KALITTA CLAIMS THIRD VICTORY OF 2024 WITH VIRGINIA NATIONALS TRIUMPH
Toyota earns ninth Top Fuel win in the last 10 races

NORTH DINWIDDIE, Va. (June 23, 2024) – Despite a multi-hour rain delay, Doug Kalitta was victorious in the NHRA Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park on Sunday. The victory by Kalitta is his third of the 2024 season and the 55th of his career, which moves him to fourth all-time in Top Fuel. Kalitta had to defeat teammate, Shawn Langdon, in the finals on Sunday evening to pick up the Wally Trophy, which is the ninth Top Fuel win in the last 10 NHRA races for Toyota.

With the finals appearances by both Kalitta and Langdon, Toyota has now reached the final round in 32 consecutive NHRA events in either Top Fuel and/or Funny Car.

Though his day ended in round two, Steve Torrence’s opening round victory marked the 500th of his historic NHRA career. Coincidentally, today’s milestone came at the same dragstrip where Torrence qualified for his first NHRA race back in 2006.

In Funny Car, Ron Capps advanced to the second round Sunday, but fell to event winner, Austin Prock, by just 0.091 seconds in the quarterfinals. Alexis DeJoria and J.R. Todd both bowed out in round one.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is right back in action next weekend at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, for the 10th race of the 2024 season.

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series
NHRA Virginia Nationals
Virginia Motorsports Park
Race 9 of 20

TOYOTA TOP FUEL FINISHING POSITIONS

Name	Car	Final Result	Round-by-Round
Doug Kalitta	Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Winner	W (3.940) v. C. Ferre (N/A) W (3.964) v. J. Hart (4.490) W (3.828) v. T. Stewart (4.631) W (3.752) v. S. Langdon (6.148)
Shawn Langdon	Kalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Finalist	W (3.911) v. L. Joon (4.154) W (3.976 – holeshot) v. S. Torrence (3.971) W (3.815) v. A. Brown (3.826) L (6.148) v. D. Kalitta (3.752)
Antron Brown	Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Semi-finals	W (3.913) v. B. Torrence (4.121) W (3.923) v. T. Schumacher (4.284) L (3.826) v. S. Langdon (3.815)
Steve Torrence	CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Second Round	W (4.010) v. J. Ashley (4.499) L (3.971) v. S. Langdon (3.976 – holeshot)
Justin Ashley	SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	First Round	L (4.499) v. S. Torrence (4.010)
Billy Torrence	CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	First Round	L (4.121) v. A. Brown (3.913)

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR FINISHING POSITIONS

Name	Car	Final Result	Round-by-Round
Ron Capps	NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	Second Round	W (4.094) v. A. DeJoria (N/A) L (4.127) v. A. Prock (4.036)
J.R. Todd	DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	First Round	L (4.395) v. M. Hagan (4.335)
Alexis DeJoria	Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	First Round	L (N/A) v. R. Capps (4.094)

TOYOTA QUOTES

DOUG KALITTA, Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Kalitta Motorsports

TF Final Result: Winner

How does it feel for your entire team to have such momentum?

“Yeah, we definitely all work very hard at it. Chad Head (general manager, Kalitta Motorsports), Connie (Kalitta, team owner, Kalitta Motorsports). Yeah, just real proud of what Connie has put together here for us. Bragging rights, I guess at the shop. You know, my Mac Tools, Toyota, Revchem guys, Alan Johnson (crew chief), everybody. Really, heck of a job today, just going rounds. You know, it was so hot, obviously, and we had this rain delay. Great weekend for all of us!”

SHAWN LANGDON, Kalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Kalitta Motorsports

TF Final Result: Finalist

How would you describe your day and weekend?

“The Kalitta Air Careers Toyota team had a great weekend. We just came up one short. Great job by Brian (Husen, crew chief), all the guys, everybody at Kalitta Air, Revchem and SealMaster. They’ve been giving me a great race car all season, so we just have to keep at it and keep working hard. I couldn’t be happier for this whole Kalitta bunch. We had two Kalitta cars in the final and that’s the most important thing.”

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

TF Final Result: Second Round

How does it feel to achieve 500 career round wins?

“You know, it’s been a lot of ups and a lot of downs, and a lot of success and heartache, all at the same time. But to do it with my family and those CAPCO boys has been remarkable. It’s crazy to think I’m 41-years-old, I’ve been out here since I was 23, just a kid doing this. It’s spectacular. This is where it all started for me here in Richmond, so these fans are great. Dexter Tuttle (former NHRA team owner) and Evan Knoll, those guys gave me an opportunity and my family supported me and pushed me out there. Just a kid living his dream and we’re still living it, so thankful to be here. That’s pretty cool, 500 of them.”

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.

DINWIDDIE, Va. (June 22, 2024) – Top Fuel’s Shawn Langdon closed out qualifying with the quickest run of the day on Saturday at Virginia Motorsports Park, taking the No. 1 spot at the PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals.

Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the ninth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

On a day where the NHRA pro categories all made three qualifying runs on Saturday for the first time ever, Langdon went 3.872-seconds at 319.82 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Kalitta Air dragster in the final round of qualifying, giving the former world champion his second No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 21st in his standout career. The veteran is also looking for his first career win at Virginia Motorsports Park, opening eliminations against Lex Joon.

