Category: NHRA

S. Torrence, Prock and J. Coughlin Jr. earn No. 1 qualifiers at NHRA Arizona Nationals

PHOENIX (April 5, 2024) – J.R. Todd powered to the Funny Car victory in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday at a sold-out Firebird Motorsports Park, defeating John Force in the final round of the specialty event as part of the 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals.

Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, while Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car) and Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) claimed No. 1 qualifiers at the third of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

Todd held off Force in the final round of the Challenge with a run of 3.974 at 316.67 in his 11,000-horsepower DHL Toyota GR Supra. It gives the former world champion his second victory in the specialty race, with the first coming last year in Sonoma. Todd swept that weekend, which is something he would certainly love to replicate in Phoenix. Todd knocked off Matt Hagan in the earlier round before leading from start-to-finish against Force in the final round.

“Anytime you could turn on a win light against the greatest of all time, that’s it’s doing something whether it’s the Mission race or the actual Sunday event,” said Todd, who won the Gatornationals earlier this season. “He’s a tough one to get by.

“It’s weird to say that we’ve been struggling this year, but we have been struggling to get down to try to make clean runs and haven’t really been consistent a lot, so coming up to this race I think the game plan was just going from A to B to make sure we got a good clean run. to start off the weekend.”

Austin Prock’s 3.840 at 334.40 from Friday in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS held up, giving the first-year Funny Car driver his second No. 1 spot in three races. He’ll open eliminations against Buddy Hull. Bob Tasca III took second with a 3.876 at 334.65 and Paul Lee qualified third after going 3.889 at 329.02.

In Top Fuel, Tony Schumacher picked up the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory with a run of 3.925 at 292.77 in his 11,000-horsepower Leatherwood Distillery/RAC Financial dragster, getting past Brittany Force in the finals of the specialty race. It’s the first victory in the Challenge for Schumacher, an eight-time Top Fuel world champ, who likes the direction the team is headed.

“This does a lot for us,” Schumacher said. “The car has been running well. They’ve made some changes. We’re happy where we’re at. We’re gaining knowledge. We have a great race car. I’m driving the car well, minus that last round. All things considered, we get to do it again tomorrow. This is a great race track, it’s a sold out show today and I’m looking forward to getting started for tomorrow.”

Steve Torrence’s strong run from Friday stood up, as the four-time world champion earned his first top spot of the season with his 3.678 at 336.23 in his 11,000-horsepower Capco Contractors dragster. He’ll open eliminations against Top Fuel rookie Travis Shumake, looking for his first victory of the season. Brittany Force qualified second thanks to Friday’s 3.689 at 334.90, while defending world champ Doug Kalitta’s 3.697 at 323.66 put him third.

Enders’ Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge win in Pro Stock came against Mason McGaha, as the defending world champion tracked down McGaha with a run of 6.541 at 210.87 in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Scag Power Equipment car. It’s the second specialty event win for motorsports’ winningest female, and she’ll look to pick up her 50th career national event win on Sunday.

“We’re obviously very thankful for what Mission is doing for our sport and our class, and it’s exciting to have a race within a race despite the stress that it has been,” Enders said. “Rolling off the trailer and having no shots at the Tree or the racetrack before that round of eliminations, it was nerve-wracking. Fortunately, my horsepower saved me. I’ve saved my car before and today they saved me.”

Her Elite Motorsports teammate Jeg Coughlin Jr. swiped the No. 1 spot from the six-time world champ during the final session, as the veteran went 6.517 at 210.64 in his Scag Power Equipment car. It’s the 35th career No. 1 qualifier for Coughlin, who returned back to full-time racing this season. He’ll open eliminations against Phoenix-area native Matt Hartford, looking to win for the first time since 2020.

“It’s very exciting and a big testament to this team,” Coughlin said. “To be on the pole, it feels fantastic. We unloaded off the trailer with a good run right off the bat. I had my hands full the first three gears and we tuned it up for Q2. It was the quickest of the session and went straight down the track. They tuned it up for Q3 and gave me a little more and it felt really nice. The car feels good and the team is gelling, and that’s what it takes.”

Enders’ 6.518 at 210.90 put her second, while Dallas Glenn took third with a 6.537 at 209.14.

Eliminations for the 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals begin at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday at Firebird Motorsports Park.

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NHRA Agate from Chandler, Ariz.

CHANDLER, Ariz. — Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the 39th annual NHRA Arizona

Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park, the third 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, 3.678 seconds, 336.23 mph vs. 16. Travis Shumake, 4.175, 203.61; 2.

Brittany Force, 3.689, 334.90 vs. 15. Tony Stewart, 3.982, 255.24; 3. Doug Kalitta, 3.697, 323.66

vs. 14. Terry Totten, 3.858, 318.24; 4. Antron Brown, 3.738, 329.34 vs. 13. Clay Millican, 3.841,

308.07; 5. Shawn Langdon, 3.750, 327.74 vs. 12. Josh Hart, 3.820, 320.81; 6. Tony Schumacher, 3.755,

328.38 vs. 11. Justin Ashley, 3.802, 330.15; 7. Krista Baldwin, 3.755, 325.37 vs. 10. Billy

Torrence, 3.799, 328.86; 8. Shawn Reed, 3.772,

327.74 vs. 9. Jasmine Salinas, 3.774, 318.92.

Funny Car — 1. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.840, 334.40 vs. 16. Buddy Hull, Dodge Charger, 4.158,

260.31; 2. Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 3.876, 334.65 vs. 15. Alexis DeJoria, Toyota GR Supra,

4.134, 301.74; 3. Paul Lee, Charger, 3.889, 329.02 vs. 14. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Camry, 4.068, 307.72;

4. John Force, Camaro, 3.901,

325.37 vs. 13. Jim Campbell, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.052, 302.41; 5. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.923, 320.58

vs. 12.

Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.027, 311.85; 6. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 3.927, 324.44 vs. 11. Ron Capps,

GR Supra, 4.020, 310.34; 7. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.941, 323.35 vs. 10. Bobby Bode, Mustang, 4.008,

271.57; 8.

Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.974, 294.43 vs. 9. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.976, 312.57.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Dave Richards, 4.227, 296.31; 18. Terry Haddock, 4.457, 240.34.

