Category: NHRA

National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) news and information

  • FUNNY CAR, TOP FUEL TITLE DUELS HEADING TOWARD EPIC FINISH AT IN-N-OUT BURGER NHRA FINALS IN POMONA

    FUNNY CAR, TOP FUEL TITLE DUELS HEADING TOWARD EPIC FINISH AT IN-N-OUT BURGER NHRA FINALS IN POMONA

    Three Funny Car stars within 17 points, Top Fuel trio separated by 34 points as race for world championships come down to the wire in spectacular fashion

    POMONA, Calif. (Nov. 6, 2023) – Known for incredible finishes over the years, this weekend’s 58th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals is shaping up to be one of the most historic in NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series history, especially in the Funny Car and Top Fuel ranks.

    With epic points races coming down to the wire in both 11,000-horsepower categories, fans could witness a pair of winner-take-all showdowns on championship Sunday at legendary In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

    In Funny Car, the top three contenders – points leader Matt Hagan, Bob Tasca III and Robert Hight – are separated by a mere 17 points – or less than a round at the points-and-a-half finale. It truly doesn’t get much closer, as the last man standing will clinch the 2023 Funny Car world championship, a thrilling summation of what’s been one of the closest title races in recent class history.

    “It’s always been a dogfight,” Hagan said. “We know we have to go out and win, but they’re heavy hitters. I feel we’re all sitting here thinking we have to go win the race. That’s my feeling and my thought process. It’s not about points anymore, it’s just about winning this race. I’m just excited to be in the mix of it.”

    Added Tasca: “We’re within a round and if we all run to our potential, there’s a good chance two of the three of us could be in the final round, where all the chips would be on one race. That would be an epic ending to the season. I can’t wait to get there.”

    Said Hight: “It’s a big deal and it could come down to the final round to crown a championship. There’s no more excitement than that. There’s going to be lot of sleepless nights between now and Sunday, I’m sure, but I’m just glad to be a part of that.”

    Top Fuel will feature its own remarkable finish, as Steve Torrence looks for a fifth world title against two hungry first-time title seekers in veteran Doug Kalitta and Leah Pruett. In a points race that has changed hands an incredible five times in the last six races, Torrence moved back ahead in Las Vegas, with his lead standing at just 15 points over Kalitta, who has finished second six times in his career.

    Pruett is only 34 points back and if the talented racer for Tony Stewart Racing can get enough points in qualifying and shorten the gap to less than 30 points, she would also be within a round of Torrence. Should that happen, it sets up for a spectacular Sunday that could come down to a thrilling “win the race, win the world title” scenario.

    “It’s going to be fun and it’s down to the last race,” Torrence said. “I’ve got a great car and I’m more excited right now than at any point in this whole season. I’m looking forward to going to Pomona. We’ve got two great competitors biting at our heels, and I’ve been in a lot of different spots going to Pomona. I’m looking forward to it and it’s pretty cool just to be in this position again.”

    Added Kalitta: “There’s a lot of points left and it should be fun. Pomona is just a cool track and I always look forward to running there. It’s great to be in this position and I’m having fun with it. This is one of the best opportunities I’ve had (to win a championship) and we’re looking forward to getting to Pomona.”

    Said Pruett: “This is where I made my first pass. I’ve had a highs and lows there, and this is a chance to make that absolute dream come true. Winning a race there is always spectacular, but the World Finals is something totally different. I’m honored to be in the company I am and it’s going to be exciting. The fans are in for a treat and I’ve been looking forward to this for a really long time.”

    Of course, there’s more who could have a hand in the Top Fuel chase, as Mike Salinas is 76 points out of first, and Justin Ashley is 82 points back. Both remain in contention in what could be one of the wildest finishes in In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals history.

    Austin Prock (Top Fuel), Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Angie Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) won last year’s event, while Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) claimed world championships. The race will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 (FS1), including eliminations at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday.

    In Pro Stock, Enders is closing in on a sixth world title and her fourth in five years. She’s won back-to-back races, opening up a 114-point lead over Greg Anderson heading into the finale. That sets up the possibility of Enders clinching the title during qualifying if she adds seven or more points to her advantage heading into Sunday.

    Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera has enjoyed a historic season and will clinch his first career world championship when he makes his first qualifying run on Sunday.

    The weekend includes two qualifying sessions on both Friday and Saturday leading into championship Sunday, plus a weekend-long celebration of veterans. Fans can get closer to the action with a Top Eliminator Club experience, offering the best seats in the house and a premium experience.

    NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 12 and 3 p.m. PT on Friday, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday at 12 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday. Television coverage begins with qualifying action on FS1 at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, leading into eliminations at 4 p.m.

    To purchase tickets to the 58th 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.


    About Camping World Holdings, Inc.

    Camping World Holdings, Inc., headquartered in Lincolnshire, IL, (together with its subsidiaries) is the World’s largest retailer of RVs and related products and services. Our vision is to build a long-term legacy business that makes RVing fun and easy. Our Camping World and Good Sam brands have been serving RV consumers since 1966. We strive to build long-term value for our customers, employees, and shareholders by combining a unique and comprehensive assortment of RV products and services with a national network of RV dealerships, service centers and customer support centers along with the industry’s most extensive online presence and a highly trained and knowledgeable team of employees serving our customers, the RV lifestyle, and the communities in which we operate. We also believe that our Good Sam organization and family of programs and services uniquely enable us to connect with our customers as stewards of the RV enthusiast community and the RV lifestyle. With RV sales and service locations in 43 states, Camping World has grown to become the prime destination for everything RV. For more information, visit www.campingworld.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 Camping World Drag Racing Series, NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports, Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown™ and Top Fuel Harley Series. 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 120 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.

  • NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES RELEASES EVENT SCHEDULE FOR ACTION-PACKED 2024 SEASON

    NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES RELEASES EVENT SCHEDULE FOR ACTION-PACKED 2024 SEASON

    INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 3, 2023) – The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, which features the top sportsman drivers in drag racing, announced the schedule for the 2024 season, featuring stops at standout racing facilities across the country, including a pair of new facilities on the 2024 tour.

    Beginning on Feb. 16-17 at Orlando Speed World Dragway, the upcoming NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series season will include a total of 45 divisional events and 22 regional events, with the year concluding Nov. 7-10 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The series will also make first-time stops at Pine Valley Raceway (South Central Division) in Lufkin, Texas on Oct. 18-20, and the new Flying H Dragstrip (West Central Division) in the Kansas City area on June 13-16.

    The season will also include 11 doubleheader events, which have been a popular attraction for race teams, drawing an impressive number of participants.

    The exciting doubleheader races will take place at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Phoenix (Feb. 22-25), The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (April 18-21), the Texas Motorplex in Dallas (May 16-19), Flying H Dragstrip (June 13-16), Yellowstone Drag Strip in Acton, Mont. (June 27-30), Woodburn Dragstrip in Woodburn, Ore. (July 11-14), Brainerd International Raceway (July 18-21), Pacific Raceway in Seattle (Aug. 8-11), Tulsa Raceway Park (Sept. 19-22), Famoso Dragstrip in McFarland, Calif. (Oct. 3-6) and World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis (Oct. 2-5).

    “Sportsman racing has always been a significant part of NHRA Drag Racing and we’re excited to continue our support for such an important series during the 2024 season,” said Morgan Lucas, president of Lucas Oil. “This series includes so many talented racers and race teams, and it’s vital they have a chance to showcase those skills and all the hard work they put in at tracks across the country. We’re looking forward to the upcoming season and another great year of sportsman racing in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.”

    The 22 regional events during the 2024 Lucas Oil Drag Racing will also feature the exciting 270-mph racing from the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car classes. The popular categories will be featured during the Cleetus and Cars event for the second straight season on May 3-4 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, as well as the fan-favorite “Night Under Fire” event on Aug. 2-3 at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio.

    The JEGS SPORTSnationals, which has been a staple of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series circuit, highlights a huge four days of racing from July 10-13 at National Trail Raceway in the Columbus, Ohio-area. More than 600 competitors took part in the SPORTSnationals in 2023, with racing taking place in eight different categories. It’s annually one of the marquee events of the sportsman season and the historic race leads directly into the divisional and regional event on July 12-13 at National Trail Raceway to conclude an action-packed four days of racing.

    Like the 2023 season, NHRA will also stream several Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional races on either NHRA.tv or the NHRA YouTube page for free during the 2024 campaign, including action from all seven NHRA divisions.

    “Lucas Oil and the Lucas family have always been so dedicated to supporting our sport and this series, and the NHRA is proud to again partner with them for another tremendous year of sportsman racing in 2024,” NHRA President Glen Cromwell said. “The series continues to enjoy exciting growth and that’s a credit to all of our partners, race teams and member tracks, and we’ve got an exciting 2024 schedule on tap for them.”

