Category: NHRA

POMONA, Calif. (Feb. 26, 2024) – Tickets are now on sale for the 59th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals, as world champions will be crowned in dramatic fashion at legendary In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip on Nov. 14-17 in Pomona, Calif.

Last year, the championship drama came down to the final pass of the season in Top Fuel in one of the most thrilling endings in NHRA Finals history, and fans can expect another spectacular finish in 2024 to close out the year in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

It’s a race loaded with historic and legacy-making runs over nearly six decades, including the finale in 2023 when Doug Kalitta knocked off Leah Pruett in a winner-take-all final round in Top Fuel, handing Kalitta his elusive first championship. It was a magical moment to close out the season and with an incredible atmosphere always apparent in Pomona, this year’s race will be loaded with intense action and championship celebrations.

For fans that want the ultimate experience at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals, the Top Eliminator Club offers the best seats in the house, a premium experience and a number of exclusive benefits at one of the biggest races of the season.

“Last year’s In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals was one of the best races in the event’s history and for it to come down to the wire on the final pass of the season shows this is an event no drag racing fan should miss,” said NHRA Vice President of Track Management & Operations, Kasey Coler. “In-N-Out Burger has helped create a special atmosphere in Pomona and you can just feel the incredible energy and excitement all weekend long. We saw an exhilarating finish last season and it’s going to be another epic celebration for our fans and race fans this year in Pomona.”

Kalitta (Top Fuel), Chad Green (Funny Car), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) won last year’s event, while Kalitta (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all clinched world titles in Pomona. The race will again be broadcast on FS1 to close the season in style.

Kalitta’s championship triumph was a marvelous moment, while Hagan’s fourth world championship came down to the final day as well. His championship was also the first for Tony Stewart Racing, while Enders, the winningest female in motorsports, claimed her sixth world title and fourth in the past five years. Herrera’s record-breaking season was capped off with one more dominant performance in Pomona, as all four drivers will look to end the season in similar fashion in 2024.

Kalitta also earned his seventh victory at the facility, which is the most for any Top Fuel driver in NHRA history. Nobody can top John Force’s 16 Funny Car wins in Pomona, though Green enjoyed a tremendous first to close out last year by picking up his first career NHRA Funny Car win in Pomona.

In Pro Stock, Stanfield won for the second time in Pomona last year, while Greg Anderson has 14 career victories at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. Enders’ sixth championship put her in elite territory, too, tying her with Warren Johnson for the second most in Pro Stock history. Herrera, meanwhile, was dominant in Pomona, finishing off a year that includes a Pro Stock Motorcycle-record 11 wins and 14 No. 1 qualifiers. Current standout Matt Smith’s five wins are tied for the most in PSM history at the legendary facility.

Action at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip will include a pair of qualifying runs on both Friday and Saturday, leading into eliminations, where history will be made and champions will be crowned, with fans getting unparalleled access to see it all go down to end the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

To purchase tickets to the 59th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult. Included in the premium experience by purchasing Top Eliminator Club tickets is a members-only hospitality center, complimentary food and beverages, members-only souvenir store, exclusive drivers appearances, a gift bag, a premium view of the staging lanes and much more.

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 21 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.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Feb. 23, 2024) – NHRA announced today a pair of scheduling updates for the upcoming Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout, which takes place on Saturday, March 9 as part of the 55th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.

The autograph session for the participants will now take place at 12:30 p.m. ET on Friday at the Pep Boys display, while the first-round Callout selections will be made at 10 a.m. ET in the Top Eliminator Club. Steve Torrence is the top seed in the big-money specialty race and has the first pick to call out his opening-round opponent.

The rest of the current lineup, in order, includes Doug Kalitta, Brittany Force, Mike Salinas, Justin Ashley, Leah Pruett, Antron Brown and Shawn Langdon. If Kalitta isn’t called out, the veteran picks next, going down the line until all four first-round matchups are set. Then, the driver who makes the quickest winning run that round selects their semifinal opponent, locking in the other matchup.

After qualifying sixth for the Callout, there is the chance Pruett wouldn’t race in the shootout if team owner Tony Stewart, who is making his Top Fuel debut in Gainesville, is not deeply qualified in the Gatornationals field after Friday’s two qualifying sessions.

Should Pruett, who would be using a separate car from Stewart, not race in the Callout, the final spot would go to Josh Hart, who won the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout last year at his home track, bumping Brown and Langdon to sixth and seventh, respectively. Stewart would then use Saturday’s two qualifying sessions to try and improve his spot in the Gatornationals field.

If Stewart qualifies well on Friday, Pruett would take part in the Callout, with Stewart possibly not making any qualifying attempts on Saturday.

The first round of the Pep Boys Top Fuel All-Star Callout takes place on Saturday at 1:20 p.m. ET and the semifinals at 2:45 p.m. The finals are slated for 4:25 p.m. A special Callout broadcast will air at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday on FS1.

The race, which started in 2022 and pits eight standouts against each other in a unique specialty shootout, includes a total purse of $130,000, a special Callout trophy and belt, and plenty of bragging rights at legendary Gainesville Raceway. It’s also a field that includes five world champions, with Torrence, Kalitta, the 2023 world champion, Force, Brown and Langdon owning 11 world titles combined.

It’s all part of a massive, marquee weekend that will give one Top Fuel driver the chance to win the Callout and then the famed Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals the next day, adding another surefire layer of excitement to the legendary event.

Last year, Salinas (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Troy Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won in Gainesville, adding the legacy-defining win to their resumés. Fans will also see action in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ and Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown.

