• Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Funny Car driver Matt Hagan powered his Mopar 85th Anniversary-themed Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat from the No. 4 qualifier position to the semifinals at Heartland Motorsports Park in Kansas for the 33rd edition of the Menards National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Nationals Presented By PetArmor
• Hagan remains second in the Funny Car points standings after his semifinal performance and also clinched his spot in the “Countdown to the Championship” playoff this weekend with two regular season events remaining
• TSR pilot Leah Pruett drove her Mopar 85th Anniversary Top Fuel dragster from the seventh position on the eliminations ladder to a quarterfinal appearance at the Topeka drag strip and remains sixth in the category’s championship battle
• Despite a red light start by the Snap-on Tools Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, Cruz Pedregon remains seventh in the Funny Car standings

August 14, Topeka, Kansas — To celebrate Mopar’s 85th anniversary, Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Top Fuel and Funny Car HEMI®-powered racecars donned new paint schemes to honor the legendary performance brand at this weekend’s 33rd edition of the Menards National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Nationals presented by PetArmor at Heartland Motorsports Park near Topeka, Kansas.

Matt Hagan took his Mopar 85th Anniversary Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat for a best qualifying run of 3.943 seconds at 320.58 mph at the track known as the “House of Speed,” where he holds both ends of the track record for time (3.802 seconds) and speed (338.85 mph) set in May 2017. While this year’s August heat kept the track temperatures between 110 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the weekend and his career best speed safe from any challenge, Hagan’s qualifying effort was good enough to put him fourth on the eliminations ladder. He also clinched his spot in the NHRA’s “Countdown to the Championship” with two more regular season events left after this weekend’s contest, including the Dodge Power Brokers U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

Hagan, who took home the Wally trophy from Heartland Motorsports Park in 2017, began his race day against No. 11 seed Chad Green with a quicker start and 3.944-second elapsed time run at 316.52 mph to turn on the win light and advance to the next round, ending a drought that occurred on a difficult three-event NHRA Western Swing.

Hagan had another good performance in his quarterfinal matchup against No. 10 seed Paul Lee with the Mopar 85th Anniversary Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat once again recording a solid lap at 3.999 sec./312.71 mph. That sent Hagan’s Mopar to the semifinals to meet up with No. 1 qualifier Bob Tasca III, where both launched with nearly identical reaction times but as cylinders began to drop and his ride began to push toward the wall, Hagan opted to click it off.

Hagan’s semifinal appearance, along with his three wins and three runner-up finishes this season, keeps him solidly second in the Funny Car championship standings behind points leader Robert Hight.

In Top Fuel competition, TSR pilot Leah Pruett was seeking a good result aboard her Mopar 85th Anniversary dragster to follow up a string of solid performances on the Western Swing that included a win at the Dodge Power Brokers Mile-High Nationals in Denver, a No. 1 Qualifier award in Sonoma, and a semifinal appearance in Seattle.

Pruett’s best qualifying lap of 3.804 seconds at 316.97 mph put her seventh on the eliminations ladder and next to No. 10 seed Doug Foley for the opening round. Pruett took the lead early in the run while her opponent began to smoke his tires. Then she had to pedal her dragster at half-track but was able to regain control and get the round win.

In the quarterfinals, Pruett’s Mopar had the starting line advantage over No. 2 qualifier Justin Ashley but when her dragster began to lose traction Pruett ceded the round win to her opponent. Pruett, who sits sixth in the Top Fuel championship with two regular season events remaining, is now eyeing a position in the top-five ahead of the upcoming Countdown.

Four-time Topeka Funny Car winner Cruz Pedregon qualified his Snap-on Tools Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat 12th for eliminations with a best lap of 4.043 seconds at 284.62 mph to set up a first round pairing with No. 3 seed John Force. The longtime rivals both deep-staged their racecars, with Force going in so far that he flickered the bottom bulb of the tree. That flicker prompted a reaction from Pedregon who hit the throttle prematurely and turned on the red light. Despite the abrupt end to their race day, the Cruz Pedregon Racing team remains seventh in the Funny Car category.

The next stop on the NHRA circuit is the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, the penultimate event of the regular season, set for Aug. 18-21 in Brainerd, Minnesota.

ADDITIONAL NOTES and QUOTES:

Leah Pruett, Mopar 85th anniversary Top Fuel Dragster  

(No. 7  Qualifier – 3.804 seconds at 316.97 mph)  

Round 1: (0.148-second reaction time, 4.161seconds at 264.70 mph) defeats No. 10 Doug Foley (0.124/5.149/139.75) 

Round 2: (0.071/4.810/225.26) loss to No. 2 Justin Ashley (0.089/3.843/317.57)

“Sometimes you would rather have a little bit of luck on your side and that’s what we had going into eliminations today. We’ve gotten into a comfortable spot with the car because it’s been acting so well to be able to push and we pushed a little too hard in E1 (first round of eliminations). We smoked way down track and I was able to pedal twice and recover, which pedaling hasn’t particularly been my forte. It’s something we’ve been working on as a team and that worked out for us right there. In E2, we had a compound throttle mounting malfunction that hindered our performance after the line. Even though the results don’t quite show it with the win lights, it’s one of the best reacting cars that we’ve had all year. We are making a lot of headway. We’re finally able to reference other tracks now and other situations and build on that. That’s something for the first quarter of the year we weren’t able to do. As we finish out the second quarter, we’re really scaling up our drive.”

Matt Hagan, Mopar 85th anniversary Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car  

(No. 4 Qualifier – 3.943 seconds at 320.58 mph)

Round 1: (0.068-second reaction time, 3.944 seconds at 316.52 mph) defeats No. 11 Chad Green (0.071/4.155/306.26)

Round 2: (0.076/3.999/312.71) defeats No. 10 Paul Lee (0.110/7.341/86.41)

Round 3: (0.062/4.406/223.06) loss to No. 1 Bob Tasca (0.061/4.011/316.30)

“I could definitely taste the final today and wanted it bad up there. Coming off of the Western Swing where we had three first-round exits, I’m really pleased with the momentum we had and the direction we were able to turn the car around in. Qualifying was everything, so it was great qualifying fourth to be in the top-half of the bracket and have a good ladder. We have to stay focused on that Friday night hit and put ourselves in a position to be good for the rest of the weekend, since we’re seeing some hot racetracks that make the conditions a bit tougher on Saturday. 

“Unfortunately, something went wrong there in the semifinals. There was some type of ignition issue. It didn’t really fire off all the cylinders. It wasn’t the typical car we had all weekend. I kind of knew something was wrong off the bat, then some cylinders went out and I had to click it off early, so I didn’t hit the wall. My guys are going over everything with a fine-toothed comb to figure out what it was to get ready for Brainerd. Brainerd can sometimes be cool out there, so it’s one of those racetracks where Dickie Venables (crew chief) really shines.”

Cruz Pedregon, Snap-on® Tools Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat

(No. 12  Qualifier – 4.043 seconds at 284.62 mph)

Round 1: (-0.360-second reaction time, 7.982 seconds at 94.20 mph) loss to No. 3 John Force (-0.275/ 23.671/53.29)

“After qualifying in the number 12 spot with the Snap-on Tools Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat we went off against John Force first round and I red lit. As I’m driving back to the pit area I’m thinking what the heck? What just happened? I felt like there was an unusual light flickering and as a driver you’re on a hair trigger. To cut a good light that’s what you have to do. I watched the video, it looked like [Force] rolled in and overstaged which caused his light to turn off and on again, which caused me to go. I thought that was my light and my cue to go. It was a foul nonetheless on my part but the car had a cylinder out too, so it was a struggle this weekend. 

“I had a great conversation with the team and we’ll go back and look everything over for Brainerd. We had the best car there last year so we’re really gonna use the strategy we had last year and go back to our notes and look at everything. Weather and temperature should be very similar to last year so I’m confident that we’ll get the Snap-on Tools Dodge turned around.

We have dropped off a bit, but this is a new car and it’s going to take some time to get the bugs worked out. Not only from the mechanical standpoint, but even driving the car. We have a prototype steering to help it drive better, but it’s just different from what I’m used to. We’re coming up to the time of year where we’re going to have to really buckle down here. We’ve got Brainerd and then we’ve got the biggest race of the year in Indy with the Dodge Power Brokers U.S. Nationals coming up. So I’m confident we’ll get things sorted out and be ready for it.”