    2024 NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES REGIONAL SCHEDULE

    EAST REGION

    Gainesville Raceway: March 1-2

    Cecil County Dragway: May 10-11

    Maple Grove Raceway: May 24-25

    Lebanon Valley Dragway: July 5-6

    New England Dragway: August 16-17

    Virginia Motorsports Park: September 27-28

    NORTH CENTRAL REGION

    Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park: May 3-4

    Summit Motorsports Park: May 31-June 2

    National Trail Raceway: July 12-13

    Summit Motorsports Park: August 2-3

    Beech Bend Raceway Park: August 23-24

    World Wide Technology Raceway: October 4-5

    CENTRAL REGION

    No Problem Raceway: February 23-24

    Texas Motorplex: May 17-18

    Flying H Dragstrip: June 14-15

    Brainerd International Raceway: July 19-21

    Tri-State Raceway: September 6-8

    WEST REGION

    Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park: February 23-24

    Woodburn Dragstrip: July 11-12

    Woodburn Dragstrip: July 13-14

    Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park: October 19-20

    The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: November 8-9

    2024 NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES DIVISIONAL SCHEDULE

    NORTHEAST DIVISION

    Cecil County Dragway: May 10-11

    Maple Grove Raceway: May 24-26

    Lebanon Valley Dragway: July 5-7

    Numidia Dragway: July 25-26

    New England Dragway: August 16-18

    Virginia Motorsports Park: September 27-29

    SOUTHEAST DIVISION

    Orlando Speed World Dragway: February 16-17

    Gainesville Raceway: Feb 29 – March 3

    South Georgia Motorsports Park: March 22-23

    Silver Dollar Motorsports Park: April 19-20

    GALOT Motorsports Park: June 14-15

    Rockingham Dragway: October 18-19

    NORTH CENTRAL DIVISION

    Summit Motorsports Park: May 31-June 2

    National Trail Raceway (JEGS SPORTSnationals): July 10-11

    National Trail Raceway: July 12-13

    Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park: August 2-3

    Beech Bend Raceway Park: August 23-25

    World Wide Technology Raceway: October 2-3

    World Wide Technology Raceway: October 4-5

    SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION

    No Problem Raceway: February 23-25

    Thunder Valley Raceway Park: April 19-21

    Texas Motorplex: May 16-17

    Texas Motorplex: May 18-19

    Tulsa Raceway Park: September 19-20

    Tulsa Raceway Park: September 21-22

    Pine Valley Raceway: October 18-20

    WEST CENTRAL DIVISION

    Tri-State Raceway: May 31-June 2

    Flying H Dragstrip: June 13-14

    Flying H Dragstrip: June 15-16

    Brainerd International Raceway: July 18-19

    Brainerd International Raceway: July 20-21

    Tri-State Raceway: September 6-8

    NORTHWEST DIVISION

    Firebird Raceway: May 17-19

    Yellowstone Drag Strip: June 27-28

    Yellowstone Drag Strip: June 29-30

    Woodburn Dragstrip: July 11-12

    Woodburn Dragstrip: July 13-14

    Pacific Raceway: August 8-9

    Pacific Raceway: August 10-11

    PACIFIC DIVISION

    Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park: February 22-23

    Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park: February 24-25

    The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: April 18-19

    The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: April 20-21

    Famoso Dragstrip: October 3-4

    Famoso Dragstrip: October 5-6

    The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: November 7-10


    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 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 Camping World Drag Racing Series, NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports, Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown™ and Top Fuel Harley Series. 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 120 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.

  • FIVE NHRA CAMPING WORLD DRAG RACING SERIES DRIVERS ELIGIBLE FOR 2023 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

    FIVE NHRA CAMPING WORLD DRAG RACING SERIES DRIVERS ELIGIBLE FOR 2023 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

    INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 2, 2023) – NHRA officials announced the five NHRA Camping World Drag Racing competitors in contention for the 2023 NHRA Rookie of the Year award.

    Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Chase Van Sant is one of the five candidates for the annual award that names the sport’s top rookie in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Currently sixth in points, Van Sant has advanced to four semifinals and four quarterfinals this season. Van Sant rides for the White Alligator Racing led by former champ Jerry Savoie.

    Pro Stock driver David Cuadra not only joined the Pro Stock ranks this season but also his family. Father Ferando Sr. and brothers Ferando Jr. and Cristian are all competitors in the class. Cuadra made his Pro Stock debut at the Four-Wide race in Charlotte where he joined his family in a Cuadra-Quad.

    Eric Latino, hailing from Port Perry, Ontario, drives for the KB Titan Racing juggernaut and is also a co-owner of the team. Latino made his NHRA Pro Stock debut in Norwalk this season and has qualified for six NHRA races.

    Top Fuel driver Dan Mercier hails from Saint-Michel, Quebec. This season he has qualified for six national events, including the Norwalk race where he picked up a round win over Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta.

    Jerry Tucker competes for Pro Stock giant Elite Motorsports. Tucker has qualified for all 2023 Pro Stock events this season while advancing to one semifinal and four quarterfinals. He has round wins over Pro Stock stars Erica Enders, Bo Butner and Troy Coughlin Jr.

    Last season, Camrie Caruso was awarded the 2022 Rookie of the Year title. Other recent winners include Pro Stock’s Dallas Glenn in 2021, and Top Fuel drivers Justin Ashley in 2020 and Austin Prock in 2019.

    The NHRA Rookie of the Year award recognizes the top rookie competitor who also represents the future of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. The nation’s leading auto racing journalists select the winner through a voting system based on the following criteria: number of events competed in, performance on and off the racetrack, participation in NHRA promotions, and relationships with fans, sponsors, and media.


    About Camping World Holdings, Inc.

    Camping World Holdings, Inc., headquartered in Lincolnshire, IL, (together with its subsidiaries) is the World’s largest retailer of RVs and related products and services. Our vision is to build a long-term legacy business that makes RVing fun and easy. Our Camping World and Good Sam brands have been serving RV consumers since 1966. We strive to build long-term value for our customers, employees, and shareholders by combining a unique and comprehensive assortment of RV products and services with a national network of RV dealerships, service centers and customer support centers along with the industry’s most extensive online presence and a highly trained and knowledgeable team of employees serving our customers, the RV lifestyle, and the communities in which we operate. We also believe that our Good Sam organization and family of programs and services uniquely enable us to connect with our customers as stewards of the RV enthusiast community and the RV lifestyle. With RV sales and service locations in 43 states, Camping World has grown to become the prime destination for everything RV. For more information, visit www.campingworld.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 Camping World Drag Racing Series, NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports, Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown™ and Top Fuel Harley Series. 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 120 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.

  • RIGHT TRAILERS TO SPONSOR NHRA JUNIOR DRAG RACING LEAGUE EASTERN AND WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

    RIGHT TRAILERS TO SPONSOR NHRA JUNIOR DRAG RACING LEAGUE EASTERN AND WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

    INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 1, 2023) – For the third straight season, Right Trailers will be the title sponsor of the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League Western Conference Finals, which will take place for the first time at the Texas Motorplex in Dallas, and the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League Eastern Conference Finals at Bristol Dragway during the 2024 season.

    The pair of events continue to be two marquee highlights of the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League, a popular racing league for kids ages 5-17. Hundreds of young drivers participate in both races, which help further growth in drag racing and propel aspiring drivers in the sport.

    “Right Trailers is proud to once again be the title sponsor for the Summit Racing Junior Drag Racing League’s Western Conference Finals and Eastern Conference Finals in 2024,” Right Trailers President Michael Scott said. “Right Trailers sees tremendous value in the next generation of drag racers. With the number of participants increasing each year, both events are great platforms to promote Right Trailers. Right Trailers will continue to elevate Junior drag racing to provide as many opportunities as possible to these great racers.”

    The Right Trailers NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League Western Conference Finals move to the legendary Texas Motorplex in 2024, taking place at the famed facility on June 8-15. It’s another major event added to the Texas Motorplex schedule, which is thrilled to host the young racers trying to pick up a win and a prestigious Wally trophy.

    “We’re excited to add the Western Conference Finals to our 2024 season,” Texas Motorplex Co-Owner Christie Meyer Johnson said. “This is another awesome addition to our growing schedule. We are honored that we get to be a part of so many different pieces of the NHRA puzzle and that we get to support these jr. drivers as they grow and become the next generation of NHRA stars! We’re looking forward to continuing the traditions of this event while adding a Texas twist, and we hope that we can make this a memorable event for all the racers and their families.”

    The next month, the Right Trailers NHRA Jr. Drag Racing Eastern Conference Finals will take place on July 12-20 at the fan-favorite Bristol Dragway. The popular race has been a mainstay in Thunder Valley, dating back to 2004. The picturesque track continues to be a thrilling destination for fans and racers, who annually look forward to competing at the standout facility and race for a victory.

    “Bristol Dragway is proud to be the longtime home of the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League Eastern Conference Finals,” said Jerry Caldwell, president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway and Bristol Dragway. “During the weeklong event, the kids learn the importance of hard work, teamwork, and sportsmanship while pursuing their racing dreams. It’s an event that truly showcases the bright future of the sport of NHRA Championship Drag Racing and we can’t wait for these young drivers to return to Thunder Valley next July for another fun week of racing.”

    NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League competitor’s race cars, called Jr. Dragsters, are half-scale versions of the iconic Top Fuel dragsters. They go as fast as 85 mph and as quick as 7.90 seconds in the eighth-mile using a five-horsepower, single-cylinder engine, though younger age groups are restricted to slower times and speeds.

    Right Trailers has been an industry leader since starting nearly 20 years ago, growing to four locations with an inventory of more than 1,000 trailers and more than 10,000 trailer parts. NHRA and Right Trailers have also enjoyed a strong long-term partnership together, with Right Trailers provided several different types of trailers to customers across the country.

    “The NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League plays such an important in our sport’s future and it’s exciting to see Right Trailers continued support as the title sponsor of these two outstanding events,” NHRA Vice President and Chief Development Officer Brad Gerber said. “We’re thrilled to host the Western Conference Finals at Texas Motorplex for the first time and again return to Bristol for the Eastern Conference Finals as these events continue to grow and flourish.”

