Category: NHRA

ST. LOUIS (Sept. 26, 2023) – The opening stretch of the NHRA Countdown to the Championship features three straight weeks of racing, capped off by this weekend’s 12th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway.

It’s an intense span of races and can go a long way in shaping championship journeys across all four classes in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Funny Car’s Bob Tasca III has made a strong impression over the first two races and looks to close out the first half of the Countdown to the Championship in style this weekend in St. Louis.

He won on Sunday in Charlotte, getting past points leader Robert Hight in a thrilling final round to move to second in points. He trails Hight – the defending Funny Car winner in St. Louis – by just 25 points, firmly putting his name in the championship mix. But Tasca, who qualified No. 1 at the first race of the playoffs, is eager to keep rolling in his 11,000-horsepower Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway.

“I can’t wait to get to St. Louis,” Tasca said. “This is a grueling stretch for the teams and the drivers, the points and your psyche. If you slip up during this three-in-a-row, you’re looking through binoculars to try to get to first place. You’ve got to come out of St. Louis within striking distance of the points lead. You’ve got to stay close to Robert, and you throw in Matt Hagan and Ron Capps, you have to be on your A-game to beat them. We’re going to have to win another one to (keep) our hat in the game and we know that, and that’s what we’re focused on doing (in St. Louis).”

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Hight (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) won last year in St. Louis and this year’s playoff event will again be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 (FS1), with action from eliminations set to air at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 1. It is the 18th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA season and the third of six playoff events, and Tasca and his team, led by crew chiefs Todd Okuhara and Aaron Brooks, have shown steady and impressive improvement all year.

They’ve had one of the quickest cars from the outset of the year, qualifying No. 1 five times and running well in all conditions. Going against a loaded Funny Car field that also includes back-to-back world champion Ron Capps, Matt Hagan, John Force, Tim Wilkerson, Chad Green, Alexis DeJoria and J.R. Todd, Tasca and his team have also become more consistent, which is pivotal this time of year.

He’s already posted six round wins during the Countdown to the Championship but knows he will need plenty more to try and track down Hight, as well as hold off Capps and Hagan, who are both 69 points behind Hight. Tasca, though, is ready for the challenge.

“The pressure, the level of competition, it only does one of two things – it makes or breaks you,” Tasca said. “This team all year long has performed flawlessly, but it’s our consistency is what is making us a championship contender. That’s something we’ve been working hard on. We know we can run low E.T. whether it’s hot or cool and now you’re seeing us string together three, four, five runs in a row when it’s like that. It just shows their mindset is we’re not going to get picked off if there’s anything we can do about it. We’re going to go up there and try to press because that’s what it’s going to take a win a championship.”

Torrence heads to St. Louis second in Top Fuel points, trailing Doug Kalitta by 63 points. Kalitta has taken the lead by winning the first two playoff races against the likes of Justin Ashley, defending world champ Brittany Force, Leah Pruett and Antron Brown.

Nobody has dominated World Wide Technology Raceway more than Pro Stock’s Erica Enders. The reigning world champion won for the sixth time in St. Louis last year and she’s also won the race four straight years. She’s just four points back of Matt Hartford, with Dallas Glenn trailing by only 15 points.

Speaking of dominant performances in St. Louis, defending Pro Stock Motorcycle world champ Matt Smith has five wins at the facility, including the last two. He’s chasing Gaige Herrera, who leads Smith by 52 points and Hector Arana Jr. by 54 following his seventh win of the season on Sunday.

The NHRA Midwest Nationals also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports, Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown and the new Factory X presented by Holley category. It is also the penultimate race in the Pro Mod’s “Road to the Championship” as they get close to crowning a championship. The ET Racing Showcase, Jr. Arch Shootout, Budweiser Challenge, high school challenge and Jr. Dragster Shootout will all take place during the weekend as well.

Fans are invited to the Nitro Alley Stage all weekend, which will help create a festive atmosphere leading into Nitro Alley. The Nitro Alley Stage will be the main entertainment hub in the pits when the Camping World Drag Racing Series competitors are not on the track, hosting Nitro School, 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, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. 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 World Wide Technology Raceway can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the St. Louis event winners.

NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature one round at 6:00 p.m. CT on Friday, Sept. 29, and the final two rounds on Saturday, Sept. 30 at 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. CT on Sunday, Oct. 1. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 29 and 2 p.m. ET on Sunday Oct. 1, with eliminations starting at 3 p.m. ET on FS1 on Sunday.

Tickets may be purchased at the WWTR ticket office, by phone at (618) 215-8888, or online at www.wwtraceway.com. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult. For more information on NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.

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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.

CHEVROLET IN NHRA
2023 BETWAY NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS
zMAX DRAGWAY
CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA
TEAM CHEVY RACE REPORT
SEPTEMBER 24, 2023

CHEVROLET CAPTURES DOUBLE-UP FOR PRO STOCK AND FACTORY X VICTORIES IN CHARLOTTE

• Capturing his first win of the 2023 NHRA season, Greg Anderson raced to his 102nd career Pro Stock victory, as well as Chevrolet’s 378th, over Dallas Glen in an all-KB Titan Racing Chevrolet Camaro SS final round at zMAX Dragway.
• Racing to victory, Greg Stanfield defeated Allen Johnson to take Chevrolet to the Winner’s Circle in Factory X with his run of 7.100 ET at 190.70 MPH.
• Racing to his fourth final round versus Tasca, III, Robert Hight finishes runner-up for the second time this year in his fifth final round of the season as he marches on in the Countdown for the Championship.
• Earning his fifth No. 1 Qualifier of the season, and 82nd in his career, Robert Hight and the Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet team topped the leaderboard with his qualifying effort of 3.824 ET at 330.15 MPH.
• Erica Enders set the pace on the Pro Stock field, earning her fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season with her run of 6.509 ET at 210.18 MPH.

CONCORD, North Carolina (September 24, 2023) – Chevrolet claimed two Wally trophies at Charlotte’s betway NHRA Carolina Nationals Sunday at zMAX Dragway, with Greg Anderson capturing his 102nd career Pro Stock victory, as well as the Bowtie brand’s 378th Pro Stock victory, and Greg Stanfield racing to the win in his COPO Camaro in the Factory X category.

Racing his way to the final round, Anderson, a Pro Stock veteran in his 174th career final round, captured his 102nd win in the category over KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn, with his fast pass of 6.590 ET at 206.73 MPH to Glenn’s 6.554 ET at 203.23 MPH. It was the effort that captured not only the win light, but also Chevrolet’s 378th Pro Stock win and 259th in the Camaro.

A home race for KB Titan Racing and Anderson, he said of the emotional win, “It’s huge. If I did what I did last week again this week, I was out, I was done. I think I saved a lot of people’s bacon today. That other team (teammate Dallas Glenn and the RAD Torque Systems team) is bad to the bone right now and fast as can be. Man, we are really racing tough on Sunday. You saw that these last two weeks we put two KB Titan (Racing) cars in the finals. This time it was my turn, and I had a heck of a HendrickCars.com Chevrolet hot rod.”

“Yeah. My dad has been trying to win here for Rick (Hendrick) for three years now, so this is big,” said Crew Chief, and son of Greg, Cody Anderson. “A big win, a big Playoff win. We’re not done yet. We’re here, and the car’s running great.”

Representing Chevrolet in the Funny Car final round, Robert Hight, driver of the Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS machine, started his race day near Charlotte from the top position of the leaderboard after qualifying No. 1 for the 82nd time of his career and fifth of the year. Taking a bye run in the first round, then defeating Paul Lee in Round 2 and Alex Laughlin in the semifinals, he squared off versus Bob Tasca, III. With Tasca moving first on the tree slightly over Hight, a close race saw Tasca defeating Hight by just .001 seconds and forcing Robert to runner-up despite a strong effort run of 3.923 ET at 326.95 MPH.

“We wanted to win this thing, to have back-to-back victories but it just wasn’t in the cards today,” said Hight. “This Cornwell Tools Chevrolet team deserves all the credit still though, for the turnaround that they did from Friday into Saturday and then to come out here on race day in completely different conditions and make it to the finals, they’ve done a great job, Jimmy Prock and Thomas and Nate tuning, they’ve all worked hard.”