To purchase tickets to the 2024 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. Get your tickets now for the Top Eliminator Club because these will sell out. For more info on NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.

2024 Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout Final Standings

1. Steve Torrence
2. Doug Kalitta
3. Brittany Force
4. Mike Salinas
5. Justin Ashley
6. Leah Pruett
7. Antron Brown
8. Shawn Langdon

(Note: Torrence will get the first selection for the opening round, followed by the next-highest seeded driver until matchups are set.)

PEP BOYS NHRA TOP FUEL ALL-STAR CALLOUT SCHEDULE (ET):

Friday, March 8:

12:30 PM – Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout autograph session at Pep Boys display

Saturday, March 9

10:00 AM – Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout first-round selections in Top Eliminator Club (Get your TEC Tickets Today!)

12:45 PM – Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout opening ceremonies

1:00 PM – First round for Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout

2:45 PM – Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout for round two. This will be conducted at the top end. The winning driver who makes the quickest run in the first round earns the right to select their semifinal opponent.

4:25 PM – Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout final round

7:00 PM – Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout show airs on FS1

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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 21 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.

POMONA, Calif. (Feb. 22, 2024) – Once again the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to one of its most historic facilities: In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip for the 64th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, March 21-24.

In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip has seen some of the NHRA’s most historic and impressive drag racing moments, and this season’s Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals will be no different, delivering all the thrilling action fans have come to expect from the NHRA’s brightest stars.

This year, race winners will receive a special Winternationals Snowflake Medallion along with their Wally, while the first Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge of the year will take place in Pomona. Featuring a rematch from the semifinalists at the season-opening race in Gainesville, the specialty race takes place on Saturday and returns this year after a thrilling debut in 2023, again offering a bonus purse and bonus championship points to the standout performers in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock.

It adds a definite highlight to the weekend, leading into eliminations on Sunday as all the NHRA stars look for a victory at the second event of the 2024 season.

Last year, Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) took home top honors in their respective categories at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals. To repeat their titles, they’ll need to get past some of the biggest names in the sport at a race that will again be broadcasted on FS1, including eliminations coverage on Sunday, March 24 at 7 p.m. ET.

Top Fuel’s Ashley took home his first win of the season when he took down Shawn Langdon in the final round a year ago. He went on to win six races and finished fourth in points. Ashley will be up against reigning champion and Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta, four-time champ Steve Torrence, Mike Salinas and Brittany Force. Also joining the Top Fuel ranks in 2024 is motorsports legend and NHRA team owner Tony Stewart.

The last time Hagan was in Pomona, he was claiming his fourth Funny Car world championship at the NHRA Finals. Hagan’s Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals victory gave him his second of six wins in 2023 and his seventh at the historic track. Hagan will again compete against the best in the Funny Car field, including Bob Tasca III, three-time champ Ron Capps, and NHRA legend John Force. Also joining the Funny Car ranks is Austin Prock, who took over driving duties for Robert Hight.

Glenn, in only his third year in the Pro Stock division, earned four race wins in 2023 including his win at Pomona. He also collected five runner-up finishes as well as two No. 1 qualifier positions. Glenn will be up against the likes of six-time and reigning Pro Stock champion Erica Enders, as well as Greg Anderson, Matt Hartford, Troy Coughlin Jr. and NHRA Finals winner Aaron Stanfield.

Along with racing in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, fans can also see the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Legends Nitro Funny Cars and Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown, while the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department will hold a special racing exhibition. Following nitro qualifying on Friday and Saturday, the “Walking Tall” P.T. Cruiser Wheelstander driven by “NitroMike” Kunz will put on a can’t-miss show.

The Nitro Alley Stage is a huge attraction all weekend and is the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, Total Seal Tech Talk, the NHRA Insider Live, meet and greets, and much more. As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their hot rods between rounds and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, food and fun.

Race fans at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that 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.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features one round at 4:30 p.m. PT on Friday, March 22, and the final two rounds on Saturday, March 23 at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. The finals of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge take place at the end of final qualifying in each category. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday, March 24. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 9:30 p.m. ET on Saturday and 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, leading into eliminations at 7 p.m. ET.

To purchase tickets to the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, 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 21 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.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Feb. 21, 2024) – NHRA announced today a special “NHRA Honors” program that will take place during the 2024 season, beginning with the 55th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals on March 7-10.

The program will honor all military members, veterans, first responders and community heroes and each will be celebrated throughout the race with a special presentation during the first pro qualifying session on Saturday. Introduced at last year’s In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals, special event-specific NHRA Challenge Coins will be distributed to all service members and first responders at each race and will be available at the following locations:

• The special VIP red-carpet box office window reserved for service members and first responders
• Top Eliminator Club check-in
• Ticket renewal display in the midway
• Pep Boys All-Star Callout autograph session
• Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge autograph session
• Nitro Alley Stage

The NHRA also urges fans to nominate a deserving service member, veteran, first responder or community hero as the “Community Hero of the Race.” Nominations can be made online at www.nhra.com/nhrahonors.

Those selected will be recognized during a trackside presentation on Saturday at the national event and will be presented with a custom award as part of a special presentation for the service member, veteran, first responder or community hero of the race.

All active military members and veterans will also be acknowledged during the course of the race weekend.