    Since its start in 1992, the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League has provided a place for young racers to compete and been the start for many top NHRA professional drivers. The list includes world champions like Pro Stock’s Erica Enders and Top Fuel driver Shawn Langdon, who won a JDRL national championship in 1997, as well standouts such as Top Fuel’s Leah Pruett; Funny Car driver J.R. Todd; Pro Stock competitors Deric Kramer and Chris McGaha; Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Cory Reed and many more.

    For more information about Right Trailers, please visit www.RightTrailers.com. For more information about NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.


    About Right Trailers

    Right Trailers is an authorized dealership for the most respected brands and parts suppliers in North America. Founded in 2004, Right Trailers has grown to include four locations with more than 800 trailers and 10,000 parts in inventory. Locations serving Lakeland & Ocala, FL, Caledonia, WI and their new location opening this Fall in Halifax, NC. Right Trailers is quickly becoming the leading trailer dealership in the country. They offer a six-day-a-week trailer service, full customization, and a leading-edge digital experience. Right Trailers prides themselves on being socially responsible, knowledgeable, family-oriented, and forward-thinking.

    Right Trailers offers new and/or pre-owned trailers, a friendly knowledgeable sales experience, financing, service, and a comprehensive parts department. From helping you select the perfect trailer, to ongoing maintenance and customization, the team at Right Trailers is prepared to make sure your experience exceeds expectations.

    Right Trailers values the opportunity to create a long- term relationship with their customers around the world and offers life-changing careers.

    For more information visit righttrailers.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 Camping World Drag Racing Series, NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports, Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown™ and Top Fuel Harley Series. 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 120 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.

  • PRO STOCK TO COMPETE AT ALL 21 RACES DURING 2024 NHRA MISSION FOODS DRAG RACING SERIES SEASON

    PRO STOCK TO COMPETE AT ALL 21 RACES DURING 2024 NHRA MISSION FOODS DRAG RACING SERIES SEASON

    INDIANAPOLIS (Oct. 31, 2023) – The NHRA announced today that Pro Stock will compete at all 21 races next year, returning to a full-season schedule during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

    The exciting, talent-heavy category had another banner season in 2023, enjoying great competition across the class with a diverse mix of drivers. The Pro Stock schedule was reduced to 18 races in 2019, but with a continued influx of talent, Pro Stock has featured large fields at NHRA races across the country in recent seasons.

    Starting in 2024, they will move back to competing at every NHRA national event, joining Top Fuel and Funny Car for all 21 races next year.

    “I think the class is in a good spot and everybody’s excited about it,” Elite Motorsports owner Richard Freeman said. “Seeing that the overall schedule has moved to 21 events, I think it’s only fitting for us to be a part of every event. I definitely think it was a group effort. This category is absolutely healthy and we just have to keep working towards that.”

    Added Pro Stock veteran Greg Anderson: “It shows the class is very popular right now. It shows that when we (aren’t at) a race, people miss us. That’s a great feeling. I feel great about the class right now and that’s the reason we’re being asked to participate in all 21 next year. I love it. Since day one, I want to run as many races as I can.”

    The full category schedule for all racing classes that will compete at NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series events during the 2024 season will be released later this week. The 2024 season opens with the 55th annual NHRA Gatornationals on March 7-10 at Gainesville Raceway and features 21 races at standout facilities across the country.

    Heading into the final event of the season in Pro Stock, Erica Enders holds a 114-point lead over Anderson as both star drivers seek their sixth world championship. Both are part of two of the standout teams in the category, with Enders driving for Elite Motorsports and Anderson leading the way for the KB Titan Racing team. The success and growth of the two teams – along with a host of other top competitors – has allowed for continual growth and stability in the category, helping pave the way for a full 21-race schedule in 2024.

    “Sometimes you just have to do what’s good for the class and I think that’s what we did over the last few years when we cut back on races,” Anderson said. “But then we showed people how important the class is and how great the class is. It’s more important for the future of the class to be at every race so I think everybody agrees with that now and have come along to that thinking. The class is on an ascent. It’s all good and all thumbs up on my end and great for the class and that’s what’s most important. You’ve seen the popularity grow in the class. It’s on great footing now. We’ve got a little bit of everything, a great product, a great group of drivers and it’s a great mix right now.”

    Often called “factory hot rods,” Pro Stock is one of the most technical classes in the NHRA. The 500 cubic-inch engines use electronic fuel injection, making in excess of 1,300-horsepower and providing thrilling side-by-side action. The class can run in the 6.40-second range at more than 210 mph, with races often decided by a fraction of a second.

    “Pro Stock is an extremely important category to the NHRA and we’re excited to have them at every race during the 2024 schedule,” said Josh Peterson, NHRA Vice President, Racing Administration. “Pro Stock continues to thrive from a driver participation and competition standpoint, and I know our fans will be thrilled to see them at all 21 races next year.”

    To view the full 2024 event schedule and for more information about NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.


    About Camping World Holdings, Inc.

    Camping World Holdings, Inc., headquartered in Lincolnshire, IL, (together with its subsidiaries) is the World’s largest retailer of RVs and related products and services. Our vision is to build a long-term legacy business that makes RVing fun and easy. Our Camping World and Good Sam brands have been serving RV consumers since 1966. We strive to build long-term value for our customers, employees, and shareholders by combining a unique and comprehensive assortment of RV products and services with a national network of RV dealerships, service centers and customer support centers along with the industry’s most extensive online presence and a highly trained and knowledgeable team of employees serving our customers, the RV lifestyle, and the communities in which we operate. We also believe that our Good Sam organization and family of programs and services uniquely enable us to connect with our customers as stewards of the RV enthusiast community and the RV lifestyle. With RV sales and service locations in 43 states, Camping World has grown to become the prime destination for everything RV. For more information, visit www.campingworld.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 Camping World Drag Racing Series, NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports, Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown™ and Top Fuel Harley Series. 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 120 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.

  • NHRA AT LAS VEGAS 2: Team Chevy Race Recap

    NHRA AT LAS VEGAS 2: Team Chevy Race Recap

    CHEVROLET IN NHRA
    2023 NHRA NEVADA NATIONALS
    THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
    LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
    TEAM CHEVY RACE RECAP
    OCTOBER 29, 2023

    CHEVROLET DOUBLES UP WITH ROBERT HIGHT IN FUNNY CAR AND ERICA ENDERS IN PRO STOCK; AARON STANFIELD SECURES THIRD FLEXJET FACTORY STOCK SHOWDOWN CHAMPIONSHIP WITH CHEVROLET

    • Robert Hight raced to victory over Bob Tasca, III in Funny Car, earning his fourth win in six final rounds in 2023, and the 85th of his career.
    • Hight’s win at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway earns Chevrolet their 159th in Funny Car and 79th in the Camaro body.
    • Erica Enders secured her 47th Pro Stock victory and 48th of her NHRA career, defeating Greg Anderson in the final round in the NHRA Nevada Nationals to earn her 10th victory at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
    • Enders, with her win Sunday, earned Chevrolet’s 381st in Pro Stock and 262nd in the Camaro.
    • Hight, driver of the Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, took the No. 1 Qualifier position for Sunday’s race for the sixth time of 2023 and earning 12 bonus points, with his No. 2 run of 3.851 seconds. Bob Tasca, III’s Saturday night run was disqualified, giving Hight the No. 1 position heading into race day.
    • Kyle Koretsky, driver of the Lucas Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock for KB Titan Racing, earned the Nevada Nationals No. 1 Qualifier with his run of 6.589 E.T. at 205.66 MPH, picking up six bonus points towards the Countdown to the Championship.
    • Hight led the leaderboard Friday night, qualifying provisional No. 1 with his run of 3.881 E.T. at 327.51 MPH and collecting three bonus points towards the Championship.
    • Enders, with her Q1 run Friday, took the provisional No. 1 spot with her pass of 6.595 E.T. at 207.66 MPH.
    • Aaron Stanfield, driver of the Stanfield Racing Engines Chevrolet COPO Camaro, clinched his third FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown World Championship Friday at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
    • Stephen Bell, driver of the Stanfield Racing Engines Chevrolet COPO Camaro, qualified No. 1 for the second time of his career in FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

    LAS VEGAS (October 29, 2023) – It was a winning weekend in Las Vegas, with Chevrolet doubling up in the professional ranks at the 2023 NHRA Nevada Nationals as Robert Hight captured the win in Funny Car and Erica Enders in Pro Stock. With one race left in the Countdown to the Championship, both victories come at a critical time as the season champion is crowned in two weeks.

    Hight, driver of the Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, first defeated Jeff Diehl in Round 1, Alexis DeJoria in Round 2, and Blake Alexander in Semifinals on his way to the final round versus Bob Tasca, III. After entering Sunday as the No. 1 Qualifier, Hight raced his way to his fourth victory of the year, and his 65th career win tying him with Jeg Coughlin, Jr. for ninth on the all-time NHRA win list with his run of 3.851 E.T. at 326.79 MPH. Additionally, Hight’s win in Las Vegas Sunday is Chevrolet’s 79th in the Camaro body and 159th in Funny Car.

    “It’s going to be everything,” reflected Hight on his weekend approaching the final race of the Countdown. “We dug ourselves a hole in Dallas, and we knew we had to come in here in almost a must-win situation. These guys are running right with us, and we’re not running away with this thing. This Chevrolet Camaro, man, Chevrolet is going to be very happy with that right there. I thought to myself as I was staging, you look at this beautiful sunset in Las Vegas and you want to drive off into the sunset, and at least we’re carrying a Wally. Pomona is going to be exciting.”