“In the first couple of runs, we just were off a little bit. You’re dealing with 150-degree track temperature, so it’s just getting everything right,” Langdon said. “This track is so good and so smooth that, unfortunately, these hot conditions don’t do this track much justice for how good it really is. So we’re tiptoeing down the track. It’s crazy how much we’ve got these things backed up and it’s just a matter of getting everything in sync.”

Reigning world champ and points leader Doug Kalitta is qualified second with a 3.883 at 318.69 and Tony Stewart, who is in his debut season in the Top Fuel ranks, qualified third with a 3.885 at 317.79.

In Funny Car, Bob Tasca III made the most of the final qualifying session to finish off an impressive day, as Tasca’s 4.024 at 320.74 in his 11,000-horsepower Ford Performance Mustang Dark Horse gave the veteran his 17th career No. 1 qualifier and first this season. No Funny Car made a 3-second run in the heat, but Tasca put together three solid runs to give him confidence heading into raceday. He’ll face off with Dave Richards to open eliminations and is thrilled with the progress his team made this weekend.

“To bring home a win, you got to go down the racetrack, and if you don’t get on the racetrack, you’re going to lose. Anyone out here is going to beat you,” Tasca said. “You have to have good decision-making, but it makes it a whole lot easier to make those decisions when you have a day like you had today because we can fall back on a baseline. We look at tire temperature and wasn’t on the edge. We can we push, but you have to pick your moments depending on who you’re racing, You’ve got to go down the racetrack and Todd (Okuhara) and Aaron (Brooks) t know how to do that.

Chad Green qualified second with a 4.024 at 320.13 and points leader Austin Prock qualified third with a 4.027 at 318.84.

Looking for her 50th career national event victory, Pro Stock’s Erica Enders blistered the track on Saturday at Virginia Motorsports Park, taking the No. 1 spot with a standout run of 6.586 at 209.56 in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Scag Power Equipment car. That took place during the opening session and nobody could top that throughout Saturday’s three sessions as the defending and six-time world champion claimed her fourth No. 1 qualifier of 2024 and the 38th in her career. On Sunday, she’ll open eliminations against Kenny Delco with her 50th national event victory – and her first win at Virginia Motorsports Park – just four win lights away.

“We knew he first session was going to be the good session and put a lot of emphasis on that because it’s just going to get progressively worse throughout the day, and we needed to make a good hit first round, and fortunately, my guys are good enough to be able to do that,” Enders said.

“It’s tough out there. Everybody’s going through the same stuff, but you have to mindful what you put in your body and then being adequately hydrated and keeping your core body temperature down when the cockpit temperatures are over 150 degrees.”

Eric Latino went a strong 6.590 at 208.97 to qualify second, while Deric Kramer’s 6.596 at 208.59 gave him the third position.

On the hunt for history this weekend, Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera threw down something spectacular to open qualifying on Saturday, going 6.703 at 200.83 on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. That set the track E.T. record and handed the defending world champion his third No. 1 qualifier this year and the 17th in his career. More importantly, it puts Herrera in a great spot to potentially make more NHRA history.

He’s currently tied with legendary Pro Stock driver Bob Glidden for the most consecutive wins (9) and round wins (35) in NHRA history and can set the new mark with a memorable Saturday at a track that has served him well throughout his career.

“To be honest, on that 6.70, we were expecting a .72. We just happened to catch it before it really got hot out there today,” Herrera said. “Obviously these are the kinds of conditions we will be racing tomorrow., so we’re going in there with a lot of confidence.

“If I can (break the record), it’s going to be awesome. I’m happy with just tying Bob Glidden and to have my name in the same sentence as Bob. If I do it, that it’d be awesome, but going into tomorrow, no, I’m not thinking about it.”

Herrera’s teammate, Richard Gadson, took second with a 6.763 at 198.96 and defending event winner Matt Smith qualified third after going 6.788 at 200.80.

Eliminations for the PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals begin at 12 p.m. on Sunday at Virginia Motorsports Park.

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DINWIDDIE, Va. — Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the Fourth annual PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park, the ninth 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. Shawn Langdon, 3.872 seconds, 319.82 mph vs. 16. Lex Joon, broke; 2. Doug Kalitta, 3.883, 318.69 vs. 15. Cameron Ferre, 5.381, 138.44; 3. Tony Stewart, 3.885, 317.79 vs. 14. Clay Millican, 4.326, 203.43; 4. Shawn Reed, 3.890, 319.67 vs. 13. Tony Schumacher, 4.261, 206.83; 5. Antron Brown, 3.903, 318.62 vs. 12. Billy Torrence, 4.034, 247.43; 6. Jasmine Salinas, 3.912, 313.51 vs. 11. Brittany Force, 3.966, 316.97; 7. Josh Hart, 3.923, 319.90 vs. 10. Dan Mercier, 3.955, 296.50; 8. Steve Torrence, 3.938, 317.87 vs. 9. Justin Ashley, 3.950, 311.70.

Funny Car — 1. Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 4.024, 320.74 vs. 16. Dave Richards, Toyota Camry, 4.476, 268.28; 2. Chad Green, Mustang, 4.024, 320.13 vs. 15. Mike Smith, Mustang, 4.292, 285.77; 3. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 4.027, 318.84 vs. 14. Cruz Pedregon, Dodge Charger, 4.192, 239.44; 4. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 4.047, 311.99 vs. 13. Buddy Hull, Charger, 4.185, 307.79; 5. John Force, Camaro, 4.048, 314.83 vs. 12. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 4.148, 269.24; 6. Alexis DeJoria, Toyota GR Supra, 4.058, 313.00 vs. 11. Ron Capps, GR Supra, 4.130, 305.08; 7. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 4.069, 312.13 vs. 10. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.129, 306.88; 8. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.071, 307.30 vs. 9. Paul Lee, Charger, 4.103, 307.02.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Jim Campbell, 8.902, 98.26.