NHRA CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS:

Following the Menards NHRA Nationals Presented By PetArmor at Heartland Motorsports Park

FUNNY CAR (season wins in parentheses)

1.   Robert Hight 1334 (6)

2.  Matt Hagan (Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat): 1097 (3)

3.  Ron Capps: 1008 (2)

4.  John Force: 1002 (1)

5.  Bob Tasca III: 921 (2)

6.  J.R. Todd: 741

7. Cruz Pedregon (Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat): 718

8.  Alexis DeJoria: 712

9.  Tim Wilkerson: 611

10. Jim Campbell: 488

TOP FUEL (season wins in parentheses)

1.  Brittany Force: 1122 (4)

2.  Mike Salinas: 1091 (4) 

3.  Justin Ashley: 989 (2) 

4.  Steve Torrence: 960

5.  Josh Hart: 736

6.  Leah Pruett (Dodge Power Brokers): 726 (1)

7.  Shawn Langdon: 709

8.  Doug Kalitta: 659

9. Tony Schumacher: 625 (1)

10. Antron Brown 613 (1)

DodgeGarage: Digital Hub for Drag Racing News

Fans can follow all the NHRA action this season at DodgeGarage, the one-stop portal for Dodge//SRT and Mopar drag-racing news. The site includes daily updates and access to an online racing HQ, news, events, galleries, available downloads and merchandise. For more information, visit www.dodgegarage.com.

@DodgeMoparMotorsports on Instagram

The @DodgeMoparMotorsports Instagram channel continues to share content capturing Dodge//SRT Mopar drivers on the track. Fans can see action from the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series and NHRA Sportsman grassroots racers, competing in classes such as Factory Stock Showdown, Stock and Super Stock, as well as additional motorsports series.

Dodge//SRT

For more than 100 years, the Dodge brand has carried on the spirit of brothers John and Horace Dodge. Their influence continues today as Dodge shifts into high gear with muscle cars and SUVs that deliver unrivaled performance in each of the segments where they compete.

Dodge drives forward as a pure performance brand, offering SRT versions of every model across the lineup. For the 2022 model year, Dodge delivers the drag-strip dominating 807-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock, the 797-horsepower Dodge Charger SRT Redeye, the most powerful and fastest mass-produced sedan in the world, and the Dodge Durango SRT 392, America’s fastest, most powerful and most capable three-row SUV. Combined, these three muscle cars make Dodge the industry’s most powerful brand, offering more horsepower than any other American brand across its entire lineup.

In 2020, Dodge was named the “#1 Brand in Initial Quality,” making it the first domestic brand ever to rank No. 1 in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS). In 2021, Dodge brand ranked No. 1 in the J.D. Power APEAL Study (mass market) — making it the only domestic brand ever to do so two years in a row.

Dodge is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellantis.com.

Mopar

This year marks the 85th anniversary of Mopar.

A simple combination of the words MOtor and PARts, Mopar offers exceptional service, parts and customer-care. Born in 1937 as the name of a line of antifreeze products, Mopar has evolved over nearly 85 years to represent both complete vehicle care and authentic performance for owners and enthusiasts worldwide.

Mopar made its mark in the 1960s during the muscle-car era with performance parts to enhance speed and handling for both on-road and racing use. Later, Mopar expanded to include technical service and customer support, and today integrates service, parts and customer-care operations in order to enhance customer and dealer support worldwide.

Complete information on Mopar is available at www.mopar.com. For more information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellantis.com.

Follow Dodge, Mopar and Stellantis news and video on:

Company blog: blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Media website: media.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Dodge brand: www.dodge.com

Mopar brand: www.mopar.com/

DodgeGarage: www.dodgegarage.com

Mopar blog: blog.mopar.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dodge and www.facebook.com/mopar

Instagram: @Dodgemoparmotorsports, @dodgeofficial and @officialmopar

Twitter: @Dodge, @OfficialMopar and @StellantisNA

YouTube: www.youtube.com/dodge, https://www.youtube.com/c/mopar and www.youtube.com/StellantisNA

Leah Pruett & Matt Hagan
Mopar 85th Anniversary Top Fuel & Funny Car Drivers
Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor
Aug. 12-14 | Topeka, Kansas

Event Recap

Leah Pruett, driver of the Mopar 85th Anniversary Top Fuel Dragster:

● Earned No. 7 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (3.804 ET at 316.97 mph).

● Maintained No. 7 qualifying position from Q1. Pruett’s Q2 run on Saturday was 3.880 ET at 317.12 mph.

● Secured No. 7 qualifying position based off Friday’s Q1 run. In Q3 on Saturday, Pruett ran 3.834 ET at 315.64 mph.

● Advanced to Round 2 on Sunday:

●  Round 1: 4.161 ET at 264.70 mph, defeated Doug Foley (5.149 ET at 139.75 mph).

●  Round 2: 4.810 ET at 225.26 mph, lost to Justin Ashley (3.843 ET at 317.57 mph).

● Currently sixth in the Top Fuel championship standings, 396 points behind leader Brittany Force.

Matt Hagan, driver of the Mopar 85th Anniversary Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car:

● Earned No. 4 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (3.943 ET at 320.58 mph).

● Maintained No. 4 qualifying position from Q1. Hagan’s Q2 run on Saturday was 6.494 ET at 103.86 mph.

● Secured No. 4 qualifying position based off Friday’s Q1 run. In Q3 on Saturday, Hagan had a clutch malfunction and was unable to make a run.

● Advanced to Semifinals on Sunday:

●  Round 1: 3.944 ET at 316.52 mph, defeated Chad Green (4.155 ET at 306.26 mph).

●  Round 2: 3.999 ET at 312.71 mph, defeated Paul Lee (7.341 ET at 86.41 mph).

● Semifinals: 4.406 ET at 223.06 mph, lost to Bob Tasca III (4.011 ET at 316.30 mph).

● Currently second in the Funny Car championship standings, 237 points behind leader Robert Hight.

Notes of Interest

● At 140 degrees Fahrenheit, this weekend’s Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas, was home to the hottest track conditions the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series has endured this season.

● Hagan clinched his position in the Countdown to the Championship by maintaining his second-place standing in points.

● Pruett’s Round 2 appearance maintained her sixth-place standing in points with two races remaining before the six-event Countdown to the Championship begins with the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals Sept. 15-18 at Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Pennsylvania.

● Pruett’s Top Fuel dragster and Hagan’s Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car featured a Mopar 85th Anniversary scheme, which will also be highlighted during next weekend’s NHRA Nationals at Brainerd (Minn.) International Raceway.

Leah Pruett, Driver of the Mopar 85th Anniversary Top Fuel Dragster

“Sometimes you would rather have a little bit of luck on your side, and that’s what we had going into eliminations today. We’ve gotten into a comfortable spot with the car because it’s been acting so well to be able to push, and we pushed a little too hard in E1. We smoked way down the track and I was able to pedal twice and recover, which pedaling hasn’t particularly been my forte. It’s something we’ve been working on as a team and that worked out for us right there. In E2, we had a compound throttle mounting malfunction that hindered our performance after the line. Even though the results don’t quite show it with the win lights, it’s one of the best reacting cars that we’ve had all year. We’re making a lot of headway. We’re finally able to reference other tracks now and other situations and build on that. That’s something for the first quarter of the year we weren’t able to do. As we finish out the second quarter, we’re really scaling up our drive.”

Matt Hagan, Driver of the Mopar 85th Anniversary Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car

“I could definitely taste the final today and wanted it bad up there. Coming off the Western Swing where we had three first-round exits, I’m really pleased with the momentum we had and the direction we were able to turn the car around in. Qualifying was everything, so it was great qualifying fourth to be in the top-half of the bracket and have a good ladder. We have to stay focused on that Friday night hit and put ourselves in a position to be good for the rest of the weekend, since we’re seeing some hot racetracks that make the conditions a bit tougher on Saturday. Unfortunately, something went wrong there in the semifinals. There was some type of ignition issue. It didn’t really fire off on all cylinders. It wasn’t the typical car we had all weekend. I kind of knew something was wrong off the bat, then some cylinders went out and I had to click it off early, so I didn’t hit the wall. My guys are going over everything with a fine-toothed comb to figure out what it was to get ready for Brainerd. Brainerd can sometimes be cool out there, so it’s one of those racetracks where Dickie Venables (crew chief) really shines.”

Next Up

The next event on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series schedule is the NHRA Nationals Aug. 18-21 at Brainerd International Raceway.

CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
MENARDS NHRA NATIONALS PRESENTED BY PETARMOR
HEARTLAND MOTORSPORTS PARK IN TOPEKA, KANSAS
AUG. 14, 2022

Chevrolet adds to victory total at Heartland Motorsports Park

• Troy Coughlin Jr. earns second consecutive Pro Stock victory
• No. 3 qualifier John Force is runner-up in Funny Car in 264th career final round
• Tyler Cassil drives Chevrolet COPO Camaro to Stock, Super Stock wins

TOPEKA, Kan. (Aug. 14, 2022) — Troy Coughlin Jr.’s resurgence couldn’t have come at a better time in National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Pro Stock competition.

Coughlin, the No. 2 qualifier for the Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor in the JEGS.com Chevrolet Camaro SS, earned his second consecutive Wally by dispatching No. 1 qualifier Greg Anderson in the final round at Heartland Motorsports Park.