    “We really screwed up in Dallas and we knew when we came here, we knew we had to win, said Thomas Prock, Hight’s Crew Chief at John Force Racing. “We just really took our time to look over notes and make good decisions coming here. It’s really paid off. I’m really so proud of everyone. This is such a hard class to win in, and to do it is unbelievable, honestly, here in Las Vegas.”

    On her march to a potential sixth NHRA World Championship, Enders, driver of the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling/SCAG Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock for Elite Motorsports, captured her 47th Pro Stock win and 48th in NHRA over KB Titan Racing’s Greg Anderson in the final round, while entering and leaving Las Vegas with the Championship points lead heading into Pomona. Enders win Sunday was Chevrolet’s 381st in Pro Stock, and 262nd in the Camaro. Defeating Mason McGaha in Round 1, teammate Troy Coughlin, Jr. in Round 2, and teammate Jeg Coughlin, Jr. in Semifinals, Enders was able to capture the winlight and Wally trophy after Anderson faced issues after the start. Enders’ win in Las Vegas Sunday was her 10th at The Strip.

    “You can’t do it alone. No matter how much negativity surrounds you, if you don’t let it in your boat, it can’t sink you,” said Enders. “I think that’s the biggest lesson from this weekend with what had to deal with, the adversity we had to get through, and again I say it all the time, but when our backs are against the wall, my boys perform flawlessly. Greg (Anderson) had lane choice and took the right, and my crew chiefs were thrilled. This one, this is awesome. We came in here with the (points) lead. Greg (Anderson) is right on my heels, and that was a big round for us. I’m just really proud. We’re going to Pomona, we’re going to give it all the effort. When you dig deep and play with all the heart you have, they can’t get you.”

    For the 16-time champion John Force, driver of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, he faced an unfortunate early end after hazing the tires early on his run. Qualifying No. 5, he fell to No. 12 Blake Alexander in the first round.

    “Well, tough race day. Definitely not what we wanted for this black and gold PEAK Chevy and the 50th anniversary of Old World Industries,” said Force. “We qualified decent but couldn’t get the job done. I might be out of this championship fight, but Robert is right in the thick of things and I’m proud of that and that team. Hopefully, we can all put on a good show in Pomona and end this season on a good note.”

    In Top Fuel, it was an early day for the pair of Brittany Force and Austin Prock, both facing elimination in Round 2. B. Force, driver of the Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster, faced elimination by Steve Torrence after she defeated Antron Brown in Round 1. Prock, driver of the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster, fell to Justin Ashley in the second round after defeating Dan Mercier in Round 1.

    “We have a good race car, and the team is working hard,” said Prock. “It was unfortunate that we blew it up in that first round. Second round, it blew some spark plugs, so we were running on six cylinders, and that’s just not going to get the job done. I’m proud of this Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist team and I know we’ll be itching to get back at it in Pomona, California in a couple of weeks.”

    Clinching his third FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown World Championship, Aaron Stanfield was able to secure the success early in the weekend by outrunning Stephen Bell in the first round, and then defeating No. 1 qualifier Lenny Lottig in the second. “It’s pretty cool to be able to do it here in Las Vegas,” said Stanfield, also an 11-time FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown national event winner. “I love this racetrack. It’s good to be able to do it, we’re happy to get it done quick this weekend. All the championships are special and they all have their own story. There’s no such thing as a bad championship so I’m very thankful, very blessed.”

    “Thank you to all the all the guys that work on my hot rod. Collectively between Pro Stock and Flexjet Factory Stock there’s a lot of guys that play a big hand in me being able to do all of this,” said Stanfield. “I’m just very thankful for individually each one of them. I’m so glad to get it done and I want to thank FlexJet and the NHRA.”

    Due to a cold track and adverse weather conditions, the FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown will complete their NHRA Nevada Nationals race day Monday at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

    The final race of the 2023 NHRA season and Countdown to the Championship takes place Nov. 10-12, 2023, at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at the In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. In competition and representing the Bowtie brand, Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock will all crown world champions Sunday, Nov. 12. Qualifying airs first on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), with Finals following at 4 p.m. ET on FS1. Coverage streams live throughout the weekend on NHRA.tv, and is available via AppleTV, Android TV, and Roku devices.

    WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:

    Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster for John Force Racing:

    “This Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team was faced with another tough weekend here in Las Vegas. Coming into race day from the No. 10 spot we knew we needed to step up our game to have a fighting chance. We made big moves, improving our ET with a solid 3.704 run in round one earning us a win light. Unfortunately, our performance fell off in round two as we slowed to a 3.78. That was not our plan, and it was a frustrating round loss. Our team plans to test on Monday to get us in a better position heading into Pomona. We leave seventh in points before going into the final race of the season.”

    ROBERT HIGHT, driver of the Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car for John Force Racing – NHRA Nevada Nationals Winner’s Press Conferece:

    WALK US THROUGH YOUR RACE DAY…

    “It’s been a strong weekend at the races. I’d like to know if anybody in a Countdown race has ever, in Funny Car, swept every single point possible. That goes to my team. They gave me a racecar that was perfect this weekend, and we had good conditions, but a 3.88 was our worst run. The 3.81, we weren’t trying to do that. Everything just happened and worked perfectly, which kind of scared me. If we weren’t trying to do that, that’s stuff that’s kind of been biting us. First round at Dallas against Haddock, we smoked the tires. You think you had to have been really close to smoking the tires to run 3.81. But Jimmy (Prock) and Thomas (Prock) got it in check, and we just did our job all day. Now, I heard it was 17 points for the top-three (in the Championship) in Funny Car. If that isn’t going to make an exciting Pomona, I don’t know what is.”

    YOU’VE BEEN HERE SO MANY TIMES IN THE FINALS WITH RACES THAT ARE CLOSE. WITH SINGLE DIGIT CHAMPIONSHIPS. HOW DO YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW?

    “I feel really good right now. We’ve just got to stay stead and stay focused. There’s nothing we can do about the conditions, what they’re going to be at Pomona. I’m going to pray every night that they’re great, fast conditions like we had this weekend. Whatever it is, it is. I feel my team has a good handle on this racecar, and we just got to go get it done. With two tough competitors, it’s not going to be easy. (Ron) Capps is still mathematically in it, but the three of us, we’re going to duking it out. My boss (John Force) is going to test tomorrow. Hopefully, he gets his hot rod running better and he can help me out a little bit and put some pressure on these guys.”

    WITH THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS MOMENT, HOW MUCH DO YOU LIVE FOR THESE SITUATIONS?

    “I’d rather be in Gaige Herrera’s spot, if I had to trade that’s what I’d do. We’re here. We’ve got to make the best of it. We’ve got to perform, and those guys are going to be right there. More than likely, it’s going to go down to the final round at Pomona to win the championship, and it doesn’t get more dramatic than that. It’s cool, and to look back on it, and you get the job done, boy, there’s not going to be anything more rewarding than that.”

    IS THERE SOMETHING EXTRA IN YOUR RIGHT NOW GOING INTO POMONA THIS YEAR AFTER FINISHING RUNNER-UP IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP LAST YEAR?

    “Yeah, kind of. But you can’t focus on that. You have to focus on the task at hand. What’s behind us is behind us. You might use it as a little motivation, but we’ve got our hands full here. When it’s 17 points, and points-and-a-half, every point with four points in every run in qualifying – if I did in Pomona what I did here, I’m one point back going into Sunday, potentially. Every run, the magnitude of importance, it’s going to be crazy. I’d rather it be next weekend than a weekend off. I don’t really want to think about it for 10 days.”

    ERICA ENDERS, driver of the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling/SCAG Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock for Elite Motorsports – NHRA Nevada Nationals Winner’s Press Conference:

    COMING IN FROM NO. 2 QUALIFYING POSITION, AND EARNING FOURTH WIN OF THE YEAR, 10TH IN LAS VEGAS, 47TH IN PRO STOCK, YOU NOW HAVE A 114-POINT LEAD HEADING INTO POMONA. DO YOU FEEL HISTORY IS REPEATING ITSELF FOR A SIXTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP?

    “Today, I drove, but stress level was do or die. We needed to perform perfectly, and my guys went out there and did just that. It was a challenging day. I watched Mason (McGaha) go double-0 on someone in St. Louis, and send them packing first round. You just know he can be good, so I wanted to just go up there and do my thing. Then (Troy Coughlin, Jr) my teammate, I know the horsepower he has, he has been literally within a hundredth on his reaction times all through qualifying and eliminations. I knew I had to do good there. Then Jeg Coughlin, Jr. went .004, .005, and .007 in reaction time in qualifying. His graphs looked perfect. He’s a legend, and him and I both got pretty loose out there. It was a little scary. And then the final round against Greg (Anderson), it was just kind of epic. When Greg (Anderson) and I both won the semifinals, we both shook hands down there and he said, ‘Old guys to the top.’ I really enjoy racing him but I enjoy beating him more, respectfully. It was just a tremendous day. Vegas is always great to us. We knew coming in, that was working in our favor, but you still have to put your head down and go to work. It’s stressful, it’s antagonizing, it’s all kinds of things, but the biggest lesson this weekend is trying to stay positive through all the negativity. People try to put water in your boat and make you sink, and you just have to keep them out. That’s what my guys do the best. We put our arms around each other, we put our heads down together. We don’t complain when we lose, we just do our thing and that’s what I’m most proud of today.”

