after leading the majority of the regular season, but it gave me something to work towards this season. I want to lead the points, but I also want to make sure I’m doing what I can to put myself in a better position for the Countdown (to the Championship) to bring home that championship at the end of the year.”

In 2023, Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) claimed victories in Seattle. This year’s race will again be broadcast on FS1 and the FOX, including eliminations on FOX at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 21. It marks the 11th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA season, kicking off the second half of the season, as the weekend in Seattle will feature all four pro classes for the first time in history and the popular Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge specialty race on Saturday.

Glenn made it his goal to compete in all Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenges in 2024, a feat he has achieved thus far. With his runner-up finish to Stanfield in Norwalk, he’ll again be entered into the Challenge, hoping for a win in the specialty race on Saturday.

Glenn will meet up with Mason McGaha for a rematch of the Norwalk semifinals while Stanfield will again take on Cristian Cuadra.

“I love having another race day on Saturday for the Mission #2Fast2Tasty event,” Glenn said. “I feel like it gives me another opportunity to get up on the wheel and it only benefits me for the actual race day on Sunday.”

In Top Fuel, Torrence would love a repeat win in Seattle as he takes on the likes of points leader Doug Kalitta, who is also the reigning world champion, Shawn Langdon, Antron Brown, Tony Schumacher, Brittany Force, Clay Millican and Top Fuel newcomer Tony Stewart.

Funny Car veteran Wilkerson retired after the 2023 season and handed driving duties to his son Daniel. D. Wilkerson finished runner-up in Charlotte and will be seeking his first NHRA win this weekend. He’ll be up against the likes of Funny Car points leader Austin Prock, Norwalk-winner Bob Tasca III, reigning champ Matt Hagan, J.R. Todd and multi-time Seattle winner Ron Capps.

Herrera has dominated the Pro Stock Motorcycle division and won last year’s NHRA Northwest Nationals en route to sweeping the Western Swing and winning the world title. He is undefeated in 2024, while other riders in the class to watch are the six-time champion Matt Smith, Richard Gadson, Angie Smith and Chase Van Sant.

The event also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, featuring some of the top drivers in the sport. The weekend includes the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League Shootout and Drag & Drive Shootout, which is a must-see for any car enthusiast.

The weekend kicks off with a fan fest at Auburn Outlets Collection on Thursday, July 18 at 5 p.m. PT, where fans can meet their drag racing heroes. On Friday between qualifying sessions, fans can take part in a special SealMaster Track Walk and an autograph power hour in the pro pits, while the nitro at night qualifying session will give fans an opportunity to win a unique wristwatch from Ben Bridge Jewelers TAG Heuer.

Fans will also be invited all weekend long to the Nitro Alley Stage, which is the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets, music and much more. Race fans at Pacific Raceways can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners.

As always, fans get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet in Seattle. Fans get a unique chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. They can also visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 3:30 p.m. and 8:15 PT on Friday, July 19 and two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, July 20 at 1:30 and 3:45 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. PT on Sunday, July 21. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 10:30 p.m. ET on Friday, 1 p.m. on Sunday, and then eliminations on FOX at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday.

To purchase tickets to the NHRA Northwest Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com or call 800-884-6472. For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.

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About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

Headquartered in San Dimas, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 110 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Glidden advanced to every final in the 1980, while other highlights include Garlits’ comeback, first Big Bud Shootout, introduction of Pro Stock Motorcycle and more

INDIANAPOLIS (July 17, 2024) – There are numerous reasons why Bob Glidden became an NHRA legend and one of the most revered drivers in drag racing history, and one of those was an incredible run of success at the NHRA U.S. Nationals.

The world’s biggest drag race celebrates seven decades of incredible racing in 2024, with the 70th annual NHRA U.S. Nationals taking place Aug. 28-Sept. 2 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

A win at The Big Go has helped drivers become legends as victories on drag racing’s grandest stage have simply meant more. That will be evident at this year’s special 70th anniversary of the NHRA U.S. Nationals and it was evident throughout the 1980s as Glidden was in the midst of a spectacular run.

Counting wins in 1978 and 1979 and a runner-up in 1977, Glidden went to 13 straight final rounds in Indy as the iconic Pro Stock driver was in every final round at The Big Go in the 1980s. He didn’t win them all – in fact, his first of the decade didn’t come until 1983 – but Glidden went on a surreal run. He won four straight years in the latter part of the decade – 1985-1988 – and five of six years, showing a thrilling penchant to rise to the occasion at Indy. Lee Shepherd got the best of him in 1980 and ’81, while Warren Johnson won in 1984. Frank Iaconio got the victory in 1982 and Larry Morgan, who is still racing Pro Stock on a part-time basis, got his career-defining win over Glidden in the 1989 final round.