Pro Stock — 1. Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.586, 209.62 vs. 16. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 7.308, 152.76; 2. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.590, 208.97 vs. 15. Brandon Miller, Dodge Dart, 6.883, 198.38; 3. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.596, 208.59 vs. 14. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.691, 207.94; 4. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.608, 206.92 vs. 13. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.676, 206.83; 5. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.611, 208.52 vs. 12. Val Smeland, Camaro, 6.666, 207.02; 6. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.612, 208.26 vs. 11. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.654, 208.07; 7. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.621, 208.26 vs. 10. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.642, 208.10; 8. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.626, 208.84 vs. 9. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.630, 208.17.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.703, 200.83 vs. 14. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 11.380, 70.27; 2. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.763, 198.96 vs. 13. Eiji Kawakami, EBR, 7.183, 186.18; 3. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.767, 200.86 vs. 12. Angie Smith, Buell, 7.044, 165.19; 4. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.794, 198.17 vs. 11. Ron Tornow, Victory, 6.959, 194.66; 5. John Hall, Beull, 6.795, 198.58 vs. 10. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.933, 195.48; 6. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.796, 199.91 vs. 9. Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 6.885, 195.53; 7. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.842, 200.02 vs. 8. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.859, 195.70.

DINWIDDIE, Va. (June 22, 2024) – John Force Racing swept the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge for the first time on Saturday at Virginia Motorsports Park, as Brittany Force won in Top Fuel and Austin Prock picked up the victory in Funny Car in the specialty race as part of this weekend’s PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals.

Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the specialty race at the ninth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Force won the Top Fuel Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge for the first time in her standout career, going 3.966-seconds at 316.97 mph in her 11,000-horsepower HendrickCars.com Chevrolet dragster to defeat Tony Schumacher in the finals. It was a welcome turn of events for Force, who has struggled for the bulk of the 2024 season. She is the defending event winner in Richmond, breaking track records in 2022, and again found success at the facility on Saturday.

“This is big for us, just because we’ve been struggling for so long, and to be able to win this Mission Foods Challenge is huge for our team,” Force said. “We need it just to keep us moving forward, keep us pumped up. We’ve stayed motivated for all of it through last season and coming into this season. Every week, we come out here we you know, we push as hard as we can, and we still feel like we’re going to win this thing. To be able to bring home this win for this team is huge. We all definitely needed it and we’re excited about race day tomorrow.”

In Funny Car, points leader Austin Prock stayed red-hot, winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge for the third time this season and the second straight race, again defeating his boss, John Force, in the final round with a run of 4.037 at 315.93 in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS. It furthers Prock’s incredible Funny Car rookie season, as he continues to showcase just how well his car, tuned by his father, Jimmy Prock, can run in any condition. Prock also doubled-up two weeks ago in Bristol and will try to do the same on Sunday.

“We definitely struggled as an organization last year in this (Mission) deal, so this is nice to see, it kind of changes the tide to be racking up a lot of points,” Prock said. “I’ve been having fun racing, my boss. He’s got me one or two times, and I think I’ve got him two times and it’s always good when it’s an all-JFR final round because you know you’re going home with the tortilla chips.”

Greg Anderson won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in Pro Stock for the first time in his career, knocking off longtime rival Erica Enders in the final round of the specialty event with a run of 6.626 at 206.80 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. Anderson had a brilliant .004 reaction time and held off Enders’ 6.627 at the finish line to pick up the bonus points and bonus purse with the win. He knocked off Dallas Glenn to reach the finals against Enders. It was a thrilling moment for Anderson, who will now try to win a national event at Virginia Motorsports Park for the first time in his career.

“I’m not quite sure how I pulled off that reaction time but I’ll take it,” Anderson said. “Obviously, it’s fantastic. Racing on Saturday is so exciting to us and it’s like qualifying becomes kind of a second act for us, so it’s making me very competitive, and that feels great. I love racing this (Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge) deal and I just wish I’d done better in the past but doesn’t matter now: I finally got a win.”

Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Matt Smith earned his second straight in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, defeating Richard Gadson in the final round with a solid run of 6.767 at 200.86 on his Denso Auto Parts/Matt Smith Racing Buell. The six-time world champion disposed of both Vance & Hines bikes on Saturday, defeating points leader Gaige Herrera in the semifinals before getting past Gadson a round later. Smith, who is also the defending event winner at Virginia Motorsports Park, will look to carry that momentum into Sunday, where he’s looking to win for the first time this season and end Herrera’s NHRA record-tying streak of nine straight wins.

“We knocked off Gaige (Herrera) in the first round and then we beat the other Vance & Hines bike with Richard (Gadson), so all in all great weekend so far,” Smith said. “I just keep rolling and trying to do the best I can to keep the momentum going, but we’ve got a really good bike. This Denso bike is strong. and it’s mean. We’ve been working on bike but it’s hard to control the tire when it gets hot but we’re doing a pretty good job of it so far.”

Eliminations for the PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals begin at 12 p.m. on Sunday at Virginia Motorsports Park.