    TO HAVE TEN WINS AT ONE FACILITY, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?

    “It’s huge. When I was 21, I was racing Super Comp dragster, and my dad said for my 21st birthday, he’d let me come out here and race. We had a great time, so I’ve been racing at this facility for a long time. Being that it was here when I got my first win with Elite Motorsports in 2014, we doubled that weekend with the K&N Challenge, won the fall race, did the exact same thing in 2015, and throughout the years have done, obviously, very well and clinched a handful of championships at this very racetrack. It’s kind of hard to even think negatively when you pull in the gate here, because you just see things that trigger memories, and the winner’s circle that goes on in the staging lanes, the sprinkles and confetti and all of the great things we do here, it’s kind of our happy place. I love it.”

    YOUR RIVALRY WITH GREG (ANDERSON) HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS. WHY IS THAT SO SPECIAL FOR YOU?

    “Greg (Anderson) has 100 and something wins and five world championships. He’s one of the baddest dudes to ever race Pro Stock. To be able to go toe to toe with him is pretty cool for me as a Pro Stock fan before I was ever a driver. When I first came on the scene, I was 19 years old, and I can only imagine what they thought, right? Here’s this… No girls did it ever, really, and here’s this young kid, and she’s going to come in here. We didn’t have a lot of success at the beginning, but I’m sure the thought was ‘she’ll just be a flash in the pan,’ or ‘she won’t do well and she’ll be gone.’ They had me pegged wrong because I went to work. It took a long time before we were successful. It means so much to me because it went from I feel like he hated me and didn’t want to be the first guy to lose to me, and with an awesome sense of humor, that’s what happened in Chicago. We went through a lot together. Some really low points. I’ve watched him win, he’s watched me win. We’re not best friends, but to have a mutual respect for one another. That’s something he said to me at the Dallas Champions dinner was that you never gave up, and you worked hard and you drove crap that wouldn’t qualifying. When these kids come in now with checkbooks, they want instant gratification. They don’t work hard for it. That meant a lot to me coming from him that he saw that in me. I’m glad there’s some mutual respect there. He wants it too, and we both bring our A-game.”

    APPROACHING YOUR SIXTH CHAMPIONSHIP, DO YOU FEEL IT’S YOURS YET?

    “No. I definitely don’t feel like it’s ours. We have to go out there and continue to earn it. Had you asked me that 12 races ago, I’d say you’re nuts if you told me we’d be contending for a sixth championship this year, because we were absolutely horrible. I don’t think that way at all. Sure, it’s 114 points, but Pomona is points-and-a-half. A lot can happen, a lot can change, so I just try to put that out of my mind. I know it sounds silly and cliché, but I just try to focus on what’s right in front of me. I don’t want to get the bigger picture in my mind too far ahead, but at the same time believe we can do it and we’re capable.”

    Round 1 Recap:

    Top Fuel:

    No. 10 Brittany Force defeated No. 7 Antron Brown with her run of 3.752 E.T. at 304.87 MPH to Brown’s 3.736 E.T. at 326.79 MPH.
    No. 3 Austin Prock defeated No. 14 Kelly Harper with his pass of 3.719 E.T. at 289.51 MPH to Harper’s 3.806 E.T. at 317.27 MPH.

    Funny Car:

    No. 1 Robert Hight defeated No. 16 Jeff Diehl as Diehl redlit to Hight’s 3.816 E.T. at 332.67 MPH.
    No. 5 John Force fell to No. 12 Blake Alexander after smoking the tires early in his run, with Alexander running 3.940 E.T. at 319.51 MPH to the winlight.

    Pro Stock:

    No. 1 Kyle Korestky defeated No. 16 Jerry Tucker with his pass of 6.552 E.T. at 208.36 MPH to Tucker’s 6.595 E.T. at 208.39 MPH,
    No. 8 Greg Anderson defeated No. 9 Aaron Stanfield with his run of 6.577 E.T. at 207.27 MPH to Stanfield’s 6.612 E.T. at 207.69.
    No. 5 Matt Hartford defeated No. 12 Camrie Caruso with his run of 6.584 E.T. at 208.07 MPH to Caruso’s 7.370 E.T. at 142.10 MPH, facing issues mid-run.
    No. 2 Erica Enders defeated No. 15 Mason McGaha after her run of 6.554 E.T. at 208.81 MPH to McGaha’s 6.625 E.T. at 207.30 MPH.
    No. 7 Troy Coughlin, Jr. defeated No. 10 Bo Butner, III with his run of 6.573 E.T. at 208.26 MPH to Butner’s 6.582 E.T. at 207.75 MPH.
    No. 14 Deric Kramer fell to No. 3 Christian Cuadra after running 6.597 E.T. at 205.57 MPH to Kramer’s 6.601 E.T. at 207.75 MPH.
    No. 6 Dallas Glenn fell to No. 11 Jeg Coughlin, Jr. after facing issues on the start, with J. Coughlin, Jr. running 6.595 E.T. at 207.43 MPH.

    Round 2:

    Top Fuel:

    Prock fell to Ashley on his run of 3.727 E.T. at 319.07 MPH to Ashley’s 3.703 E.T. at 331.69 MPH.
    B. Force fell to Torrence with her run of 3.785 E.T. at 311.85 MPH to Torrence’s 3.674 E.T. at 330.72 MPH.

    Funny Car:

    Hight defeated DeJoria on his run of 3.859 E.T. at 333.99 MPH to DeJoria’s 4.085 E.T. at 247.79 MPH.

    Pro Stock:

    Koretsky fell to Anderson with his run of 6.567 E.T. at 207.91 MPH to Anderson’s 6.583 E.T. at 207.98 MPH, including a .004 reaction time.
    Hartford defeated Cuadra, Jr. with his run of 6.589 E.T. at 207.78 MPH to Cuadra, Jr.’s 6.612 E.T. at 206.86 MPH.
    Enders defeated T. Coughlin, Jr. with her run of 6.570 E.T. at 208.36 MPH to T. Coughlin, Jr.’s 6.616 E.T. at 207.88 MPH.
    J. Coughlin, Jr. defeated C. Cuadra with his pass of 6.616 E.T. at 206.70 MPH to C. Cuadra’s 6.615 E.T. at 207.75 MPH.

    Semifinals:

    Funny Car:

    Hight defeated Alexander with his run of 3.868 E.T. at 330.55 MPH as Alexader faces issues on the run.

    Pro Stock:

    Hartford fell to Anderson on his run of 7.294 E.T. at 153.42 MPH to Anderson’s 6.566 E.T. at 207.88 MPH.
    Enders defeated J. Coughlin, Jr. with her run of 6.578 E.T. at 207.81 MPH to Coughlin, Jr.’s 6.948 E.T. at 144.12 MPH and pulling the chutes at the 800-foot mark.

    Finals:

    Funny Car:

    Hight defeated Tasca, III after Tasca had to pedal his car and struggle on the run to Hight’s 3.851 E.T. at 326.79 MPH.

    Pro Stock:

    Enders defeated Anderson with her pass of 6.557 E.T. at 208.23 MPH to Anderson facing issues on the start.
    Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

    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.

  • HIGHT, SALINAS, ENDERS & HERRERA POWER TO WINS AT NHRA NEVADA NATIONALS

    HIGHT, SALINAS, ENDERS & HERRERA POWER TO WINS AT NHRA NEVADA NATIONALS

    LAS VEGAS (Oct. 29, 2023) – Robert Hight pulled to within 17 points of the Funny Car points lead on Sunday, finishing off a dominant weekend at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the victory for John Force Racing at the 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals.

    Mike Salinas (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the 20th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, and the fifth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

    Hight went 3.851-seconds at 326.79 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro to defeat Bob Tasca III in the final round, earning his fourth victory of the 2023 season and the 65th in his career. He now trails Matt Hagan by 17 points with one race remaining, with Tasca just 15 points out of first.

    Hight’s day also included a track-record run of 3.816 at 332.67 in the opening round, which was the quickest run in Funny Car since 2017. He followed with round wins against Alexis DeJoria and Blake Alexander to reach the final, staying in the 3.80s throughout eliminations to set up what will be an incredible finale in Pomona.

    “It’s really been a strong weekend at the races,” said Hight. “I’d like to know if anybody in a Countdown race in Funny Car has swept every single point possible. That just goes to my team. You know, they gave me a race car that was perfect this weekend, and we had good conditions where 3.88 was our worst run.

    “I feel really good [going into Pomona]. We just have to stay steady and stay focused. Nothing we can do about what the conditions are going to be at Pomona, but I’m going to pray every night that they’re great like we had this weekend. I feel like my team’s got a good handle on this race car, and we just have to go get it done.”

    Tasca reached his 30th career final round and the fourth this season with wins against Steven Densham, Cruz Pedregon and Hagan before falling to Hight.

    In Top Fuel, Mike Salinas put together one of the most complete weekends in his career, finishing it off with a run of 3.673 at 331.36 in his 11,000-horsepower Valley Services/Scrappers Racing dragster to get past Justin Ashley in the championship round. Salinas powered to his second victory this season and the ninth in his career, also remaining in the championship hunt in the process. He’ll head to the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals 76 points out of first, giving himself a fighting chance with a spectacular weekend in Las Vegas.