Pro Stock — 1. Jeg Coughlin, Chevy Camaro, 6.517, 210.64 vs. 16. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.595,

208.81; 2.

Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.518, 210.90 vs. 15. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.590, 208.62; 3. Dallas Glenn,

Camaro, 6.537, 209.14 vs. 14. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.589, 207.08; 4. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.538,

210.08 vs. 13.

Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.589, 208.65; 5. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.541, 211.30 vs. 12. Deric

Kramer, Camaro, 6.583, 209.07; 6. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.557, 209.88 vs. 11. Brandon

Foster, Camaro, 6.578, 208.65; 7. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.564, 209.72 vs. 10. Kenny Delco,

Camaro, 6.576, 209.88; 8. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.572, 209.65 vs. 9. David Cuadra, Mustang, 6.575,

209.75.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Fernando Cuadra Jr., 6.615, 208.88; 18. Joey Grose, 6.664, 206.92; 19. Camrie

Caruso, 8.920, 142.87; 20. Sienna Wildgust, 13.812, 76.93.

CHANDLER, Ariz. — Saturday’s final results from the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge at 39th

annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park.

Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge Top Fuel Challenge — Tony Schumacher, 3.925 seconds, 292.77 mph

def.

Brittany Force, 4.378 seconds, 216.62 mph.

Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge Funny Car Challenge — J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 3.974, 316.67

def.

John Force, Chevy Camaro, 4.007, 320.89.

Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge Pro Stock Challenge — Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.541, 210.87

def.

Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.591, 208.91.

CHANDLER, Ariz. — Final round-by-round results from the 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at

Firebird Motorsports Park, the third of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE — Tony Schumacher, 3.755, 328.38 def. Billy Torrence, 4.726, 158.26; Brittany Force,

3.689, 334.90 def. Justin Ashley, 3.902, 313.58; FINAL — T. Schumacher, 3.925, 292.77 def. B. Force,

4.378, 216.62.

FUNNY CAR CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE — J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 3.923, 320.58 def. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.996, 281.77;

John Force, Chevy Camaro, 3.901, 325.37 def. Ron Capps, GR Supra, 8.909, 82.80; FINAL — J. Todd,

3.974, 316.67 def. J. Force, 4.007, 320.89.

PRO STOCK CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE — Mason McGaha, Chevy Camaro, 17.916, 45.52 def. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, Foul – Red Light;

Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.518, 210.90 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.575, 209.72; FINAL — E. Enders,

6.541, 210.87 def. M. McGaha, 6.591, 208.91.

PHOENIX (April 6, 2024) – Funny Car legend John Force picked up his first victory in two years, powering past Matt Hagan of Tony Stewart Racing to win the postponed Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, which was completed on Saturday in front of a sellout crowd at Firebird Motorsports Park in Phoenix.

Justin Ashley (Top Fuel) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) also won the postponed Pomona race on Saturday at Firebird Motorsports Park, which was the second of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Force, the winningest driver in NHRA history, went 4.033-seconds at 318.24 mph in his 11,000-horsepower PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS, slipping past Hagan’s 4.048 to claim his 156th career victory and first since April of 2022. Force now has eight Winternationals wins to his credit and this marked another special one in his iconic career.

“I’m just facing the truth in life, that, you know, time’s running out, and I’m trying to hang on,” Force said. “This morning, I was talking about, ‘You know, maybe this is it, maybe I should just walk out the gate and go to the casino,’ and then all sudden you win and your weight and your personality just changes.

“I was mad, mad at myself [for losing in the Mission Challenge earlier in the day], and I started saying, ‘You just need to get out of the seat, you’re just too old for this stuff’ or ‘Get out there and fight the fight.’ And I did and things went right, and I got the win, so I’m excited.”

In Top Fuel, Justin Ashley kept his Winternationals winning streak alive, even in a new location, winning the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals for the third straight year and defeating Tony Schumacher on a holeshot with a pass of 3.802 at 330.15 in his 11,000-horsepower Scag Power Equipment dragster. Ashley posted an impressive reaction time of .023 to hold off Schumacher’s run of 3.772 at 326.00

It is Ashley’s 12th career victory and first this season, and certainly one of the more unique ones in his young career.

“It’s very special. Even though is not in Pomona, the NHRA Winternationals is a very prestigious race so to win it once is extraordinary. To win in three times in a row is an incredible blessing,” Ashley said. “This event, the way everything played out, it was a test for our team and they came through just as they seemingly do every time. I think we needed this as a team.

“This was a huge round win. It’s just so special because you never know when you’ll be in another final and you want to try to take advantage of that opportunity and you never know when you’re going to win your next race so you just have to try and enjoy it. This one feels a little bit different and a little bit different in a good way.”

In Pro Stock, Glenn defended his Winternationals victory with a second straight win, this one coming in Phoenix and on a holeshot against reigning world champion Erica Enders. Glenn went 6.537 at 209.14 in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro, using an .024 reaction time to hold off Enders’ 6.531 at 209.52.

It’s the ninth career win for Glenn and his first in the 2024 campaign, giving the young standout some much-needed Phoenix success.

“I was just thinking that the last two times I’ve raced here in Phoenix I’ve lost first round both times, so Phoenix hasn’t been the best place to me,” Glenn said. “I definitely wanted to finish that last one in Pomona. We tried some new things and kind of took a few runs to get it dialed in, but it definitely came around in the final. I just tried to do everything I can to hit everything I could on that one. I’m just glad to be able to get it done because I was feeling really good in Pomona.”

Eliminations for the 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals begin at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday at Firebird Motorsports Park.

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Saturday’s final round resuls from the rain delayed 64th annual NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out

Pomona

Dragstrip.

Top Fuel — Justin Ashley, 3.802 seconds, 330.15 mph def. Tony Schumacher, 3.772 seconds, 326.00

mph.

Funny Car — John Force, Chevy Camaro, 4.033, 318.24 def. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.048, 283.61.

Pro Stock — Dallas Glenn, Chevy Camaro, 6.537, 209.14 def. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.531, 209.52.