With one Pro Stock race remaining before the Countdown to the Championship, Coughlin has climbed to fourth in the standings.

“Everyone at Elite Motorsports is working their tails off making this car work. Just an exciting day and we can’t wait to keep it going at Indy,” said Coughlin, who had registered three runner-up finishes in 52 career Pro Stock races before breaking through for his inaugural victory two weeks ago at Seattle.

In a rematch of the Funny Car final last month at Sonoma Raceway, John Force fell to Bob Tasca III. Force, the No. 3 qualifier in the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS, advanced to the 264th final round of his illustrious career and closed to six points of third place Ron Capps in the standings with two regular-season races left.

“We look good heading into the Countdown in a couple weeks, think we are just a few points out of the top three,” Force said. “Loved racing here in Topeka. I appreciate all the fans that came out and braved the heat. They make it all worth it.”

Force, a 10-time winner at the racetrack, slipped past teammate, No. 2 qualifier and Funny Car points leader Robert Hight, driving the Automobile Club of Southern California Camaro SS, in the semifinals on the way to his 264th career final round.

Brittany Force, the No. 6 qualifier in the Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet dragster, lost in the first round for only the second time in 14 races this season. Force, who won at Topeka as the top qualifier in 2021, retained the Top Fuel points lead. Teammate Austin Prock, driving the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster, also fell in the first round.

Coughlin got the best of points leader Erica Enders and her Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Camaro SS for the second race in a row in one semifinal. Anderson defeated KB Racing teammate Kyle Koretsky, driving the Lucas Oil Camaro SS, in the other semifinal en route to his 169th career Pro Stock final round.

“With a team like Elite Motorsports, it’s hard to know what’s next,” Coughlin said. “They are so passionate; everybody works on all the cars. It’s contagious.”

Anderson, driving the HendrickCars.com Camaro SS, is seeking to join John Force (155 career Funny Car wins) as the only drivers in NHRA professional classes with 100 victories.

“I know it’s going to happen in good time,” said the five-time Pro Stock champion, whose round win total stands at 897. “I remember trying to get No. 50, I remember trying to get No. 75. It was a struggle for both of those, and No. 100 should certainly be a struggle, just as it’s proving to be. It’s a little like chasing a snake, but I’m going to catch that snake.”

Tyler Cassil of Belton, Missouri, became the 29th driver in NHRA history to win in two different classes in the same event. Cassil drove his Chevrolet COPO Camaro to the victory in Stock Eliminator and Super Stock. COPO Camaro drivers have claimed seven national event Stock Eliminator wins this season.

Team Chevy Top Fuel and Funny Car drivers are back in action Aug. 19-21 at Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. FOX will telecast eliminations at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 14. Chevrolet Pro Stock teams will join the nitro cars at the U.S. Nationals — the final event of the regular season — on Sept. 2-5 in Indianapolis.

CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT

TOP FUEL:

BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONSTER ENERGY/FLAV-R-PAC CHEVOLET DRAGSTER: “Disappointing way for this Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac team to end our weekend here in Topeka. For the first time since Gainesville, Florida, we were out in the first round. The heat and humidity made running a challenge. First round we had a cylinder out from the step and there was no way to recover and catch Brown before the stripe. To find the positive in the weekend, we remained in the points lead and we are locked into the Countdown to the Championship. We are all looking forward to Brainerd next weekend and getting back to our normal routine.”

AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER: “I’m lucky to have good teachers in my corner. My dad definitely gives me the right attitude. He told me before the run, I have to believe in myself and he told me to go up there and run a .040 light and that’s what I did. Unfortunately, I have a lot of practice riding these things out when it’s blown up and spilled oil out of it but I tried to get stopped as soon as possible. Really want to apologize to the fans sitting up there in the stands, thanks for coming out in this heat. I hope you enjoy the show, sorry we couldn’t put on a very good one for you.”

FUNNY CAR:

JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK ANTIFREEZE AND COOLANT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “It was a good day for this PEAK Chevy. My guys, they worked hard, gave me a good race car, had a little luck in the first round, but had some good racing throughout the day. We look good heading into the Countdown in a couple weeks. I think we are just a few points out of the top three. Loved racing here in Topeka, appreciate all the fans that came out and braved the heat. They make it all worth it.”

ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTOMOTIVE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “Not a bad weekend for this Auto Club Chevy. Whenever you’re meeting a teammate you always hope it’s in the final round, but if we’re going to come up short we hope it’s to John, guarantees a JFR car is moving on. We’re still in the points lead, still running consistent, just need to make sure all of this carries over into the Countdown in a couple races.”

PRO STOCK

CAMRIE CARUSO, CARUSO FAMILY RACING, TEQUILA COMISARIO CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “This was a good weekend for us and we are moving in the right direction,. We have points-and-a-half (available) in Indy and we will be looking to get our first win at the U.S. Nationals and move up in the points. We are going to take the next couple of weeks and get ready for the next race and (to prepare) for a run at the championship. We have put ourselves in a good position and there is room for us to move up. We held our own for another race, but I want to do more than that the rest of the season.”

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in nearly 80 countries with nearly 2.7 million cars and trucks sold in 2021. 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.

BROWN SCORES FIRST TOP FUEL WIN OF THE YEAR
Antron Brown delivers in an all-Toyota Top Fuel final round to score his first win as a driver-owner

TOPEKA, Kan. (August 14, 2022) – Antron Brown earned his first win of the season in an all-Toyota final round against Steve Torrence. Brown never trailed on his way to his 53rd career NHRA victory. It was Brown’s first final round of the season, and he scored the first win for his first-year AB Motorsports. With the win, Brown moves inside the top-10 in the point standings. For Torrence, it was his third final round of the season for the four-time and defending Top Fuel champion.

In Funny Car action, both Ron Capps and Alexis DeJoria scored opening round wins.

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series
Heartland Motorsports Park
Race 14 of 22

TOYOTA TOP FUEL FINISHING POSITIONS

Name	Car	Final Result	Round-by-Round
Antron Brown	Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Event Winner	W. 3.816 v. 4.123(B. Force) W. 3.812 v. 3.940(J. Hart) W. 4.757 v. 5.399(J. Ashley) W. 3.902 v. 4.443(S. Torrence)
Steve Torrence	Capco Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Finalist	W. 3.771 v. 4.489(K. Wurtzel) W. 3.833 v. 3.969(T. Schumacher) W. 4.105 v. 4.717(M. Salinas) L. 4.443 v. 3.902(A. Brown)
Justin Ashley	Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Semi-Finals	W. 3.842 v. 12.432(B. Hull) W. 3.843 v. 4.810(L. Pruett) L. 5.399 v. 4.757(A. Brown)
Shawn Langdon	DHL Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Second Round	W. 3.814 v. 3.819(C. Millican) L. 4.544 v. 3.802(M. Salinas)
Doug Kalitta	KalittaAir.com/careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	First Round	L. 3.774 v. 3.779(T. Schumacher)

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR FINISHING POSITIONS

Name	Car	Final Result	Round-by-Round
Ron Capps	NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	Second Round	W. 4.401 v. 8.729(T. Wilkerson) L. 4.047. v. 4.033(J. Force)
Alexis DeJoria	Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	Second Round	W. Foul – Red Light v. DQ(J. Todd) L. 4.580 v. 3.987(R. Hight)
J.R. Todd	DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	First Round	L. DQ v. Foul – Red Light(A. DeJoria)

TOYOTA QUOTES

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

Final Result: Winner

What does this mean to you?

“This has been a lifelong dream, and I never imagined we were going to struggle like we did, but we all got through it together. It was high emotions, and I only wish my grandmom could’ve been here to see it. We lost her in December, and I know Brian (Corradi) has a heavy heart, too. He lost his mom a year prior, and it’s one of those deals where it doesn’t feel real because it’s a dream when you think about it from where we came from. I worked on motorcycles, Brian worked on cars, and never in a million years did we think we’d ever be able to go out on our own as a team. We talked about it for years; my wife, my family, and you never think it’s a possibility but here we are. We’ve been working our tails off, and we have such incredible support from Matco Tools, Lucas Oil, Hangsterfer’s, Toyota, SiriusXM, Western Tech, and Summit coming aboard; all of the people who make this possible, when it all comes together and you look at where you started to where we are now, the struggle is real, but this makes it all worthwhile.”

When do you think you turned the corner?