Glidden’s 1988 victory gave him nine U.S. Nationals victory, a mark that stood the tallest at The Big Go for nearly 30 years.

Don Garlits enjoyed more Indy lore in the 1980s, with his ’84 victory serving as a major comeback after going six years without a victory at the world’s biggest drag race. It opened the door for an impressive run that included three straight wins – the final three Indy wins of his career.

In 1982, Indy fans saw the NHRA’s first specialty race at the event, as the Big Bud Shootout debuted in Funny Car, with Frank Hawley getting the win. Legend Kenny Bernstein won the following year – getting the double-up with his first Indy victory – while Don Prudhomme accomplished the double-up to close the decade in 1989.

Pro Stock Motorcycle also made its debut in Indy, becoming an official class in 1987. The decade in the two-wheeled category was highlighted by a pair of wins from both Terry Vance and Dave Schultz. Other drivers who left their mark at The Big Go in the 1980s included Joe Amato, Shirley Muldowney, who picked up the Indy win in 1982 by defeating Connie Kalitta in the finals, Darrell Gwynn, Billy Meyer, Raymond Beadle, Jim Head and Ed McCulloch, who won twice in the decade.

After Glidden’s incredible 1980s, another decade of dominance would have to wait until the 2000s with Tony Schumacher, but the next decade in the series – the 1990s – will feature plenty of Indy history, including John Force’s first Indy successes, an impressive run by Cruz Pedregon, a first for Kalitta and Johnson taking over Pro Stock at The Big Go.

This year, the 70th annual NHRA U.S. Nationals promises to be one of the biggest in the illustrious history of The Big Go. It features everything from the final Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge of the year to the Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout, as well as the special Sox & Martin Hemi Challenge presented by the McCandless Collection and racing in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ and NHRA Holley EFI Factory X, plus special items like:

• A special 70th anniversary NHRA U.S. Nationals pennant for the first 8,000 fans in attendance for eliminations on Monday, Sept. 2.
• Free parking for all fans and children 12-under admitted free.
• An unforgettable Top Eliminator Club experience, including NHRA driver appearances, food and drink, TEC gift bag, starting line seats and much more.
• The biggest field in drag racing. Last year, more than 900 cars competed in Indy.

All the greats have forged their legacies through their Indy success and it’s a list that also includes current stars like Schumacher, Force, Antron Brown, Ron Capps, Greg Anderson, Erica Enders, Doug Kalitta and Matt Hagan.

Top Fuel’s Schumacher has an amazing 10 victories at The Big Go, the most of any driver in NHRA history, while Force’s five Funny Car wins are tied with McCulloch for the most in class history. Anderson’s 100th career win in 2022 gave the five-time champ seven overall wins in Pro Stock at the world’s biggest drag race, while Brown has five career wins across two classes at the U.S. Nationals.

Last year, Brown (Top Fuel), Capps (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock), and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won, with Brown, Capps and Smith winning at Indy for the second straight year. This year’s race will again be broadcast on FOX and FS1, including live eliminations on FOX on Monday, Sept. 2.

Doug Kalitta currently leads the Top Fuel ranks, while Austin Prock’s debut season in Funny Car has been a huge success as he leads the way. Dallas Glenn is the Pro Stock points leader, while Gaige Herrera remains undefeated in 2024 with six wins to his credit in Pro Stock Motorcycle. Other stars to watch include Top Fuel’s Justin Ashley, Shawn Langdon and racing legend Tony Stewart, who will make his Indy Top Fuel debut, Funny Car’s Bob Tasca III and J.R. Todd, Pro Stock’s Aaron Stanfield and Troy Coughlin Jr., and Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Angie Smith and Richard Gadson.

To purchase tickets to the 70th annual NHRA U.S. Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult. For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.