ASHLEY WINS WINTERNATIONALS; S. TORRENCE EARNS NO. 1 QUALIFIER IN PHOENIX
Justin Ashley claims 12th Top Fuel win

CHANDLER, Ariz. (April 6, 2024) – Steve Torrence completed a strong two days of qualifying for Team Toyota by earning the No. 1 qualifying spot for the NHRA Arizona Nationals. The Texan laid down a swift 3.678 elapsed time during the Friday evening session to claim the top spot. It’s Torrence’s first No. 1 qualifying position of the season and the 38th of his career.

The final round of qualifying also served as the makeup finals from the Winternationals at Pomona two weeks ago, where Justin Ashley defeated Tony Schumacher in a holeshot win to take his first Wally Trophy of the season. This is the New York native’s 12th win in Top Fuel and 14th overall in his NHRA career.

In Funny Car, J.R. Todd, qualified 5th for tomorrow’s elimination rounds, followed by Ron Capps in 11th and Alexis DeJoria in 15th. Todd also captured the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty victory Saturday by defeating John Force in the first qualifying session.

Toyota Post-Qualifying Recap
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series
NHRA Arizona Nationals
Firebird Motorsports Park
Race 3 of 20

TOYOTA TOP FUEL QUALIFYING POSITIONS 

Name	Car	Qualifying Position	First Round Opponent
Steve Torrence	CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	1st	T. Schumake
Doug Kalitta	SealMaster Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	3rd	T. Totten
Antron Brown	Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	4th	C. Millican
Shawn Langdon	Kalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	5th	J. Hart
Billy Torrence	CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	10th	K. Baldwin
Justin Ashley	SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	11th	T. Schumacher

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING POSITIONS 

Name	Car	Qualifying Position	First Round Opponent
A. Prock	Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Funny Car	1st*	B. Hull
J.R. Todd	DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	5th	C. Pedregon
Ron Capps	NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	11th	B. Alexander
Alexis DeJoria	Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	15th	B. Tasca III

*= Non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

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

TF Qualifying Result: 1st

Take us through your qualifying run this weekend.

“I enjoy racing here. To go out and run well on Friday always is important.  We’ve really worked hard at creating power and running near our career best speed (336.23 mph) shows our progress (but) consistency is still the key.  If we can remain consistent, we will be lethal out here.”

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

TF Qualifying Result: 11th

Does this win mean more coming off a holeshot?

“No, I don’t think so. Holeshot or no shot, a win is a win. That seemed like a pretty close drag race. I’ll have to take a look at the slip. First of all, Tony (Schumacher) is a great guy. Great team over there and I have a lot of respect for them. Joe Maynard and that whole operation. But this is the first official Top Fuel win for Randy (Gloede), Maria (Oldenburg) and the whole team at Metal Craft of Mayville and SCAG Power Equipment. We are out here because of all of the SCAG users, all of the SCAG dealers and distributors that let us come out here and do what we love. Thank you for all that you do. Mike Green (crew chief) and Tommy DeLago (co-crew chief) have been fighting this race car and worked so hard. From top to bottom, this team has done a great job. Just to turn on a win light for everyone at Toyota, Phillips, Lucas Oil, Mac Tools. What a blessing it is to be here. We couldn’t finish in Pomona, but it’s still a Winternationals Wally Trophy and I couldn’t be happier.”

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

FC Qualifying Result: 5th

Do you think the win in the #2Fast2Tasty challenge provides momentum for the weekend?

“Yeah, absolutely. I mean, it’s weird to say we’ve been struggling so far this year, but we have been struggling to get down the track and make clean runs. I haven’t really been consistent, but we’ve had luck on our side coming up to this race. And then yesterday, our gameplan was just to go from A to B and make sure we had a clean run to start off the weekend. The 3.923 was a good run. When you see 3.800 times out there, you get a little greedy. But honestly, it turned out to be a pretty good run and put us in a good spot for Sunday, even though there are never any easy draws on Sunday. Yeah, we’ve made three good runs and we were fortunate to win the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty deal. Thanks to Mission Foods for putting up the extra money and bonus points. It’s always good to have those points in your back pocket later in the year when it mattered.”

About Toyota 

Toyota (NYSE:TM), creator of the Prius hybrid and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota and Lexus brands, and directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America (more than 49,000 in the U.S.).

Over the past 65 years, Toyota has assembled nearly 45 million cars and trucks in North America at the company’s 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, the company’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

Through our more than 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.), Toyota sold more than 2.4 million cars and trucks (more than 2.1 million in the U.S.) in 2022, of which, nearly one quarter were electrified vehicles (full battery, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell).

PHOENIX (April 5, 2024) – Four-time Top Fuel world champion Steve Torrence powered to the provisional No. 1 qualifier on Friday at Firebird Motorsports Park, putting him in line for his first top spot of the season at the 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals.

Funny Car’s Austin Prock is also the provisional No. 1 qualifier at the third of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Due to unseasonable weather conditions on Friday in Phoenix, the Safety Safari has spent additional time working on the track and track prep.

Based on those weather conditions, the Pro Stock and Pro Mod qualifying sessions were postponed to Saturday. Both classes will make three qualifying attempts on Saturday, with Pro Stock running at its scheduled 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. times. The Pro Stock #2Fast2Tasty Mission Challenge will take place during those sessions. The last session in Pro Stock is slated for 3:30 p.m., where the finals of the NHRA Winternationals will also take place.

Torrence went 3.678-seconds at 336.23 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Capco Contractors dragster to close out Friday qualifying as he looks for his 38th career No. 1 qualifier. The Texas native is also seeking his first victory of the 2024 season and was pleased with Friday’s run, which nearly set a career-best speed.

“I love racing here and I’m glad to be back in Phoenix,” Torrence said. “It’s a cool place to race and the car felt really smooth going down there. When you run that kind of mph, that’s nothing but power. It was a nice, smooth, clean run and that was exciting. We’ve made some big steps and figured some things out, and I feel like this car is better than it’s ever been. Now, we’re just trying to get that consistency down.”

Brittany Force took the second spot after going 3.689 at 334.90, while defending world champ Doug Kalitta’s 3.697 at 323.66 has him third.

In the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, Force and Tony Schumacher won their matchups and will meet in the final round of the specialty race in the opening qualifying session on Saturday. Schumacher and Justin Ashley will race in the championship round of the NHRA Winternationals to close out final qualifying.