Making another appearance on track, Greg Stanfield raced to the final round in Factory X with his Chevrolet COPO Camaro machine, to face Allen Johnson. With Johnson getting the jump, Stanfield was able to race around him to get the win light and Wally with a strong lap in his Chevy at 7.100 ET at 190.70 MPH.

With only four races remaining in the 2023 season, NHRA next heads to World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis for the NHRA Midwest Nationals, Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2023. In competition and representing Chevrolet, Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown take to the track that weekend. Broadcast of Sunday’s eliminations air at 3 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Coverage streams live throughout the weekend on NHRA.tv, and is available via AppleTV, Android TV, and Roku devices.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (QUOTES):

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

This Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team is leaving Charlotte sitting No. 6 in the points standings after a strange, tough weekend for everyone out here. We were trying to move up in points and make progress and we had two out of three good qualifying runs to finish fourth when it was all said and done. Completely swapped conditions into race day, from a cool killer track to a hot track. There were a lot of adjustments and changes for the tuners to make but in round one we had a solid run down there at 3.73 and in the second round we couldn’t get off the line and it was a pedal fest with my teammate Austin Prock. Luckily, it was against a teammate so he got to move on. Just wish it had been in the final round.”

Austin Prock, driver of the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster for John Force Racing:

“A good healthy points day for us. It was fun to go some rounds today with this Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist team. Any way that you can get those flashing win lights makes you feel good. For me, getting to recover the race car out of tire smoke is a lot of fun and I got a few shots at it today. Leaving Charlotte with our heads up, we’ve got some momentum going into St. Louis next weekend.”

John Force, driver of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car for John Force Racing:

“Not the day I thought we’d have after how qualifying went. It’s tough, but we’ll move forward. Still four races left and things are tight in the points. A lot of upsets first round, there’s a lot of variables. We aren’t out of it, just have to keep our heads down and keep working hard.”

Robert Hight, driver of the Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car for John Force Racing:

“We wanted to win this thing, to have back-to-back victories but it just wasn’t in the cards today. This Cornwell Tools Chevrolet team deserves all the credit still though, for the turnaround that they did from Friday into Saturday and then to come out here on race day in completely different conditions and make it to the finals, they’ve done a great job, Jimmy Prock and Thomas and Nate tuning, they’ve all worked hard. When you have partners like Cornwell Tools and Chevrolet and AAA, Flav-R-Pac, we’ve got everything we need to do the job. The guys do the hard work and they perfect what they do, that’s how you win the close races. We were in another final and that’s what you’ve got to do to win a championship, just keep going rounds but it’s going to take wins, too.”

Erica Enders, driver of the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/SCAG/Melling Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock for Elite Motorsports:

“It took a hard left on me, and just blew smooth through the clutch in low gear. That’s where we get all of our momentum and we make all of that torque down low, and we utilize it the best that we can. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t our day today in Charlotte, but that’s okay. JHG has had an awesome performance here. I was the lone soldier left for Elite Motorsports, and when usually we are, we survive. But today’s not the day. We have four more left. It ain’t over, it ain’t even close.”

GREG ANDERSON, driver of the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock – Charlotte 2 Winner’s Press Conference:

YOUR 102ND CAREER WIN, FIRST OF THE SEASON, AND FOURTH AT ZMAX DRAGWAY. YOU MOVE FIFTH INTO THE POINTS. GO OVER YOUR RACE DAY…

“It was incredible. It was my day. I haven’t had many “my days” this year. It’s definitely sweet. To do it here at Charlotte, my home track, with all of my family here, my friends, all my support, the Hendrick group, it’s perfect. It’s totally perfect. I have a couple of storybook wins last year. This one is right up there. It’s been a long year for me. My team has been doing a great job all year long, and I’m very, very proud of that. But, just, sheesh. I wish I could’ve won one. It’s been a struggle, and it’s been a tick off each race. We’re capable of winning, we just haven’t been able to make four perfect runs down the racetrack. The car didn’t either made a mistake, or the driver didn’t made a mistake. We did that today. We’re four and zero. We did not make any mistakes. The car was fantastic and I didn’t screw it up. Here we are in the winner’s circle at the betway Carolina Nationals. Feels pretty dang good. It’s been a long year for me, but I never give up. I could definitely see that things were trending in the last couple of months. We’re climbing the mountain and being a race winning car again. We weren’t that the first couple of months, but the last couple of months, we’ve had a car that could win races. We just had to put everything together. When you’ve got the depth I’ve got on my race team, it’s hard to win when you’re racing against a great group like Elite Motorsports. It’s tough out there. It’s hard to win. Especially when the Playoffs come around, everyone brings their A-Game. You saw it last weekend when everyone’s effort ratcheted up. It’s tougher yet when everyone’s to try and race and win. We found way to race better than they did on Sunday. We made it a final round with two KB Titan (Racing) cars last weekend, and again this weekend at zMAX Dragway. Great, great day. Couldn’t be prouder of my guys. What a day. Couldn’t be prouder than my guys, it was a team effort all day long. Beautiful weekend, fantastic weekend, couldn’t be proud than to do it here.”

ARE WE SEEING TODAY THE RESULT OF WHAT YOU’VE BEEN WORKING FOR?

“I hope so, yes. We didn’t back into a win today; we earned a win today. We earned one. We earned one. We did a better job racing than everybody. We’re peaking at the right time, without a doubt. With Dallas (Glenn) in the final right alongside me, it’s not just one car of our six or seven car fleet, it’s all of them. Pretty safe feeling, pretty great feeling. It’s going to be an exciting Countdown. I’m sure today scrambled the points up quite a bit, and it put a lot of people right back in the hunt, myself being one of them. I’m not out of it. I certainly felt like that a little bit last week, and if I would have had another weekend this weekend like last weekend, I would be out of it. We climbed the mountain this week, and we’re back in the game, back in the hunt. We’ve got four races to go and at least 10 cars that can win this thing.”

TALK ABOUT THAT ‘GO OUT AND WIN MENTALITY.’ HOW IMPORTANT WAS IT THIS WEEKEND?

“I think so. It’s obviously what I need. I lose focus of that every once in a while. But you’ve got to get tough; you’ve got to tell yourself you can do this. You’re not over the hill; you’re not washed up. Sometimes you want to think that way, and sometimes it looks that way. Today it didn’t look that way, and today I didn’t think that way. This year, I’ve been asked “can you win anymore?” Today proved I can. So great, great day. Cody (Anderson), you’re just going to have to wait a bit longer.”

HOW’S THAT SWAGGER?

“You’re only as good as your last race, and I know that better than anybody. Any race win could be your last race win. It’s 102 today, but you never know. You never know if there will ever be 103. I’m sure as hell going to try to make it 103, but you never know. You’ve got to appreciate every day and every opportunity you’ve got, and I had an opportunity today and we made the most of it.”

WAS THERE A POINT TODAY YOU JUST FELT IT WOULD BE YOUR DAY?

“To be honest, even after the first round when the win light came on, I haven’t seen a lot of win lights lately, so yeah. I told myself after first round, ‘maybe things would be different today.’ You can turn on a win light, so I think first round was a great confidence booster for me, and that sounds kind of silly, but I’m telling you in this class, you can get beat first round or final round, like many times you go out there. There are so many guys that can win. Unless the wheels fall off, you can absolutely get your butt whipped any round you go up there in this class. That’s what great about it, and that’s why you feel so good when a win light comes on. To have four win lights come on in one day, it seems like a long time since I’ve seen that happen. But it happened today.”

Round 1 Recap:

Top Fuel:

No. 10 Austin Prock defeated No. 5 Josh Hart with his run of 3.722 ET at 323.27 MPH to Hart’s 5.109 ET at 139.18 MPH.
No. 4 Brittany Force defeated No. 11 Clay Millican with her run of 3.736 ET at 332.67 MPH to Millican’s 3.777 ET at 330.47 MPH.