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2Fast2Tasty Challenge Agate

DINWIDDIE, Va. — Saturday’s final results from the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge at the Fourth annual PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park.

Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Top Fuel Challenge — Brittany Force, 3.966 seconds, 316.97 mph def. Tony Schumacher, 4.261 seconds, 206.83 mph.

Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Funny Car Challenge — Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 4.037, 315.93 def. John Force, Camaro, 4.048, 314.83.

Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Pro Stock Challenge — Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.626, 206.80 def. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.627, 208.26.

Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Challenge — Matt Smith, Buell, 6.767, 200.86 def. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.889, 180.45.

DINWIDDIE, Va. — Final round-by-round results from the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge at the Fourth annual PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park.

MISSION #2FAST2TASTY NHRA TOP FUEL CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE — Tony Schumacher, 4.405, 192.30 def. Clay Millican, 4.688, 163.18; Brittany Force, 3.984, 308.14 def. Doug Kalitta, Foul – Red Light; FINAL — B. Force, 3.966, 316.97 def. T. Schumacher, 4.261, 206.83.

MISSION #2FAST2TASTY NHRA FUNNY CAR CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE — Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 4.122, 315.34 def. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.140, 298.01; John Force, Camaro, 4.138, 303.98 def. J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 4.597, 193.24; FINAL — A. Prock, 4.037, 315.93 def. J. Force, 4.048, 314.83.

MISSION #2FAST2TASTY NHRA PRO STOCK CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE — Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.627, 208.84 def. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 8.540, 93.95; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.614, 209.62 def. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.666, 208.10; FINAL — G. Anderson, 6.626, 206.80 def. E. Enders, 6.627, 208.26.

MISSION #2FAST2TASTY NHRA PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE — Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.846, 198.55 def. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, Foul – Red Light; Matt Smith, Buell, 6.790, 200.71 def. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.795, 199.58; FINAL — M. Smith, 6.767, 200.86 def. R. Gadson, 6.889, 180.45.

LANGDON, KALITTA TOP TWO QUALIFIERS FOR VIRGINIA NATIONALS
Langdon earns second No. 1 qualifier of 2024 season

NORTH DINWIDDIE, Va. (June 22, 2024) – Kalitta Motorsports led the way for Toyota in Top Fuel with Shawn Langdon and Doug Kalitta claiming the top two qualifying spots for tomorrow’s NHRA Virginia Nationals. The blistering Virginia heat made the first two qualifying sessions of the day tricky, but a drop in track temperatures Saturday evening paved the way for faster speeds in the final session, which Langdon and Kalitta took advantage of. Langdon’s 3.872 elapsed time in the evening run earned him his second No. 1 qualifier of the 2024 season and the 21st of his career.

Should he couple today’s effort with a win tomorrow, it would be Langdon’s third victory of 2024 and the 20th of his career. Kalitta also goes for his third win this season on Sunday, and the 55th of his career, which would put him alone in fourth on the all-time Top Fuel wins list.

In Funny Car, Alexis DeJoria was the lead GR Supra Funny Car on Saturday, qualifying sixth for tomorrow’s eliminations. J.R Todd was right behind her in seventh and Ron Capps will be the No. 11 seed tomorrow.

Toyota Post-Qualifying Recap
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series
NHRA Virginia Nationals
Virginia Motorsports Park
Race 9 of 20

Name	Car	Qualifying Position	First Round Opponent
Shawn Langdon	Kalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	1st	L. Joon
Doug Kalitta	Mac Tools Employee Benefits Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	2nd	C. Ferre
Antron Brown	Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	5th	B. Torrence
Steve Torrence	CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	8th	J. Ashley
Justin Ashley	SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	9th	S. Torrence
Billy Torrence	CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	12th	A. Brown

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING POSITIONS 

Name	Car	Qualifying Position	First Round Opponent
B. Tasca III	Ford Motorcraft Funny Car	1st*	D. Richards
Alexis DeJoria	Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	6th	R. Capps
J.R. Todd	DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	7th	M. Hagan
Ron Capps	NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	11th	A. DeJoria

TOYOTA QUOTES

SHAWN LANGDON, Kalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Kalitta Motorsports

TF Qualifying Result: 1st

How would you describe the day, ending with a No. 1 qualifier?

“For me, I’m just hitting the gas. But Brian (Husen, crew chief) felt a run in the mid-3.80s was possible, and he was worried someone behind us in line would overtake us. There was a little bit left out there, but the problem was getting everything in sync. The track is so good and so smooth, but unfortunately, these hot conditions don’t do the track much justice. We’re tip-toeing down the track in this Kalitta Air Careers car. It’s crazy how much we have these things backed off so it’s a matter of getting the power level right and getting the clutch in synch. In the first couple of runs, we were off a little bit. Brian made some good calls for Q3, but he felt that run was out there all day long, but with a 150-degree track temperature, it’s just a matter of getting everything right.”

ALEXIS DEJORIA, Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, DC Motorsports

FC Qualifying Result: 6th

Challenging track conditions today. How was your car?

