TOYOTAS TAKE ALL TOP-10 QUALIFYING POSITIONS IN SEATTLE
Torrence and DeJoria Score Second-Fastest Spots in Pacific Northwest

KENT, Wash. (July 30, 2022) – All five Toyota Top Fuel dragsters qualified within the top-seven for Sunday’s NHRA event at Pacific Raceways in Washington. Steve Torrence claimed the number two qualifier slot followed by Doug Kalitta (fourth), Antron Brown (fifth), Shawn Langdon (sixth) and Justin Ashley (seventh).

In Funny Car, all three Toyota GR Supra Funny Cars also qualified in the top-eight with Alexis DeJoria claiming the number two qualifier position followed by J.R Todd (seventh) and Ron Capps (eighth).

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

TOYOTA TOP FUEL QUALIFYING POSITIONS

Name	Car	Qualifying Position	First Round Opponent
Brittany Force*	Flav-R-Pac Top Fuel Dragster	1st (3.753)	J. Maroney
Steve Torrence	Capco Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	2nd	R. Smith
Doug Kalitta	Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	4th	A. Laughlin
Antron Brown	Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	5th	L. Pruett
Shawn Langdon	DHL Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	6th	M. Salinas
Justin Ashley	Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	7th	A. Prock

(*non-Toyota driver)

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING POSITIONS

Name	Car	Qualifying Position	First Round Opponent
Bob Tasca III*	Ford Performance Funny Car	1st	G. Densham
Alexis DeJoria	Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	2nd	J. Campbell
J.R. Todd	DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	7th	B. Alexander
Ron Capps	NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	8th	R. Hight

(*non-Toyota driver)

TOYOTA QUOTES

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

TF Qualifying Result: 2nd

What were you talking with Shawn Langdon about following your Q2 run?

“We were talking about Super Comp stuff. This is what we do because we do it, but he (Shawn Langdon) races Super Comp and my old man is in Topeka. I think it may have pushed a head gasket out. We were running pretty good down through there and then we were just bantering back and forth. He said I took him at the line by two or three hundredths, but he’s way better at that stuff than I am. I’m just holding on trying not to run over anything or anybody.”

SHAWN LANGDON, DHL Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Kalitta Motorsports

TF Qualifying Result: 6th

Do you feel your car has been waking up in recent weeks and this weekend in Seattle?

“They’ve been doing a good job and with the heat up here, we’re just trying to make good runs down the track. Made a good run on Friday and that’s where we’ve been struggling a little bit and getting behind the eight ball. This DHL team did a great job getting good runs yesterday and today.”

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

TF Qualifying Result: 7th

How do you feel about the weather conditions for tomorrow’s race and your performance?

“Right now it’s just about how strong this team has performed and in weather like this, it’s important to be consistent. To go up there as a driver and be comfortable in the race car and to go up there and run a 3.85 twice in a row really speaks volumes of this team. We’re excited and we’re looking forward to race day. We have a lot of folks from Phillips Connect here and all of our sponsors. It’s time for race day.”

ALEXIS DEJORIA, Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, DC Motorsports

FC Qualifying Result: 2nd

How important is this number two qualifier spot for tomorrow’s race?

“We’re definitely not in Sonoma anymore. It’s a hot track out here in Seattle, but a beautiful, beautiful place. Great fans. We qualified number two with our Bandero Toyota GR Supra and it carried through from Friday night and really happy about that. We got some bonus points Friday. We tried to step it up this last run, but just dropped a hole early and ended up smoking the tires at the top end. But hey, we’re back and we’re back in the top-three again and qualifying really well. We’ve got a great car and I’m excited to race tomorrow. I got to come out early and spend some time with the Seattle Seahawks and meet the head coach, Pete Carroll. I did fan girl a little bit because I’ve seen him win championships and that guy’s a badass. He’s about the same age as my dad and super healthy. Good luck to that team! That was a great opportunity – thanks to Toyota.”

How do you feel heading into the Countdown in a few weeks with your recent performance?

“The Countdown is coming up and this a great time for our team to get hot. You don’t want to peak too early and you don’t want to peak too late. It’s the right time right now. I believe we’ve solidified a good spot in the Pep Boys All-Star Callout and just feeling good. We’re excited about tomorrow and we’ll see what happens.”

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

FC Qualifying Result: 7th

Is this team making progress as we head towards the Countdown?

“Our back half numbers are right there at the top, we’re just giving up a lot early. We’re kind of experimenting here today with it being a light field so hopefully that gives us some momentum going into the later part of the season where we need to make it count. This DHL Toyota GR Supra definitely isn’t qualifying where we want it to be, but anything can happen. First round tomorrow is going to be in the morning so that will make things more interesting.”

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.