An “NHRA Honors” t-shirt will also be available for purchase at the NHRA NitroMall, with proceeds going to Veterans Ticket Foundation, a veterans support organization that purchases tickets for active military, veterans and their families. That special shirt debuted at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals to close out 2023 and will be updated quarterly during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

The 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season opens with a huge spotlight in Gainesville, Mike Salinas (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Troy Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) look for repeat wins at the legendary track. This year’s race will air on FS1, including the Pep Boys Top Fuel All-Star Callout at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, live coverage on Sunday from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m., and continuing finals coverage at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday.

The Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout is back to open 2024 as well, pitting eight standouts against each other in a unique, big-money specialty race on Saturday, March 9. Local standout Josh Hart won the Callout last year. Action will also take place in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ and Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown to open 2024.

Race fans at Gainesville Raceway can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies for drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk, which benefits the Darrell Gwynn Foundation in Gainesville, as well as a ring ceremony for the 2023 world champs (Doug Kalitta, Hagan, Erica Enders and Herrera) and a flyover from the U.S. Air Force. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners.

The Nitro Alley Stage is a huge attraction and the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, the NHRA Insider Podcast, Shirley Muldowney Q&A and meet and greets. Marching bands will also entertain the crowd each day, including the University of Florida on Sunday. As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their cars, get autographs from their favorite drivers and more. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and vendors create an exciting atmosphere of interactive displays, merchandise, food and fun.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features two rounds at 2 and 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 8, and the final two qualifying rounds on Saturday, March 9 at 12 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 10.

The first round of the Pep Boys Top Fuel All-Star Callout takes place on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET and the semifinals at 2:45 p.m. The finals are slated for 4:25 p.m.

To purchase tickets to the 2024 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. Get your tickets now for the Top Eliminator Club because these will sell out. For more info 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 21 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.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Feb. 16, 2024) – Known for its remarkable history, Gainesville Raceway has been home to several historic firsts over the past five-plus decades at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.

From first career wins to milestones reached for the first time, magical moments have always been a part of Gainesville Raceway’s illustrious history. So, what comes next in 2024?

Odds are, something incredible will happen on March 7-10 during the 55th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals to add to the amazing accomplishments that have taken place at the legendary facility.

To help prepare for the start of the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, let’s look at some of the historic happenings that have made Gainesville so special for so many years:

FIRST PROFESSIONAL WINS COMING AT THE GATORS: It’s happened the last three years, in fact, with a standout racer picking up their first NHRA professional win at Gatornationals. Eventual world champ Gaige Herrera did it last year en route to his record-breaking year, Tripp Tatum picked up his first Top Fuel win in 2022 and, in 2021, Josh Hart rolled to the Top Fuel win in his first career start (one of only eight drivers to do that in NHRA history).

It stretches back in history, too. Two-time world champ Brittany Force earned her first Top Fuel win in 2016 in Gainesville (as part of the first-ever John Force Racing double-up as well when Robert Hight won in Funny Car), while Bob Tasca III’s first Funny Car win took place in 2009. Plus, the likes of Andrew Hines (2004), Kenny Delco (1990) and Frank Hawley (1982) all picked up their first professional wins in Gainesville, and Eddie Hill’s first NHRA win came in 1988 at the renowned race.

MAJOR MILESTONES: Gainesville Raceway has been a proving ground for history-makers and record-breakers. The first 260-mph run in both Top Fuel (Joe Amato) and Funny Car (Kenny Bernstein) in NHRA history came in 1984, while Don Garlits became the first to 270 in Top Fuel just two years later.

Of course, the run heard around the world took place in 1992 when Kenny Bernstein became Mr. 300 with his historic 301.70-mph run, becoming the first driver in NHRA history to reach the 300-mph mark.

Hines made the first 6-second pass in Pro Stock Motorcycle history in 2005, while Hector Arana Jr. became the first rider to go 200 mph with his run of 200.23 in 2018.

REMARKABLE FIRSTS: Something unique also seems to happen in Gainesville as well, such as Connie and Scott Kalitta meeting in the first father-son final round in NHRA history in 1984. Connie won the final round in Top Fuel, while 14 years earlier, Candies & Hughes put together the first all-team Funny Car final in NHRA history with Leonard Hughes and Larry Reyes in 1970,

Some 46 years later, Jeff Strickland did something special on the sportsman side, becoming the first racers to win two classes at the same Gatornationals when he rolled to victories in Stock and Top Dragster.

LEGACY-DEFINING WINS IN GAINESVILLE: Legendary status is guaranteed with a Gatornationals win and so many of the NHRA’s best have thrived at the race.

Bob Glidden’s first – and only – Gatornationals win came in 1979, while the first Pro Stock win at the facility belonged to Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins. Garlits’ 1972 Gators triumph was the first of four for him, while Don Prudhomme won it three years in a row (1974-1976) en route to five total wins.

John Force won five straight from 1992-1996 in Funny Car and has enjoyed eight wins in Gainesville, but nobody has been better there than Warren Johnson. “The Professor” didn’t win at the track until 1984, but reeled off eight more after that, including four straight from 1991-1994. His nine Gatornationals wins are the most in NHRA history.

These days, four-time Funny Car world champ Matt Hagan has ruled Gainesville, posting back-to-back wins, with his boss, Tony Stewart, looking to make his own sizable impression at the race next month when he makes his Top Fuel debut.

Other active world champs who also hold wins at the historic race include Tony Schumacher (5), Greg Anderson (5), Ron Capps (4), Robert Hight (4), Doug Kalitta (3), Angelle Sampey (3), Jeg Coughlin (2), Matt Smith (2), Antron Brown (1), Steve Torrence (1), Cruz Pedregon (1), Bo Butner (1) and J.R. Todd (1)

Last year, Mike Salinas (Top Fuel and Troy Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) also won in Gainesville. This year’s race will air on FS1, including the Pep Boys Top Fuel All-Star Callout at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, live coverage on Sunday from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m., and continuing finals coverage at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday.

The Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout is back to open 2024 as well, pitting eight standouts against each other in a unique, big-money specialty race on Saturday, March 9. Local standout Josh Hart won the Callout last year. Action will also take place in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ and Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown to open 2024.

Race fans at Gainesville Raceway can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies for drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk, which benefits the Darrell Gwynn Foundation in Gainesville, as well as a ring ceremony for the 2023 world champs (Kalitta, Hagan, Enders and Herrera) and a flyover from the U.S. Air Force. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners.

The Nitro Alley Stage is a huge attraction and the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, the NHRA Insider Podcast, Shirley Muldowney Q&A and meet and greets. Marching bands will also entertain the crowd each day, including the University of Florida on Sunday. As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their cars, get autographs from their favorite drivers and more. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and vendors create an exciting atmosphere of interactive displays, merchandise, food and fun.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features two rounds at 2 and 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 8, and the final two qualifying rounds on Saturday, March 9 at 12 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 10.

The first round of the Pep Boys Top Fuel All-Star Callout takes place on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET and the semifinals at 2:45 p.m. The finals are slated for 4:25 p.m.

To purchase tickets to the 2024 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. Get your tickets now for the Top Eliminator Club because these will sell out. For more info 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 21 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.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Feb. 15, 2024) – When Austin Prock stages his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro Funny Car for John Force Racing during his first official NHRA Funny Car pass during the opening round of qualifying at the 55th Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals on March 7-10, he’ll have lots of Gainesville Raceway memories and thoughts.

After all, his grandfather, Tom Prock, was the Gatornationals Funny Car runner-up at the 1975 event and his father, Jimmy, has won the race four times with Robert Hight, for whom the younger Prock is subbing while Hight addresses some medical concerns. Gainesville Raceway is also the track where Austin made his first pass in any kind of Funny Car, back in 2008 at the Frank Hawley Drag Racing School.

“I’ve always seen the success my dad had there, and, before his, my grandfather, and that place has a special place in my heart,” he said. “It’s also where we lost my good friend Eric Medlen [former John Force driver who died in a testing incident in 2007]. Eric was a great friend of mine, and a mentor to me. He took me under his wing and took care of me and taught me things, like how to paint helmets. It’d be cool to get the job done for that and my family’s legacy.”

Last year, Mike Salinas (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Troy Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won in Gainesville. This year’s race will air on FS1, including the Pep Boys Top Fuel All-Star Callout at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, live coverage on Sunday from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m., and continuing finals coverage at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday.

After licensing in a trio of JFR entries in 2018 – driving the cars of team boss Force, his daughter Courtney, and with his dad tuning Hight’s car – and then saddling up in Team Force’s Top Fueler in 2019, Prock had made just two Funny Car runs heading into 2024. It’s also a move reuniting father and son as a tuning and driving tandem, while Austin’s brother, Thomas, serves as their father’s assistant crew chief.

“This whole this whole deal is a thrill, getting to race with my dad and my brother both up in the lounge making the calls and me in the seat,” Prock said. “I mean, this is storybook stuff, the stuff you write up, and it’s actually happening in real life, so it’s really special.

“We all know this car will run,” he added. “This thing flew last year with Robert driving so we’re just getting all the bugs worked out and I gotta keep learning and try not to make any mistakes and give the race car a shot to do what it needs to do. It’s all a learning process.

“I really truly enjoy drag racing and loved running the Top Fuel car, but Funny Car is where I belong. I always dreamed of driving one like my grandpa, and I am having an absolute blast. I’m loving every second of it. I love the challenge of these cars. I love sitting behind the engine. I love the body dropping. And to top it off, I’m doing it with my family.

“I’m so blessed to have John Force in my corner. He loves the sport ad has built his empire off of family racing, and he gets to watch that happen with my family too, under the same roof. He’s given us an outstanding facility to race out of we always have the right parts and money. He just wants to see win lights turn on and have fun. He knows the love that I have for this sport and the love I have for Funny Cars, and I’m glad to have him in my corner.”

The fact that he’s jumping into one of the best Funny Cars on the planet and filling in for three-time world champion Hight is not lost on him. Pressure? You bet.

“Plenty of people have come up and said, ‘Man, you got big shoes to fill,’ but I know you can do it, but I’ve been a Nervous Nellie, up in the middle of the night thinking about it and trying to run through all the scenarios and just trying to manifest doing a good job.

“I’m not going into this race season any different than any other one or any race that I’ve ever gone into, and the team’s not either. We want to go there and run low E.T. every round, and we want to win every race. If you’re competitive and a racer, that’s what you expect. And I believe we can do that. We’re hungry. We want to do good for John Force Racing. We want to do good for Robert Hight. And we want to do good for all of our great partners. We don’t expect any less than that.”

Prock will deal with a host of Funny Car standouts to kick off the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series in Gainesville, including defending world champ and back-to-back race winner Hagan, Ron Capps, Force, Bob Tasca III and J.R. Todd.

Reigning Top Fuel world champ Doug Kalitta looks to keep rolling after winning his first world title to close out 2023, taking on Brittany Force, Steve Torrence, Antron Brown, Justin Ashley, Tony Schumacher and class newcomer Tony Stewart.