People weren’t even talking about us anymore, we weren’t even in the conversation. You could see it in some people’s expressions on their faces when the media was writing us off, but those on the outside didn’t know what was going on behind the ropes, and what goes on at the shop. I saw the chemistry change on our team before the Western Swing, and you could see the expression on the guys faces change, even though we were struggling because we knew we were on the right path. I never lost the faith, and all of our partners that are in this with us, they kept saying ‘you guys are going to be fine.’ I knew we turned the table there in Sonoma, and we just needed to qualify a little better and start getting in the right spot. We didn’t get in the right spot when we got here, but everyone put their heads down, and you grind. Once we got past first round today, and through second round, and third round, and went up against Steve-O in the final, and that win light came on it was just like ‘boom, is this real? Yup, it’s real.’ All that sweat and hard work, it was all worth it. From here on out, we’re only going forward. We put that one on the map today for AB Motorsports. It’s our first, but it’s not going to be our last. We’re right where we want to be, and we’re just going to keep getting better.”

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

Final Result: Finalist

Can you talk about another final round appearance?

“It has been frustrating. When you’re used to winning 10, 11 races a year, to be shut out for this long, you know, is agonizing but we knew we needed to take a big step to stay competitive. It’s just taken a little longer than we wanted to get a handle on things and to get the driver and the race car both doing what they’re supposed to at the same time. Today was a big step forward and I can’t feel too bad since my brother (Antron) won his first race as a team owner.

I think we can still pick up a couple positions (in the point standings in the next two races), especially with extra points at Indy (at the Labor Day Dodge U.S. Nationals, which pays one-and-a-half times as many points as any other event in the regular season) and I still have all the faith in the world in these Capco Boys.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 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 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 43 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 the more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, more than a quarter of the company’s 2021 North American sales were electrified.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Leah Pruett & Matt Hagan
Mopar 85th Anniversary Top Fuel & Funny Car Drivers
Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor
Aug. 12-14 | Topeka, Kansas

Event Overview

Friday, Aug. 12 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Nitro qualifying session (Q1): 7:30 p.m. CDT/8:30 p.m. EDT

Saturday, Aug. 13 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Nitro qualifying session (Q2): 3 p.m. CDT/4 p.m. EDT

● Nitro qualifying session (Q3): 6 p.m. CDT/7 p.m. EDT

Sunday, Aug. 14 (Nitro Eliminations, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Round 1: 10:30 a.m. CDT/11:30 a.m. EDT

● Round 2: 12:30 p.m. CDT/1:30 p.m. EDT

● Semi-Finals: 2:15 p.m. CDT/3:15 p.m. EDT

● Finals: 3:50 p.m. CDT/4:50 p.m. EDT

TV coverage on FS1

● Saturday, Aug. 13: Qualifying show recapping Friday’s action (3:30 p.m. CDT/4:30 p.m. EDT)

● Sunday, Aug. 14: Qualifying show recapping Saturday’s action (12 p.m. CDT/1 p.m. EDT)

● Sunday, Aug. 14: Finals show (1 p.m. CDT/2 p.m. EDT)

Notes of Interest

● The Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas, marks the 14th event on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series’ 22-race calendar. Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) brings its two fulltime entries – one in Top Fuel for 10-time event winner Leah Pruett and one in Funny Car for three-time Funny Car champion Matt Hagan – to the third-to-last race of the regular season before the Countdown to the Championship begins Sept. 15-18 with the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Pennsylvania.

● After the 16th and final regular-season event on Sept. 5 with the Dodge Power Brokers U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park, the top-10 drivers in the standings of each of the four professional categories of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series – Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle – qualify for the Countdown to the Championship. The top-10 drivers in each class then compete in the final, six-race playoffs to vie for the title. Coming into Topeka, Pruett is sixth in the Top Fuel championship standings, 410 points behind leader Brittany Force with a 100-point margin over 11th-place Tony Schumacher. Hagan, meanwhile, is second in the Funny Car championship standings, 228 points behind leader Robert Hight with a 582-point advantage over 11th-place Chad Green.

● Mopar 85th Anniversary will be featured on Pruett’s Top Fuel dragster and on Hagan’s Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car this weekend at Topeka, as well as during next weekend’s NHRA Nationals at Brainerd (Minn.) International Raceway. A simple combination of the words MOtor and PARts, Mopar offers exceptional service, parts and customer-care. Born in 1937 as the name of a line of antifreeze products, Mopar has evolved over 85 years to represent both complete vehicle care and authentic performance for owners and enthusiasts worldwide. Mopar made its mark in the 1960s during the muscle-car era with performance parts to enhance speed and handling for both on-road and racing use. Later, Mopar expanded to include technical service and customer support and, today, integrates service, parts and customer-care operations in order to enhance customer and dealer support worldwide. Complete information on Mopar is available at www.mopar.com.

● Pruett first joined forces with Dodge//SRT and Mopar in 2016, while Dodge//SRT and Mopar have supported Hagan since his rookie season in 2009. However, TSR’s ties to Mopar go back even further. Its roots are in sprint car racing, with Mopar powering multiple TSR entries in USAC and the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series from 2001 through 2007. Seven of TSR’s 27 open-wheel championships were won with Mopar.

● The Menards NHRA Nationals will serve as Pruett’s 185th career Top Fuel start and her eighth at Topeka. For Hagan, this will be his 307th career Funny Car start and his 13th at Topeka.

● Pruett is eyeing her first victory in the Menards NHRA Nationals while also seeking her first No. 1 qualifier at the event. Pruett’s best result came in 2017 when she qualified second and lost to Antron Brown in the semifinals. In 2021, Pruett drove a Dodge Challenger Drag Pak to the final round in the NHRA Factory Stock Showdown before losing to John Cerbone.

● Hagan won the Menards NHRA Nationals in 2016. His 5.724 ET at 179.04 mph run defeated Jack Beckman (6.560 ET at 146.75 mph). Hagan also has two No. 1 qualifiers at the event, which came in 2016 (3.862 ET at 335.57 mph) and 2017 (3.802 ET at 338.85 mph).

● Hagan is the track record holder at Topeka for both time (3.802 seconds) and speed (338.85 mph), each of which were set on May 20, 2017. It is Hagan’s fastest recorded speed and the fourth-fastest in Funny Car history.

● From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. CDT on Friday, Pruett and Hagan will attend an open house at WELD headquarters in Kansas City. For more than 55 years, WELD has built technologically superior wheels specifically for drag racing and other motorsports series. It continues the tradition of building racing and performance street wheels utilizing the latest technology, top-quality craftsmanship and excellent customer service to teams and drivers. The roots of WELD are firmly planted in drag racing. The company actively developed wheels at its local dragstrip and even owned the facility for a number of years, such was its commitment to ongoing development. The WELD engineering team continues to develop race wheels specifically to meet the demands of individual drag strips in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. The unique specifications support the fastest racing series in the world, which continues to serve as the ultimate proving ground for WELD wheel technology. This is the same technology that WELD has applied to its range of street wheels that anyone can fit to their personal vehicles. For more information, please visit www.weldwheels.com.

● DYK? When Heartland Motorsports Park opened in 1989, it was the first new auto racing facility to be built in the United States in 20 years. Located on the south side of Topeka, the facility covers approximately 650 acres and includes an NHRA-sanctioned quarter-mile drag strip, a 2.5-mile road course with four different configurations, a 22-acre asphalt pad for autocross and drift events, and a motocross track.

Leah Pruett, Driver of the Mopar 85th Anniversary Top Fuel Dragster

You completed nine out of a possible 12 rounds during the NHRA’s Western Swing, a run highlighted by a July 17 win in the Dodge Power Brokers Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway near Denver, Colorado. Now that you’ve had a week off to reflect on your team’s recent success, what is your confidence level heading into Topeka?

“The confidence really comes from the situational improvements we were able to identify and act on during the Western Swing, from preparation of going rounds, to a strong revaluation in our clutch program, to my driving style as the long days progressed. We’ve said all along that we need more runs to learn more, to gain stride, and we were able to do that through the Western Swing.”

With three races remaining prior to the Countdown, are there some specific things you want to achieve in Topeka?

“Our focus is heavier toward qualifying position than it has been all year because we’re operating in a space where we can confidently work to improve our times, as opposed to making A-to-B runs. Strengthening our position in the points to the top-five is high on our priority list.”

You’re running a special scheme at Topeka commemorating Mopar’s 85th anniversary. Talk about your history with Mopar and what it means to represent such a significant milestone for the brand.

“Eighty-five years is a long time, especially in the automotive space. For Mopar to continue their dedication toward increased performance for their customers for so many years, and only getting stronger, makes me extremely proud to carry on the Mopar legacy. It’s not like it is just another birthday of company existence, this year is truly a landmark in time for Mopar with the Power Brokers dealership program and the re-launch of Direct Connection. Happy Birthday Mopar! We’ll be working hard to bring home the gold for you in Topeka!”

Matt Hagan, Driver of the Mopar 85th Anniversary Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car

Even though you had some challenging runs during the Western Swing, you remain second in the Funny Car championship. Did the off-weekend after the Western Swing provide an opportunity to hit a reset button prior to hitting the track again this weekend at Topeka?