“Grueling conditions here at VMP (Virginia Motorsports Park). We managed to get down the track, pretty much every time. First run, we smoked the tires down the track, but still put a 4.335 time on the board. We started off 10th but moved up a little bit and then this last run, we were in the right lane which was a little bit better, and Del (Worsham, crew chief) was like, ‘we definitely want to move up some spots.’ So, he put a little bit to it, and we ran that nice 4.058 and we’re sitting sixth going into race day, which is awesome. Racing against (Ron) Capps, unfortunately, my Toyota teammate. But it feels good to be the quickest of the three Toyota GR Supra Funny Cars this weekend. Really tough conditions. We’ll see what happens tomorrow. It’s going to be just as hot; we start at noon. Marquee matchup.”

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.

DINWIDDIE, Va. (June 20, 2024) – Chasing history has been nothing new for Gaige Herrera the past two seasons, but the reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion has a chance add another incredible mark at this weekend’s PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park.

Herrera is currently tied with legendary Pro Stock driver Bob Glidden for the most consecutive wins and round wins in NHRA history, picking up his ninth straight win – and 35th straight round win – during his victory two weeks ago at Bristol Dragway in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

A win in Richmond this weekend would give Herrera 10 consecutive victories, which has never been achieved in NHRA’s 73-year history. Herrera hasn’t lost in 2024 on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki, winning the first four races of the year. He also hasn’t been defeated since last September, winning the final five events of 2023 en route to his dominant first world title.

He’s set a multitude of records along the way and this is another major one for the standout, but Herrera is simply trying to focus on making solid runs this weekend.

“That’s the approach I have to go with,” Herrera said. “You never know what’s going to happen. It’s hard to say you’re just going to go out and break the record. There’s so many different aspects that play into it as far as the bike, myself and all the other competitors.

“But leaving Bristol, I feel like I conquered something. Last year, it beat me in the ground a little (losing in the final on a red light). To get the win there, I was ecstatic. It almost felt like I won the championship all over again.”

In 2022, Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won in Richmond and this year’s event will again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 23. This weekend also marks the first time all four pro categories (Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle) will take part in three qualifying sessions on Saturday.

Herrera is looking forward to that, as well as making his NHRA debut at Virginia Motorsports Park. He has a wealth of previous experience at the standout facility in other series, but this marks his first time competing at VMP in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Smith is the defending event winner and he also qualified No. 1 in Bristol, defeating Herrera in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in Thunder Valley. They had a memorable showdown in eliminations, with Herrera getting the victory in the semifinals en route to the event win as their rivalry continues to heat up.

They will rematch on Saturday as part of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge – with the other matchup featuring Jianna Evaristo and Richard Gadson – and Herrera is eager to get to VMP for a busy weekend. He’s also a fan of the three qualifying sessions on Saturday, hoping it prepares him well for a chance to make history on Sunday.

“Having three qualifiers in one day, it brings a lot more excitement for the riders and the fans. I like it a lot,” said Herrera, who has 15 career victories dating back to the start of the 2023 season. “As a competitive person, it keeps you in the groove and keeps you ready. I’m really looking forward to it. I think it will be great.

“Richmond has a nice, smooth surface and it’s fast. Even with the heat, it’s going to be a nice surface and it should be really good. It’s a great facility and I’m glad the NHRA is going back there.”

Pro Stock is returning to the facility for the first time since 2019, bringing another huge field to Virginia Motorsports Park. Bo Butner, making his first Pro Stock start of 2024, and five-time world champ Jeg Coughlin Jr., who won the most recent race in Bristol, are the only active winners at the track, with several young standouts like Dallas Glenn, Troy Coughlin Jr., who won in Epping, and Aaron Stanfield making their first Pro Stock appearance at VMP. Butner was the most recent winner, getting the win in 2019, while Coughlin won in 2000.

Glenn is the current points leader, but both Greg Anderson and reigning world champion Erica Enders are close behind. Glenn, Anderson and Jeg Coughlin Jr. all have two victories this season, while Enders won the season-opener in Gainesville.

In Top Fuel, Force is after her first victory of the year, hoping to hold off a loaded field that includes reigning world champ and points leader Doug Kalitta, Bristol winner Tony Schumacher, Shawn Langdon and Justin Ashley, who each have two wins in 2024, Antron Brown, Steve Torrence and Top Fuel newcomer Tony Stewart.

Austin Prock took over Funny Car driving duties for Hight at the start of the 2024 season and has enjoyed instant success, picking up two event wins and the points lead. He’ll look to keep rolling against defending world champ Matt Hagan, 16-time world champion John Force, J.R. Todd, Bob Tasca III, three-time world champ Ron Capps.

Back in Richmond will be the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Pingel NHRA Top Fuel Motorcycle Series and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock.

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 VMP 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 also get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet in Richmond. This opportunity gives fans a unique chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. Fans 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 features three rounds of action on Saturday, June 22 at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. ET, with eliminations beginning at 12 p.m. on Sunday, June 23. Television coverage includes qualifying action at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday. Finals coverage starts at 5 p.m. on Sunday on FS1. Perseverance

To purchase tickets to the PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals on June 21-23 at Virginia Motorsports Park, visit https://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, including the full 2024 schedule, 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.

DINWIDDIE, Va. (June 19, 2024) – Austin Prock was in a Top Fuel dragster two years ago at Virginia Motorsports Park, but at this weekend’s PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals he’ll be looking for his third Funny Car win of the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Prock, driver of the 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS, is new to the Funny Car class this season, but his predecessor, Robert Hight, won at Virginia Motorsports Park in 2022, the last time NHRA raced in Richmond. Prock has already seen success in the Funny Car class as he has two wins on the season, including most recently in Bristol, and has been the No. 1 qualifier at six of the first eight races en route to the points lead.