Driving the car that won at Firebird Motorsports Park a year ago, Funny Car’s Prock ran 3.840 at 334.40 in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS to take the provisional No. 1 spot to continue his impressive start to his Funny Car career. If it holds, Prock would already have two Funny Car No. 1 qualifiers in three races this season and also the fifth in his nitro career. Taking over driving duties for Hight in Funny Car this year, Prock has performed well and has confidence this weekend driving for a team that has won the last two years in Phoenix.

“I can see the confidence in the team this weekend,” Prock said. “We have a really good notebook of runs here. The team (with Robert Hight driving) won the last few times they came here and we’re off to another great start.

“It really flew. This place is tricky, you get these crosswinds that really push these cars even though you’re punching a hole through the air and it really moves these cars around, but that’s what I love about Funny Car. So, you got to be ready for that. We love coming here and the fans are always great.”

Bob Tasca III is currently second after going 3.876 at 334.65 and Paul Lee is third thanks to his 3.889 at 329.02.

John Force and J.R. Todd won their matchups in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Friday and will meet in the finals of the specialty race in the first qualifying session on Saturday. Force and defending world champion Matt Hagan will meet in the finals of the postponed NHRA Winternationals to close out the last qualifying session.

Qualifying continues at 11:30 a.m. ET on Saturday at the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park.

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CHANDLER, Ariz. — Friday’s results after the first one of three rounds of qualifying for the 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park, third 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, 3.678 seconds, 336.23 mph; 2. Brittany Force, 3.689, 334.90; 3. Doug Kalitta, 3.697, 323.66; 4. Antron Brown, 3.738, 329.34; 5. Tony Schumacher, 3.755, 328.38; 6. Krista Baldwin, 3.755, 325.37; 7. Shawn Langdon, 3.790, 317.42; 8. Jasmine Salinas, 3.893, 252.76; 9. Justin Ashley, 3.902, 313.58; 10. Shawn Reed, 4.026, 276.41; 11. Clay Millican, 4.508, 171.42; 12. Billy Torrence, 4.726, 158.26; 13. Terry Totten, 4.934, 148.17; 14. Tony Stewart, 6.165, 100.36; 15. Josh Hart, 8.167, 77.54; 16. Travis Shumake, 8.693, 83.34.

Funny Car — 1. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.840, 334.40; 2. Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 3.876, 334.65; 3. Paul Lee, Dodge Charger, 3.889, 329.02; 4. John Force, Camaro, 3.901, 325.37; 5. J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 3.923, 320.58; 6. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 3.927, 324.44; 7. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.941, 323.35; 8. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.996, 281.77; 9. Jim Campbell, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.052, 302.41; 10. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Camry, 4.068, 307.72; 11. Buddy Hull, Charger, 4.158, 260.31; 12. Bobby Bode, Mustang, 4.501, 196.99; 13. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 4.653, 178.17; 14. Dave Richards, Mustang, 7.475, 86.37; 15. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 7.633, 99.00; 16. Alexis DeJoria, GR Supra, 8.581, 76.65. Not Qualified: 17. Ron Capps, 8.909, 82.80; 18. Daniel Wilkerson, 10.449, 81.56.

Along with the NHRA Arizona Nationals, the finals of the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge also takes place in Phoenix

PHOENIX (April 4, 2024) – In short, six NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series drivers have a chance for an epic weekend at Firebird Motorsports Park. Along with the 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals, the final round of the postponed Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals happens during final qualifying on Saturday, while the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge takes place on Friday and Saturday.

Top Fuel’s Tony Schumacher and Justin Ashley, Funny Car’s Matt Hagan and John Force, and Pro Stock’s Erica Enders and Dallas Glenn all have a chance for something special this weekend in Phoenix. The six Winternationals finalists spoke about the chance for a spectacular, “triple-up” weekend.

TOP FUEL

TONY SCHUMACHER VS. JUSTIN ASHLEY

This is a rematch of a final round last year in Bristol, where Ashley swept the weekend, winning the New England Nationals against Schumacher, the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and then the Thunder Valley Nationals the next day.
Schumacher is currently 5-3 against Ashley in eliminations.
Schumacher, an eight-time world champ, is after his first win since 2022. Ashley will attempt to win the Winternationals for the third straight year.

Schumacher: “I’m the most jacked I’ve been in a long, long time. The car is running right, the team is in a great mood. We earned our way into the finals. I’ve done this before, finishing a race during a race weekend. I’ve finished the Charlotte race in Dallas, and last year I raced the Epping finals in Bristol. It doesn’t happen very often, but it’s so exciting when it does. Phoenix is a track that has been good to me in the past so hopefully we’ll have some more of that Firebird success this weekend. There is so much potential at this race and we’re pumped up and ready to go.”

Ashley: “It really is a great opportunity, a unique opportunity and we’ve got a lot on the line. I don’t know that we’ve ever gone into a national event and had every run, starting with Q1, be so meaningful. It’s exciting and all we have to do is turn on seven win lights this weekend. It’s such a difficult thing to do with the depth of this class and you’ve already seen that this year. It’s going to take a lot of toughness from this team to capitalize on this and we’re really looking forward to it and we’re grateful for it.”

FUNNY CAR

JOHN FORCE VS. MATT HAGAN

This is a titanic matchup between two of the greats in the class. Force is the most successful driver in NHRA history with 155 wins and 16 championships, while Hagan is a four-time and reigning world champ.
If Hagan wins on Saturday, he will pick up his 50th career win.
Force is 28-22 in 50 prior meetings, though Hagan holds a 6-3 advantage over Force in final rounds, including most recently in Dallas last year.

Force: “Like anybody, I want to win it all. So, I’m going after it with everything I’ve got. We’re excited to race Hagan. He’s a great champion and he wants to win, just like I do. There’s basically three races to be won and I’m ready for it. We’re just going to do the best we can. I’m fired up.”

Hagan: “The Phoenix weekend is going to be very busy during qualifying. It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out. At the end of the day, we really just want to put on a good show for the fans. You couldn’t ask for more than to have the opportunity to win two Wallys in one weekend. I think it’ll be a challenging weekend for crew chiefs and drivers, but we’re ready for the challenge. If anyone can do it, TSR can. We’ll have to have the mentality that when you show up for each run, it’s game time.”