Six-time Pro Stock world champ Erica Enders will try to win in Gainesville for the first time, facing off against Greg Anderson, Aaron Stanfield, Matt Hartford and Dallas Glenn. In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Herrera is after a repeat win by knocking off the likes of Matt Smith, Steve Johnson, Hector Arana Jr. and Angie Smith.

The Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout is back to open 2024 as well, pitting eight standouts against each other in a unique, big-money specialty race on Saturday, March 9. Local standout Josh Hart won the Callout last year. Action will also take place in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ and Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown to open 2024.

Race fans at Gainesville Raceway can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies for drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk, which benefits the Darrell Gwynn Foundation in Gainesville, as well as a ring ceremony for the 2023 world champs (Kalitta, Hagan, Enders and Herrera) and a flyover from the U.S. Air Force. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners.

The Nitro Alley Stage is a huge attraction and the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, the NHRA Insider Podcast, Shirley Muldowney Q&A and meet and greets. Marching bands will also entertain the crowd each day, including the University of Florida on Sunday. As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their cars, get autographs from their favorite drivers and more. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and vendors create an exciting atmosphere of interactive displays, merchandise, food and fun.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features two rounds at 2 and 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 8, and the final two qualifying rounds on Saturday, March 9 at 12 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 10.

The first round of the Pep Boys Top Fuel All-Star Callout takes place on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET and the semifinals at 2:45 p.m. The finals are slated for 4:25 p.m.

To purchase tickets to the 2024 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. Get your tickets now for the Top Eliminator Club because these will sell out. For more info 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 21 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.

2024 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series season also set to feature several exciting items in place for racers throughout the year

INDIANAPOLIS (Feb. 14, 2024) – The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series opens its 2024 season on Feb. 15-17 Orlando Speed Dragway, and with several initiatives set in place for the series and its race teams, excitement is high for the upcoming year.

This weekend’s race from Orlando will also be streamed for free on NHRA.tv and the NHRA YouTube page, the first of a comprehensive free coverage plan for the upcoming divisional season. In all, the NHRA will stream 37 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events on either NHRA.tv or the NHRA YouTube page for free during the 2024 campaign.

This weekend’s race in Orlando gives fans a chance to take in the first NHRA racing action of the year for free, and the season-long free coverage will include events from all seven NHRA divisions throughout the course of the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series season. To watch the select divisional races for free, fans simply need to sign up for a complimentary account on NHRA.tv.

It’s all part of a big year for the standout competitors in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. Other exciting items in place include:

· Perfect Reaction Time Challenge Coin: This new initiative will be in place at all national events. Any driver who posts a perfect reaction time during eliminations in LODRS action will receive a special “Perfect Reaction Time” challenge coin.

· Right Trailers Right on the Number: This special bonus happens when drivers hit their dial-in/index during eliminations at national events.

· Laris Motorsports Insurance Perfect Run Program: When a driver nails a perfect reaction time and dial-in/index during eliminations at any divisional event, they will receive this bonus.

· Sportsman Appreciation Dinner at U.S. Nationals: This special dinner returns for a second time at the world’s biggest drag race. Held in the Top Eliminator Club at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park last year, dinner is served to all sportsman racers, along with giveaways and prizes from NHRA partners.

· Second SPORTSnationals Race: Along with the JEGS SPORTSnationals on July 10-13 at National Trail Raceway, the Laris Motorsports Insurance Cajun NHRA SPORTSnationals was added to the schedule on March 15-17 at No Problem Raceway, giving teams a pair of prestigious SPORTSnationals races.

· JEGS Allstars Returns to Texas Motorplex: Following a great debut that was well-received by racers and fans in 2023, the JEGS Allstars will return to Texas Motorplex as part of the Stampede of Speed and Texas NHRA FallNationals. The event will again feature all the pomp and circumstance of last year’s race, along with spectacular racing and newly-added Texas Motorplex traditions.

· Marquee Top Alcohol Regional Events: Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car will continue to get a major spotlight at special regional events in Indianapolis, Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk and Firebird Motorsports Park in Phoenix. Last year’s regional event in Indy was a featured part of the popular Cleetus and Cars event and will do so again in 2024.

· Addition of Summit ET Series in Eastern Canada: The first Eastern Canadian E.T. Finals will take place in 2024, with the race crowning champions place Sept. 6-8 at Napierville Dragway in Quebec.

· Strong staff in place: Along with Division Directors, NHRA added Alyse Aguilar as a full-time employee on the sportsman racing side to help support continued growth in grassroots racing, from NHRA Member Track programs up through the LODRS. Mike Rice, Bob Lang Rob Parks also serve in advisory roles for all levels of NHRA drag racing, bringing decades of experience.

Streaming coverage of the 37 divisional races is sponsored by Strange Engineering, Summit Racing Equipment, JEGS, Edelbrock, Laris Motorsports Insurance, Right Trailers, Ross Pistons, Rooftec, CP Pistons, Total Seal and Moser Engineering and will provide fans a free look into the thrilling NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and some of the top racers competing in the world. Presenting sponsors of NHRA.tv Sportsman coverage from Orlando are Moser, Strange, Edelbrock and A.R.T.

Starting in Orlando for the Southeast Division 2 kickoff event, race fans can watch racing at several divisional races every month on either NHRA.tv or the NHRA YouTube page. That includes five events in May, six races in June, seven in July, concluding with the Division 7 race at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Nov. 7-10. Complimentary coverage will also include major events like the JEGS SPORTSnationals and the Laris Motorsports Insurance Cajun NHRA SPORTSnationals, the NHRA Right Trailers Western Conference Finals at Texas Motorplex in Dallas and the NHRA Right Trailers Eastern Conference Finals at Bristol Dragway, along with several of the popular doubleheader races.

All NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series events this year can also be viewed on NHRA.tv and is available for $159.99 for the entire season or $24.99 per national event.

Along with the complimentary races, fans who purchase the full NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season on NHRA.tv will have access to watch nearly 60 live events this year. The 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season opens on March 7-10 with the historic 55th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at legendary Gainesville Raceway.

For more information about the NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com. Below is the 2024 schedule with the events set to be streamed for free on NHRA.tv. To see the full 2024 LODRS schedule, click here.

About Lucas Oil

Founded in 1989 by Forrest and Charlotte Lucas, Lucas Oil Products was created with the simple philosophy of producing only the best line of lubricants and additives available anywhere. Today, it encompasses the most diversified range of products in the automotive, powersports, marine, industrial, outdoor, and motorsports marketplaces, many of which were created by Forrest Lucas himself. In total, the company boasts more than 300 premium products, representing the largest variety of shelf products of any oil company in the United States with a distribution network across 48 different countries. For more information, please visit www.LucasOil.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 21 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.

Three-Time Winners in 2023 Add Veteran Nicky Boninfante as Co-Crew Chief

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 13, 2024) – The 2024 drag racing season unofficially kicked off last weekend in Bradenton, Florida, during the PRO Superstar Shootout, and Rick Ware Racing (RWR) served notice that the speed it displayed last season in the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series with three Top Fuel victories courtesy of driver Clay Millican would continue in 2024.

Millican promptly set fast time in the first round of qualifying at the PRO Superstar Shootout with an elapsed time of 3.688 seconds and a speed of 336.49 mph, and then remained atop the leaderboard by securing the No. 1 qualifying position. Millican advanced all the way to the final round, a stout performance that highlighted an expanded role this season by longtime partner Parts Plus on the No. 51 Top Fuel Dragster and the addition of NHRA veteran Nicky Boninfante as co-crew chief.

RWR’s first full NHRA season in 2023 featured three Top Fuel event wins – in May at Route 66 Raceway near Chicago, in July at Bandimere Speedway near Denver, and in October at World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis – doubling Millican’s career total in the series dating back to 1998. Millican debuted the No. 51 RWR Top Fuel Dragster in September 2022 at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

The Parts Plus brand, part of the The Pronto Network, the largest and most diverse automotive program distribution group in North America, is continuing its sponsorship of the RWR organization and Millican. In addition to its NHRA program, RWR campaigns successful teams in the NASCAR Cup Series, NTT INDYCAR Series, IMSA’s Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup, Progressive American Flat Track, and the FIM World Supercross Championship.

“Coming off of our storybook 2023 season, it’s great to continue building with Clay and Parts Plus,” said RWR team owner Rick Ware. “Parts Plus is expanding its role with RWR and we’re utilizing Clay’s popularity and fan base in other venues, as well. Clay is not only one of the greats in drag racing, he is an amazing ambassador for motorsports across all series. RWR and Parts Plus took him to his first Rolex 24 at Daytona, his first Indy 500 and his first American Flat Track race, and we have more in store for this year. Parts Plus has been an amazing marketing partner and they are spreading their wings, canvasing multiple major series around the country.”

Millican’s relationship with Parts Plus began during his part-time NHRA effort in 2011, then grew to a full-season run in 2012 when he drove for MPE Motorsports. Parts Plus joined Millican in victory lane for his first three Top Fuel event titles, the first in 2017 at Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway, and the second and third in back-to-back fashion at Heartland Park Topeka in Kansas and Route 66 Raceway the following year.

“We’re pleased to continue our long-standing partnership with Clay Millican and RWR in 2024,” said Robert Roos, president and CEO, The Pronto Network. “Coming off such an exciting and successful year, we can’t wait to see what this season has in store. Our Parts Plus stores and service centers are extremely proud to be associated with Clay and the entire RWR team.”

“It’s a thrill to have Parts Plus back for the 2024 season. They’ve helped us generate a lot of excitement over all the years we’ve been together,” said Millican, a native of Drummond, Tennessee. “It’s been a special partnership and we hope to elevate it to a whole new level. All the pieces are in place for a solid year.”

The arrival of Boninfante places the native of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, alongside RWR crew chief Jim Oberhofer and gives the team a powerful one-two punch at the helm of the performance department. This year marks the beginning of Boninfante’s fifth decade in drag racing, the first four of which included working on back-to-back Top Fuel world championship efforts by driver Scott Kalitta in 1994 and 1995, and another with driver Del Worsham in 2015, during two separate tours of duty with Kalitta Motorsports. Most recently, Boninfante was co-crew chief for team owner Worsham on the Nitro Funny Car team driven by Alexis Dejoria from 2020 to 2023.

“Adding Nicky Boninfante to the team is the culmination of a year-long discussion between Jim Oberhofer and myself,” Ware said. “This team, as with all successful teams, is about people and team dynamics, and that is how RWR has been able to grow like it has.

“The Top Fuel field got stronger and deeper for 2024 and we’re ready to fight and battle at the first hit of the throttle. There was an extremely short list of the people who excited Jim, people he felt could fill the void of ‘that thing’ we needed as a team to take us to the next level. Nicky and Jim both have the ability to complement each other, both are leaders, and, for RWR, they have the ability to grow and help us as we expand in the NHRA arena.”

Throughout his first four decades in drag racing, Boninfante has also served in various capacities in the family business, Boninfante Friction, the sole supplier of clutch plates and accessories to NHRA teams.