That gives the young standout and former NHRA Rookie of the Year plenty of momentum heading into his Funny Car debut at the standout facility.

“Richmond is one of the flattest tracks on the circuit which will be much appreciated by the tuners with this weekend’s temperatures,” Prock said. “I always say I never like an off weekend and I’m excited to get back into my Cornwell Quality Tools Camaro SS and get back in the groove of things. We’re looking for another strong weekend.”

Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Hight (Funny Car) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won in Richmond in 2022 and this year’s event will again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 23. It is the ninth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA season.

New this year at the PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals is a two-day schedule for the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Teams will have three rounds of qualifying on Saturday with race day on Sunday and the unique format will have teams forming new strategies for the weekend.

Prock is also part of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday, which makes its Virginia Motorsports Park debut this weekend. The bonus race adds a bonus purse and bonus championship points, and makes for a busy Saturday leading into eliminations.

Prock will meet up with defending world champ and Virginia native Matt Hagan while John Force will rematch with J.R. Todd. The Top Fuel ranks will see Bristol winner Tony Schumacher against Clay Millican and reigning champion Doug Kalitta taking on B. Force. The Pro Stock class will be a rematch of teammates with Elite Motorsports’ Erica Enders and Jeg Coughlin on one side of the ladder and KB Titan Racing’s Greg Anderson and Dallas Glenn on the other. In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Gaige Herrera will take on M. Smith while Jianna Evaristo will race Richard Gadson.

In Bristol, Prock swept the entire weekend, qualifying No. 1, winning the specialty event and then the race on Saturday. He’ll get a chance to do that again this weekend, taking on a class that also features Bob Tasca III, Alexis DeJoria and Ron Capps, with everything taking place over the course of two days.

“I’m excited to get to Richmond,” Prock said. “We’ve got a two-day show this weekend with three qualifying passes on Saturday and our race day on Sunday. It will be interesting to see how the fans and competitors take in the new format.”

B. Force is seeking her first Top Fuel win of the season and hopes Virginia Motorsports Park will be the turning point for her season. Kalitta currently leads the Top Fuel points with Justin Ashley behind him in second. Gainesville and Phoenix winner Shawn Langdon, as well as multi-time champs Steve Torrence and Antron Brown are also in the mix.

Returning to Virginia in 2024 is Pro Stock, which is led by points leader Dallas Glenn. There’s a host of standout competitors, including reigning and six-time world champ Enders, and five-time champs Anderson and Bristol winner Coughlin.

Former Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Smith will be seeking another win from Virginia Motorsports Park. Last year saw the reign of current champion Herrera. He won 11 races last year and is undefeated so far in 2024, racing to four wins. Others to watch include Chase Van Sant and Angie Smith.

Back in Richmond will be the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, as well as the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Pingel NHRA Top Fuel Motorcycle Series and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock.

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 VMP 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 also get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet in Richmond. This opportunity gives fans a unique chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. Fans 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 features three rounds of action on Saturday, June 22 at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. ET, with eliminations beginning at 12 p.m. on Sunday, June 23. Television coverage includes qualifying action at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday. Finals coverage starts at 5 p.m. on Sunday on FS1.

To purchase tickets to the PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals on June 21-23 at Virginia Motorsports Park, visit https://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, including the full 2024 schedule, 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.

CHEVROLET IN NHRA
2024 PlayNHRA VIRGINIA NATIONALS
VIRGINIA MOTORSPORTS PARK
NORTH DINWIDDIE, VIRGINIA
TEAM CHEVY RACE ADVANCE | NOTES & QUOTES
JUNE 21-23, 2024

CHEVROLET RETURNS TO VIRGINIA MOTORSPORTS PARK READY TO DEFEND JOHN FORCE RACING’S 2022 DOUBLE WINS

Notes:

• Team Chevy heads to the 2024 PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals, the ninth round of the season, June 21-23 at Virginia Motorsports Park.
• Last competing at Virginia Motorsports Park in 2022, John Force Racing left with a handful of hardware, capturing both the Funny Car event win with Robert Hight and the Top Fuel event win with Brittany Force, who also qualified No. 1 ahead of eliminations.
• Austin Prock, driver of the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, enters Virginia Motorsports Park as the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car points leader, coming off his most recent victory at Bristol Dragway.
• Leaving Bristol, Prock’s team owner and teammate, John Force, 16-time champion and driver of the PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, trails in second in the championship standings by just 64 points.
• From a three-team semifinal finish in Bristol, all three John Force Racing entries will compete in the Mission Foods NHRA #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday during Q2 in Richmond. Force, Prock, and Force will face off for bonuses of additional prize money and championship points.
• Last competing at Virginia Motorsports Park, Bo Butner, III raced to victory in 2019, with Jason Line taking the No. 1 qualifier in Pro Stock that year.

Quotes:

BRITTANY FORCE, DRIVER OF THE HENDRICKCARS.COM CHEVROLET TOP FUEL DRAGSTER:

“Excited to return to Richmond, Virginia with HendrickCars.com as our primary sponsor coming out of a strong weekend in Bristol. This team has made some progress on the track, and we know we are starting to see results on race day. After a semi-final round finish in Thunder Valley, our team will enter Virginia Motorsports Park and have a chance to compete #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge for extra bonus points and prize money. This weekend, Richmond is changing things up. It will be a 2-day event, which is something I’ve never done in my career. I’m interested to see the fan response for a Saturday and Sunday event. It will definitely speed things up and we are hoping for a positive outcome.”