CHEVROLET AT SEATTLE

What: Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals
When: Friday, July 29-Sunday, July 31
Where: Pacific Raceways in Ken, Washington
TV: FOX will telecast eliminations at 4 p.m. ET Sunday, July 31

Chevrolet aiming to add to Western Swing victory total
Dallas Glenn looking forward to racing at home; Team Chevy drivers atop standings

DETROIT (July 28, 2022) – Dallas Glenn is looking forward to returning home this weekend.

The 2021 National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Camping World Drag Racing Series rookie of the year will drive the RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro SS at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Washington – 20 miles as the crow flies from his boyhood home – for the first time in Pro Stock competition.

It will be the NHRA’s first visit to the venue since 2019 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and close out the three-race Western Swing that has seen Chevrolet drivers post four victories.

“Coming to race Pro Stock for the first time at my old home track is kind of surreal,” said Glenn, who defeated KB Racing teammate Kyle Koretsky earlier this season at Gainesville. “I grew up at this track and Pacific Raceways is a big part of my family. I actually grew up the exit down from the racetrack so if I wasn’t at home, you could find me there.

“Racing professionally in front of all the friends and family there will be an experience. We’ve had some early exits the last two races in just some real close races, but I still think we’ve got a winning car this year. I think Seattle would be the perfect race to score our second Wally of the season.”

Chevrolet drivers are atop the standings in three professional categories – Brittany Force in Top Fuel, Robert Hight in Funny Car and Erica Enders in Pro Stock.

Through 12 of the 22 scheduled nitro events, Team Chevy drivers have recorded 10 victories. Chevrolet drivers have swept all 10 Pro Stock wins, with Enders pacing the pack with six victories.

Force earned her fourth win of the season and first at Sonoma Raceway last week, driving the Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster. Along the way, she reset her own track Top Fuel speed record three times with a best of 337.75 mph.

“We’re coming out of Sonoma strong, and we want to do the same thing in Seattle,” she said.

Team Chevy points leaders

Top Fuel – Brittany Force (4 wins; 4 top qualifiers)

Funny Car – Robert Hight (5 wins; 2 runner-up finishes; 3 top qualifiers)

Pro Stock – Erica Enders (6 wins; 1 runner-up finish; 3 top qualifiers)

Hight, driving the Automobile Club of Southern California Camaro SS, increased his Funny Car points lead with a semifinal appearance at Sonoma, where he had won the previous three times. He’s won a class-high five races. Hight won at Pacific Raceways in 2017 on the way to the Funny Car championship and is a four-time No. 1 qualifier at the track.

John Force, runner-up at Sonoma in the PEAK/BluDEF Platinum Camaro SS, remained fourth in the Funny Car standings as he seeks a record-extending 17th title. Force has won nine times at Pacific Raceways, including 2019 when he corralled his 150th career victory.

Austin Prock, driver of the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster, earned his maiden Top Fuel victory at the track in 2019.

No. 1 qualifier Enders, driver of the Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Camaro SS, .

upped her Pro Stock points lead with a victory at Sonoma Raceway and denied Greg Anderson of his 100th career Pro Stock win in the process. In 2012, Enders shared the winner’s circle at Pacific Raceways with Courtney Force – the first time two women won at the same event.

“Going to Seattle, it was my second win ever and the first time two pro girls won, me and Courtney Force, so that stands out in my mind as well as we head there. Just an amazing day,” Enders said.

Anderson, the five-time and reigning Pro Stock champion driving the HendrickCars.com Camaro SS, is seeking to join Force (155) as the only drivers in pro categories with 100 wins. In 2019, after winning the first two rounds of the Western Swing, Anderson was runner-up to Matt Hartford at Pacific Raceways.

CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT

TOP FUEL

BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, FLAV-R-PAC/MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (four-time winner this season; points leader): “I’m excited to go back to Seattle, it’s been a while. t’s another track I’ve grown up on and has a lot of memories for John Force Racing. Austin got his first win there the same time my dad won his 150th and then this year it’s the Flav-R-Pac race, my sponsor. I’m excited to see Flav-R-Pac colors painted all up and down the track and proud to stand by such an incredible company. Our team is looking forward to getting back to work and begin qualifying. We’re coming out of Sonoma strong, and we want to do the same thing in Seattle.”

AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (runner-up at Pomona opener; 2019 winner at track): “I’m happy to be back in Seattle. It’s been a few years since we’ve been here and when I left it was definitely on a high note. It would be really special to keep the reigning champ title for another year. I think we are on the right track to make a statement this weekend. Hopefully that turns into four win lights on Sunday and I can be on the wing celebrating again.”