“Jim and I have a long history together and that’s a big reason why I came here,” Boninfante said. “I’ve also known Clay for a long time, but never had the chance to work with him until now, so that’s exciting for me. I’m also really looking forward to working with Rick. Last year was their first full year and they won three races, so there’s already a strong foundation here. Our goal is to focus on consistency, win rounds, put ourselves in the top-five, then race for the championship come Countdown time.

“Nicky and Jim O., have had such close ties throughout their careers, and both have been successful – I look at it as a double positive. Jim is incredible with the engine of a Nitro car, and Nicky is incredible in the clutch department. Nicky’s coming off a run with an incredibly fast car for Alexis (Dejoria). He’s going to bring some different ideas from running a Funny Car all those years, so he and Jim will be a formidable pairing.”

The 21-event Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series season officially begins March 7-10 with the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway.

About Rick Ware Racing:

Rick Ware has been a motorsports mainstay for more than 40 years. It began at age 6 when the third-generation racer began his driving career and has since spanned four wheels and two wheels on both asphalt and dirt. Competing in the SCCA Trans Am Series and other road-racing divisions led Ware to NASCAR in the early 1980s, where he finished third in his NASCAR debut – the 1983 Warner W. Hodgdon 300 NASCAR Grand American race at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway. More than a decade later, injuries would force Ware out of the driver seat and into fulltime team ownership. In 1995, Rick Ware Racing was formed, and with wife Lisa by his side, Ware has since built his eponymous organization into an entity that fields two fulltime entries in the NASCAR Cup Series while simultaneously campaigning successful teams in the Top Fuel class of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, the NTT INDYCAR Series, IMSA’s Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup, Progressive American Flat Track and FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX).

CHEVROLET IN DRAG RACING
2024 PRO SUPERSTAR SHOOTOUT
BRADENTON MOTORSPORTS PARK
BRADENTON, FLORIDA
TEAM CHEVY RACE RECAP
FEBRUARY 10, 2024

AUSTIN PROCK WINS HIS FIRST FUNNY CAR EVENT FOR JOHN FORCE RACING WITH CHEVROLET AT THE PRO SUPERSTAR SHOOTOUT IN BRADENTON

• Austin Prock, driver of the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, in his Funny Car competition debut, took home both the victory and a $250,000 cash prize at the inaugural PRO Superstar Shootout at Bradenton Motorsports Park.
• Prock qualified No. 1 Friday night with his fastest run of 3.825-second E.T. at 337.41 mph over the 13-car, invitation-only field.
• Prock also earned a $10,000 bonus for qualifying No. 1 in the inaugural event after stepping in for John Force Racing teammate Robert Hight during the offseason, shifting from Top Fuel to Funny Car and making his class competition debut this weekend at Bradenton.
• John Force, driver of the PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, qualified provisional No. 2 Thursday evening after the first qualifying session of the event weekend with his pass of 3.849-second E.T. at 332.59 mph.

BRADENTON, Florida (February 10, 2024) – Austin Prock, driver of the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, raced to the inaugural 2024 PRO Superstar Shootout victory over 2023 NHRA Funny Car World Champion Matt Hagan with his pass of 3.845-second E.T. at 332.43 mph to Hagan’s 3.872-second E.T. at 329.75 mph.

Claiming the $250,000 prize and bragging rights, Prock showcased his Funny Car piloting prowess in his class debut this weekend after taking over driving duties for teammate Robert Hight in the offseason. Taking John Force Racing and Chevrolet to the winner’s circle, the team now shift their sights to kicking off the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season in Gainesville, Fla. March 8-10, 2024.

After qualifying No. 1 with his pass of 3.825-second E.T. at 337.41 mph over the 13-car, invitation-only field, Prock first defeated Alexis DeJoria in Round 1 Saturday, then owner and teammate John Force, driver of the PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, in the semifinals to eventually take the win over Hagan in the finals.

“It’s unbelievable. I’ve just got to thank God above, Cornwell Tools, John Force Racing, Chevrolet, and all our partners that believed in us,” said Prock. “Get well soon, Robert Hight. This is a bad hot rod and I hope you’re watching, and hope we made you proud today. Jim Prock, my dad, Thomas Prock, Nate Hildahl, they’re all on top of it. It’s so much fun to drive this racecar.”

“I don’t even know if I will be able to put this into words until tomorrow morning,” continued Prock. “It still hasn’t hit me; it’s surreal that I’m even driving a Funny Car right now. I’ve got my grandfather’s 374, his number when he drove Funny Car, on this thing. We took it to the winner’s circle.”

Force, who was unfortunately forced to settle for an early day in semifinals, started the weekend strong qualifying provisional No. 2 Thursday with his pass of 3.849-second E.T. at 332.59 mph.

The big money and bragging rights event saw a unique format of not only Top Fuel vs. Top Fuel and Funny Car vs. Funny Car elimination rounds Saturday for the top eight qualifiers, but also a unique Top Fuel vs. Funny Car elimination format for those who qualified outside the top eight.

Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster and No. 11 qualifier, faced off against Blake Alexander and claimed the Round 1 win with her pass of 3.862-second E.T. at 302.75 mph to Alexander’s 4.031-second E.T. at 308.43 mph.

In Pro Stock, Erica Enders, the six-time NHRA World Champion, kicked off her 2024 season carrying the momentum she finished 2023 with, taking home top honors and $125,000 after racing to the win light over Dave Connolly with her run of 6.531-second E.T. at 210.05 mph to Connolly’s 6.577-second E.T. at 208.81 mph.