PRO STOCK

ERICA ENDERS VS. DALLAS GLENN

Enders is the defending and six-time champion in the category and is seeking her 50th career national event win.
Glenn was the No. 1 qualifier in Pomona and the defending winner at the Winternationals. He also won 4 races a year ago and advanced to nine finals.
Enders holds the lead in prior matchups, posting an 11-4 overall record against Glenn and 3-1 in the finals, winning against him last year in the Dallas finals.

Glenn: “There’s a lot of opportunities to win this weekend in Phoenix between the Mission (Challenge), running the finals of Pomona and the actual Phoenix race, and we’re participating in all three of them! We were ready for that Pomona final a few weeks ago but it will be something new to run it on Saturday in Phoenix. I don’t care what day or what track we run it at – I just want that win.”

Enders: I’m really looking forward to this weekend in Phoenix. When we roll off the trailer, every pass is an elimination round! I’m really excited about having an opportunity to win two Wallys in one weekend. To have a chance to score our 50th and 51st win, in the same weekend, is pretty substantial!

We have a really fast racecar right now and I have the best guys in the business. I’m the final piece to that trifecta and I love what we are able to do together.

Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge Matchups

Top Fuel

Justin Ashley vs. Brittany Force

Tony Schumacher vs. Billy Torrence

Funny Car

John Force vs. Ron Capps

Matt Hagan vs. J.R. Todd

Pro Stock

Erica Enders vs. Greg Anderson

Dallas Glenn vs. Mason McGaha

Weekend Schedule

Friday

4 p.m.: First round of qualifying

The first round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge takes place during this round.

Saturday

11:30 a.m.: Second round of qualifying in all pro categories

The finals of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge take place during this round

2 p.m.: Final round of qualifying in all pro categories

The finals of the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals take place during this round

Sunday

11 a.m.: Eliminations for the NHRA Arizona Nationals

Television coverage includes action on FS1 at 9:30 p.m. ET. on Friday and then a special NHRA in 30: Pomona Finals show at 10 p.m. ET on Saturday. Sunday coverage includes qualifying at 10:30 a.m. and eliminations at 6:30 p.m. ET.

To purchase tickets to the final NHRA Arizona Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. For more information on NHRA, please 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.

CHEVROLET IN NHRA
2024 NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS
FIREBIRD MOTORSPORTS PARK
CHANDLER, ARIZONA
TEAM CHEVY RACE ADVANCE | NOTES & QUOTES
APRIL 5-7, 2024

THE 39TH ANNUAL NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS COULD PROVE LUCRATIVE FOR JOHN FORCE RACING AND CHEVROLET

Arizona Nationals Will See Three Races in Play, Including the Weather Delayed Pomona Winternationals Finals, the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, and the Arizona Nationals

Notes:

• Team Chevy next heads to Firebird Motorsports Park for the 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals, as well as the conclusion of the 2024 Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals Finals that were postponed due to weather from In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, April 5-7, 2024.
• John Force, the 16-time NHRA World Champion, John Force Racing team owner, and driver of the PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, will face off against reigning champion Matt Hagan after the Winternationals Finals from Pomona were postponed due to weather. They will face off during the third round of qualifying on Saturday at Firebird Motorsports Park.
• J. Force’s final round record of 155-111 shows favor to the veteran, and Pomona’s rain-delayed final will be the 267th final-round appearance of his career.
• J. Force also rolls into Firebird Motorsports Park seeking his ninth event victory, the most in the Funny Car category as well as NHRA (Tony Schumacher, Top Fuel – five, and Bob Glidden, Pro Stock – five).
• Additionally, J. Force also looks to Phoenix to capture his 156th career victory, as well as Chevrolet’s 160th win in the category since 1967 and 80th for the Camaro body. If John does race to victory, it will be his 25th win by him in a Chevrolet-bodied car.
• Chevrolet claimed victory in two categories at the NHRA Arizona Nationals in 2023, with Camrie Caruso capturing the Wally trophy in Pro Stock and Robert Hight in Funny Car.
• In addition to both completing the Winternationals Finals as well as the Arizona Nationals, Firebird Motorsports Park will also see the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, with Brittany Force facing off against Justin Ashley, and John Force paired up with JR Todd. The #2Fast2Tasty Challenge pits semifinalists from the previous race week in hopes of claiming both a bonus purse and bonus points on Saturday of race weekends.
• Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster, enters Phoenix as Top Fuel track record holder of both elapsed time (E.T.) and speed, with her run of 3.643 seconds E.T. at 337.92 mph in February 2020. Force’s sister Courtney still holds the speed record in Funny Car from February 2018, coming from behind the wheel of a Chevrolet-bodied car at 337.16 mph.
• After capturing his first victory in his first Funny Car race at the PRO Superstar Shootout, and then racing to the final round in Gainesville in the first race of the 2024 season, Austin Prock, driver of the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car looks to Phoenix with momentum to notch his fifth career victory (four in Top Fuel) with already having a strong start to his season.
• In Pro Stock, Dallas Glenn and No. 1 Qualifier Erica Enders will face off against each other at the Arizona Nationals for completion of the weather-delayed Winternationals Finals.
• Enders, driver of the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling/SCAG Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock, still holds the national record for both E.T. and speed, with her 6.450 seconds E.T. run in March 2022 at Gainesville and 215.55 mph run at Englishtown in May 2014.

BRITTANY FORCE, DRIVER OF THE MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET TOP FUEL DRAGSTER:

“After an improved race weekend in Pomona, this team is anxious to see what we can accomplish in Phoenix. Coming into this season we have taken everything we learned in the last few years and are using that for our new setup. I feel after a tough season last year, we are finally in that upward climb. We need to qualify in the top-five and focus on clean, consistent runs every time we go down the track. I’ve been to a couple of finals in the past at Firebird but have never landed in the winner’s circle. The goal is to get this Monster Energy team our first win of the season three races in.”

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

“Personally, I’ve never had much luck (at Firebird Motorsports Park), but the car that I’m driving this year has had a lot of success there, and last year was my brother Thomas’s first win as an assistant crew chief. I think we’ll pick up right where we left off in Gainesville. I’m convinced the consistency we had in Gainesville and Bradenton is going to show in Phoenix.”