    He qualified No. 1 and then dispatched Rob Passey, Tony Schumacher and Josh Hart to reach the final round. There, he put together his fourth straight run in the 3.60s as Salinas felt his team took an impressive step forward in the process.

    “We came into this race and I told my guys, we need to win this race and the next one to even matter,” Salinas said. “We were badass today, we were the best car out here, but we think there’s more.

    “We’ve been working on this car since Gainesville and it has shown signs of greatness, but the consistency has been evading us, so we were trying to get more consistent. We have come across some stuff that we were working on, it seemed to work and today is the best day we’ve had all year and the car’s showing amazing signs. If we can continue to do what we’re doing here, it’ll be a great weekend in Pomona.”

    Ashley reached his eighth final round in 2023 and 19th overall by defeating Dan Mercier, Austin Prock and Steve Torrence, who took over the points lead in Las Vegas. He leads Doug Kalitta by 15 points, with Pruett now 34 points back.

    The most successful driver in the history of The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway continued her winning ways, as Pro Stock points leader Erica Enders won for the 10th time in Las Vegas, defeating Greg Anderson with a run of 6.557 at 208.23 in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro. Enders continued her strong run in the Countdown to the Championship, winning for the fourth time this season and the 47th time in her Pro Stock career.

    It’s also the second straight win for Enders, as she stretched her lead to 114 points over Anderson heading into the last race of the season. She knocked off Mason McGaha, Troy Coughlin Jr. and Jeg Coughlin Jr. to reach the final round and after defeating Anderson, Enders is on the verge of her sixth world championship.

    “Today was stress-level nine million,” Enders said. “It was do or die. We needed to perform perfectly, and my guys went out there and did just that. It was a challenging day. The final round against Greg, it was pretty epic. After we both won the semifinals, we shook hands and he said, ‘Old guys to the top.’ I really enjoy racing him, but I enjoy beating him more, respectfully.

    “It was a tremendous day, [but] I don’t feel like [the championship] is ours. We have to go out there and continue to earn it. If you would have told me 12 races ago that we were going to contend for our sixth championship, I would have told you that you were nuts. We have a 114-point lead, but a lot can happen. A lot can change, and I just try to focus on what’s right in front of me. I don’t want to get the bigger picture in my mind too far ahead, but at the same time believe that we can do it and that we’re capable.”

    Anderson reached his 176th career final round thanks to victories against Aaron Stanfield, No. 1 qualifier Kyle Koretsky and Matt Hartford.

    It won’t be official until the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals in Pomona, but Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera moved a step closer to his first world championship by taking down teammate Eddie Krawiec in the final round with a track-record run of 6.755 at 198.32 on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. It gives Herrera his 10th victory this season, tying Matt Hines for the most in a single season in Pro Stock Motorcycle history, as well a 181-point lead heading into the finale. That means Herrera will clinch the world championship in Pomona with his first qualifying run, a fitting end to one of the most dominant seasons in NHRA history.

    After qualifying No. 1 for the 13th time this year, Herrera reached the final round with victories against Marc Ingwersen and Jerry Savoie. That set up a final round matchup with his teammate for the fourth time this season and Herrera again denied his teammate of a 50th career win. He was untouchable in Las Vegas, shattering his own track record in the finals with another epic run.

    “This race was really emotional to me. I have a lot of family and friends here, and I had a stellar bike all day,” Herrera said. “All day today, it was a little bit of a challenge with the headwind, riding-wise, and you could definitely feel it. But I had a very good bike all day. It was awesome being in the final against Ed. That’s the third Vance & Hines final in a row, and it was a fun final.

    “We went up there, and I had a feeling he wasn’t going to stage first so I just sat there. He revved the throttle at me and I did it back. Once he did it the second time I said, ‘Oh, he’s definitely not going in first,’ so I just rolled it in. It knocked me off my game a little, but he shook the tire and I ended up going a 6.755. It felt like a very smooth, good pass, but I didn’t expect it to go faster than what I qualified with. We’re happy with that, and after this weekend, once I go to Pomona and break the beams, it’s a done deal – that’s very exciting.”

    Krawiec advanced to the finals for the fourth time this season and the 95th time overall by defeating Steve Johnson and Jianna Evaristo.

    The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series closes out the 2023 season with the 58th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals on Nov. 9-12 at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.


    LAS VEGAS — Final finish order (1-16) at the 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race is the 20th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series.

    TOP FUEL:

    1. Mike Salinas; 2. Justin Ashley; 3. Steve Torrence; 4. Josh Hart; 5. Doug Kalitta; 6. Austin Prock; 7. Brittany Force; 8. Tony Schumacher; 9. Leah Pruett; 10. Clay Millican; 11. T.J. Zizzo; 12. Antron Brown; 13. Shawn Langdon; 14. Dan Mercier; 15. Kelly Harper; 16. Rob Passey.

    FUNNY CAR:

    1. Robert Hight; 2. Bob Tasca III; 3. Matt Hagan; 4. Blake Alexander; 5. Paul Lee; 6. Alexis DeJoria; 7. Cruz Pedregon; 8. Alex Laughlin; 9. Chad Green; 10. Jeff Diehl; 11. Ron Capps; 12. Tim Wilkerson; 13. Steven Densham; 14. J.R. Todd; 15. John Force; 16. Terry Haddock.

    PRO STOCK:

    1. Erica Enders; 2. Greg Anderson; 3. Jeg Coughlin; 4. Matt Hartford; 5. Kyle Koretsky; 6. Fernando Cuadra Jr.; 7. Cristian Cuadra; 8. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 9. Bo Butner; 10. Jerry Tucker; 11. Deric Kramer; 12. Aaron Stanfield; 13. Mason McGaha; 14. Camrie Caruso; 15. Fernando Cuadra; 16. Dallas Glenn.

    PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

    1. Gaige Herrera; 2. Eddie Krawiec; 3. Jianna Evaristo; 4. Jerry Savoie; 5. John Hall; 6. Steve Johnson; 7. Marc Ingwersen; 8. Joey Gladstone; 9. Hector Arana Jr; 10. Matt Smith; 11. Kelly Clontz; 12. Ryan Oehler; 13. Chris Bostick; 14. Blaine Hale; 15. Karen Stoffer; 16. Angie Smith.

    LAS VEGAS — Sunday’s final results from the 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race is the 20th of 21 in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:

    Top Fuel — Mike Salinas, 3.673 seconds, 333.16 mph def. Justin Ashley, 5.796 seconds, 120.56 mph.

    Funny Car — Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 3.851, 326.79 def. Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 4.235, 268.28.

    Pro Stock — Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.557, 208.23 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 23.892, 36.48.

    Pro Stock Motorcycle — Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.755, 198.32 def. Eddie Krawiec, Suzuki, 6.847, 198.70.

    Pro Modified — Mike Castellana, Chevy Camaro, 5.703, 250.74 def. Kevin Rivenbark, Ford Mustang, 8.536, 109.77.

    Legends Nostalgia Funny Car presented by Modern Warriors — Bobby Cottrell, Chevy Camaro, 4.731, 242.32 def. Geoff Monise, Pontiac Firebird, Broke – No Show.

    Summit Super Pro — Billy Boyko, Dragster, 7.533, 179.25 def. Tony Virgilio, Dragster, 7.773, 167.72.

    Summit Pro ET — Mike LaRose, Dodge Dart, 9.035, 146.78 def. Randy Burwell, Ford Pinto, 10.579, 124.84.

    Summit Sportsman — Jake Biscay, Chevy Wagon, 12.536, 101.06 def. Denny Renninger, Olds Cutlass, 11.907, 111.86.

    Summit ET Motorcycle — Patrick Roetto, Hayabusa, 9.199, 142.09 def. Michael Konopacki, Kawasaki ZX10, 8.607, 147.54.

    Summit Street Legal EV — Joshua Rogers, Model Y, 13.190, 104.98 def. Darrel Goheen, Model Y, 12.098, 112.37.

    LAS VEGAS — Final round-by-round results from the 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the 20th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:

    TOP FUEL:

    ROUND ONE — Tony Schumacher, 3.697, 326.87 def. Shawn Langdon, 3.744, 323.74; Brittany Force, 3.704, 331.04 def. Antron Brown, 3.739, 315.34; Justin Ashley, 3.736, 326.79 def. Dan Mercier, 3.752, 304.87; Josh Hart, 3.740, 326.40 def. Leah Pruett, 3.699, 332.26; Steve Torrence, 3.694, 332.51 def. Clay Millican, 3.705, 331.12; Mike Salinas, 3.695, 334.15 def. Rob Passey, 7.672, 92.00; Austin Prock, 3.719, 289.51 def. Kelly Harper, 3.806, 317.27; Doug Kalitta, 3.683, 334.73 def. T.J. Zizzo, 3.719, 318.99;

    QUARTERFINALS — Ashley, 3.703, 331.69 def. Prock, 3.727, 319.07; Salinas, 3.688, 334.48 def. Schumacher, 3.867, 313.80; Torrence, 3.674, 330.72 def. Force, 3.785, 311.85; Hart, 3.734, 329.67 def. Kalitta, 3.710, 330.55;

    SEMIFINALS — Salinas, 3.663, 333.82 def. Hart, 3.745, 325.30; Ashley, 3.730, 328.46 def. Torrence, 3.680, 331.77;

    FINAL — Salinas, 3.673, 333.16 def. Ashley, 5.796, 120.56.