“I think Topeka will be our turning point after three first-round losses during the Western Swing and turn it into something positive. Topeka has always been a fast track for me before. I’ve set world records there and done well there. I feel like if there’s any race we can turn the curve, it’s there. The three losses out west are very uncharacteristic for our team and what we can accomplish. We had some tough decisions to make out there and the car kept dropping cylinders. We’re going to go back to what we were doing last year as far as the fuel system goes. I believe in Dickie Venables (crew chief). I believe in Mike Knudsen (co-crew chief), Alex Conaway (car chief) and all of our guys. I know if anyone can turn this thing around, it’s them. They’re smart individuals who are very passionate about what they do. I’m going to go up there and do my job on the starting line and on the track and bring 100 percent. I know my team will bring 100 percent, too. When things come together and click, we’re unstoppable. I think Topeka will be our race to get things back on track for the Countdown.”

Which track is Topeka most similar to in regard to the adjustments the crew will have to make to the car?

“Topeka is a unique track because it’s usually always hot there. It was 105 degrees when I looked last week. It’s a race where you never know what you’re going to get, but the racing surface itself is great. If the clouds come in or a storm pops up, we’ve been able to run really fast. The crew has to be ready for some throwdown sessions, but also some of those hot, greasy track conditions we’ve struggled with a bit, so I think we’re going to have to reel it in. It’s looking like it’ll be warm, so we’ll have to bring our hot weather tune-up and see what we can do out there.”

You’re running a special scheme at Topeka commemorating Mopar’s 85th anniversary. Talk about your history with Mopar and what it means to represent such a significant milestone for the brand.

“I’ve been with Mopar for a long time. To be able to carry their banner for so many years has been incredible. I’ve gained a lot of fans from Mopar, Dodge and SRT. Being able to run this one-off scheme for Mopar’s 85th anniversary is amazing. It’s a huge milestone and a huge part of my career. They’ve been there to support me throughout three championships. I’m extremely proud to represent the special scheme these next two weekends. It’s always great showing Mopar and Dodge some love. These next two races are all about Mopar and we want to bring them two good finishes to get back on top of where we need to be before the Countdown.”

• A leading global betting and gaming brand, Betway wagers on motorsports as entitlement sponsor of the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals, Sept. 23-25 at zMAX Dragway
• Tickets, camping and upgrades to the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals are available by visiting com or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267); Every ticket is a pit pass, giving fans unprecedented access to all the action in the pivotal playoff showdown

CONCORD, N.C. (Aug. 5, 2022) – As the NHRA’s best drivers prepare for a pivotal Countdown to the Championship showdown at zMAX Dragway Sept. 23-25, officials have announced that the event will have a new name. Betway, a global betting and gaming brand, has signed on as the entitlement sponsor for the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals.

The second race in the NHRA’s Camping World Drag Racing Series’ six-event Countdown to the Championship brings cooler fall temperatures to the lightening-fast drag strip – providing the potential for track-record speeds when nitro-powered Top Fuel and Funny Car machines scorch zMAX Dragway’s pavement in search of a coveted Countdown triumph.

“When you can parlay the visceral on-track NHRA experience and unparalleled access to the drivers, cars and teams, the payout is a great weekend for the fans,” said Charlotte Motor Speedway executive vice president and general manager Greg Walter. “Bringing on board a global partner like Betway, which shares our focus on putting fans first and providing a best-in-class experience, everyone wins big.”

With the entitlement partnership, the first for Betway in motorsports, the company adds the NHRA to a growing list of more than 60 brand partnerships across the globe, ranging from the NBA, NHL and English Premier League to horse racing, cricket and esports, among other properties. In addition to naming rights, Betway will receive an extensive signage package, with visibility both at zMAX Dragway and Charlotte Motor Speedway during its upcoming NASCAR events to help raise awareness of the company, which was founded in 2006.

“The Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals are a huge fixture in the local calendar so it’s exciting for us to partner with Charlotte Motor Speedway, for what will no doubt be another weekend of fun and entertainment at the Concord racetrack,” said Anthony Werkman, CEO of Betway.

The Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals roars to life with back-to-back days of qualifying Friday and Saturday, Sept. 23-24, followed by an action-packed elimination day on Sunday, Sept. 25 that could set drivers up for a final run to the championship. Every ticket is a pit pass, giving fans unmatched access to the drivers and crews who tame the 11,000-horsepower machines and push them to their limits.

TICKETS:
Tickets, camping and upgrades to the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals can be purchased online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/tickets, by calling 800-455-FANS (3267) or at the gate.

KEEP TRACK:

Connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or get all the latest news and information with the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.

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About Betway

Betway is part of Super Group: the global digital company which provides first class entertainment to the worldwide betting and gaming community.

Super Group (SGHC) Limited is the holding company for leading global online sports betting and gaming businesses: Betway, a premier online sports betting brand, and Spin, a multi-brand online casino offering. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE ticker: SGHC), the group is licensed in multiple jurisdictions, with leading positions in key markets throughout Europe, the Americas and Africa. The group’s successful sports betting and online gaming offerings are underpinned by its scale and leading technology, enabling fast and effective entry into new markets. Its proprietary marketing and data analytics engine empowers it to responsibly provide a unique and personalized customer experience. For more information, visit www.sghc.com

Betway Group is a leading provider of innovative and exciting entertainment across sports betting, casino and esports betting. Launched in 2006, the company operates across a number of regulated online markets. Betway prides itself on providing its customers with a bespoke, fun and informed betting experience, supported by a safe, secure, fair and responsible environment.

Betway is a member of several prominent industry-related bodies, including International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), iGaming European Network (iGEN), the Independent Betting Adjudication Service (IBAS), Sports Wagering Integrity Monitoring Association (SWIMA) and the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), and is ISO 27001 certified through the trusted international testing agency eCOGRA.

• Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Top Fuel pilot Leah Pruett drove her Sparkling Ice +Caffeine Dodge//SRT dragster to a semifinal appearance after qualifying No. 12 at the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Northwest Nationals near Seattle 
• Pruett closes out the NHRA three-event Western Swing sixth in the Top Fuel standings after her win at the Dodge Power Brokers Mile-High Nationals near Denver, a No. 1 qualifier position and quarterfinal appearance at the Sonoma Nationals, and this weekend’s semifinal appearance at the Northwest Nationals
• TSR Funny Car driver Matt Hagan remains second in the championship standings after a trio of challenging race weekends wrapped up at Pacific Raceways with a No. 10 qualifier position and a third consecutive early exit
• Cruz Pedregon qualified his Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car No. 4 for eliminations at the Northwest Nationals but bows out early and leaves the Seattle-area event seventh in points

July 31, Kent, Washington — Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) pilot Leah Pruett closed out the National Hot Rod Association’s (NHRA) three-event Western Swing by taking her Sparkling Ice +Caffeine Dodge//SRT Top Fuel dragster from the No. 12 seeded position to a semifinal appearance at the Northwest Nationals near Seattle, Washington.

Pruett drove to a 3.897-second elapsed time pass in the final qualifying session to secure the spot on the eliminations ladder that paired her with No. 5 qualifier Antron Brown for the opening round. She kicked off eliminations by beating Brown on the tree by 0.003 seconds, then battling it out the entire length of the track before the Dodge//SRT dragster turned on the win lights with Pruett’s quickest run of the weekend, a 3.781-second pass at 325.69 mph to defeat her opponent’s 3.796 sec./320.81 mph effort.

In the quarterfinals, Pruett had another close battle with No. 4 qualifier Doug Kalitta whom she chased down with a (0.080-second reaction time) 3.818 sec./322.42 mph run to better his (0.075-second RT) 3.827 sec./316.67 mph pass and take the round win with a 0.0041-second margin of victory. That set up a semifinal match-up with Brittany Force against whom a loss of traction at the start of the lap sent Pruett’s chances to challenge the current Top Fuel points leader up in smoke and ended what has been a solid three week campaign for her TSR team.

Pruett’s performance over the three-event Western Swing included a big win at the Dodge Power Brokers Mile-High Nationals near Denver, a No. 1 qualifier position and quarterfinal appearance at the Sonoma Nationals, and with the addition of Sunday’s semifinal appearance at the Northwest Nationals she sits solidly sixth in the Top Fuel championship standings with three events remaining in the regular season.

TSR teammate Matt Hagan came into the Western Swing second in the Funny Car championship standings after a strong start to the year that included three wins aboard his Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat. After initially kicking off the series of three consecutive events with a No. 1 qualifier position at the Dodge Power Brokers Mile-High Nationals, the team has since encountered a few challenges. 