FUNNY CAR

JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK/BLUEDEF PLATINUM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier and Charlotte four-wide winner; runner-up at Sonoma; nine-time winner at the track): “Back in Seattle after three years, it’s going to feel good to be back. We’ve missed those fans, I hope they’ve missed us too. It’s the Flav-R-Pac race, Frank Tiegs, he’s waited just as long as us to get this race back. His car is running great over there with Brittany and hopefully we can get a couple more winner’s circle photos with him this weekend. We’re in a good spot. This PEAK team, we have a fast car, it was right there in Sonoma. We’ll see how this weekend goes.”

ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (five-time winner this season; points leader): “We are off to a great season so far. This Auto Club team is really working hard, and we need to keep it up. This last half of the season is what’s really important, four races and then we hit the NHRA Countdown. We are going to try and be perfect, come out every run and get down the track, be consistent and try not to make any mistakes. This Chevy is responding to what Jimmy Prock and Chris Cunningham are doing and we are only getting better.”

PRO STOCK

ERICA ENDERS, ELITE MOTORSPORTS, MELLING PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (six-time winner this season; points leader): “Coming into race day, I know I have the car to beat right now. It’s just it’s the way the cookie crumbles and that will change. I guarantee it. But right now, all I have to do is go up there and do my job and not mess up.”

GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, HENDRICKCARS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (reigning Pro Stock champion; seeking to become second pro driver with 100 wins; runner-up at Sonoma; fourth in standings): “The positive is that KB Racing won (at Denver with Matt Hartford) and we were in the final (at Sonoma) with the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet. We’re coming back. I feel good about it, and we have another chance to finish the Western Swing with a win. I’m going to keep digging and build on this momentum.”

CAMRIE CARUSO, CARUSO FAMILY RACING, TEQUILA COMISARIO CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (first season in Pro Stock; No. 1 qualifier and runner-up at Houston): “We have been working really hard with this Tequila Comisario Chevrolet team and we have just had some tough draws on race day. We are a team that has been consistently qualifying in the top half and that makes a difference on Sunday. I know we have the power thanks to Titan Racing Engines and my crew led by crew chief Jim Yates is really good. I am excited to get to a new track and have some new results on the swing.”

KYLE KORETSKY, KB RACING, LUCAS OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier at Phoenix; runner-up at Gainesville; third in standings): “Different weather, different atmosphere and my first time racing there as well. I’m looking forward to the third and final race of the Western Swing. We made the semifinals in Sonoma and were looking good but had a mechanical issue about a third of the way down the track, so I’m definitely looking to go rounds this weekend. My goal is not to have Dallas (Glenn) beat me at Seattle.”

DALLAS GLENN, KB RACING, RAD TORQUE SYSTEMS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (winner at Gainesville; No. 1 qualifier at Epping; fifth in standings): “Racing professionally in front of all the friends and family there will be an experience. We’ve had some early exits the last two races in just some real close races, but I still think we’ve got a winning car this year. I think Seattle would be the perfect race to score our second Wally of the season.”

MASON MCGAHA, HARLOW SAMMONS RACING, HARLOW SAMMONS OF ODESSA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (semifinalist in four of the 10 races): “The last two races we were pretty killer on the tree in the first round and then we eased up in the second round. We just need four consistent runs with good reaction times and elapsed times. That is what we are looking to do in Seattle this weekend. This will be my first time racing in Seattle but I feel pretty good. You want to make the most of qualifying and then just keep it rolling on race day. I am just going to go up there and do my thing. We are sixth in the points we aren’t too far back, but we would like to have a good weekend in Seattle and try to close that gap. We want to win that first race for sure.”

CHRIS MCGAHA, HARLOW SAMMONS RACING, HARLOW SAMMONS OF ODESSA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (owns both ends of the track record, set in 2015 on the way to victory): “I am looking forward to Seattle. I switched cars and I am back to my old car and I am going faster. I have lost some mojo but I am going to get it back. I am going to forget the past and focus on this next race. The conditions in Seattle can be really good for our class. It can go either way but we are looking for a good weekend. Racing with Mason is the best. I am looking forward to seeing him get his first win and then I think we will both be in a great spot.”

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.