Funny Car:

No. 1 Robert Hight moved on to Round 2 on a bye run with a pass of 7.473 ET at 87.25 MPH.
No. 5 John Force fell to No. 13 Alex Laughlin after smoking the tires early on the run.

Pro Stock:

No. 1 Erica Enders defeated No. 16 Mason McGaha with her run of 6.544 ET at 209.65 MPH to McGaha’s 6.629 ET at 205.82 MPH.
No. 8 Matt Hartford defeated No. 9 Fernando Cuadra, Jr. with a run of 8.162 ET at 163.87 MPH to Cuadra, Jr.’s 11.895 ET at 74.59 MPH.
No. 4 Bo Butner, III fell to No. 13 Christian Cuadra with his run of 6.570 ET at 208.14 MPH to Cuadra’s 6.584 ET at 208.59 MPH.
No. 3 Greg Anderson defeated No. 12 Jerry Tucker on a run of 6.559 ET at 208.65 MPH to Tucker’s 6.604 ET at 209.14 MPH.
No. 2 Camrie Caruso defeated No. 15 Chris McGaha with her run of 6.597 ET at 206.80 MPH to McGaha’s 6.639 ET at 206.36 MPH.
No. 7 Kyle Koretsky fell to No. 10 Deric Kramer on his run of 6.586 ET at 207.66 MPH to Kramer’s 6.576 ET at 208.59 MPH.
No. 3 Aaron Stanfield defeated No. 14 Eric Latino with his run of 6.596 ET at 208.81 ET to Latino’s 6.674 ET at 207.02 MPH.
No. 6 Troy Coughlin, Jr. fell to No. 11 Dallas Glenn on his pass of 6.569 ET at 209.36 MPH to Glenn’s 6.580 ET at 207.78 MPH.

Round 2:

Top Fuel:

Prock defeated teammate B. Force in a pedal fest after both smoke the tires early on the run, with Prock running 4.655 ET at 223.17 MPH to Force’s 4.834 ET at 195.90 MPH.

Funny Car:

Hight defeats Lee with a run of 3.963 ET at 314.68 MPH to Lee’s 4.643 ET at 176.70 ET while smoking tires mid-track.

Pro Stock:

Glenn defeated Stanfield with his run of 6.590 Et at 207.75 MPH to Stanfield’s 7.660 ET at 140.36 MPH.
Enders defeated Hartford 6.567 ET at 208.68 MPH to Hartford’s 6.564 ET at 209.46 MPH.
Anderson defeated Cuadra with a pass of 6.561 ET at 209.17 MPH to Cuadra’s 9.692 ET at 88.26 MPH and get loose mid-track.
Kramer defeats Caruso with his run of 6.596 ET at 208.39 MPH to Caruso’s 6.580 ET at 206.92 MPH.

Semifinals:

Top Fuel:

Prock fell to Salinas after running 4.189 ET at 305.77 MPH to Salinas’ 3.898 ET at 257.68 MPH.

Funny Car:

Hight defeated Laughlin with a pass of 3.934 ET at 325.22 MPH to Laughlin’s 4.200 ET at 305.77 MPH.

Pro Stock:

Glenn defeats Kramer after Kramer redlights on the start.
Anderson defeats Enders on his run of 6.546 ET at 209.30 MPH to Enders’ 6.590 ET at 208.97 MPH.

Finals:

Funny Car:

Hight falls to Tasca, III with his run of 3.932 ET at 326.95 MPH to Tasca, III’s 3.933 ET at 329.26 MPH.

Pro Stock:

Anderson defeated Glenn with his run of 6.590 ET at 206.73 MPH to Glenn’s 6.554 ET at 203.23 MPH.

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.

CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 24, 2023) – Top Fuel’s Doug Kalitta stayed undefeated in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs, picking up his second straight win on Sunday at zMAX Dragway and moving into the points lead for the first time in three years at the 15th annual betway NHRA Carolina Nationals.

Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the 17th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, and the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

In the final round against Mike Salinas, Kalitta powered to a run of 3.696-seconds at 333.49 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Mac Tools/Toyota dragster en route to his second win this season and 51st in his career. After going nearly three years without a win, Kalitta now has back-to-back victories and the points lead for the first time since 2020 as the veteran aims for his first world championship.

His day included victories against Steve Torrence, Kalitta Motorsports teammate Shawn Langdon and Leah Pruett, setting up the marquee matchup against Salinas, who went 3.718 at 328.46 in the finals. With four races remaining, Kalitta holds a 63-points lead against Torrence and 68 over Justin Ashley.

“We had to tune it up for the final and Mike was right there,” said Kalitta, who picked up back-to-back wins for the first time since 2016. “It was a good day for all my guys. I’m glad I’m along for the ride for whatever we end up with. It’s a great start (to the Countdown) for us and I just have a ton of support from everyone who has followed me over the years.

“We’re just going to keep plugging away. We’ve just got to keep going rounds and it’s a matter of getting and staying consistent. I just want to try to stay ahead, however we have to do it. Everyone in this class is driving the wheels off these things and there’s a bunch of great cars. It’s tough and you’ve got to take advantage of the opportunities when you get them. I’m happy to be here and it’s a good spot to be in, for sure.”

Salinas advanced to his second final round this year and 17th in his career by knocking off Mike Bucher and Austin Prock. It was still a rewarding weekend for Salinas, setting both ends of the track record and becoming the first driver in NHRA history to go 300-mph in the 1/8-mile, becoming the first member of the “Phillips Connect 300 to the 1/8” club on Saturday.

In Funny Car, Bob Tasca III finished off a monumental weekend with a huge victory against points leader Robert Hight in the final round, going 3.933 at 329.26 in his 11,000-horsepower Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang to earn a holeshot victory over Hight’s 3.932 at 326.95. It is the third victory of the 2023 campaign for Tasca and the 15th of his career as the veteran also moved to second in points.

After making a career-best run of 3.836 on Saturday to qualify third, Tasca took down Alexis DeJoria, Terry Haddock and Matt Hagan to reach the final round against Hight. Tasca was previously 0-3 against the three-time champ in final rounds, but Tasca’s .050 reaction time proved to be the difference to hold off Hight and pick up the thrilling win. Tasca also pulled to within 25 points of Hight after two races in the Countdown to the Championship.

“It was a big win for our program,” Tasca said. “I said on TV, I wish the fans all could have had a live feed to my pit. Every person on our team, crew chiefs included, thrashed to swap the engines. For me, that is the most gut-wrenching part of racing. There is nothing I can do. I’m at home when I’m in that car and the stage bulb is on because I know I have a shot at it. So, this win is dedicated to the team.

“I think we’re somewhat racing with a chip on our shoulder this year. How many people in this room would have thought Bob Tasca would be (25 points) out of first? Bottom line is, we’ve really come together as a team, probably more so than any point in my career and the car really sees it. I’m so impressed with the car they’ve given me. I’ve always wanted to win at all the Bruton Smith tracks, and I know he’s smiling down from above. I’ve thought the world of their family, our families have been close and it’s really cool to have a trophy from every Bruton Smith track.”

Hight, who set the track record on Saturday to qualify No. 1, picked up his second straight final round appearance in the playoffs and the 101st in his career thanks to round victories against Paul Lee and Alex Laughlin.

Things came together perfectly on Sunday for Pro Stock veteran Greg Anderson, as the five-time world champion picked up his first win of the season, defeating KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn in the final round with a run of 6.554 at 209.23 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. It’s also the 102nd career victory for Anderson, who picked up the win in the backyard of his sponsor, which made the moment even more special for the longtime standout.

He got past Jerry Tucker, Cristian Cuadra and defending world champion Erica Enders to reach the final round, leading from start-to-finish in an impressive showing against Glenn, who went 6.590 at 206.73. It sent Anderson all the way to fourth in points, giving him hope of a sixth world championship with four races remaining this year.