Following a pair of uncharacteristic first round exits at Denver and Sonoma, Hagan had hoped to drive from his 12th place qualifying position at Pacific Raceways to four quality elimination runs on Sunday beginning with a showdown against No. 3 qualifier John Force. The Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat launched first and took the early lead but started to lose power just as Force began to lose traction. By then it was too late for Hagan as his opponent pedaled it enough to make it to the finish ahead of him. Despite the third consecutive opening round loss, Hagan remains solidly in second place behind category points leader and eventual event winner Robert Hight.

Fellow Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat driver Cruz Pedregon put in another solid qualifying effort to put himself No. 4 on the eliminations ladder and set up for a first round pairing with No. 9 seed Tim Wilkerson. While his opponent had a quicker start, Pedregon’s Snap-on Tools HEMI®-powered Funny Car took over the lead in the first few feet until it began to haze the tires and drop cylinders. While Wilkerson also had traction issues, he was able to make his way to the finish first and brought Pedregon’s race day to a premature end. Despite the setback, Pedregon is seventh in Funny Car points and firmly among the top ten positions with expectations of making the “Countdown to the Championship” playoffs.

The NHRA will take a one week break before returning to competition for the 14th of 22 events on the 2022 schedule at the Menards NHRA Nationals Presented By PetArmor at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas.

ADDITIONAL NOTES and QUOTES:

Leah Pruett, Sparkling Ice +Caffeine Dodge//SRT Top Fuel Dragster  

(No. 12 Qualifier – 3.897  seconds at 314.39 mph)  

Round 1: (0.090-second reaction time, 3.781 seconds at 325.69 mph) defeats No. 5 Antron Brown (0.093/3.796/320.81)

Round 2: (0.080/3.818/322.42) defeats No. 4 Doug Kalitta (0.075/3.827/316.67)

Round 3: (0.141/6.295/107.05) loss to No.1 Brittany Force (0.087/3.823/325.61)

“This was one of the largest learning curves that we’ve had in a long time. We came out on the good side of things. Qualifying No. 12 wasn’t ideal, but a problem kept arising that would happen every two or three races. Saturday night before eliminations, this Sparkling Ice team spent about four hours dedicated to finding our out of control shaft issue, with an outlier we couldn’t put our finger on. By 11 p.m., we found a very large issue, so we addressed it going into race day with things unknown. We were able to put down a solid .78 run with lane choice for the second round. We have a better performing race car than we’ve had all year even though we didn’t make it to the finals. There was a huge piece of the puzzle that was missing and we found it here in Seattle. 

“It’s very difficult to do something like that one the Western Swing, but we did, so we have more confidence than ever going into finalizing our spot in the top 10 and keeping the points going. I did not do my best job in the semifinal. We put on a different blower and the car ended up being better than we thought it was, so we were overpowered. We didn’t finish the best way we wanted to, but everyone on the team has a great mindset. We had a great Western Swing and we only missed running in three rounds. Our parts attrition has been fantastic and attitudes are great. I personally learned a lot of dynamics of doing a great job on the tree. I didn’t get to fully use some of the apparatuses I have in the toolbox to practice on the road, so I’ll be spending these next two weeks dialing myself back in. We have a race car that’s performing better than ever now and will be more consistent. It makes the drive home for the team even better when you’ve had a successful Swing like this.” 

Matt Hagan, Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car  

(No. 10 Qualifier – 4.031 seconds at 311.20 mph)

Round 1: (0.062-second reaction time, 4.633 seconds at 186.00 mph) loss to No. 3 John Force (0.073/4.277/277.66)

“The Western Swing wasn’t very kind to us. It was tough having three first-round losses in a row. I think we have some problems with our fuel management system, where we are dropping cylinders. That’s something that is uncommon for us, so we have to use this next week off to take a look at some things. We’ll look at what we’ve changed from the beginning of the season to now and go back to where the car is running on all eight cylinders again. We have to get back on top of where we were and how we were doing it. Our Dodge Power Brokers crew wants to perform well in qualifying to set us up for a great day on Sunday. The car had a cylinder out at the step and it was one of those rounds that could have gone either way and today, things didn’t go our way. I always love racing John (Force). He’s a character and I like getting up on the wheel for him because I get excited to race him. He’s one of those guys you just want to beat because he’s John Force. I’m looking forward to the week off to see my family and get back to the farm. The week off will allow us to hit the reset button and get focused to race in Topeka.”

Cruz Pedregon, Pedregon Racing Snap-on® Tools Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat

(No. 4  Qualifier – 4.002 seconds at 315.56 mph)

Round 1: (0113-second reaction time, 4.622 seconds at 181.64 mph) loss to No. 9 Tim Wilkerson (0.087/4.459/214.83)      

“We qualified in the No. 4 spot with a four flat and we felt good going into race day against Tim Wilkerson. We had some solid qualifying runs at 4.07 [seconds], 4.05 and a 4.0, so heading into race day in the early morning we felt like the track was going to be good. Unfortunately, we went out there, spun the tires, and it really ended our weekend prematurely. We’re disappointed that that was our end result, but we’ll go back and regroup. We’re going to debut a new car this coming weekend at the ‘Night under Fire’ special match race in Norwalk (Ohio) next Saturday. It’s a completely new car so we look forward to getting that dialed in with some test runs to get it ready for Topeka. We’re optimistic with a lot of big races coming up. We’re looking forward to continuing our qualifying efforts and carrying that through the next few race days.”

NHRA CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS:

Following the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways 

FUNNY CAR (season wins in parentheses)

1.   Robert Hight 1250 (6)

2.  Matt Hagan (Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat): 1022 (3)

3.  Ron Capps: 956 (2)

4.  John Force: 904

5.  Bob Tasca III: 797 (1)

6.  J.R. Todd: 708

7. Cruz Pedregon (Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat): 686

8.  Alexis DeJoria: 659

9.  Tim Wilkerson: 574

10. Jim Campbell: 457

TOP FUEL (season wins in parentheses)

1.  Brittany Force: 1083 (5)

2.  Mike Salinas: 1008 (3) 

3.  Justin Ashley: 910 (2) 

4.  Steve Torrence: 862

5.  Josh Hart: 689

6.  Leah Pruett (Dodge Power Brokers): 673 (1)

7.  Shawn Langdon: 657

8.  Doug Kalitta: 624

9.  Austin Prock: 602

10. Clay Millican: 583

DodgeGarage: Digital Hub for Drag Racing News

Fans can follow all the NHRA action this season at DodgeGarage, the one-stop portal for Dodge//SRT and Mopar drag-racing news. The site includes daily updates and access to an online racing HQ, news, events, galleries, available downloads and merchandise. For more information, visit www.dodgegarage.com.

@DodgeMoparMotorsports on Instagram

The @DodgeMoparMotorsports Instagram channel continues to share content capturing Dodge//SRT Mopar drivers on the track. Fans can see action from the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series and NHRA Sportsman grassroots racers, competing in classes such as Factory Stock Showdown, Stock and Super Stock, as well as additional motorsports series.

Dodge//SRT

For more than 100 years, the Dodge brand has carried on the spirit of brothers John and Horace Dodge. Their influence continues today as Dodge shifts into high gear with muscle cars and SUVs that deliver unrivaled performance in each of the segments where they compete.

Dodge drives forward as a pure performance brand, offering SRT versions of every model across the lineup. For the 2022 model year, Dodge delivers the drag-strip dominating 807-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock, the 797-horsepower Dodge Charger SRT Redeye, the most powerful and fastest mass-produced sedan in the world, and the Dodge Durango SRT 392, America’s fastest, most powerful and most capable three-row SUV. Combined, these three muscle cars make Dodge the industry’s most powerful brand, offering more horsepower than any other American brand across its entire lineup.

In 2020, Dodge was named the “#1 Brand in Initial Quality,” making it the first domestic brand ever to rank No. 1 in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS). In 2021, Dodge brand ranked No. 1 in the J.D. Power APEAL Study (mass market) — making it the only domestic brand ever to do so two years in a row.

Dodge is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellantis.com.

Mopar

This year marks the 85th anniversary of Mopar.

A simple combination of the words MOtor and PARts, Mopar offers exceptional service, parts and customer-care. Born in 1937 as the name of a line of antifreeze products, Mopar has evolved over nearly 85 years to represent both complete vehicle care and authentic performance for owners and enthusiasts worldwide.

Mopar made its mark in the 1960s during the muscle-car era with performance parts to enhance speed and handling for both on-road and racing use. Later, Mopar expanded to include technical service and customer support, and today integrates service, parts and customer-care operations in order to enhance customer and dealer support worldwide.

Complete information on Mopar is available at www.mopar.com. For more information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellantis.com.