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

“Excited to get to Richmond. We’ve got a 2-day show this weekend with three qualifying passes on Saturday and our race day on Sunday. It will be interesting to see how the fans and competitors take in the new format. Richmond is one of the flattest tracks on circuit which will be much appreciated by the tuners with this weekend’s temperatures. It’s going to be a hot one! As I always say, ‘I never like an off weekend!’ I’m excited to get back into my Cornwell Quality Tools Camaro SS and get back in the groove of things. We’re looking for another strong weekend.”

JOHN FORCE, DRIVER OF THE PEAK ANTIFREEZE & COOLANT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS FUNNY CAR:

“Glad to be back in Richmond with my PEAK Chevy. We have won the race a number of times. I’m excited to run it as a two-day race. It’s something new for the fans, the drivers, and the crew chiefs. And we get to run that Mission Foods race in the middle of it. One day of qualifying with a race built right in. It’s pretty exciting. Brittany’s (Force) HendrickCars.com dragster is starting to run better and (Austin) Prock’s Cornwell Tools Chevy is on fire, so we are all looking forward to being back in the seat here in Virginia.”

How to Watch:

The 2024 PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals from Virginia Motorsports Park kick off Friday, June 21 with Friday’s qualifying airing at 1 p.m. ET Saturday. Saturday’s qualifying airs Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, with Finals following at 5 p.m. ET. All sessions from Epping, New Hampshire air with NHRA on FOX 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:

1,459: 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).

163: 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.

83: 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.

DINWIDDIE, Va. (June 18, 2024) – The last time Brittany Force was at Virginia Motorsports Park, the Top Fuel standout was obliterating track records in Richmond en route to a victory in 2022 and, ultimately, her second world championship in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

Returning to the standout facility in 2024 for this weekend’s PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park, Force hopes to recreate some of that magic and return to the winner’s circle for the first time since her 2022 championship season.

The team made strides two weeks ago in Bristol, advancing to the semifinals, and she has plenty of good history in Richmond, going 3.654-seconds at 335.82 mph two years ago on her way to the winner’s circle. Force is preparing to race in warmer conditions in her 11,000-horsepower HendrickCars.com/Chevrolet dragster, as she also gets ready to tackle the unique, first-time schedule that will feature three qualifying sessions on Saturday.

“Our recent improvements, particularly at Bristol, have boosted our confidence and morale,” Force said. “We’re eager to build on that momentum and showcase our progress in Richmond. This weekend, Richmond is changing things up. It will be a 2-day event, which is something I’ve never done in my career. I’m interested to see the fan response for a Saturday and Sunday event, and we are hoping for a positive outcome.”

In 2022, Force (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won in Richmond and this year’s event will again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 23. It is the ninth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA season and PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals is the first time in NHRA history where all four pro categories (Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle) will take part in three qualifying sessions on Saturday.

That makes for an action-packed weekend for Force, who is also competing in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday, taking on reigning world champion and points leader Doug Kalitta in a semifinal rematch from Bristol. The other pairing features Bristol winner Tony Schumacher and Clay Millican. Those runs will take place during the second qualifying session of the day, with the winners meeting in the final qualifying session with a bonus purse and bonus championship points on the line.

Currently 10th in the loaded Top Fuel category, Force is also looking to make a move over the next two weekends in Richmond and Norwalk. It won’t be easy, taking on the likes of Justin Ashley and Shawn Langdon, who each have two wins this season, Antron Brown, Steve Torrence and Top Fuel newcomer Tony Stewart, but Force believes her team is headed in the right direction heading into an important time of the year.

The team has pushed through early-season difficulties, including a rare DNQ in Chicago, and the payoff for the perseverance could come this weekend at Virginia Motorsports Park.

“We’re excited to return to Richmond with HendrickCars.com as our primary sponsor coming out of a strong weekend in Bristol,” Force said. “After a semifinal finish in Thunder Valley, our team will enter Virginia Motorsports Park and have a chance to compete #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge for extra bonus points and prize money. This team has made some progress on the track and we know we are starting to see results on race day.”

Austin Prock took over Funny Car driving duties for Hight at the start of the 2024 season and has enjoyed instant success, picking up two event wins and the points lead. He’ll look to keep rolling against defending world champ Matt Hagan, 16-time world champion John Force, J.R. Todd, Bob Tasca III, three-time world champ Ron Capps.

Returning to Virginia in 2024 is Pro Stock, which is led by points leader Dallas Glenn. There’s a host of standout competitors, including reigning and six-time world champ Erica Enders, and five-time champs Greg Anderson and Jeg Coughlin Jr.

Former Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Smith will be seeking another win from Virginia Motorsports Park. Last year saw the reign of current champion Gaige Herrera. He won 11 races last year and is undefeated so far in 2024, racing to four race wins. Others to watch include Chase Van Sant and Angie Smith.

Back in Richmond will be the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+. The fan-favorite class will take to the track and will be joined by top competitors in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Pingel NHRA Top Fuel Motorcycle Series and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock

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 VMP 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 also get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet in Richmond. This opportunity gives fans a unique chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. Fans 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 features three rounds of action on Saturday, June 22 at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. ET, with eliminations beginning at 12 p.m. on Sunday, June 23. Television coverage includes qualifying action at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday. Finals coverage starts at 5 p.m. on Sunday on FS1.