“That was incredible. It was my day, and I haven’t really had many ‘my days’ this year,” said Anderson, who is now 61 points out of first. “It’s definitely sweet to do it here at Charlotte, my home track, with all my family, my friends, all the support, the Hendrick group. It’s just perfect, absolutely perfect. I had a couple of storybook wins last year, and this one is right up there. It’s been a long year for me, but my team has been doing a great job all year long, and I’m very proud of that.

“We didn’t back into a win today; we earned a win today. We absolutely went out and earned one. We outran everybody and did a better job racing than everybody did. We’re peaking at the right time, without a doubt. It’s going to be an exciting Countdown. I’m sure today scrambled the points up quite a bit, and it put a lot of people right back in the hunt, myself being one of them.”

Glenn, who shrugged off an opening-round loss last weekend, moved back to third in points, reaching his eighth final round in 2023 with round wins against Troy Coughlin Jr., Aaron Stanfield and Deric Kramer. Matt Hartford stayed in the points lead, holding a four-point advantage over Enders and 15 points over Glenn.

In the 500th career race in the Pro Stock Motorcycle category, Gaige Herrera earned his first career victory in the Countdown to the Championship, going 6.726 at 201.34 on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki to win against a red-lighting Hector Arana Jr. Herrera moved back into the points lead with his dominant weekend en route to his seventh victory of the season, also getting back on track after an early exit in the playoff opener.

There were no upsets on Sunday at zMAX Dragway, as Herrera, who also qualified No. 1, rolled to round wins against Jerry Savoie, defending world champion Matt Smith and Chase Van Sant, setting a track E.T. record in the opening round with a 6.706. Arana Jr. left early in the finals, but Herrera would have been tough to take down as he enjoyed another spectacular weekend. His lead against Smith stands at 52 points.

“It was a good Sunday. I’m glad my bike was consistent again today. It came off the trailer running strong and I’m glad we came home with the win,” Herrera said. “I’m happy with that. This is definitely one of my favorite tracks.

“Andrew (Hines, crew chief) and those guys, they don’t quit. I’m with one of the best teams with Vance & Hines. It’s pretty cool, racing Matt second round. The ladder couldn’t have worked out any better for me today. I regained the points lead and definitely have a lot of momentum going into St. Louis.”

Arana Jr. stayed third in points, getting past Steve Johnson, Angie Smith and Eddie Krawiec to reach the championship round for the third time in 2023 and 33rd time in his career.

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series returns to action Sept. 29-Oct.1 with the NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis.

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CONCORD, N.C. — Final finish order (1-16) at the 15th annual betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway. The race is the 17th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL:

1. Doug Kalitta; 2. Mike Salinas; 3. Leah Pruett; 4. Austin Prock; 5. Brittany Force; 6. Shawn Langdon; 7. Antron Brown; 8. Steve Torrence; 9. Spencer Massey; 10. Clay Millican; 11. Mike Bucher; 12. Tony Schumacher; 13. Justin Ashley; 14. Josh Hart.

FUNNY CAR:

1. Bob Tasca III; 2. Robert Hight; 3. Matt Hagan; 4. Alex Laughlin; 5. Terry Haddock; 6. Tim

Wilkerson; 7. Paul Lee; 8. Dave Richards; 9. J.R. Todd; 10. John Smith; 11. Chad Green; 12. Ron Capps; 13. Cruz Pedregon; 14. Alexis DeJoria; 15. John Force.

PRO STOCK:

1. Greg Anderson; 2. Dallas Glenn; 3. Erica Enders; 4. Deric Kramer; 5. Matt Hartford; 6.

Camrie Caruso; 7. Aaron Stanfield; 8. Cristian Cuadra; 9. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 10. Bo Butner; 11. Kyle Koretsky; 12. Jerry Tucker; 13. Mason McGaha; 14. Chris McGaha; 15. Eric Latino; 16. Fernando Cuadra Jr..

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

1. Gaige Herrera; 2. Hector Arana Jr; 3. Eddie Krawiec; 4. Chase Van Sant; 5. Angie Smith; 6. Chip Ellis; 7. Kelly Clontz; 8. Matt Smith; 9. Marc Ingwersen; 10. Joey Gladstone; 11. Jianna Evaristo; 12. John Hall; 13. Steve Johnson; 14. Jerry Savoie; 15. Chris Bostick; 16. Ron Tornow.

CONCORD, N.C. — Sunday’s final results from the 15th annual betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway.

The race is the 17th of 21 in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel — Doug Kalitta, 3.696 seconds, 333.49 mph def. Mike Salinas, 3.718 seconds, 328.46 mph.

Funny Car — Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 3.933, 329.26 def. Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 3.932, 326.95.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.726, 201.34 def. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, Foul – Red Light.

Pro Stock — Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.554, 209.23 def. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.590, 206.73.

Top Alcohol Dragster — Julie Nataas, 5.190, 275.28 def. Earl Nichols Jr., 5.212, 278.06.

Top Alcohol Funny Car — Phil Esz, Chevy Camaro, 5.495, 261.27 def. Sean Bellemeur, Camaro, 5.495, 264.96.

Competition Eliminator — Jared Kimbrough, Dragster, 7.311, 180.67 def. David Eaton, Roadster, 6.691, 167.20.

Mountain Motor Pro Stock — John DeFlorian Jr, Chevy Camaro, 6.326, 220.84 def. Chris Powers, Chevrolet Camaro, 6.348, 220.26.

Factory X — Greg Stanfield, Chevy Camaro, 7.100, 190.70 def. Allen Johnson, Dodge Challenger, 12.801, 68.31.

CONCORD, N.C. — Final round-by-round results from the 15th annual betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway, the 17th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE — Shawn Langdon, 3.764, 328.38 def. Tony Schumacher, 4.257, 200.65; Austin Prock, 3.722, 323.27 def. Josh Hart, 5.109, 139.18; Antron Brown, 3.686, 337.24 def. Spencer Massey, 3.745, 327.35; Mike Salinas, 3.687, 336.91 def. Mike Bucher, 3.891, 310.27; Doug Kalitta, 3.718, 333.16 def. Steve Torrence, 3.725, 332.34; Brittany Force, 3.736, 332.67 def. Clay Millican, 3.777, 330.47; Leah Pruett, 3.708, 333.08 def. Justin Ashley, 4.922, 152.99;

QUARTERFINALS — Prock, 4.655, 223.17 def. Force, 4.834, 195.90; Salinas, 10.773, 68.86 was unopposed; Pruett, 3.829, 319.60 def. Brown, 5.050, 152.78; Kalitta, 3.741, 333.33 def. Langdon, 4.907, 156.64;

SEMIFINALS — Salinas, 3.898, 257.68 def. Prock, 4.189, 305.77; Kalitta, 3.745, 328.70 def. Pruett, 3.778, 325.69;

FINAL — Kalitta, 3.696, 333.49 def. Salinas, 3.718, 328.46.

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE — Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 3.871, 328.70 def. Alexis DeJoria, Toyota GR Supra, 6.692, 106.27; Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 7.473, 87.25 was unopposed; Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.868, 331.28 def. John Smith, Charger, Foul – Red Light; Alex Laughlin, Charger, 4.138, 306.46 def. John Force, Camaro, 9.366, 79.86; Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.176, 299.20 def. Ron Capps, GR Supra, 4.729, 177.67; Terry Haddock, Mustang, 4.157, 296.57 def. Chad Green, Mustang, 4.520, 188.99; Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.918, 329.91 def. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.822, 160.96; Paul Lee, Charger, 3.919, 322.81 def. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.947, 323.58;

QUARTERFINALS — Tasca III, 3.894, 329.02 def. Haddock, Foul – Red Light; Laughlin, 4.203, 300.66 def. Richards, 8.719, 77.54; Hight, 3.963, 314.68 def. Lee, 4.643, 176.70; Hagan, 3.996, 313.88 def. Wilkerson, 4.543, 186.82;

SEMIFINALS — Tasca III, 3.935, 327.35 def. Hagan, 3.953, 321.04; Hight, 3.934, 325.22 def. Laughlin, 4.200, 305.77;