Follow Dodge, Mopar and Stellantis news and video on:

Company blog: blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Media website: media.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Dodge brand: www.dodge.com

Mopar brand: www.mopar.com/

DodgeGarage: www.dodgegarage.com

Mopar blog: blog.mopar.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dodge and www.facebook.com/mopar

Instagram: @Dodgemoparmotorsports, @dodgeofficial and @officialmopar

Twitter: @Dodge, @OfficialMopar and @StellantisNA

YouTube: www.youtube.com/dodge, https://www.youtube.com/c/mopar and www.youtube.com/StellantisNA

Leah Pruett & Matt Hagan
Top Fuel | Funny Car
Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals
July 29-31 | Kent, Washington

Event Recap

Leah Pruett, driver of the Sparkling Ice +Caffeine Top Fuel Dragster:

● Earned No. 13 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (5.956 ET at 114.25 mph).

● Smoked the tires in Q2 on Saturday and dropped to the No. 15 qualifying position (6.465 ET at 104.78 mph).

● Secured No. 12 qualifying position in Q3 on Saturday (3.897 ET at 314.39 mph).

● Advanced to Semifinals on Sunday:

●  Round 1: 3.781 ET at 325.69 mph, defeated Antron Brown (3.796 ET at 320.81 mph).

●  Round 2: 3.818 ET at 322.42 mph, defeated Doug Kalitta (3.827 ET at 316.67 mph).

● Semifinal: 6.295 ET at 107.05 mph, lost to Brittany Force (3.823 ET at 325.61 mph).

● Currently sixth in the Top Fuel championship standings, 410 points behind leader Brittany Force.

Matt Hagan, driver of the Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car:

● Earned No. 10 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (4.200 ET at 251.49 mph).

● Maintained No. 10 qualifying position in Q2 on Saturday (4.085 ET at 303.03 mph).

● Secured No. 10 qualifying position in Q3 on Saturday (4.03 ET at 311.20 mph).

● Eliminated following Round 1 on Sunday:

●  Round 1: 4.633 ET at 186.00 mph, lost to John Force (4.277 ET at 277.66 mph).

● Currently second in the Funny Car championship standings, 228 points behind leader Robert Hight.

Notes of Interest

● Pruett’s semifinal appearance maintained her sixth-place standing in the championship.

● Pruett and Brittany Force faced each other for the first time in eliminations this season. Despite losing to Force in the semifinal, Pruett holds a 9-6 overall record against Force.

● Hagan faced John Force in Round 1 of eliminations for the 17th time in his career. Hagan is 7-10 against Force in first-round meetings and 20-28 overall.

● At 138 degrees Fahrenheit, Pacific Raceways in Kent, Washington, was home to the hottest track conditions the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series has endured this season.

● The Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals marked a home race for Preston, Washington-based Sparkling Ice. Pruett attended two meet-and-greets with Sparkling Ice employees at the track in addition to a fan meet-and-greet on Thursday at the Fred Meyer in nearby Maple Valley.

Leah Pruett, Driver of the Sparkling Ice +Caffeine Top Fuel Dragster

“This was one of the largest learning curves that we’ve had in a long time. We came out on the good side of things. Qualifying No. 12 wasn’t ideal, but a problem kept arising that would happen every two or three races. Saturday night before eliminations, this Sparkling Ice team spent about four hours dedicated to finding our out-of-control shaft issue, with an outlier we couldn’t put our finger on. By 11 p.m., we found a very large issue, so we addressed it going into raceday with things unknown. We were able to put down a solid .78 run with lane choice for the second round. We have a better performing racecar than we we’ve had all year even though we didn’t make it to the finals. There was a huge piece of the puzzle that was missing and we found it here in Seattle. It’s very difficult to do something like that on the Western Swing, but we did, so we have more confidence than ever going into finalizing our spot in the top-10 and keeping the points going. I did not do my best job in the semifinal. We put on a different blower and the car ended up being better than we thought it was, so we were overpowered. We didn’t finish the best way we wanted to, but everyone on the team has a great mindset. We had a great Western Swing and we only missed running in three rounds. Our parts attrition has been fantastic and attitudes are great. I personally learned a lot of dynamics of doing a great job on the tree. I didn’t get to fully use some of the apparatuses I have in the toolbox to practice on the road, so I’ll be spending these next two weeks dialing myself back in. We have a racecar that’s performing better than ever now and will be more consistent. It makes the drive home for the team even better when you’ve had a successful Swing like this.”

Matt Hagan, Driver of the Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car

“The Western Swing wasn’t very kind to us. It was tough having three first-round losses in a row. I think we have some problems with our fuel management system, where we are dropping cylinders. That’s something that’s uncommon for us, so we have to use this next week off to take a look at some things. We’ll look at what we’ve changed from the beginning of the season to now and go back to where the car is running on all eight cylinders again. We have to get back on top of where we were and how we were doing it. Our Dodge Power Brokers crew wants to perform well in qualifying to set us up for a great day on Sunday. The car had a cylinder out at the step and it was one of those rounds that could’ve gone either way and today, things didn’t go our way. I always love racing John (Force). He’s a character and I like getting up on the wheel for him because I get excited to race him. He’s one of those guys you just want to beat because he’s John Force. I’m looking forward to the week off to see my family and get back to the farm. The week off will allow us to hit the reset button and get focused to race in Topeka.”

Next Up

The next event on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series schedule is the Menards NHRA Nationals Presented by PetArmor Aug. 12-14 at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas.

CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
FLAV-R-PAC NHRA NORTHWEST NATIONALS
PACIFIC RACEWAYS IN KENT, WASHINGTON
JULY 31, 2022

Team Chevy adds to Western Swing victory total

• Robert Hight ties career best with sixth Funny Car win in 13 races this season
• Troy Coughlin Jr. adds to family legacy with his first Pro Stock victory
• No. 1 qualifier Brittany Force extends Top Fuel points lead, sets track speed record
• Chevrolet drivers earn six wins, five runner-up finishes in pro classes on Swing

KENT, Wash. (July 31, 2022) — Whether it’s the 59th time on the winner’s stage or the first, thrusting a Wally to the sky is a satisfying and emotional moment.

Robert Hight, who collected his sixth Funny Car victory of the season and 59th of his career, welcomed first-time Pro Stock winner Troy Coughlin Jr. to the stage following the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways.

Brittany Force almost made it a Chevrolet sweep for the second consecutive National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Camping World Drag Racing Series visit to the racetrack near Seattle. Force, the No. 1 qualifier for the fifth time in 13 races, set the track speed record of 332.43 mph in the first round of eliminations and went on to record a runner-up finish in the Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster.

Team Chevy drivers in the three professional classes registered six victories, six top qualifier honors and five runner-up finishes on the three-race Western Swing that also included Denver and Sonoma, California.

“I’m blown away that at this point in the year we already have six wins,” said Hight, the No. 5 qualifier in the Automobile Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS who matched his career best for wins in a season. “But coming up we have a Countdown, and if we don’t do equally as good in the back half we’re not going to win a championship. That’s the goal for this Auto Club Chevy team.”

Hight, who has advanced to the final round in eight of the 13 races, increased his points lead with his second victory on the Western Swing.

Hight clipped John Force’s bid for his record-extending 10th Funny Car victory at Pacific Raceways by winning the semifinal matchup. The teammates met in the semis two weeks earlier at Denver, with Hight prevailing and going on to the event victory. Force, the No. 3 qualifier in the PEAK/BlueDEF Platinum Camaro SS, remains fourth in the standings.

Coughlin, who had posted eight victories in Super Gas, Super Comp and Top Alcohol dragster competition, earned his initial Pro Stock win by defeating points leader Erica Enders by .0001 of a second in the final.

“It’s something else. I’ve watched my uncle Jeg win a ton of these races in the class of Pro Stock. My dad has won five or six. The monkey is off your back, but you want to keep going,” said Coughlin, who advanced to his fourth career final in the JEGS.com Camaro SS.

Enders, driving the Melling Performance Camaro SS, beat Elite Motorsports teammate Aaron Stanfield, driving the Janac Brothers Camaro SS, and Coughlin defeated Greg Anderson, the No. 1 qualifier for the 119th time in his career, in the semifinals. Anderson, driver of the HendrickCars.com Camaro SS, is seeking career win No. 100.

Brittany Force extended her Top Fuel points lead with her fifth final-round appearance of the season. She was the No. 1 qualifier in two of the three races on the Swing and won at Sonoma.

“We had an awesome weekend. We qualified No. 1 and had a final round appearance. We stayed in the points lead, and that’s the most important thing. We’ll head to Topeka next,” she said.

Austin Prock, who earned his first Top Fuel victory at Pacific Raceways in 2019, was the No. 10 qualifier in the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster. He fell in the first round.

Ryan McClanahan of San Bernardino, California, was runner-up in Stock Eliminator competition in his 2021 Chevrolet COPO Camaro.

Chevrolet teams have a brief respite after three consecutive weeks of racing before the Menards NHRA Nationals on Aug. 12-14 at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas.