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

Event Overview

Friday, July 29 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Nitro qualifying session (Q1): 6:45 p.m. PDT/9:45 p.m. EDT

Saturday, July 30 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Nitro qualifying session (Q2): 2 p.m. PDT/5 p.m. EDT

● Nitro qualifying session (Q3): 4:45 p.m. PDT/7:45 p.m. EDT

Sunday, July 31 (Nitro Eliminations, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Round 1: 10:30 a.m. PDT/1:30 p.m. EDT

● Round 2: 12:30 p.m. PDT/3:30 p.m. EDT

● Semi-Finals: 2:10 p.m. PDT/5:10 p.m. EDT

● Finals: 3:35 p.m. PDT/6:35 p.m. EDT

TV coverage

● Saturday, July 30: Qualifying show recapping Friday’s action (11 a.m. PDT/2 p.m. EDT on FS1)

● Sunday, July 31: Qualifying show recapping Saturday’s action (11:30 a.m. PDT/2:30 p.m. EDT on FS1)

● Sunday, July 31: Finals show (1 p.m. PDT/4 p.m. EDT on FOX)

Notes of Interest

● The Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Washington, marks the culmination of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series’ three-week long Western Swing and the series’ return to the Seattle area after a two-year absence. The two previous events of the Western Swing were the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals July 15-17 at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colorado, and the DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals last weekend at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway. The Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals is the 13th event on the NHRA’s 22-race calendar.

● Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) will be represented in Top Fuel by 10-time event winner Leah Pruett and in Funny Car by three-time champion Matt Hagan. Pruett and Hagan enter Seattle representing Sparkling Ice +Caffeine and Dodge Power Brokers, respectively.

● Sparkling Ice +Caffeine is a zero sugar, full-flavored sparkling water containing 70 milligrams of caffeine, along with vitamins and antioxidants. Sparkling Ice +Caffeine comes in six refreshing flavors: Black Raspberry, Blue Raspberry, Cherry Vanilla, Orange Passion Fruit, Strawberry and Citrus Twist. Pruett has served as an ambassador for Sparkling Ice since 2014 and the brand has been a part of all 10 of her Top Fuel victories.

● The Dodge Power Brokers program serves as the exclusive source for Direct Connection, Dodge’s factory-backed performance parts program, which is equipped with staff trained to deliver a performance-focused customer service experience. Dodge//SRT and Mopar have supported Hagan since his rookie season in 2009.

● In the first two races of the Western Swing, TSR has delivered. Pruett won the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals to collect her second Wally at Bandimere, while Hagan secured the No. 1 qualifying position for the fourth time this season. Then at Sonoma, Pruett earned her first No. 1 qualifier of the year and her second at the track. It was TSR’s first Top Fuel pole in its inaugural season in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series but its fifth overall No. 1 qualifier, as Hagan has secured the pole four times this season in Funny Car.

● Pruett is currently tied with Shawn Langdon for sixth in the Top Fuel championship standings, 381 points behind leader Brittany Force. Hagan, meanwhile, is second in the Funny Car championship standings, 144 points behind leader Robert Hight.

● The Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals will serve as Pruett’s 184th career Top Fuel start and her fifth at Pacific Raceways. For Hagan, this will be his 306th career Funny Car start and his 12th at the track.

● Pruett is eyeing her first victory in the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals. She advanced to the final in 2018, where her 3.849 ET at 320.13 mph run was narrowly defeated by Antron Brown’s 3.835 ET at 322.84 mph run. Pruett is seeking her first No. 1 qualifier at the event.

● Hagan won the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals in 2013. His 4.171 ET at 294.75 mph run defeated Bob Tasca III (5.324 ET at 164.81 mph). Hagan also has one No. 1 qualifier at the event, which came in 2018 (3.913 ET at 324.75 mph).

● On Thursday at 3:30 p.m. PDT at the Fred Meyer in Maple Valley, Washington (26520 Maple Valley Black Diamond Road SE), Pruett will participate in a Sparkling Ice meet and greet.

● DYK? Pacific Raceways was constructed in 1959 and opened in 1960. Since 1988, the track has been home to the NHRA Northwest Nationals. In addition to the drag strip, Pacific Raceways also features a 2.25-mile road course that is utilized by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and other road-racing series.

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

Seattle marks the culmination of the NHRA’s three-week Western Swing. Having completed all the rounds in Denver and following it up with a strong weekend in Sonoma, what are your expectations as you and the team head into Pacific Raceways?

“I believe our performance over the Western Swing is extremely important to the quality of performance we’re going to be able to show in Seattle. We don’t have an extraordinary amount of mechanical work to do on our parts like you would expect going into the last race. We still have our highest performing superchargers and all of our blocks. We probably have the least amount of damage compared to other teams. That means we get to end the swing like we began it, with quality parts. We’re more educated on what our raceday routine is like and have been improving upon that. It’ll be nice to have Seattle be the culmination of our Western Swing and end it solidly. From an energy perspective, it’s a long couple of weeks, but we’re more excited than ever. You go into the Swing with some big question marks and it looks like such a big mountain to climb, but we actually looked forward to it because we know how great we’re capable of running.”

What similarities are there between racing at Sonoma and Seattle?