FINAL — Tasca III, 3.933, 329.26 def. Hight, 3.932, 326.95.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE — Matt Hartford, Chevy Camaro, 8.126, 163.87 def. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Ford Mustang, Foul – Red Light; Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.576, 208.59 def. Kyle Koretsky, Camaro, 6.586, 207.66; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.580, 207.78 def. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.569, 209.36; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.559, 208.65 def. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.604, 209.14; Cristian Cuadra, Mustang, 6.570, 208.14 def. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.584, 208.59; Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.596, 208.81 def. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.674, 207.02; Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 6.597, 206.80 def. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.639, 206.83; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.544, 209.65 def. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.629, 205.82;

QUARTERFINALS — Glenn, 6.590, 207.75 def. Stanfield, 7.660, 140.36; Kramer, 6.596, 208.39 def. Caruso, 6.580, 206.92; Anderson, 6.561, 209.17 def. C. Cuadra, 9.652, 88.26; Enders, 6.567, 208.68 def. Hartford, 6.564, 209.46;

SEMIFINALS — Glenn, 6.619, 206.42 def. Kramer, Foul – Red Light; Anderson, 6.546, 209.30 def. Enders, 6.590, 208.97;

FINAL — Anderson, 6.554, 209.23 def. Glenn, 6.590, 206.73.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

ROUND ONE — Angie Smith, 6.846, 198.26 def. Chris Bostick, Foul – Red Light; Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.883, 195.68 def. Jianna Evaristo, Suzuki, 6.899, 196.67; Chip Ellis, 6.791, 199.46 def. John Hall, Foul – Red Light; Hector Arana Jr, 6.785, 201.61 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.949, 193.24; Matt Smith, Suzuki, 6.858, 195.00 def. Marc Ingwersen, 6.881, 193.57; Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.863, 196.47 def. Joey Gladstone, Suzuki, 6.898, 195.28; Eddie Krawiec, Suzuki, 6.791, 200.08 def. Ron Tornow, Broke; Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.706, 201.94 def. Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, Foul – Red Light; QUARTERFINALS — Van Sant, 6.861, 197.45 def. Ellis, Foul – Red Light; Krawiec, 6.828, 199.85 def. Clontz, 6.950, 194.86; Arana Jr, 6.873, 197.86 def. A. Smith, 6.836, 198.50; Herrera, 6.747, 200.71 def. M. Smith, 7.880, 122.91;

SEMIFINALS — Arana Jr, 6.815, 198.06 def. Krawiec, 6.855, 199.17; Herrera, 6.755, 201.10 def. Van Sant, Foul – Red Light;

FINAL — Herrera, 6.726, 201.34 def. Arana Jr, Foul – Red Light.

CONCORD, N.C. — Point standings (top 10) following the 15th annual betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway, the 17th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series –

Top Fuel

1. Doug Kalitta, 2,284; 2. Steve Torrence, 2,221; 3. Justin Ashley, 2,216; 4. Leah Pruett, 2,208; 5. Antron Brown, 2,192; 6. Brittany Force, 2,178; 7. Mike Salinas, 2,165; 8. Austin Prock, 2,130; 9. Shawn Langdon, 2,101; 10. Tony Schumacher, 2,089.

Funny Car

1. Robert Hight, 2,299; 2. Bob Tasca III, 2,274; 3. (tie) Ron Capps, 2,230; Matt Hagan, 2,230; 5. Chad Green, 2,167; 6. Alexis DeJoria, 2,131; 7. Tim Wilkerson, 2,129; 8. J.R. Todd, 2,123; 9. John Force, 2,104; 10. Alex Laughlin, 2,092.

Pro Stock

1. Matt Hartford, 2,250; 2. Erica Enders, 2,246; 3. Dallas Glenn, 2,235; 4. Greg Anderson, 2,189; 5. Troy Coughlin Jr., 2,186; 6. Aaron Stanfield, 2,165; 7. Deric Kramer, 2,163; 8. Kyle Koretsky, 2,151; 9. Camrie Caruso, 2,122; 10. Cristian Cuadra, 2,104.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

1. Gaige Herrera, 2,304; 2. Matt Smith, 2,252; 3. Hector Arana Jr, 2,250; 4. Eddie Krawiec,

2,200; 5. Angie Smith, 2,171; 6. Chase Van Sant, 2,144; 7. Jianna Evaristo, 2,116; 8. Steve Johnson, 2,107; 9. Marc Ingwersen, 2,105; 10. Kelly Clontz, 2,084.

KALITTA CAPTURES BACK-TO-BACK VICTORIES WITH THRILLING RUN IN CHARLOTTE
Toyota earns seventh consecutive Top Fuel victory

CONCORD, N.C. (September 24, 2023) – After claiming his long-awaited 50^th career victory last weekend, Doug Kalitta won his second straight NHRA Top Fuel event in the Betway Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway on Sunday. Kalitta defeated no. 1 qualifier Mike Salinas in the category final Sunday afternoon. With his stellar run in Charlotte, Kalitta now leads the Top Fuel points standings as the Countdown to the Championship approaches its halfway point next weekend.

Antron Brown and Shawn Langdon were the other Toyota Top Fuel drivers that advanced on Sunday, and both were eliminated in the second round of competition.

In Funny Car, it was a tough Carolina Nationals for Toyota’s three drivers. Battling adversity throughout the weekend, Ron Capps, J.R. Todd and Alexis DeJoria were eliminated in the first round on Sunday. All three Toyota Funny Car drivers will have an immediate chance to bounce back next weekend in the Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway. 

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series
zMAX Dragway
Race 17 of 21

TOYOTA TOP FUEL FINISHING POSITIONS 

Name	Car	Final Result	Round-by-Round
Doug Kalitta	Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Winner	W 3.718 vs. S. Torrence (3.725) W 3.741 vs. S. Langdon (4.907) W 3.745 vs. L. Pruett (3.778) W 3.696 vs. M. Salinas (3.718)
Antron Brown	Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Second Round	W (3.686) vs. S. Massey (3.745) L 5.050 vs. L. Pruett (3.829)
Shawn Langdon	Kalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Second Round	W (3.764) vs. T. Schumacher (4.257) L 4.907 vs. D. Kalitta (3.741)
Steve Torrence	Capco Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	First Round	L 3.725 vs. D. Kalitta (3.718)
Justin Ashley	Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	First Round	L 4.922 vs. L. Pruett (3.708)

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR FINISHING POSITIONS 

Name	Car	Final Result	Round-by-Round
J.R. Todd	DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	First Round	L 3.947 vs. P. Lee (3.919)
Ron Capps	NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	First Round	L 4.729 vs. D. Richards (4.176)
Alexis DeJoria	Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	First Round	L 6.692 vs. B. Tasca III (3.871)

TOYOTA QUOTES

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

TF Final Result: Winner

Can you take us through your day?

“Well, the sun was out most of today, which was much different to what we’ve been running most of the weekend with all the cloud cover and low temperatures. So yeah, it was really nice to get this win today. We were getting 74s times down the track and we really had to tune the car up for the final. Mike (Salinas) was right there at the end; Mr. 300 I guess you could call him now. Overall, it was a great run today for my guys.”

What’s it like to be back in the points lead?

“It’s been a while, that’s for sure. With Alan Johnson (crew chief), Brian Husen (co-crew chief) and all those guys on the team, they’re used to winning championships. I’m glad I’ll be along for the ride with wherever we end up with. It’s a great start to the Countdown for us, and I just have a ton of support from everyone’s who been following me over the years. This should be a good run, and we’ll keep plugging away at it.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships. 

Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 24 electrified options.

CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 23, 2023) – Top Fuel’s Mike Salinas became the first driver in NHRA history to go 300-mph in the 1/8-mile, setting both ends of the track record on Saturday at zMAX Dragway en route to qualifying No. 1 at the 15th annual betway NHRA Carolina Nationals.

Robert Hight (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the 17th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, and the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

In the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the McPhillips Racing Top Alcohol Dragster driven by points leader Tony Stewart was found to have unapproved ignition parts. Due to the items found, he was disqualified from the event and zero points were awarded.