To purchase tickets to the PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals on June 21-23 at Virginia Motorsports Park, visit https://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, including the full 2024 schedule, 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.

DINWIDDIE, Va. (June 17, 2024) – NHRA officials announced today that PlayNHRA, a new initiative that provides fans opportunities to engage in fantasy games, gaming, and betting for NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series events, has been named the title sponsor for the upcoming Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park.

The PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals takes place June 21-23 at the standout facility just south of Richmond and serves as the ninth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

As part of PlayNHRA, NHRA’s partnerships with leading sports books and fantasy sports providers enables fans to sign up for free and legally wager on national events and other outcomes in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Odds will be released and wagers will be accepted during the race at Virginia Motorsports Park.

“We’re extremely excited about PlayNHRA and this is another great opportunity to spread awareness about this initiative,” NHRA Vice President and Chief Development Officer Brad Gerber said. “PlayNHRA is the ideal destination for fans to make safe and regulated betting on NHRA drag racing, participate in fantasy games and feel even closer to the action.”

The PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals is also unique in that all NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series categories (Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle) will take part in three qualifying sessions on Saturday for the first time in NHRA history.

As part of a loaded two days, fans will get the chance to see 11,000-horsepower, 330-mph nitro machines in action three times on Saturday, as well as the thrilling Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge for the first time. That leads into Sunday eliminations on one of the top track surfaces on the NHRA tour.

Winners in 2022 included Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle). This year, the event will again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 23.

Force, a two-time Top Fuel world champion, claimed the win back in 2022, obliterating track records in the process. She’s looking for her first win of the 2024 season, taking on stars Justin Ashley, Shawn Langdon, reigning champion and current points leader Doug Kalitta and former champs Steve Torrence and Antron Brown. Fans at VMP can also watch racing legend Tony Stewart make his Richmond Top Fuel debut.

Austin Prock took over Funny Car driving duties for Hight at the start of the 2024 season and has enjoyed instant success, picking up two event wins and the points lead. He’ll look to keep rolling against defending world champ Matt Hagan, 16-time world champion John Force, J.R. Todd, Bob Tasca III, three-time world champ Ron Capps.

Returning to Virginia in 2024 is Pro Stock, which is led by points leader Dallas Glenn. There’s a host of standout competitors, including reigning and six-time world champ Erica Enders, and five-time champs Greg Anderson and Jeg Coughlin Jr. No active driver in the Pro Stock ranks has won at VMP.

Former Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Smith will be seeking another win from Virginia Motorsports Park. Last year saw the reign of current champion Gaige Herrera. He won 11 races last year and is undefeated so far in 2024, racing to four race wins to. Others to watch include Chase Van Sant and Angie Smith.

Back in Richmond will be the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+. The fan-favorite class will take to the track and will be joined by top competitors in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Pingel NHRA Top Fuel Motorcycle Series and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock

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 VMP 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 also get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet in Richmond. This opportunity gives fans a unique chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. Fans 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 features three rounds of action on Saturday, June 22 at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. ET, with eliminations beginning at 12 p.m. on Sunday, June 23. Television coverage includes qualifying action at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday. Finals coverage starts at 5 p.m. on Sunday on FS1.

To purchase tickets to the PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals on June 21-23 at Virginia Motorsports Park, visit https://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, including the full 2024 schedule, 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.

SEATTLE (June 14, 2024) – For the first time at Pacific Raceways, fans will be treated to night racing from the nitro-burning machines of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series at the 35th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals, July 19-21.

The NHRA Northwest Nationals marks the 11th event of the 2024 season and will feature night qualifying for the first time to kick off an incredible weekend. Fans will see nitro cars like never before with huge header flames under the lights in their 330-mph, 11,000-horsepower machines, as well as Pro Stock Motorcycle and the return of Pro Stock. Combined, it’s the first time all four NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series classes will race at Pacific Raceway during the same weekend in NHRA history.

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.

Add in the popular Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday, and it marks one of the biggest NHRA race weekends in Pacific Raceways history.

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.

Torrence, a four-time NHRA Top Fuel champion, powered to a win when he defeated Doug Kalitta in the finals last year. Torrence will be on the hunt for his third Seattle win and to do so, he’ll need to get past the tough field of competitors including Kalitta, the reigning world champion, Justin Ashley and Shawn Langdon, both with two wins on the season, Bristol winner Tony Schumacher and Top Fuel newcomer Tony Stewart.

Wilkerson stepped out of his Funny Car and handed driving responsibilities to his son Daniel, who has a runner-up finish this season from Charlotte. If he wants to defend the Wilkerson win in Seattle, he’ll have to get by points leader Austin Prock, who also joined the Funny Car ranks this season, as well as 16-time world champ John Force, J.R. Todd and reigning champion 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 and currently tied with NHRA legend Bob Glidden for the most consecutive wins in NHRA history (9). 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. Enders is the reigning Pro Stock champ and has a NHRA Northwest Nationals win to her credit, while Anderson is a three-time Seattle winner. Currently leading the points is standout 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.

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, hosted by NHRA legend Don “The Snake” Prudhomme. 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 Seattle event winners.

Fans will also be invited to the Nitro Alley Stage all weekend, which features Nitro School, meet and greets, music and much more. As always, fans also get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet in Seattle. They can see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. Fans can also visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, simulated competitions, 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.