“It’ll be very similar. If we were able to re-run our raceday in Sonoma, we would throw a lot more power to the car. We didn’t know it was needed, that the conditions would make that power and that the track could hold. With Seattle being so similar, it’s almost like it’s going to be our vindication, a second chance if you will. Having two comparable tracks back-to-back means everything is fresh in our minds from a tuning perspective. We already know where we missed the mark in Sonoma if we could redo our second round, so that just catapults us into the mindset of being set up for Seattle, as opposed to recreating a baseline. Seattle will be Sonoma 2.0 for us and, hopefully, with the results of Denver.”

The headquarters for the Sparkling Ice brand is located 30 miles northeast of Kent in Preston, Washington. Talk about the significance of competing in a home race for Sparkling Ice +Caffeine.

“I couldn’t think of a better race to have Sparkling Ice +Caffeine on the car, with it being their home race. For us, with it being the conclusion of the Western Swing and, hopefully, really good results to show from Seattle, we have yet to celebrate any of our momentum and our win from Denver. We’ve had a couple Sparkling Ice Cocktails here and there, but there is going to be a sigh of relief after the swing and congratulations that are well deserved for the team. We’ve saved that up to experience that with our liveliest bunch of people that really make racing a fun atmosphere. I’m looking forward to all of the colors and all of the win lights.”

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

Seattle marks the culmination of the NHRA’s Western Swing. How do you maintain focus and mental strength during this stretch of races?

“The Western Swing is a lot of travel, but it’s what we signed up for. We have to stay focused and stay hydrated. I plan on getting some workouts in this week, which will get me focused for raceday. I know we’re struggling a little bit right now, but in all fairness, this car will be running how we want it to right around the corner. There is not a doubt in my mind that we’ll be right back where we need to be within a race or two. We have four races left before we start this all over in the Countdown, so I’m excited about that. We’re always in the hunt and digging deep. We’re always pushing hard. I believe in my team and in my crew and I think Seattle will be our turning point for getting back on top.”

What similarities are there between racing at Sonoma and Seattle?

“Both tracks are fairly close to sea level, which means we’ll be able to carry information over from this weekend as far as horsepower, tune-up and the way the motor responds. That’ll be nice, but there’s always more to push on and more to be learned. I know we were a little behind the eight-ball in Sonoma, but I feel like we’re going to come out swinging in Seattle.”

Explain your crew’s process of preparing for the final race of the Western Swing.

“The team stays out West throughout all three events, so we’ve been really fortunate that we haven’t had any big explosions the last two races. We don’t have parts that have gotten too beat up. Sometimes you leave Denver with the body blown apart, so it makes it a really hard push for the next two races. My crew chiefs and crew guys have done a great job keeping the parts and pieces together, so I think that takes a lot of stress off the crew and allows them to get caught up pretty quickly and get some rest moving into the last race of the Western Swing.”

• Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Top Fuel pilot Leah Pruett followed up last weekend’s win at Dodge Power Brokers Mile-High Nationals with her first No. 1 qualifier position of the season at the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Sonoma Nationals and a quarterfinal appearance for the Dodge//SRT dragster
• TSR Funny Car driver Matt Hagan earned bonus points for the second quickest run in the second qualifying session, but kicked off eliminations from the 11th spot on the ladder at Sonoma Raceway
• Hagan remains second in the Funny Car championship standings after his day was shortened by an opening round loss after a solid Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat showdown against Cruz Pedregon
• Pedregon’s quarterfinal performance keeps him sixth in the Funny Car points battle with four events left in the NHRA regular season

July 24, Sonoma, California — Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Top Fuel pilot Leah Pruett followed up last weekend’s win at the Dodge Power Brokers Mile-High Nationals near Denver by rolling into the 34th annual National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Sonoma Nationals and immediately taking the Rayce Rudeen Foundation Dodge//SRT Top Fuel dragster to her first No. 1 qualifier position of the season and then driving to a quarterfinal appearance in eliminations.

Pruett took the top spot on the eliminations ladder by recording a 3.689-second elapsed time pass at 327.59 mph on the first of three qualifying laps to earn TSR’s first Top Fuel pole position and the 12th of her career. After advancing to the final round at Sonoma Raceway last year, Pruett was looking to repeat that journey and kicked off eliminations with a great 0.047-second reaction time and strong 3.729 sec./328.86 mph pass against No. 16 seed Jim Maroney. 

In the quarterfinals against No. 9 seed Shawn Langdon, Pruett had another solid 3.758 sec./323.97 mph run, but it wasn’t quite enough to defeat her opponent’s 3.734 sec./330.96 mph pass. Despite the shortened day, Pruett remains sixth in the Top Fuel championship standings, tied with Langdon at 601 points.