Salinas powered to an epic blast of 3.647-seconds at 338.00 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Valley Services/Scrappers Racing dragster, earning his third No. 1 qualifier in 2023 and 14th in his career. He also went a whopping 300.80 mph to the 1/8-mile during the run, marking the first time in NHRA history a driver has reached 300-mph in the 1/8-mile and making him the first member of the “Phillips Connect 300 to the 1/8” club, which nets him a $30,000 bonus. It was also the fifth-fastest run in Top Fuel history, as Salinas aims to pick up his second win of the season on Sunday.

“The track was amazing. (Crew chief) Rob (Flynn) and Arron (Cave) getting this thing ready for us – I never get involved with that, but I had this ‘all or nothing’ that we’ve been doing,” Salinas said. “We’ve been working on this for a while and our car has been close several times in testing. We knew we were going to do it, we just didn’t know when. Tonight was the perfect time to do it. The car seemed to like what we’re doing, and Rob and Aaron are amazing every run. we are a real team and I’m just happy to be part of what they’ve put together.

“We’ve been close and to put together a run like this, it is awesome. These are the types of things we’re out here for and what it’s all about. What an amazing run.”

Antron Brown took the second spot, going 3.655 at 332.75 – and 299.00 to the 1/8-mile – and Doug Kalitta, who won last weekend in Reading, qualified third with a 3.665 at 331.61.

Funny Car points leader Robert Hight also put on an impressive show to close out the night, topping Matt Hagan’s spectacular run on Friday with a track-record performance of 3.824 at 330.15 in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS. A night after Hagan made the quickest run of the year in the class, Hight went even quicker to earn his fifth No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 82nd in his marvelous career.

After suffering a huge explosion on the starting line during Friday’s qualifying session, Hight and his team rebounded in fine fashion on Saturday, making a pair of stellar runs, including the terrific blast to end the evening. Following his win at the playoff opener in Reading a week ago, Hight will look to keep rolling on Sunday at zMAX Dragway.

“Sometimes when you really go up there and push and try really hard, it doesn’t work out,” Hight said. “Everything has to come together, and there are a lot of variables. It’s a science, but there is some luck with it. Everything has to come into place. But we were pushing, we wanted to go out there and get the No. 1 spot. I never get too hopeful, but to do it by .001, that tells you how close this racing is.

“Matt Hagan and I had a race last weekend that was even closer, and that’s pretty amazing. Hats off to my guys for rebounding from a tough go of it yesterday. I have a lot of confidence in this team. This is a great racetrack. We’ve had a lot of success here over the years, and it was cool to see records fall here tonight.”

Hagan, who closed out the night with a strong 3.828, will take second with his 3.825 at 333.49 and Bob Tasca III moved to third with a career-best run of 3.836 at 331.94

Erica Enders has opened the Pro Stock playoffs with two straight No. 1 qualifiers thanks to Friday’s run of 6.509 at 210.18 in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance Camaro. It’s the fourth top spot of the season for the defending world champion and the 33rd in her career as she continues to build momentum in trying to earn her sixth world title. A win on Sunday in Charlotte would help the cause a great deal and she’ll open eliminations against Mason McGaha.

“Today didn’t really go as planned but making that monster run yesterday was significant,” Enders said. “It showed that what we had in Reading, carried over here in Charlotte. We’ll make the adjustments accordingly. I’m proud for the No. 1 position. All of those points are going matter at the end of the game.”

Camrie Caruso took the second spot with a 6.525 at 209.20 and defending event winner Aaron Stanfield qualified third with a 6.533 at 210.50. Points leader Matt Hartford, who won the last two races, qualified eighth with a 6.542.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Gaige Herrera continued to cement his qualifying dominance, taking his 10th No. 1 spot of the year on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki on the strength of his 6.731 at 200.44 from Friday. On the weekend of Pro Stock Motorcycle’s 500th career event, Herrera hopes to pick up his seventh win this season and also his first career Countdown to the Championship victory. He’ll open eliminations against Jerry Savoie. and could move back into the points lead with a big day.

“I feel really confident going into tomorrow. I have a really bad hot rod, it’s fast and has been all season,” Herrera said. “To be able to get 10 out of 11 No. 1 qualifiers, it’s just remarkable. I give all the credit to the Vance & Hines Mission Suzuki team and all the guys at the shop for all their hard work. That run we did yesterday was really good for the conditions, and it wasn’t the perfect run, but it was really good. Today we were trying a few little things, but we’ll go back to what we basically ran Friday and be ready for tomorrow.

“I missed out on a couple today as far as qualifying but at the end of the day, I think we’re going to do good tomorrow and that’s where you’re going to get as many points as possible.”

Eddie Krawiec jumped up to second on Saturday with a run of 6.766 at 200.00 and Angie Smith took third after going 6.805 at 197.48. Points leader Matt Smith qualified ninth.

Eliminations for the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals begin at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday at zMAX Dragway.

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CONCORD, N.C. — Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the 15th annual betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway, the 17th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.

   Top Fuel -- 1. Mike Salinas, 3.647 seconds, 338.00 mph vs. 14. Mike Bucher, 8.073, 75.01; 2. Antron Brown, 3.655, 332.75 vs. 13. Spencer Massey, 3.766, 319.52; 3. Doug Kalitta, 3.665, 331.61 vs. 12. Steve Torrence, 3.726, 328.70; 4. Brittany Force, 3.673, 335.48 vs. 11. Clay Millican, 3.725, 317.64; 5. Josh Hart, 3.680, 332.59 vs. 10. Austin Prock, 3.725, 325.53; 6. Tony Schumacher, 3.692, 331.12 vs. 9. Shawn Langdon, 3.719, 330.39; 7. Justin Ashley, 3.698, 333.74 vs. 8. Leah Pruett, 3.709, 332.59.



   Funny Car -- 1. Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 3.824, 330.15 vs. Bye; 2. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.825, 333.49 vs. 15. John Smith, Charger, 7.896, 91.19; 3. Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 3.836, 331.94 vs. 14. Alexis DeJoria, Toyota GR Supra, 7.705, 91.78; 4. John Force, Camaro, 3.861, 329.02 vs. 13. Alex Laughlin, Charger, 4.594, 190.22; 5. Ron Capps, GR Supra, 3.864, 327.90 vs. 12. Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.135, 256.11; 6. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.871, 328.78 vs. 11. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 4.016, 309.98; 7. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.876, 325.06 vs. 10. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.937, 327.59; 8. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.892, 330.63 vs. 9. Paul Lee, Charger, 3.901, 326.00.



   Pro Stock -- 1. Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.509, 210.18 vs. 16. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.587, 208.36; 2. Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 6.525, 209.20 vs. 15. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.582, 210.41; 3. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.533, 210.50 vs. 14. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.573, 209.01; 4. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.535, 210.41 vs. 13. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.561, 209.75; 5. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.535, 209.30 vs. 12. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.558, 209.30; 6. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.540, 209.46 vs. 11. Dallas

Glenn, Camaro, 6.550, 208.75; 7. Kyle Koretsky, Camaro, 6.541, 209.39 vs. 10. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.550, 209.07; 8. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.542, 207.50 vs. 9. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Mustang, 6.547, 209.14.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Larry Morgan, 6.621, 207.53; 18. Fernando Cuadra, 6.635, 207.82; 19. Brandon Miller, 6.654, 206.23; 20. Alan Prusiensky, 8.804, 100.40.

   Pro Stock Motorcycle -- 1. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.731, 200.41 vs. 16. Jerry Savoie,

Suzuki, 7.004, 189.04; 2. Eddie Krawiec, Suzuki, 6.766, 200.00 vs. 15. Ron Tornow, Victory, 7.000, 191.95; 3. Angie Smith, EBR, 6.805, 197.48 vs. 14. Chris Bostick, EBR, 6.964, 192.33; 4. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.806, 198.06 vs. 13. Joey Gladstone, Suzuki, 6.932, 194.91; 5. Chip Ellis, EBR, 6.817, 199.05 vs. 12. John Hall, EBR, 6.922, 196.16; 6. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.833, 201.04 vs. 11. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.890, 192.17; 7. Jianna Evaristo, Suzuki, 6.835, 196.19 vs. 10. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.843, 195.17; 8. Marc

Ingwersen, EBR, 6.839, 194.52 vs. 9. Matt Smith, Suzuki, 6.840, 196.39.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Marcus Hylton, 7.226, 189.55; 18. Lance Bonham, 7.407, 176.74.