“Our team is definitely going to be strong this year. Last year, I don’t think anybody in the building was satisfied with the whole team’s performance overall. So we’re off to a good start in 2024 with one win, at least two runners-up and one of our cars has been low qualifier at all three events this year. So yeah, things are off to a good start. We definitely want to keep that train going.”

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

“Like anybody, I want to win it all, we want to make the money, and we want to earn the points. So, I’m going after it with everything I’ve got. We’re excited to race Hagan. He’s a great champion and he wants to win, just like I do. There are basically three races to be won and you only get three qualifying attempts. But (Hagan’s) got the same problems I’ve got, so there’s no excuses, we just do it. That’s the rules that we play by … but I’m ready for it. We’re just going to do the best we can. I’m fired up.”

How to Watch:

The 2024 NHRA Arizona Nationals kick off Friday at Firebird Motorsports Park with qualifying, airing at 9:30 p.m. ET. Saturday’s qualifying session airs on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. ET, with Finals airing at 6:30 p.m. ET. All sessions from near Phoenix 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:

1,446: Round wins for John Force (1st all-time).

626: Round wins for Robert Hight; 13th all-time. Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), sits 12th, with 628.

166: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for John Force (1st all-time).

159: 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.

79: 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.

24: 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. (April 2, 2024) – NHRA officials announced today a schedule change for the upcoming Virginia NHRA Nationals, as all three qualifying sessions in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will now take place on Saturday, June 22, leading into eliminations the following day at Virginia Motorsports Park.

The two-day NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series event will feature three qualifying sessions on the same day in the professional categories (Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle) for the first time, giving fans an unbelievable day of action and excitement heading into Sunday eliminations at the ninth of 20 races during the 2024 season. Official times for Saturday’s three qualifying sessions and Sunday’s first round of eliminations will be released next week.

NHRA worked closely with the race teams to help offer a new experience for the fans at the Virginia event.

Racing action in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, featuring some of the sport’s top drivers, will begin on Friday, June 21.

This year’s Virginia NHRA Nationals marks the first NHRA race at the standout facility since 2022, as fans at Virginia Motorsports Park, regarded as one of the quickest and fastest tracks on the NHRA circuit, will also see the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge for the first time during the last two qualifying sessions on Saturday. The Challenge is a unique bonus event that brings competitive racing to Saturday and offers a bonus purse and bonus championship points.

Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) won during NHRA’s last appearance at Virginia Motorsports Park, capping off a record-setting weekend at the facility and giving fans a glimpse at what could happen in 2024. Racing on one of the smoothest surfaces on the NHRA tour, Force shattered the track record with a run of 3.654-seconds at a track-best 335.82 mph.

Reigning Funny Car world champion and Virginia native Matt Hagan of Tony Stewart Racing set both ends of the track record with an impressive blast of 3.853, also going 335.82, while Angie Smith broke track records in Pro Stock Motorcycle with a run of 6.756 at 201.37. Larry “Spiderman” McBride also captivated fans in Virginia in 2022 at his home track in Top Fuel Motorcycle, going 268.38 mph and making the fastest motorcycle pass in drag racing history.

Fans will also get a chance to see Pro Stock and defending world champion Erica Enders at VMP for the first time since 2019, as well as racing legend Tony Stewart, who is making his Top Fuel debut in 2024.

Along with action in all four NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series categories, fans can also enjoy racing in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock and Pingel Top Fuel Motorcycle, providing two days of non-stop entertainment.

To purchase tickets to the Virginia NHRA Nationals, visit www.nhra.com/tickets. For more information about the NHRA, including the 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

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.

CONCORD, N.C. (April 2, 2024) – The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season is ramping up and teams will soon head to zMAX Dragway, dubbed the “Bellagio of Drag Strips,” for one of the most unique events in motorsports, the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, April 26-28.

The event marks the fourth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA season and will put drivers to the ultimate test in the wild and can’t-miss four-wide format. Fans will be treated to a sensory overload of 44,000-horsepower when four nitro-burning machines take to the track each lap, making for one of the biggest spectacles in drag racing.

The weekend is filled with some of the most spectacular action on the NHRA circuit, including Friday night Primetime under the lights, the first-ever Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge at zMAX Dragway on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday. Fans can watch nitro at night to kick off the event, catch the bonus event in a four-wide format on Saturday and teams battling it out for the Wally on Sunday in an action-packed three days at the state-of-the-art facility in Charlotte.

Austin Prock (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Deric Kramer (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) claimed victories at the 2023 NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. The event will again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 28.

Last season, Prock collected his first win from zMAX in Top Fuel to complete a John Force Racing nitro double-up. However, this season he has hopped into the Funny Car field to take over driving duties for Hight. To claim the Funny Car win in Charlotte, Prock will need to get past some of the best drivers in the world, including reigning champion Matt Hagan, three-time champ Ron Capps, Bob Tasca III, Chad Green, Cruz Pedregon, Gainesville winner J.R. Todd and teammate John Force.

The Top Fuel field is also packed with competition including reigning champion Doug Kalitta, Gainesville winner Shawn Langdon, Justin Ashley, two-time champion Brittany Force, Steve Torrence and Antron Brown, who both have six wins from zMAX. Also in the mix will be motorsports legend and Charlotte Motor Speedway winner Tony Stewart.

Kramer’s win last season gave him his second Charlotte victory. If he wants to make it three, he’ll need to get past the four-time and reigning Pro Stock champion Erica Enders as well as Dallas Glenn, Cristian Cuadra, and five-time champs Jeg Coughlin and Greg Anderson, who picked up a win at the Charlotte fall race.

Pro Stock Motorcycle phenom Herrera dominated the category last season. His 2023 campaign featured 11 wins, including both Charlotte races. He is already off to a hot start in 2024 with a win at Gainesville. When the Pro Stock Motorcycle class returns to the circuit in Charlotte, other competitors including six-time champion Matt Smith, three-time Charlotte winner Steve Johnson, Angie Smith and Hector Arana Jr.

New for the 2024 season will be the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge at the two four-wide events in Charlotte and the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Quarterfinalists from the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas will meet up again for round one of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge. The final Challenge round will feature a quad of racers and will award purse and bonus championship points.