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About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 110 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

CHEVROLET IN NHRA
2024 NHRA NORTHWEST NATIONALS
PACIFIC RACEWAYS
KENT, WASHINGTON
TEAM CHEVY RACE ADVANCE | NOTES & STATS
JULY 19-21, 2024

CHEVROLET KICKS OFF NHRA’S WESTERN SWING AT PACIFIC RACEWAYS WITH JOHN FORCE RACING FOR THE NHRA NORTHWEST NATIONALS

Notes:

• Team Chevy heads to the 2024 NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceway near Seattle, Wash., the 11th round of the season, July 19-21.
• Returning to competition, Brittany Force will driver her Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster at Seattle this weekend, a place where she holds the Pacific Raceways speed record at 334.73 mph. Force currently sits No. 10 in the NHRA Top Fuel championship standings.
• Austin Prock, driver of the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, enters the NHRA Northwest Nationals leading the Funny Car championship points standings with 914 points, over Bob Tasca III in second by 178 points, and Matt Hagan by 181 in third.
• Prock, who captured his first pro victory in NHRA at Seattle five years ago, is also the quickest qualifier in seven of the first 10 events this season while also owning the quickest 1,000-foot time over the last seven years (3.820 seconds at Gainesville).
• John Force Racing last raced to the Seattle winner’s circle with Robert Hight in 2022, defeating JR Todd while also setting low event E.T. (3.960 seconds) and best reaction time (.050). In the same event, B. Force raced to the final round.
• Pro Stock returns to competition at Pacific Raceways this weekend after a brief hiatus, last competing at the northwestern track in 2022. Troy Coughlin, Jr. took the win over Erica Enders.

Quotes:

AUSTIN PROCK, DRIVER OF THE CORNWELL TOOLS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS FUNNY CAR:

“The Funny Car is such a challenge to drive. You have the same amount of horsepower (as a dragster) but you’re missing 175 inches of wheelbase. I loved driving the Top Fuel car, but Funny Car is where I belong. I always dreamed of driving one like my grandpa (Tom Prock, a Funny Car contemporary of Don “the Snake” Prudhomme and Tom McEwen) and I am having an absolute blast. I’m loving every second of it. I love the challenge. I love sitting behind the engine. I love the body dropping (down over me) and, to top it off, I’m doing all of it with my family (dad Jimmy is crew chief on the Cornwell Camaro along with brother Thomas).”

BRITTANY FORCE, DRIVER OF THE FLAV-R-PAC CHEVROLET TOP FUEL DRAGSTER:

“I’m glad to get back to the racetrack after a tough few weeks. I want to thank (crew chief) David Grubnic, John Collins and my team for their patience and support of my decision to stay with my father while racing continued in Norwalk. Missing a race was tough, but I needed to be with my dad and family.

“I’m proud to be running our Flav-R-Pac dragster this weekend to honor our longtime partner, Frank Tiegs. He always reminded me to make sure I was still having fun because that is when you perform at your best. We won a championship together in 2022 and I’m proud to carry him and his family on the car this weekend.

“Our team’s current focus is to improve our starting position in the Countdown. We’ve made great strides in our last few races and I’m eager to take that next step and put our Flav-R-Pac dragster in the winners’ circle for the Tiegs family and my dad!”

How to Watch:

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series action from Pacific Raceways near Seattle airs first with qualifying from the weekend on Friday, July 19 at 10:30 p.m. ET. Saturday’s qualifying airs Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, with Finals starting at 4 p.m. ET on FOX. Qualifying will air with the NHRA on FOX team on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Coverage streams live throughout the weekend on NHRA.tv, and is available via AppleTV, Android TV, and Roku devices.

TEAM CHEVY BY THE NUMBERS:

1,460: Round wins for John Force (1st all-time).
626: Round wins for Robert Hight; 13th all-time. Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), sits 12th, with 630.
167: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for John Force (1st all-time).
164: Number of Chevrolet Racing Funny Car wins since 1967.
84: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for Robert Hight (6th all-time). Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel) is fifth with 88.
84: Number of Chevrolet Racing Funny Car wins with the Camaro SS body.
47: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for Brittany Force.
28: Number of NHRA championships Chevrolet holds as a manufacturer since entering the first in 1966. This is the seventh consecutive award and ninth in 11 seasons. No other manufacturer has won it more than Chevrolet.
26: Wins by John Force in a Chevrolet-bodied Funny Car.
20: Chevrolet career Top Fuel wins in NHRA.
16: Number of Chevrolet career wins by Brittany Force.
7: Number of Funny Car driver championships.
2: Number of Top Fuel driver championships.

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

SEATTLE (July 16, 2024) – After two weeks off, Funny Car’s Alexis DeJoria is ready for a swift turnaround at this weekend’s 35th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways.