Team Chevy drivers swept the 2021 event with No. 1 qualifier Brittany Force winning in Top Fuel, John Force winning in Funny Car and Dallas Glenn earning the victory over KB Racing teammate Kyle Koretsky in Pro Stock. FS1 will telecast eliminations at 2 p.m. ET Aug. 14.

An interview with Funny Car winner ROBERT HIGHT, driver of the Automobile Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS:

THESE MOMENTS OF PERSEVERANCE. HOW MUCH SWEETER DOES IT MAKE IT?

“It’s unbelievable. To have six wins at this point in the year, I am blown away. Today, to have low ET every single round, I’m so proud of my guys.”

YOU KNOW HOW BAD JR TODD WANTED THAT AND HOW GOOD THEY ARE.

“It’s good to see JR’s car running good. He’s a great driver and good guy. Except for one little hiccup we had in Sonoma in the semifinals, we came really close to getting another final and sweeping this Western Swing. That’s really what this team wanted to do. I’m blown away that at this point in the year we already have six wins. But coming up we have a Countdown and if we don’t do equally as good in the back half, we’re not going to win a championship. That’s the goal for this Auto Club Chevy team. It’s amazing the caliber of drivers, former champions, none of these rounds get any easier. Up until a couple of races ago, this Auto Club Chevy we didn’t have a hot weather setup. We were good when the conditions were good. But Jimmy (Prock) and Chris (Cunningham) and the whole team have pulled together, and we had low ET every round today. All these teams out here today earned their keep working in his heat. We appreciate all the fans sticking it out in the heat. It’s so good to be back in Seattle.”

YOU’RE NOT TAKING THE NEXT WEEKEND OFF. YOU’RE GOING TO NORWALK TO PUT ON A SHOW AND HAVING A CHANCE TO LEARN.

“Without a doubt. We’re going to make the most of it next Saturday at the Night Under Fire in Norwalk (Ohio); one of the greatest shows in the country. We’re going to make some runs during the day for testing and then try to win another race. We treat that just like an NHRA race. We get a couple of days off and then we’re back at it at Topeka, so no rest for the wicked.”

YOU’VE TIED YOUR ALL-TIME HIGH FOR RACE WINS AND STILL HAVE NINE RACES TO GO.

“There are a lot of great cars out here. Last time we were here, John (Force) and Austin (Prock) both won and I think we lost early. I was really hoping we were going to get a double up with Brittany (Force). I thought that that car was going to get it.”

An interview with Pro Stock winner TROY COUGHLIN JR., driver of the JEGS.com Chevrolet Camaro SS:

WINNING YOUR FIRST PRO STOCK WALLY. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?

“It’s something else. I’ve watched my uncle Jeg win a ton of these races in the class of Pro Stock. My dad has won five or six. The monkey is off your back, but you want to keep going.”

YOU’VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN SPORTSMAN CLASSES. NOW YOU CAN ADD PRO STOCK TO YOUR RESUME.

“That’s absolutely humbling. I’ve been surrounded by some wonderful people with great equipment, so I’m definitely really blessed and can’t wait to keep going.”

FINAL ROUND, YOU KNOW ERICA HAS THE BEST CAR OUT HERE. DO YOU LOOK OVER OR DO YOU THINK I THINNK I’VE GOT HER?

“The margin of victory was triple zero one, so I don’t think I could have made that decision. I was just trying to get there.”

RANK THIS ONE WITH ALL THE OTHERS.

“This one you can’t even rank it’s so special. We come out here to Seattle, it’s a wonderful place to race, the fans are amazing. It’s great to be back here. I’ll never forget this. The flight home is going to be sweet.”

CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT

TOP FUEL:

BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, FLAV-R-PAC/MONSTER ENERGY CHEVOLET DRAGSTER: “It was a great weekend for this Flav-R-Pac team running at the first-ever Flav-R-Pac Northwest Nationals. I’m very proud to be teamed with a company like Flav-R-Pac. I was excited to see their colors painted all over the drag strip this weekend. “We had an awesome weekend. We qualified No. 1 and had a final round appearance. We stayed in the points lead, and that’s the most important thing. We’ll head to Topeka next.”

AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER: “This Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist team got beat in a close race today. We made a bunch of ground this weekend, though, just came up short in the first round. It wasn’t the Western Swing we anticipated but I know we’re moving forward. We’ve got a week to polish this hotrod up and come out swinging in Topeka.”

FUNNY CAR:

JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK/BLUEDEF PLATINUM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “Good weekend for this PEAK Chevy. We got to running well, had to do some driving but we got the job done, went some rounds. Really good weekend for Frank Tiegs with Flav-R-Pac, his car went No.1 and made it to the finals, they’re running well and I think everyone was expecting them to win it. In the points lead with plenty of races left to get the job done but Robert got it done today with that Auto Club team. Austin was looking good over there with Montana Brand too.”

PRO STOCK:

GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, HENDRICKCARS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “There were a lot of positives this weekend, no question. We definitely picked up our performance, we got ourselves back in the fight with the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, and now we can contend for wins again. That’s a huge positive.”

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in nearly 80 countries with nearly 2.7 million cars and trucks sold in 2021. 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.

KALITTA MOTORSPORTS GR SUPRA GOES TO FINAL ROUND IN SEATTLE
J.R. Todd Makes His First Final Round Appearance of 2022

KENT, Wash. (July 31, 2022) – With the NHRA Drag Racing Series making its final stop on the ‘west coast swing,’ the Kalitta Motorsports Funny Car team made the most of the extreme heat in the race track and the air temperature. J.R. Todd drove his Toyota GR Supra Funny Car to the final round and ultimately lost by only three one-thousandths of a second to Robert Hight.

In Top Fuel competition, Justin Ashley drove his Toyota dragster to the semi-finals, but his car smoked the tires ultimately ending his day. The Toyota dragsters of Doug Kalitta, Shawn Langdon and Steve Torrence were eliminated in round two while Antron Brown fell out in the first round.

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series
Pacific Raceways
Race 13 of 22

TOYOTA TOP FUEL FINISHING POSITIONS

Name	Car	Final Result	Round-by-Round
Justin Ashley	Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Semi-Finals	W. 3.782 vs. A. Prock (3.796) W. 3.785 vs. S. Torrence (6.333) L. 5.131 vs. T. Schumacher (4.485)
Steve Torrence	Capco Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Round 2	W. 3.794 vs. R. Smith (No Time) L. 6.333 vs. J. Ashley (3.785)
Doug Kalitta	Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Round 2	W. 3.837 vs. A. Laughlin (3.856) L. 3.827 vs. L. Pruett (3.818)
Shawn Langdon	DHL Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Round 2	W. 3.796 vs. M. Salinas (No Time) L. 3.797 vs. T. Schumacher (3.827)
Antron Brown	Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Round 1	L. 3.796 vs. L. Pruett (3.781)

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR FINISHING POSITIONS 

Name	Car	Final Result	Round-by-Round
J.R. Todd	DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	Final Round	W. 3.955 vs. B. Alexander (3.990) W. 3.980 vs. B. Tasca III (7.751) W. 3.984 vs. BYE L. 3.978 vs. R. Hight (3.975)
Alexis DeJoria	Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	Round 2	W. 3.964 vs. J. Campbell (4.045) L. 5.142 vs. R. Hight (3.960)
Ron Capps	NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	Round 1	L. 4.674 vs. R. Hight (3.914)

TOYOTA QUOTES

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

Final Result: Final Round

What can you say about the progress of this race team and today’s final round appearance?

“This DHL team has really been working hard to get our GR Supra to the point of consistently going rounds and today we were able to do that. Really proud of our whole team and all the effort these guys put into today and this whole weekend. It’s hot out here and it was hot on the race track, but they never gave up. I would have loved to have gotten the win, but it was a close race and we know we’re right there knocking on the door. We’ll get one soon.”

How has this team been able to continue slowly improving performance week after week?

“It seems like it came together there in Q3 and then again in first round. Todd and John just keep picking away at it and trying stuff. I also have to give a shout out to the track here at Pacific Raceways and NHRA for this track. They’re doing a hell of a job with the track temp and the track is hanging in there. The fans sitting in those aluminum seats, they’re the brave ones out here. Thanks for spending your hard-earned money to come out here and watch us try to put on a good show.”

JUSTIN ASHLEY, Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Davis Motorsports

Final Result: Semi-Finals

What happened in the semi-finals when you struggled down the track and crossed the center line?

“Just went up in smoke and that’s what happens when you’re racing. Just tried to give it a run and I saw Tony (Schumacher) having some trouble in the other lane. Just tried to give our Phillips Connect Toyota a shot so we tried to pull some of that Vita-C Energy we needed. Real proud of the guys this weekend. I thought we ran well and the real magic number is 47. These guys turned this car around in this weather in 47 minutes and really proud of them. We’ll regroup and move onto the next one.”

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About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 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 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 43 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 the more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, more than a quarter of the company’s 2021 North American sales were electrified.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.