The NHRA Four-Wide Nationals will also feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, which features some of the sport’s top drivers, as well as the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock and the new Holley EFI Factory X category. The Summit Racing Equipment Jr. Drag Racing League Shootout will also take place in Charlotte. Fans can also look forward to the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Autograph Session at the Mission Foods Display and the Toyota Autograph Display, both of which take place on Saturday morning.

All weekend long, fans are invited to the Nitro Alley Stage at zMAX Dragway, which will help create a festive atmosphere leading into the nitro pits. The Nitro Alley Stage will be the main entertainment hub in the pits when the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series competitors are not on the track, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets, music and much more. Race fans at Firebird Motorsports Park 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.

Fans at zMAX Dragway 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 of the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.

As always, fans also get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet in Charlotte. This unique 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, 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 4:30 and 7:00 p.m. ET on Friday, April 26 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, April 27 at 12 and 2:15 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 12 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 28. Television coverage includes qualifying on FS1 at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday and then eliminations action at 6 p.m. ET to follow.

To purchase tickets to the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, please visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or call 800-455-3267. 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.

PHOENIX (April 1, 2024) – When it comes to multiple wins in one weekend, Top Fuel standout Justin Ashley enjoyed impressive success in the unique scenarios last season.

The former NHRA Rookie of the Year will get another opportunity for a multiple-win weekend at the 39th NHRA Arizona Nationals, which takes place Friday through Sunday at Firebird Motorsports Park. Ashley will take part in the final round of the postponed Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals against Tony Schumacher on Saturday as part of the final qualifying session and is also part of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge.

The specialty race begins on Friday with the first qualifying session, with a chance for two wins on Saturday and an Arizona Nationals victory on Sunday. Ashley is the defending Winternationals and Arizona Nationals winner, which adds another exciting layer for the standout in his 11,000-horsepower Scag Power Equipment dragster. A year ago, he won three times in one weekend in Bristol, so pulling off something spectacular in one weekend isn’t exactly new for Ashley, who had six wins in 2023.

“It really is a great opportunity, a unique opportunity and we’ve got a lot on the line,” Ashley said. “I don’t know that we’ve ever gone into a national event and had every run, starting with Q1, be so meaningful. It’s exciting and all we have to do is turn on seven win lights this weekend. It’s such a difficult thing to do with the depth of this class and you’ve already seen that this year. It’s going to take a lot of toughness from this team to capitalize on this and we’re really looking forward to it and we’re grateful for it.”

Ashley (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Camrie Caruso (Pro Stock) all won at Phoenix in 2023. This year’s race will again be broadcast on FS1, including a special NHRA in 30: Pomona Finals show at 10 p.m. ET on Saturday and Arizona Nationals eliminations at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.

The other Winternationals final rounds in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series include John Force and Matt Hagan meeting in an epic matchup in Funny Car, and Erica Enders and Dallas Glenn in Pro Stock.

In addition to defending his Arizona Nationals victory, Ashley is after his first win of the season. Ironically, he’ll take on Schumacher, the winningest driver in Top Fuel history, who was his final-round opponent last year in Bristol when Ashley finished off the sweep of three wins in one weekend.

He may have to race Schumacher twice on Saturday as well, as Ashley takes on Brittany Force in one of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge matchups, with Schumacher taking on Billy Torrence. It makes for a hectic weekend, while also dealing with the likes of defending world champ Doug Kalitta, Gainesville winner Shawn Langdon, Antron Brown and Tony Stewart. But the added incentive seems to bring out the best in Ashley and his team, led by crew chief Mike Green.

“Under normal circumstances, you go out for first round on Sunday and it’s the first time something is on the line, so it’s the first time you’re in that mindset,” Ashley said. “Now, that mindset starts in Q1 on Friday. Last year was the first year of the (Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge) and helped our team gain confidence. It also helped create that winning culture and it all helps. It was a unique experience and we’re looking forward to that format again. It’s great for the fans, it’s something they enjoy and it’s great for the teams to compete at a high level throughout qualifying and then raceday.”

The opening round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge will take place during Friday’s qualifying session that begins at 4 p.m. PT. The finals of the bonus event follows during the second round of qualifying at 11:30 a.m. PT on Saturday. The final rounds in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock for the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals taking place as part of final qualifying, which begins at 2 p.m.

In Funny Car, Hight defeated Ron Capps last season to pick up his third NHRA Arizona Nationals win. This season, Hight stepped out of the car and passed driving duties to Austin Prock. With a runner-up finish and No. 1 qualifier to his credit in Gainesville, Prock is ready to take on the likes of reigning Funny Car champ Matt Hagan, Bob Tasca III, John Force, Capps, Chad Green and Gainesville winner J.R. Todd.

Caruso captured her first career Pro Stock win last season in Phoenix. In order to repeat her victory, she’ll need to get past reigning champion Enders, who won in Gainesville to open the year, Matt Hartford, Troy Coughlin Jr., Greg Anderson, Aaron Stanfield and Glenn.

The Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge features a wealth of intriguing matchups, too, including Force and Ron Capps in Funny Car, and Hagan taking on Gainesville winner J.R. Todd. Enders and longtime rival Greg Anderson meet in one of the Pro Stock matchups, while the other pairing in the opening round of the specialty race features Glenn and Mason McGaha.

The NHRA Arizona Nationals also includes thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, featuring the top racers in the country. It also marks the debut of the NHRA Pro Mod category in Phoenix.

All weekend long, fans are invited to the Nitro Alley Stage, which will help create a festive atmosphere leading into the nitro pits. The Nitro Alley Stage is the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets, music and much more. Race fans at Firebird Motorsports Park 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.

As always, fans also get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet in Phoenix. 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, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting and interactive atmosphere.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature one round at 4 p.m. PT on Friday, April 5, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, April 6 at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday, April 7.

To purchase tickets to the final NHRA Arizona Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. For more information on NHRA, please 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

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.

INDIANAPOLIS (March 21, 2024) – A chance to race for a national championship in Las Vegas is again on the line for competitors in the NHRA Summit Racing Series, the world’s largest motorsports program when it comes to racer participation, as the 2024 Summit E.T. Series scheduled was announced today. 