With three wins this season and sitting second in the Funny Car points coming into the second of three consecutive western-swing events, TSR driver Matt Hagan started off the weekend by taking the DieHard Batteries Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat for a 4.018-sec./314.02 mph pass to sit in the provisional eighth spot on Friday. In Q2, he recorded the second quickest run of the session with a 4.023 sec./315.12 mph pass but ended up 11th on the eliminations ladder after hazing the tires and saving the engine on the final run.

That set up an opening round match against fellow Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat driver and No. 6 seed Cruz Pedregon. Pedregon had a slight advantage at the hit of the throttle as they raced side-by-side down the lane, and despite Hagan recording his quickest pass of the weekend, it wasn’t enough to catch the Snap-on Tools Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. Even with the early exit, Hagan retains his second place position in the Funny Car standings behind rival Robert Hight.

Pedregon continued on to the quarterfinals and lined up against No. 3 qualifier Alexis DeJoria against whom he had a stellar light with a 0.033-second reaction time, but soon lost traction and had to shut it down. The Cruz Pedregon Racing HEMI®-powered entry remains sixth in the Funny Car standings as the regular season begins to wind down with four events remaining before the “Countdown to the Championship” playoffs series begins.

The NHRA will close out the three-event western swing next weekend with the Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways near Seattle, Washington, July 29-31.

ADDITIONAL NOTES and QUOTES:

Leah Pruett, Rayce Rudeen Foundation Dodge//SRT Top Fuel Dragster  

(No. 1 Qualifier – 3.689 seconds at 327.59 mph)  

Round 1: (0.047-second reaction time, 3.729 seconds at  328.86 mph) defeats No. 16 Jim Maroney(0.066/4.443/187.42) 

Round 2: (0.079/3.758/323.97) loss to No. 9 Shawn Langdon (0.049/3.734/330.96)

“I think our takeaway this weekend was that we were able to continue the momentum from Denver. We have a thorough understanding of our power level, and that started Friday night. We went up with a semi-conservative setup that actually ended up locking us into the No. 1 spot, so it shows we have more power, like we thought. As we moved into race day, you can’t take anyone lightly. I used to race Jim Maroney 10 to 15 years ago and I know how great of a racer he is. We put down a solid .72 and had a nice, clean run. Ultimately, we missed it for the second round. We went up to do the same thing. We were the first cars on track that session and the cars behind us were able to run a .66. We went up to run a .74 or .75 and it ran a .75, but it wasn’t good enough to get around Langdon’s .73. What that does for us is it gives us the confidence to start turning the wick back up. We’ve been racing on the shy side of power and we’ve been doing pretty well, but now we can turn back the knobs, and that’s something we haven’t been able to do. Our momentum will continue as our baseline grows and, most importantly, we were able to make a lot of connections with people about sharing the Rayce Rudeen Foundation’s mission of fighting the stigma of addiction and the support of the communities they’re building.”

Matt Hagan, DieHard Batteries Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car  

(No. 11 Qualifier – 4.018 seconds at 314.02 mph)

Round 1: (0.095-second reaction time, 4.913 seconds at 210.97 mph) loss to No. 6 Cruz Pedregon (0.076/3.939/330.23)

“It was great to be able to run the DieHard Batteries car again this weekend and bring the scheme back. We struggled a bit this weekend and got behind the eight ball. I think (Crew Chief) Dickie (Venables) really got a handle on the car in Round 1, but we had a tough run against Cruz (Pedregon). They’re a strong team over there and they qualified well. It was two good drag races but, unfortunately, it didn’t turn out in our favor. Sonoma is one of the only tracks I haven’t won at. I look forward to checking it off the list next year. It doesn’t mean we’ll keep our head down. For now, we’ll focus on Seattle and what we have coming up next week. We’ll take the information we learned here and transfer it over. The [Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat] is driving good and responding well, so we just have to be a bit more aggressive with it and we’ll be fine.”

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

(No. 6  Qualifier – 3.900 seconds at 323.58 mph)

Round 1: (0.037-second reaction time, 3.911 seconds at 328.70 mph) defeats No. 11 Matt Hagan (0.076/3.939/330.23)

Round 2: (0.033/4.747/169.83) loss to No. 3 Alexis DeJoria (0.119/3.905/330.80)                    

“After qualifying with a great 3.90 seconds at over 323 miles per hour, we went up against none other than Matt Hagan who’s second in points and one of the great drivers and great teams of our time. It was a tough contest at 3.91 for our car to 3.93. Matt was right there in the hunt all the way down the track, but it was great to get that first round win against them. Unfortunately, we lost to Alexis DeJoria in the next round after we lost traction about 300 feet out. So that was the end of our weekend but overall a good points race for us. I think we’re going to maintain the number six spot in to Seattle, a race that I’ve been looking forward to winning for several years, even going back to the late eighties. Through the years we brought some good cars up there but haven’t been able to punch it through so we’re going to look forward to getting it into the winner’s circle up there.”