BROWN SETS CAREER BEST TIME IN RAIN-DELAYED CAROLINA NATIONALS QUALIFYING
Extended qualifying day sees record speeds and times in night running

CONCORD, N.C. (September 23, 2023) – After a longer than expected day at zMAX Dragway, Antron Brown qualified second in Top Fuel for the Betway Carolina Nationals with a career-best elapsed time of 3.655. Afternoon rain showers caused a multi-hour delay where the final qualifying sessions ran under the lights. The night running paved the way for ideal conditions where Brown set his own record time and competitor Mike Salinas reached a speed of over 338 mph to snag the No. 1 qualifier spot. Brown makes his 500^th professional start this weekend, reaching another milestone in his prolific drag racing career.

In Funny Car, Ron Capps was the top qualifying Toyota driver in fifth position, followed by J.R. Todd in eighth and Alexis DeJoria in 14^th. Capps aims for a repeat victory in the Carolina Nationals as his quest for another Funny Car title continues.

Before the weekend’s events began, Capps and Brown faced off in the finale of the “Supra Showdown.” Brown, who was the Top Fuel team captain, defeated Funny Car captain Capps in an epic finale to take home the Supra Showdown title as both teams came into the final event tied with six victories a piece. The final also determined the charitable contributions from Toyota to team-selected charities. With the Top Fuel victory, each of those drivers’ charities received $2,500, with the Funny Car charities receiving $1,000.

Toyota Post-Qualifying Recap
NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series
zMAX Dragway
Race 17 of 21

TOYOTA TOP FUEL QUALIFYING POSITIONS 

Name	Car	Qualifying Position	First Round Opponent
Mike Salinas*	Scrappers Racing Dragster	1st (3.647)	M. Bucher
Antron Brown	Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	2nd (3.655)	S. Massey
Doug Kalitta	Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	3rd (3.665)	S. Torrence
Justin Ashley	Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	7th (3.698)	L. Pruett
Shawn Langdon	Kalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	9th (3.719)	T. Schumacher
Steve Torrence	Capco Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	12th (3.726)	D. Kalitta

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING POSITIONS 

Name	Car	Qualifying Position	First Round Opponent
Robert Hight	Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car	1st (3.824)	Bye
Ron Capps	NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	5th (3.864)	D. Richards
J.R. Todd	DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	8th (3.892)	P. Lee
Alexis DeJoria	Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	14th (7.705)	B. Tasca III

TOYOTA QUOTES

ANTRON BROWN, Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, AB Motorsports

TF Qualifying Result: 2nd

Can you summarize your qualifying effort today?

“We came in and we had good qualifying off the trailer in number 5 and it felt really good to get up to number 2. We’ve been working on this program all year long and it felt so good for it all to come together. In the early run today, we were trying to put a good run up on the board but obviously it didn’t happen for us. We had a couple electrical gremlins that we found and got it fixed up. They tuned it up and put a little bit more here and there and it just felt so good to see the number that we expected to come up on the board. We figured it would be somewhere in the mid 60s – to run my career best here – it’s our team career best – it was truly a statement. I shut off a little bit early, so we missed a mile an hour by a little bit, but our car was sailing. Looking for some good rounds tomorrow. We’ve got to take off in the first round of eliminations. The good part is we ended up number two, so we’ve got good qualifying points. Tomorrow there’s going to be a lot of tough first round matchups, so our main focus is to go out there and just do what we do and just focus on that. We’ll see what we can do on race day.”

Did you enjoy competing in the Toyota GR “Supra Challenge” this season?

“You know it was a lot of fun, because the coolest part was, we always have this challenge on who has the best talent – Funny Car or Top Fuel. But when we got all the Top Fuel guys together, we had the all-star cast. Every single person on our team has won championships and competed for championships, and the same goes for Funny Car. Toyota has the best of the best, so the fun part was showcasing that and driving the Supra was out of our comfort zone. We got in the GR Supras and the whole Showdown was super competitive, which made it so fun. It was a blast out there to compete and talk some junk. We talked some serious junk, but we backed it up.”

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

FC Qualifying Result: 5th

Can you talk about your qualifying effort today?

“Guido (Dean Antonelli crew chief) has been working really hard on our clutch package and getting the car to move better earlier in the run especially between the 330 and 660 cones. Trying to get those incrementals down to get the car moving and that will help the ET. We know we can run mid 80s no problem, but we wanted to figure a new way out with this new clutch package. So, with that being said, we tried something in the first run today. It didn’t work but we learned a lot. Then, of course the rains came, and we got delayed and conditions were unbelievable. They did such a great job getting the track ready. As you saw, the numbers were unbelievable in Top Fuel and Funny Car. We were on a great run. I felt like down there I overdrove it maybe a little bit. It was hard to see for me. The car was vibrating. I was yelling at myself in my helmet to try to keep it in the center of the groove and it was just moving all over the place. I’m not sure what happened yet, but I have the upmost confidence. Our team is always very well prepared. Even between runs on a race day, we have another car completely ready to go. That’s the way Guido teaches our guys. We’ve got three more great GR Supra bodies. Unfortunately, damaged that one, but it might be fixable. We just went up to throw down. These guys are throwing down and we want to make Toyota proud. It’s capable of doing it. We went 83 last year and those are the conditions you want to try and set the world on fire.”

Did you have fun teaming up with your fellow Toyota Funny Car drivers to compete in the “Supra Showdown” this season?

“It was a lot of fun. I don’t think I’ve been as nervous all year in my 12,000 horsepower GR Supra Funny Car than I was for this challenge. We were representing the Funny Cars, not just us against the Top Fuel guys. I went undefeated until yesterday, and I was nervous about this honestly, a lot of anxiety going into the final run. I have to say a big thanks to Toyota for putting this together. The fans had such a blast with it, us drivers had such a great time. It got our competitive juices flowing. But in the end, it all went to a great cause where we were able to raise money for a bunch of charities that mean a lot to us. For Toyota to step up and donate to each organization is fantastic.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships. 

Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 24 electrified options.

• Matt Hagan earned the provisional No. 1 qualifier following Friday night’s opening round of qualifying at zMAX Dragway with a track record-setting 3.825-second pass
• Top Fuel driver Doug Kalitta backed up his Maple Grove win, joining Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) in earning No. 1 qualifiers
• Tickets can be purchased at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or fans can call 1-800-455-FANS. Single-day tickets are $40 for adults on Saturday and Sunday and children 12 and under are FREE.

CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 22, 2023) – Matt Hagan made the quickest Funny Car run of the year on Friday at zMAX Dragway, taking the provisional No. 1 spot for Tony Stewart Racing at the 15th annual betway NHRA Carolina Nationals.

Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Hagan powered to an impressive run of 3.825-seconds at 333.49 in his 11,000-horsepower, setting the track E.T. record in the Funny Car category. If it holds on Saturday, the three-time Funny Car world champ would earn his second No. 1 qualifier of the season and 50th in his career.

“That was a great moment right there,” Hagan said. “It’s just a great day and what a lap to lay down there. When they’re on a run like that and they’re digging, they’re a handful and that’s why we love driving these things. I’m so proud of my guys.”

Ron Capps, the defending back-to-back world champ, went 3.885 at 329.02 to go to second and Chad Green went to third after a 3.887 at 327.27. Robert Hight is 15th after suffering a huge explosion on the starting line during his run.

In Top Fuel, Doug Kalitta continued his recent hot streak, following up on last weekend’s 50th career win by going to the No. 1 spot with a standout performance of 3.665 at 331.61. The veteran is aiming for his second No. 1 spot this season and 53rd in his career.

“This car is happy to be on the track,” Kalitta said. “I’m just really happy for all my guys and this whole team. Charlotte is one of the greatest places we run and we’re hungry to keep this momentum going.”