The 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season begins March 8-10, 2024 with the NHRA Gatornationals from Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Fla. Finals for the event air from 10:30 a.m. ET to 1 p.m. ET and 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. ET, both on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Coverage streams live throughout the weekend on NHRA.tv, and is available via AppleTV, Android TV, and Roku devices.

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.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Feb. 9, 2024) – One of the marquee attractions from last year’s Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals is back in 2024, as the special “Swamp Rat Alley” returns to Gainesville Raceway on March 7-10 for the 55th edition of the race, featuring historic cars from legendary driver “Big Daddy” Don Garlits and others.

NHRA and Garlits, one of the most iconic drivers in drag racing history, again teamed up to feature “Swamp Rat Alley” inside the Hot Rod Junction. This year’s display will feature a pair of famous Garlits cars, as well as vehicles from “Jungle Jim” Liberman, Dick LaHaie and Ray Godman. The cars will be displayed all weekend at Gainesville Raceway, giving fans the unique chance to check out historic cars driven by legendary names in the sport. Garlits will also be on hand throughout the weekend at Gainesville Raceway to meet with and sign autographs for fans.

Included in the Swamp Rat Alley in 2024 will be:

• Garlits’ Swamp Rat VIII: This was the first of Garlits’ Swamp Rats to run the legendary 426 Hemi. Driven by both Garlits and right-hand man Connie Swingle in 1965, the car was later lengthened and became Swamp Rat X before being recreated in its original form.
• Garlits’ Swamp Rat I C: One of Garlits’ earliest cars and was uncharacteristically painted purple for a short time. In a time before Garlits burned nitro, this car ran on gasoline with six carburetors and competed at the 1956 Florida State Championship where it set low E.T. and top speed but broke in the finals. The car was quickly painted black and went on to great success.
• Ray Godman’s Front Engine Tennessee Bo-Weevil Top Fueler: Raymond Godman’s Tennessee Bo-Weevil cars were mainstays of NHRA competition throughout the 1960s and one of his earlier Bo-Weevil cars won Middle Eliminator at the 1962 Nationals in Indianapolis. This car is the final front-engine Top Fueler campaigned by Godman and driver Preston Davis in 1971.
• Dick LaHaie’s 1981 Top Fueler: The car, driven by Michigan-based great Dick LaHaie, who would win the Top Fuel world championship in 1987, was one of many cars that kept LaHaie’s name perennially in the NHRA Top 10 throughout the 1980s in cars that were wrenched his son, Jeff, and daughter, Kim.
• “Jungle Jim’s” 1972 Camaro Funny Car: This ’72 Camaro from the legendary “Jungle Jim” was only driven a handful of times before the Funny Car driver sold it, but it was one in a long line of Chevrolet Funny Cars driven by one of the most popular competitors in NHRA history.

The “Swamp Rat Alley” section is a thrilling way to help kick off the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and before the weekend starts, Garlits and the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame will induct its 2024 class on Thursday, March 7.

The 55th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals promises to be one of the biggest races in the event’s incredible history. This year’s version promises 11,000-horsepower, 330-mph racing action, new faces in the pro ranks – like legendary racer and now Top Fuel rookie Tony Stewart – the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout, pre-race festivities, and a host of events and action off the track.

Last year, Mike Salinas (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Troy Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won in Gainesville and this year’s race will air on FS1, including the Pep Boys Top Fuel All-Star Callout at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, live coverage on Sunday from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m., and continuing finals coverage at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Reigning Top Fuel world champ Doug Kalitta looks to keep rolling after winning his first world title to close out 2023, taking on Brittany Force, Steve Torrence, Antron Brown, Justin Ashley, Tony Schumacher and class newcomer Stewart. In Funny Car, Hagan is after his third straight Gators win against a star-studded field of Ron Capps, Bob Tasca III, J.R. Todd, John Force, Daniel Wilkerson, Cruz Pedregon and Austin Prock.

Six-time Pro Stock world champ Erica Enders will try to win in Gainesville for the first time, facing off against Greg Anderson, Aaron Stanfield, Matt Hartford and Dallas Glenn. In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Herrera is after a repeat win by knocking off the likes of Matt Smith, Steve Johnson, Hector Arana Jr. and Angie Smith.

The Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout is back to open 2024 as well, pitting eight standouts against each other in a unique, big-money specialty race on Saturday, March 9. Local standout Josh Hart won the Callout last year. Action will also take place in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ and Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown to open 2024.

Race fans at Gainesville Raceway can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies for drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk, which benefits the Darrell Gwynn Foundation in Gainesville, as well as a ring ceremony for the 2023 world champs (Kalitta, Hagan, Enders and Herrera) and a flyover from the U.S. Air Force. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners.

The Nitro Alley Stage is a huge attraction and the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, the NHRA Insider Podcast, Shirley Muldowney Q&A and meet and greets. Marching bands will also entertain the crowd each day, including the University of Florida on Sunday. As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their cars, get autographs from their favorite drivers and more. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and vendors create an exciting atmosphere of interactive displays, merchandise, food and fun.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features two rounds at 2 and 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 8, and the final two qualifying rounds on Saturday, March 9 at 12 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 10.

The first round of the Pep Boys Top Fuel All-Star Callout takes place on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET and the semifinals at 2:45 p.m. The finals are slated for 4:25 p.m.

To purchase tickets to the 2024 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. Get your tickets now for the Top Eliminator Club because these will sell out. For more info 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 21 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.