The race kicks off the second half of the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and DeJoria is eager to get back on track after a month of struggles in June. After a strong start to the season in her 11,000-horsepower Bandero Premium Tequila Toyota GR Supra, including a final-round appearance in Phoenix, things didn’t go as planned over the past four races, picking up just one round win.

But there’s ample time for a turnaround and DeJoria believes it can come in Seattle, where her crew chief, Del Worsham, still holds the Funny Car track E.T. record (3.832-seconds). That came in 2016 and conditions could be ripe for stellar runs this weekend, especially as racers will compete under the lights for the first time in Pacific Raceways history on Friday.

The first-time night session in the nitro ranks is a definite highlight for the weekend and DeJoria will try to take advantage, setting the tone for what she hopes is a big event.

“We’re looking to continue our progress and have a long Sunday of going rounds,” DeJoria said. “This year at Seattle will be unique because we’ll have an evening qualifying session there for the first time. We’re scheduled for 9:15 p.m. (PT for the second round of Funny Car qualifying) so we should see some great runs in those cooler conditions.”

Last season, Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won in Seattle and this year’s race will be shown on FS1 and the FOX, including eliminations on FOX at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 21. It is the 11th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA season, kicking off the second half of the season, as the weekend in Seattle will feature all four pro classes for the first time in history and the popular Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge specialty race on Saturday.

DeJoria, meanwhile, is looking to right the ship as the Countdown to the Championship playoffs approach. Now is the perfect time to do so with back-to-back races in Seattle and Sonoma and the Funny Car veteran, who is currently eighth in points, could take a major leap forward over the next two weeks.

To find sucess in Seattle she’ll have to get past the likes of points leader Austin Prock, Norwalk winner Bob Tasca III, Daniel Wilkerson, defending world champ Matt Hagan, Ron Capps, J.R. Todd and Chad Green, but DeJoria always has confidence in a group that has shown it can rise to the occasion.

“We do really well under pressure,” said DeJoria., who has six career Funny Car victories. “This team has been together a long time and Del has given our Toyota Supra a worthy setup for the weekend’s conditions.”

In Top Fuel, Torrence would love a repeat win in Seattle as he takes on the likes of points leader Doug Kalitta, who is also the reigning world champion, Shawn Langdon, Antron Brown, Tony Schumacher, Brittany Force, Clay Millican and Top Fuel newcomer Tony Stewart.

Herrera has dominated the Pro Stock Motorcycle division and won last year’s NHRA Northwest Nationals en route to sweeping the Western Swing and winning the world title. He is undefeated in 2024, while other riders in the class to watch are the six-time champion Matt Smith, Richard Gadson, Angie Smith and Chase Van Sant.

The popular Pro Stock class will make its return to the Pacific Northwest this year and fans will want to keep an eye on rivals Greg Anderson and Erica Enders. Currently leading the points is standout and Seattle native Dallas Glenn, who has a pair of wins on the season.

The event also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, featuring some of the top drivers in the sport. The weekend includes the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League Shootout and Drag & Drive Shootout, which is a must-see for any car enthusiast.

The weekend kicks off with a fan fest at Auburn Outlets Collection on Thursday, July 18 at 5 p.m. PT, where fans can meet their drag racing heroes. On Friday between qualifying sessions, fans can take part in a special SealMaster Track Walk and an autograph power hour in the pro pits, while the nitro at night qualifying session will give fans an opportunity to win a unique wristwatch from Ben Bridge Jewelers TAG Heuer.

Fans will also be invited all weekend long to the Nitro Alley Stage, which is the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets, music and much more. Race fans at Pacific Raceways can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners.

As always, fans get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet in Seattle. Fans get a unique chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. They can also visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 3:30 p.m. and 8:15 PT on Friday, July 19 and two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, July 20 at 1:30 and 3:45 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. PT on Sunday, July 21. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 10:30 p.m. ET on Friday, 1 p.m. on Sunday, and then eliminations on FOX at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday.

To purchase tickets to the NHRA Northwest Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com or call 800-884-6472. For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.

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About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

Headquartered in San Dimas, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 110 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

SEATTLE (July 15, 2024) – Shawn Reed’s first time at a dragstrip came at Pacific Raceways, when he experienced the magic of drag racing growing up. Now behind the wheel of an 11,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragster, Reed will get to be part of another Pacific Raceways first this weekend in Seattle at the 35th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals.