Defending world champion Brittany Force went 3.686 at 332.75, putting her second after the opening qualifying session, and Justin Ashley’s 3.698 at 333.74 gave him the third spot.

For the second straight race, defending Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders enjoyed a strong start, taking the provisional No. 1 with a run of 6.509 at 210.18. Looking for a sixth world championship, Enders is after her third win of the season.

“The whole season started off really crappy for us, as everybody knows, and we just kept our heads down and went to work,” Enders said. “We said it’s not going to matter until the final six and here we are. We’re running really well again so we’re absolutely thankful for that. That’s what I mean but this is a marathon, not a sprint. You have to get to the end of the season and then perform as perfectly as possible in the Countdown.”

Camrie Caruso’s 6.525 puts her second and defending event winner Aaron Stanfield swiped third with a 6.533 at 210.50. Points leader Matt Hartford, who won the last two races, is currently eighth with a 6.548 at 209.43.

Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera distanced himself from the rest of the field with a run of 6.731 at 200.44. Herrera, who is now second and 17 points behind Matt Smith, is seeking his 10th No. 1 qualifier of the year and first career Countdown to the Championship victory.

“We’re happy with that run and we’re just trying to get redemption back from Reading,” Herrera said. “It put us down a little bit, but it’s another race and we’re just looking forward to two more rounds of qualifying tomorrow and then raceday on Sunday. This is one of my favorite tracks and I’m just happy to be back here.”

Chip Ellis, who advanced to the final round last week, is currently second with a 6.817 at 199.05 and Eddie Krawiec took third thanks to his 6.825 at 197.94. Smith is 17th after one session.

Qualifying continues at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday at the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway.

CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 22, 2023) – Reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Matt Smith wasn’t at the first race in the class, but the six-time champ will be at the 500th official race for the category, which takes place at this weekend’s 15th annual betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway.

Smith also enters the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series event, which is the second in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs, with plenty of momentum, having won back-to-back events and jumping into the points lead for the first time this year on his Denso Auto Parts Suzuki.

Racing at his home track adds another great layer for Smith, who is tied for the most world championships in class history. He’s enjoyed a number of significant milestones in the category along the way and getting the victory at the 500th Pro Stock Motorcycle race this weekend in Charlotte would certainly be another.

“I’ve won No. 498 and 499, so it would be really nice to win the 500th race,” Smith said. “It would add even more to do it at my home track. To say you’ve won the 500th race in class history, that would be a pretty big accomplishment.

“It’s amazing at what has happened in our class over the years, and to see where it started and where it is now, it’s pretty neat and I’m glad to be a part of it. Our class has really accelerated in E.T. and speed the last four years and we all want to continue to make this class as good and as close as possible. That’s what is going to keep our class growing and, ultimately, we’re out there to put on a good show for the fans.”

Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) claimed victories in 2022 at the fall race at zMAX Dragway. This year’s race will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 (FS1), including eliminations coverage at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 24. It is the second of six playoff races and not many riders have been better than Smith over the years during crunch time.

He won the U.S. Nationals to end the regular season on a high note and made a big opening statement in the Countdown to the Championship with a victory last weekend at Maple Grove Raceway.

That sent him past Gaige Herrera, who dominated the regular season, and Smith currently leads the six-time event winner in 2023 by 17 points heading into zMAX Dragway. Smith was pleased with the progress the bike made early in the run last weekend and hopes more improvement can be found, especially with the way Herrera has performed in 2023. Of course, Smith will also have to deal with the likes of Hector Arana Jr., Eddie Krawiec, his wife, Angie, and Jianna Evaristo.

“In the finals (at Reading), we made a big change on my bike and it worked out in our favor,” said Smith, who has a pair of wins at zMAX Dragway in his career. “Ultimately, we got our 60-foot time back in the finals. If we can go off that and keep going forward, we’ve got a really good shot of racing against Gaige and making this is a hard-fought battle. But I love these types of challenges and I think our whole class knows what the challenge is. We know who the dominant bike is, but our goal is to win a championship and that’s what we’re going to try to do.”

In Pro Stock, Matt Hartford has also impressed in recent weeks, winning back-to-back races, including the playoff opener, to go into the points lead for the first time in his career in his Total Seal/CIP1 Chevrolet Camaro. He currently has a 30-point advantage on reigning world champion Erica Enders, but also must contend with the likes of Troy Coughlin Jr., Dallas Glenn, who held the points lead for the bulk of the regular season, Aaron Stanfield and Kyle Koretsky.

Hartford, though, is only focused on his job, knowing full well he has a car and a team capable of winning a first world championship.

“We just need to continue to turn on win light after win light,” Hartford said. “If we turn on 20 win lights (the rest of the season), the points don’t matter. We’re not giving up. We have a great car, and we’re going to Charlotte where there will be very different track conditions. I think we have a car that’s great in all conditions, so if I keep doing my job and keep my head on straight, we could walk out of here with a white (championship) hat after five more races.”

Steve Torrence, who has six zMAX Dragway wins in Top Fuel, moved into the points lead with a runner-up finish last week. He’ll try to stay on top taking on the likes of Justin Ashley, who has six wins in 2023, Reading winner Doug Kalitta, Brown, Leah Pruett and defending world champion Brittany Force.

Funny Car’s Robert Hight, who won the spring race in Charlotte, moved into the points lead last weekend with a victory, but it stands at just three points over back-to-back defending world champ Capps. Others to watch include Bob Tasca III, Matt Hagan, John Force, Chad Green and J.R. Todd.

The betway NHRA Carolina Nationals also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, which includes some of the sport’s top drivers, as well as the new NHRA Factory X presented by Holley class, the ever-exciting Mountain Motor Pro Stock category and a Top Fuel Motorcycle exhibition. Fans can also look forward to special freestyle motocross exhibitions all weekend. The star riders will perform three times a day in the midway, adding another entertaining aspect to the weekend.

On Saturday, fans can brush up on their NHRA knowledge and attend Nitro School to learn more about how the cars operate and reach their thrilling speeds. That takes place at the Nitro Alley Stage all weekend, which is the main entertainment hub in the pits when the Camping World Drag Racing Series competitors are not on the track, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets and much more.

Race fans at zMAX Dragway can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals event winners.

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

NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature one round at 6:00 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 22, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 24. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 9:30 a.m. ET on Saturday and 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, and then eliminations on FS1 at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday.

To purchase tickets to the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway, please visit www.zmaxdragway.com or call 800-455-FANS (3267). For more information about NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.

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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.

INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 22, 2023) – The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series enjoyed its most-watched weekend of Countdown to the Championship telecasts in the NHRA on FOX era, as more than 2.1 million viewers tuned in to original airings of last weekend’s 38th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.

A total of 1.504 million viewers tuned into the NHRA on FOX broadcast of Sunday’s eliminations coverage at Maple Grove Raceway.

The final hour of the broadcast on Sunday also averaged a higher viewership than the final hour of last year’s NFL adjacent broadcast, with viewership increasing eight percent over last year for the full second hour and more than 25 percent for the final quarter-hour.

“These viewership milestones don’t occur without the full support of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series teams and racers, our track partners, which includes the Koretsky family at Maple Grove Raceway, and the hard-working men and women who support the event on-site, including facility staff, the NHRA Safety Safari and the NHRA on FOX production team,” NHRA Vice President of Broadcast Steve Reintjes said.

“I was thrilled to see our strong audience retention throughout the NHRA on FOX Sunday Finals broadcast, as the final hour of coverage significantly out-paced our record-setting show of 2022.”

Qualifying shows on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) from Maple Grove Raceway last weekend were also up more than 100 percent over last year’s broadcasts, giving the NHRA further momentum heading into this weekend’s 15th annual betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte.

The final five races of the 2023 season in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series will be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations coverage starting at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 24 from Charlotte. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 9:30 a.m. ET on Saturday and 11:00 a.m. on Sunday.

For more information on NHRA, please visit www.nhra.com.

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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.