NHRA CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS:

Following the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway 

FUNNY CAR (season wins in parentheses)

1.   Robert Hight 1133 (5)

2.  Matt Hagan (Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat): 989 (3)

3.  Ron Capps: 923 (2)

4.  John Force: 827

5.  Bob Tasca III: 733 (1)

6. Cruz Pedregon (Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat): 647

7.  J.R. Todd: 615

8.  Alexis DeJoria: 600

9.  Tim Wilkerson: 522

10. Chad Green: 440

TOP FUEL (season wins in parentheses)

1.  Brittany Force: 982 (4)

2.  Mike Salinas: 976 (3) 

3.  Justin Ashley: 842 (2) 

4.  Steve Torrence: 804

5.  Josh Hart: 636

6.  Leah Pruett (Dodge Power Brokers): 601

6.  Shawn Langdon: 601

8.  Austin Prock: 570

9.  Doug Kalitta: 566

10. Clay Millican: 551

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
DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals
July 22-24 | Sonoma, California

Event Recap

Leah Pruett, driver of the Rayce Rudeen Foundation Top Fuel Dragster:

● Earned No. 1 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (3.689 ET at 327.59 mph).

● Scored three bonus points for quickest run of the session.

● Maintained No. 1 qualifying position based off Q1 run on Friday. In Q2 on Saturday, Pruett ran a 5.753 ET. (Speed was unavailable due to a malfunction.)

● Secured No. 1 qualifying position based off Q1 run on Friday. In Q3 on Saturday, Pruett ran a 3.779 ET at 326.87 mph.

● Advanced to Round 2 on Sunday:

●  Round 1: 3.729 ET at 328.86 mph, defeated Jim Maroney (4.443 ET at 187.42 mph).

●  Round 2: 3.758 ET at 323.97 mph, lost to Shawn Langdon (3.734 ET at 330.96 mph).

● Currently tied with Langdon for sixth in the Top Fuel championship standings, 381 points behind leader Brittany Force.

Matt Hagan, driver of the DieHard Batteries Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car:

● Earned No. 7 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (4.018 ET at 314.02 mph).

● Dropped to No. 8 qualifying position in Q2 on Saturday (4.023 ET at 315.12 mph).

● Secured No. 11 qualifying position based off Q1 run on Friday. In Q3 on Saturday, Hagan ran a 4.160 ET at 239.44 mph.

● Eliminated following Round 1 on Sunday:

●  Round 1: 3.939 ET at 330.23 mph, lost to Cruz Pedregon (3.911 ET at 328.70 mph).

● Currently second in the Funny Car championship standings, 144 points behind leader Robert Hight.

Notes of Interest

● Pruett earned her first No. 1 qualifier of the season and her second at Sonoma. Her other No. 1 start at Sonoma came in 2017.

● Pruett’s No. 1 qualifier delivered Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) its first Top Fuel pole in its inaugural season in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. It was TSR’s fifth overall No. 1 qualifier, as Matt Hagan has secured the pole four times this season in Funny Car.

● Following Q1 on Friday, Pruett was the No. 1 provisional qualifier for the third time in 2022.

Leah Pruett, Driver of the Rayce Rudeen Foundation Top Fuel Dragster

“I think our takeaway this weekend was that we were able to continue the momentum from Denver. We have a thorough understanding of our power level, and that started Friday night. We went up with a semi-conservative setup that actually ended up locking us into the No. 1 spot, so it shows we have more power, like we thought. As we moved into race day, you can’t take anyone lightly. I used to race Jim Maroney 10 to 15 years ago and I know how great of a racer he is. We put down a solid .72 and had a nice, clean run. Ultimately, we missed it for the second round. We went up to do the same thing. We were the first cars on track that session and the cars behind us were able to run a .66. We went up to run a .74 or .75 and it ran a .75, but it wasn’t good enough to get around Langdon’s .73. What that does for us is it gives us the confidence to start turning the wick back up. We’ve been racing on the shy side of power and we’ve been doing pretty well, but now we can turn back the knobs, and that’s something we haven’t been able to do. Our momentum will continue as our baseline grows and, most importantly, we were able to make a lot of connections with people about sharing the Rayce Rudeen Foundation’s mission of fighting the stigma of addiction and the support of the communities they’re building.”