    FUNNY CAR:

    ROUND ONE — Paul Lee, Dodge Charger, 3.899, 326.08 def. Chad Green, Ford Mustang, 3.998, 265.69; Blake Alexander, Mustang, 3.940, 319.52 def. John Force, Chevy Camaro, 5.468, 134.22; Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.347, 226.54 def. Steven Densham, Mustang, 4.727, 170.58; Robert Hight, Camaro, 3.816, 332.67 def. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Camry, Foul – Red Light; Alex Laughlin, Charger, 4.089, 309.06 def. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 4.090, 254.04; Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.889, 330.72 def. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 6.844, 98.13; Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.749, 275.06 def. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 4.830, 253.56; Alexis DeJoria, GR Supra, 3.923, 326.16 def. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.674, 164.49;

    QUARTERFINALS — Tasca III, 3.986, 316.67 def. Pedregon, Broke; Alexander, 3.935, 321.12 def. Laughlin, Broke; Hight, 3.859, 333.99 def. DeJoria, 4.085, 247.79; Hagan, 3.892, 331.36 def. Lee, 3.947, 317.64;

    SEMIFINALS — Tasca III, 3.886, 332.84 def. Hagan, 3.901, 328.38; Hight, 3.868, 330.55 def. Alexander, 7.579, 89.89;

    FINAL — Hight, 3.851, 326.79 def. Tasca III, 4.235, 268.28.

    PRO STOCK:

    ROUND ONE — Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.577, 207.27 def. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.612, 207.69; Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.573, 208.26 def. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.582, 207.75; Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.595, 207.43 def. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 19.861, 60.39; Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.584, 208.07 def. Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 7.370, 142.10; Fernando Cuadra Jr., Ford Mustang, 7.202, 207.72 def. Fernando Cuadra, Mustang, 10.550, 84.01; Kyle Koretsky, Camaro, 6.552, 208.36 def. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.595, 208.39; Cristian Cuadra, Mustang, 6.601, 207.75 def. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.597, 205.57; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.554, 208.81 def. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.625, 207.30;

    QUARTERFINALS — Coughlin, 6.616, 206.70 def. C. Cuadra, 6.615, 207.75; Hartford, 6.589, 207.78 def. Cuadra Jr., 6.612, 206.86; Enders, 6.570, 208.36 def. Coughlin Jr., 6.616, 207.88; Anderson, 6.583, 207.98 def. Koretsky, 6.567, 207.91;

    SEMIFINALS — Anderson, 6.566, 207.88 def. Hartford, 7.294, 153.42; Enders, 6.578, 207.91 def. Coughlin, 6.948, 144.12;

    FINAL — Enders, 6.557, 208.23 def. Anderson, 23.892, 36.48.

    PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

    ROUND ONE — Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.986, 191.00 def. Chris Bostick, 16.491, 42.61; Jianna Evaristo, Suzuki, 6.889, 192.17 def. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.956, 193.88; Marc Ingwersen, 7.000, 192.28 def. Ryan Oehler, 6.969, 193.07; John Hall, 6.881, 193.90 def. Matt Smith, Suzuki, 6.949, 194.46; Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.891, 194.18 def. Blaine Hale, Suzuki, Foul – Centerline; Joey Gladstone, Buell, 6.840, 197.22 def. Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.856, 197.94; Eddie Krawiec, Suzuki, 16.501, 42.85 def. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, Broke – No Show; Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.786, 198.41 def. Angie Smith, Buell, Broke – No Show;

    QUARTERFINALS — Krawiec, 6.864, 197.08 def. Johnson, 6.959, 189.73; Savoie, 6.925, 192.41 def. Hall, Foul – Red Light; Evaristo, 6.950, 192.77 def. Gladstone, 7.244, 146.93; Herrera, 6.795, 196.93 def. Ingwersen, 7.026, 169.57;

    SEMIFINALS — Krawiec, 6.845, 197.57 def. Evaristo, 6.897, 193.29; Herrera, 6.815, 196.85 def. Savoie, 6.906, 193.07;

    FINAL — Herrera, 6.755, 198.32 def. Krawiec, 6.847, 198.70.

    LAS VEGAS — Point standings (top 10) following the 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the 20th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series –

    Top Fuel

    1. Steve Torrence, 2,483; 2. Doug Kalitta, 2,468; 3. Leah Pruett, 2,449; 4. Mike Salinas, 2,407; 5. Justin Ashley, 2,401; 6. Antron Brown, 2,337; 7. Brittany Force, 2,303; 8. Austin Prock, 2,256; 9. Tony Schumacher, 2,248; 10. Clay Millican, 2,227.

    Funny Car

    1. Matt Hagan, 2,539; 2. Bob Tasca III, 2,524; 3. Robert Hight, 2,522; 4. Ron Capps, 2,400; 5. John Force, 2,297; 6. J.R. Todd, 2,283; 7. Chad Green, 2,275; 8. Tim Wilkerson, 2,270; 9. Alexis DeJoria, 2,249; 10. Alex Laughlin, 2,245.

    Pro Stock

    1. Erica Enders, 2,576; 2. Greg Anderson, 2,462; 3. Matt Hartford, 2,421; 4. Dallas Glenn, 2,397; 5. Aaron Stanfield, 2,363; 6. Troy Coughlin Jr., 2,362; 7. Kyle Koretsky, 2,288; 8. Deric Kramer, 2,283; 9. Cristian Cuadra, 2,245; 10. Camrie Caruso, 2,237.

    Pro Stock Motorcycle

    1. Gaige Herrera, 2,690; 2. Eddie Krawiec, 2,509; 3. Matt Smith, 2,421; 4. Hector Arana Jr, 2,419; 5. Jianna Evaristo, 2,276; 6. Chase Van Sant, 2,254; 7. Marc Ingwersen, 2,243; 8. Angie Smith, 2,234; 9. Steve Johnson, 2,223; 10. Kelly Clontz, 2,188.
  • MIKE CASTELLENA WINS FUELTECH NHRA PRO MOD TITLE & LAS VEGAS RACE POWERED BY JBS EQUIPMENT

    MIKE CASTELLENA WINS FUELTECH NHRA PRO MOD TITLE & LAS VEGAS RACE POWERED BY JBS EQUIPMENT

    LAS VEGAS (Oct. 29, 2023) – Mike Castellana clinched his first career world championship in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports on Sunday at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and then finished off his magical weekend with the victory as part of the weekend’s 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals.

    It was the last of 10 events during the 2023 season and the fourth race in the category’s Road to the Championship. This weekend’s race was powered by JBS Equipment and Saturday belonged to Castellana, a longtime Pro Mod veteran.

    Castellana clinched the championship in the second round on Sunday, knocking off Dmitry Samorukov with a run of 5.693-seconds at 251.30 mph in his Western Beef Camaro, making the quickest pass of the weekend in the process. Moments later, Justin Bond fell to Kevin Rivenbark, handing the world title in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports to Castellana for the first time.

    “It’s totally awesome. I had no clue. I knew I was third in the points. I didn’t want to think about what we had to do,” Castellana said. “I knew we had to win the race, that was our goal. I had no clue we could win the championship. I have to thank my whole team, those guys are just amazing. This is awesome. It means a lot. Over the years, we’ve won championships in other circuits, but we’ve been chasing this one for a long time. We came so close a few years back, but we got it this year.”

    Castellana, who was also the No. 1 qualifier in a dominant final weekend of the year, then finished off his day in style, taking down St. Louis winner Jordan Lazic in the semifinals to move to the finals.

    In the championship round, Castellana went 5.703 at 250.74 to easily hold off Kevin Rivenbark, capping his championship year off with his first victory of the season. It was the ideal ending to Castellana’s season, as his late-season run helped clinch the world title in the talent-filled FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports.

    “It’s an amazing story. I just can’t believe it,” Castellana said. “We came into this weekend and we wanted to win the race. I didn’t have any thoughts about the championship but everything came together. Everybody did an awesome job on this car, and we won the race and the championship.”

    Kevin Rivenbark reached the final round for the first time by knocking off Ken Quartuccio, Bond and Sidnei Frigo. The 2024 schedule in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports will be announced later this week.


    LAS VEGAS — Final finish order (1-16) at the 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race is the final of 10 events in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports.

    PRO MODIFIED:

    1. Mike Castellana; 2. Kevin Rivenbark; 3. Sidnei Frigo; 4. Jordan Lazic; 5. Khalid alBalooshi; 6. Justin Bond; 7. Dmitry Samorukov; 8. Mason Wright; 9. Stan Shelton; 10. Mike Thielen; 11. Ken Quartuccio; 12. Adriano Kayayan; 13. Nick Januik; 14. JR Gray; 15. Jason Lee; 16. Kris Thorne.

    LAS VEGAS — Sunday’s final results from the 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race is the final of 10 events in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports.

    Pro Modified — Mike Castellana, Chevy Camaro, 5.703, 250.74 def. Kevin Rivenbark, Ford Mustang, 8.536, 109.77.

    LAS VEGAS — Final round-by-round results from the 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the final of 10 events in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports.