The annual stop at the scenic track in the Pacific Northwest will feature qualifying under the lights for the first time at Pacific Raceways, a must-see moment for what’s expected to be another memorable NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series weekend in Seattle.

Of course, they are all memorable there for Reed, who grew up in nearby Puyallup just miles from the historic facility. This year marks the first time since 2019 he will compete at his hometown track and he wouldn’t mind a repeat of that result in his 11,000-horsepower Reed Truck & Excavating dragster.

Reed was a semifinalist in 2019 and this season has marked a return to full-time competition in the loaded Top Fuel category. The veteran is currently 13th in points with a pair of round wins, but he’s thrilled with the progress the team has made and he can’t wait to race under the lights in Seattle – in front of plenty of family and friends – for the first time on Friday to kick off the race weekend.

“This place is the first race I ever went to,” Reed said. “It’s hard to control the emotion of getting to race here. I love racing at this track and it’s crazy how excited I always get to race in Seattle. It’s exciting thinking of all the friends and family, and employees and customers that are going to be here. It’s a lot of work, but I’m really excited to race here and that night session is going to be great. I’m a big fan of that and I think all the fans are going to love it.”

Last season, Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won in Seattle and this year’s race will be shown on FS1 and the FOX, including eliminations on FOX at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 21. It is the 11th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA season, kicking off the second half of the season, and the weekend in Seattle will also feature all four pro classes for the first time in event history, as well as the popular Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge specialty race on Saturday.

Reed won’t compete in the bonus race on the Top Fuel end, but he is aiming for a big result as the team, led by crew chief Rob Wendland, continues to chip away. He qualified fourth in Richmond and fifth in Chicago and has just missed out on a handful of round wins this year, advancing to the second round in Phoenix and Chicago.

A technical and advancement alliance with Antron Brown’s AB Motorsports has been beneficial and Reed hopes big things are in store for the rest of the season, even while taking on the likes of points leader Doug Kalitta, Shawn Langdon, Tony Schumacher, defending event winner Steve Torrence and Top Fuel newcomer Tony Stewart.

“The things we’ve put together and how we’ve raced, I’m pleased,” Reed said. “We tested recently in Indy and figured some things out, so I think these last 10 races we should be able to turn some heads and win a few more rounds. We’ve been really close, but it’s a marathon. I like where we are and what’s happening with this team, and I’m having a blast. I love to compete and going against the best racers in the world. We’ve made a lot of good improvements and I’m excited to see where it goes.”

Wilkerson stepped out of his Funny Car and handed driving responsibilities to his son Daniel, who has a runner-up finish in 2024. If he wants to defend the Wilkerson win in Seattle, he’ll have to get by points leader Austin Prock, who also joined Funny Car this season, J.R. Todd, reigning champ Matt Hagan, Ron Capps and Bob Tasca III.

Herrera has dominated the Pro Stock Motorcycle division and won last year’s NHRA Northwest Nationals en route to sweeping the Western Swing and winning the world title. He is undefeated in 2024, while other riders in the class to watch are six-time champion Matt Smith, Richard Gadson, Angie Smith and Chase Van Sant.

The popular Pro Stock class will make its return to the Pacific Northwest this year and fans will want to keep an eye on rivals Greg Anderson and Erica Enders. Currently leading the points is standout and area native Dallas Glenn, who has a pair of wins on the season.

The event also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, featuring some of the top drivers in the sport, as well as the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League Shootout and Drag & Drive Shootout, which is a must-see for any car enthusiast.

The weekend kicks off with a fan fest at Auburn Outlets Collection on Thursday, June 18 at 5 p.m. PT, where fans can meet their drag racing heroes. On Friday between qualifying sessions, fans can take part in a special SealMaster Track Walk and an autograph power hour in the pro pits, while the nitro at night qualifying session will give fans an opportunity to win a unique wristwatch from Ben Bridge Jewelers TAG Heuer.

Fans will also be invited all weekend long to the Nitro Alley Stage, which is the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets, music and much more. Race fans at Pacific Raceways can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners.

As always, fans get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet in Seattle. Fans get a unique chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. They can also visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 3:30 p.m. and 8:15 PT on Friday, July 19 and two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, July 20 at 1:30 and 3:45 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. PT on Sunday, July 21. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 10:30 p.m. ET on Friday, 1 p.m. on Sunday, and then eliminations on FOX at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday.

To purchase tickets to the NHRA Northwest Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com or call 800-884-6472. For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.

---

About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 110 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.