Drivers will compete at NHRA member tracks across the seven divisions in Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman, Motorcycle, and Street Legal EV categories, all with the hopes of advancing to the NHRA Summit Racing Series National Championship, which takes place Oct. 31-Nov. 3 as part of the NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. 

The more than 75,000 drivers will race for event wins, divisional titles, and, ultimately, the chance to race for national glory on the “Road to Vegas.” The Summit E.T. Finals in the seven NHRA divisions, plus an eighth E.T. event in Canada, take place during late August, September and October, with the winners advancing to compete for a national championship. 

There will also be three first-time locations for the Summit E.T. Finals, as racers in Division 5 will compete on Sept. 14-15 at the new Flying H Dragstrip outside Kansas City. In Division 3, racers will head to the standout Summit Motorsports Park facility in Norwalk, Ohio on Sept. 13-15. 

Plus, an Eastern Canadian E.T. Finals takes place for the first time in NHRA history in 2024 as well, with the race taking place Sept. 6-8 at Napierville Dragway in Quebec. The E.T. Finals will be a championship-level event mirroring the seven NHRA Divisional E.T. Finals currently contested.

Summit Racing Equipment, an industry leader in the distribution of auto racing parts and equipment through catalogs and the Internet, continues to be a strong supporter of the program, boasting a partnership of more than 20 years.  

“The NHRA Summit Racing Series continues to be such a great program and we’re thrilled to continue to offer our support of these amazing sportsman racers,” said Jim Greenleaf, Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports & Events Manager. “The racers get a unique opportunity to compete on a national level without a travel commitment, and there’s huge stakes on the line.  

“Just winning a divisional championship is a terrific accomplishment, but the chance to compete in Las Vegas for a national championship is a huge honor. We’ve loved the overwhelmingly positive response from the racers competing at the Summit Racing Finals in Las Vegas and we can’t wait to watch all the action this year.” 

At the national championship in Las Vegas, a special Wild Card entry will fill the eighth spot in each category, joining the champions from the seven division Summit Racing Series E.T. Finals. Previously, five Wild Card entry recipients have also gone on to win a world championship over the years. 

These five lucky divisions will also have an extra chance to take the “Road to Vegas” 

Super Pro                            Division 1 
Pro ET                                  Division 7 
Sportsman                          Division 2 
Motorcycle                          Division 5 
Street Legal EV                  Division 3 

The national champions in 2023 included Billy Boyko (Division 1) in Super Pro, Mike LaRose (Division 1) in Pro ET, Jake Biscay (Division 6) in Sportsman, Patrick Roetto (Division 5) in Motorcycle, and Josh Rogers (Division 3) in Street Legal EV. 

The division champion in the NHRA Summit Series receives an impressive prize package, including a Wally trophy, jacket, and purse, along with $3,000 bonus money to attend the national championship in Las Vegas. There, the experience is second-to-none for each competitor. The weekend begins with the champions’ welcome dinner and each driver gets a major spotlight throughout the national event. They are introduced on stage during the official pre-race ceremonies and then compete for a championship in front of a huge crowd in Las Vegas. 

The championship competitors will be competing for a huge purse of more than $145,000 that is paid out to the 40 competitors attending the finals, plus contingency bonuses, a national championship Wally trophy, a championship jacket, and more. In all, there is over $400,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs at the seven divisional ET finals and the national championship. 

The event in Las Vegas marks the culmination of outstanding racing that takes place throughout the year with some of the top bracket racers across seven divisions. The popular Summit ET Series allows drivers to campaign several types of vehicles, including dragsters, roadsters, sedans, coupes, motorcycles, and electric cars, to compete in the different categories, bringing together an impressive list of standout competitors racing for bragging rights, trophies, and an impressive purse.  

The EV category in the NHRA Summit Racing Series is reserved for only foreign and domestic OEM production electric vehicle automobiles and trucks. All vehicles must be street driven and must be able to pass all state highway safety requirements and retain all OEM safety features. 

“Summit Racing Equipment continues to provide incredible support for the Summit Series, which is the grassroots foundation of NHRA’s sportsman program,” NHRA Sportsman Racing Manager Sara Walker said.  

“From the ‘Road to Vegas’ starting at our local NHRA member tracks to the divisional championships to the national championship in Las Vegas, this journey is so exciting and always so rewarding for everyone involved. We’re all looking forward to a great season in the NHRA Summit Series, seeing the passion of all the competitors and finishing it off with a spectacular weekend in Las Vegas.” 

For more information on the NHRA Summit Racing Series, visit www.nhra.com/sportsman.  

2024 NHRA Summit Racing Series Finals Schedule 

Division 1 – Lebanon Valley Dragway, West Lebanon, N.Y., Sept. 20-21 

Division 2 – South Georgia Motorsports Park, Cecil, Ga., Sept. 12-14 

Division 3 – Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio, Sept. 13-15 

Division 4 – Ardmore Dragway, Ardmore, Okla., Sept. 6-8 

Division 5 – Flying H Dragstrip, Odessa, Mo., Sept. 14-15 

Division 6 – Pacific Raceways, Seattle, Aug. 29-Sept. 2 

Division 7 – The Strip at Las Vegas Motorsport Speedway, Las Vegas, Oct. 9-13 

Eastern Canadian E.T. Finals, Napierville Dragway, Quebec, Sept. 6-8 

NHRA Summit Racing Series National Championship 

The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Oct. 31-Nov. 3 

***

About Summit Racing Equipment

Summit Racing Equipment has been the World’s Speed Shop® for over 50 years! Summit Racing is the world’s largest e-commerce, mail order, and retailer of performance automotive parts and accessories. Summit Racing offers a huge selection of parts in stock from over 1,500 manufacturers for all forms of racing, street performance, off-roading, restoration, tools, and yes, diesel. It also offers fast ground service shipping to most areas of the country and same-day shipping on in-stock items. Summit Racing has the industry’s top-rated customer service and a full-time technical department to answer your questions. With headquarters in Tallmadge, Ohio, Summit operates distribution and retail stores in Tallmadge, Sparks, NV, McDonough, GA, and Arlington, TX.

Summit Racing Equipment

www.summitracing.com

1-800-230-3030

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.