    PRO MODIFIED:

    ROUND ONE — Jordan Lazic, Chevy Camaro, 5.881, 242.93 def. Jason Lee, Camaro, 7.043, 131.64; Kevin Rivenbark, Ford Mustang, 5.812, 240.94 def. Ken Quartuccio, Camaro, 5.835, 245.40; Mike Castellana, Camaro, 5.732, 250.00 def. Stan Shelton, Mustang, 5.779, 245.45; Khalid alBalooshi, Camaro, 5.745, 248.84 def. Adriano Kayayan, Camaro, 5.874, 238.64; Sidnei Frigo, Camaro, 5.881, 243.37 def. Kris Thorne, Camaro, Foul – Outer Boundary; Mason Wright, Camaro, 5.838, 243.37 def. JR Gray, Camaro, 6.181, 237.92; Justin Bond, Camaro, 5.755, 245.05 def. Nick Januik, Chevy Corvette, 6.023, 206.42; Dmitry Samorukov, Camaro, 7.654, 124.57 def. Mike Thielen, Camaro, Foul – Red Light;

    QUARTERFINALS — Lazic, 5.895, 243.28 def. alBalooshi, 5.755, 248.84; Castellana, 5.693, 251.30 def. Samorukov, 6.055, 232.19; Frigo, 5.858, 243.50 def. Wright, 7.303, 104.85; Rivenbark, 5.748, 251.11 def. Bond, 5.755, 245.67;

    SEMIFINALS — Rivenbark, 5.866, 247.84 def. Frigo, 5.875, 243.37; Castellana, 5.799, 248.61 def. Lazic, 9.649, 102.17;

    FINAL — Castellana, 5.703, 250.74 def. Rivenbark, 8.536, 109.77.

    LAS VEGAS — Point standings (top 10) following the 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the final of 10 events in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports.

    Pro Modified

    1. Mike Castellana, 1,148; 2. Justin Bond, 1,075; 3. Kris Thorne, 1,060; 4. Jason Lee, 999; 5. Dmitry Samorukov, 990; 6. Khalid alBalooshi, 979; 7. Stan Shelton, 976; 8. Sidnei Frigo, 946; 9. Kevin Rivenbark, 940; 10. JR Gray, 905.
  • Toyota Gazoo Racing North Post-Race NHRA Las Vegas Post-Qualifying Report – 10.29.23

    Toyota Gazoo Racing North Post-Race NHRA Las Vegas Post-Qualifying Report – 10.29.23

    ASHLEY MAKES FINALS AT LAS VEGAS TO KEEP TOYOTA FINALS STREAK ALIVE
    Multiple Toyota racers in the thick of championship battles going to Pomona

    LAS VEGAS (October 29, 2023) – On a cold, windy day at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Justin Ashley powered his Leatherwood Distillery Toyota dragster to the Nevada FallNationals finals Sunday afternoon. The finals appearance was Ashley’s best run of the Countdown to the Championship as he continues his chase for a maiden Top Fuel title. This also extended Toyota’s streak of reaching the finals in either Top Fuel and/or Funny Car, which now stands at 22.

    Other Toyota title contenders, Steve Torrence (semi-finals) and Doug Kalitta (second round), were eliminated earlier in the afternoon as the Top Fuel standings flipped flopped throughout the weekend. Heading to Pomona, Torrence now leads Top Fuel with 2,483 points, gaining two positions in the standings this weekend. Kalitta sits second and trails Torrence by 15 points, while Ashley sits 82 points behind. 

    Alexis DeJoria was the top Toyota Funny Car racer at The Strip as she reached the second round this afternoon, her best result since Maple Grove. Ron Capps and J.R. Todd both fell out in the first round and will look for better results to finish off 2023 at Pomona Dragway. 

    Toyota Post-Race Recap
    NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series
    The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
    Race 20 of 21

    TOYOTA TOP FUEL FINISHING POSITIONS 

    NameCarFinal ResultRound-by-Round
    Justin AshleyLeatherwood Distillery Toyota Top Fuel DragsterFinalistW 3.736 vs. D. Mercier (3.752) W 3.703 vs. A. Prock (3.727) Holeshot W 3.730 vs. S. Torrence (3.680) L 5.796 vs. M. Salinas (3.673)
    Steve TorrenceCapco Contractors Toyota Top Fuel DragsterSemi-finalsW 3.694 vs. C. Millican (3.705) W 3.674 vs. B. Force (3.785) L 3.680 vs. J. Ashley (3.730 – Holeshot W)
    Doug KalittaMac Tools Toyota Top Fuel DragsterSecond RoundW 3.683 vs. T. Zizzo (3.719) L 3.710 vs. J. Hart (3.734 – Holeshot W)
    Antron BrownMatco Tools Toyota Top Fuel DragsterFirst RoundL 3.739 vs. B. Force (3.703)
    Shawn LangdonFuture Energy Solutions Toyota Top Fuel DragsterFirst RoundL 3.744 vs. T. Schumacher (3.697)

    TOYOTA FUNNY CAR FINISHING POSITIONS 

    NameCarFinal ResultRound-by-Round
    Alexis DeJoriaBandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny CarSecond RoundW 3.923 vs. T. Wilkerson (4.674) L 4.805 vs. R. Hight (3.859)
    Ron CappsNAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra Funny CarFirst RoundL 4.090 vs. A. Laughlin (4.089)
    J.R. ToddDHL Toyota GR Supra Funny CarFirst RoundL 4.830 vs. C. Pedregon (4.749)

    TOYOTA QUOTES

    JUSTIN ASHLEY, Leatherwood Distillery Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Maynard-Ashley Racing

    TF Final Result: Finalist

    How would you describe your day in some tricky conditions?

    “Yeah, I thought the day was good for us. We came into this weekend with a goal to keep our championship hopes alive, which wasn’t an easy task with the weather conditions we had today adding another barrier to it. Would’ve loved to win the race itself, but the entire team did a great job. Quick turnaround times and did an awesome job responding to some adversity. I feel good about what we had, and we can take this information and learn from it. The whole Leatherwood Distillery Toyota team is going to be ready for an exciting weekend coming up at Pomona.”

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

    TF Final Result: Semifinals

    Take us through your day today.

    “Overall, it was a great weekend for the Capco Contractors Toyota dragster team. We’re leaving with the points lead heading to Pomona. We just need to keep this momentum going for a shot at the championship.”

    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).

  • Toyota Gazoo Racing North America NHRA Las Vegas Post-Qualifying Report – 10.28.23

    Toyota Gazoo Racing North America NHRA Las Vegas Post-Qualifying Report – 10.28.23

    TORRENCE QUALIFIES SECOND IN TOP FUEL AT LAS VEGAS; CAPPS FOURTH IN FUNNY CAR
    Toyota Top Fuel drivers make up five of top eight positions

    LAS VEGAS (October 28, 2023) – Steve Torrence led a fierce Toyota Top Fuel charge in qualifying for the Nevada Fall Nationals, claiming the second position heading into Sunday. Torrence came into the penultimate race of the season only 13 points out of the lead and is in prime position to shakeup the standings on Sunday. Doug Kalitta (4th), Justin Ashley (6th), Antron Brown (7th) and Shawn Langdon (8th) followed Torrence as Toyota Top Fuel dragsters were five of the top eight qualifiers.

    In Funny Car, Ron Capps qualified fourth as he continues his push for a second consecutive category title. His Team Toyota teammates, Alexis DeJoria and J.R. Todd, qualified eighth and tenth respectively for Sunday’s event.

    Toyota Post-Qualifying Recap
    NHRA Nevada Nationals
    The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
    Race 20 of 21

    TOYOTA TOP FUEL QUALIFYING POSITIONS 

    NameCarQualifying PositionFirst Round Opponent
    Mike SalinasScrappers Racing Dragster1st*R. Passey
    Steve TorrenceCapco Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster2ndC. Millican
    Doug KalittaMac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster4thT. Zizzo
    Justin AshleyLeatherwood Distillery Toyota Top Fuel Dragster6thD. Mercier
    Antron BrownMatco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster7thB. Force
    Shawn LangdonFuture Energy Solutions Toyota Top Fuel Dragster8thT. Schumacher

    TOYOTA FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING POSITIONS 

    NameCarQualifying PositionFirst Round Opponent
    Bob Tasca IIIFord Motorcraft Mustang Funny Car1st*J. Diehl
    Ron CappsNAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra Funny Car4thA. Laughlin
    Alexis DeJoriaBandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car8thC. Pedregon
    J.R. ToddDHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car10thT. Wilkerson

    TOYOTA QUOTES

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

    TF Qualifying Result: 2nd

    Take us through your day and what you’re looking forward to tomorrow.

    “Great day overall and weekend so far being able to get the second overall position heading into tomorrow. I think we’re a little bit behind the power curve and have been since we shut off early in Q1 yesterday. We’re slowly creeping up on it, but I’m really confident in the Capco Contractors Toyota Dragster. I feel like we have a good car for tomorrow. It’s going to be a lot cooler and better conditions out there. We have a tough first round against Clay Millican ahead, but I feel confident in my guys. We need to go out there and capitalize on the points, go as many rounds as possible to set ourselves up for a better position going into Pomona.”

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

    FC Qualifying Result: 4th

    How was your day today?

    “We came to this race and Guido (Dean Antonelli crew chief) and the NAPA Auto Parts crew made huge changes to make our car better. We know what we can run, we have the No. 1 on the car from last season, but we knew had to find a little bit extra. To roam in here with as many changes as we had on this Toyota Supra and to go down the track every run, run a 3.87 time and 331 mph speed bode well for tomorrow. I can’t thank Toyota enough. Having Paul Doleshal (Group Manager, Motorsports, Toyota Motor North America) here certainly motivates you. But the cool thing is, the data we get at the start line to read the track before our runs makes the difference for us. Our Toyota engineers up there are difference makers. We’re able to go up to the line and make changes knowing it’s the right one. It’s a team effort and we’re proud to be a part of Team Toyota.”

    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).