Matt Hagan, Driver of the DieHard Batteries Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car

“It was great to be able to run the DieHard Batteries car again this weekend and bring the scheme back. We struggled a bit this weekend and got behind the eight ball. I think Dickie (Venables, crew chief) really got a handle on the car in Round 1, but we had a tough run against Cruz (Pedregon). They’re a strong team over there and they qualified well. It was two good drag races but, unfortunately, it didn’t turn out in our favor. Sonoma is one of the only tracks I haven’t won at. I look forward to checking it off the list next year. It doesn’t mean we’ll keep our head down. For now, we’ll focus on Seattle and what we have coming up next week. We’ll take the information we learned here and transfer it over. The car is driving good and responding well, so we just have to be a bit more aggressive with it and we’ll be fine.”

Next Up

The next event on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series schedule is the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals July 29-31 at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Washington. The event will serve as the third and final race of the NHRA’s Western Swing.

THREE TOYOTA SEMI-FINALISTS IN SONOMA
Langdon, Kalitta and DeJoria Continue Western Swing With Semi-Final Points

SONOMA, Calif. (July 24, 2022) – Shawn Langdon continued his streak of final and semi-final round appearances in recent weeks after making it to the semi-finals again in Sunday’s Top Fuel competition at Sonoma Raceway. Langdon was faster on reaction time, but ran a 3.787 to Brittany Force’s 3.675. Doug Kalitta also made a semi-final round appearance in Sonoma against Mike Salinas, but his 4.354 fell to Salinas’ 3.844.

In Funny Car, Alexis DeJoria continued her strong Sonoma performance by making a semi-final appearance, but her solid 3.933 fell to John Force’s 3.909.

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series
Sonoma Raceway
Race 12 of 22

TOYOTA TOP FUEL FINISHING POSITIONS

Name	Car	Final Result	Round-by-Round
Shawn Langdon	CMR Construction and Roofing Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Semi-Finals	W. 3.743 vs. 3.763 (A. Brown) W. 3.734 vs. 3.758 (L. Pruett) L. 3.787 vs. 3.675 (B. Force)
Doug Kalitta	Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Semi-Finals	W. 3.719 vs. 3.966 (R. August Jr.) W. 3.728 vs. 3.781 (J. Hart) L. 4.354 vs. 3.844 (M. Salinas)
Justin Ashley	Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Round 2	W. 3.752 vs. 3.803 (A. Laughlin) L. 3.937 vs. 3.701 (M. Salinas)
Steve Torrence	Capco Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Round 2	W. 3.687 vs. 5.513 (T. Schumacher) L. 3.716 vs. 3.663 (B. Force)
Antron Brown	Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Round 1	L. 3.763 vs. 3.743 (S. Langdon)

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR FINISHING POSITIONS 

Name	Car	Final Result	Round-by-Round
Alexis DeJoria	Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	Semi-Finals	W. 3.905 vs. 4.935 (T. Haddock) W. 3.905 vs. 4.747 (C. Pedredon) L. 3.933 vs. 3.909 (J. Force)
J.R. Todd	DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	Round 2	W. 3.999 vs. 4.774 (T. Wilkerson) L. 3.958 vs. 3.932 (J. Force)
Ron Capps	NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	Round 1	L. 3.920 vs. 3.892 (J. Force)

TOYOTA QUOTES

SHAWN LANGDON, CMR Construction and Roofing Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Kalitta Motorsports

Final Result: Semi-Finals

How do you feel about the progress your team has been making in recent weeks?

“We lost a good drag race in the semifinals today. Our CMR Toyota dragster has been really strong lately. This was our fourth semifinal in five races. I am looking forward to getting to Seattle.”

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

Final Result: Semi-Finals

How did it feel to make it to the semi-finals here in Sonoma?

“That was nice to make it to the semis, it’s been a while since we’ve been there. Really proud of my guys, they had that thing really running in the day. We were running low 70s and that was fun. It really was a lot of fun, but unfortunately I think we oiled it down on that last run so I don’t know what that’s all about for our points deal. We just get what we got here and we’ll move onto the next one. “

Do you feel like you’re making progress with the race team and race cars this season?

“It’s pretty exciting. Allen (Johnson) and Brian (Huseman) are obviously the best in the business. They’ve been finding different deals that have been going on with this car and we’re slowly working through them. This weekend was definitely a sign that we’re figuring this thing out. I’m real happy with those guys, but not real happy with my lights this weekend so I just need to work on that a little bit. We’ll head up to Seattle and get back after it.”

ALEXIS DEJORIA, Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, DC Motorsports

Final Result: Semi-Finals

How do you feel about your performance this weekend in Sonoma?

“I have to say that we all have the confidence back that we needed after Denver. Our DC Motorsports, Bandero, Rockit, Toyota GR Supra was very consistent through qualifying, we qualified third. We were like a bracket car. I can’t say enough about what a great crew I have and what an amazing group of guys and tuners and all these guys that work so well together. I got that confidence back consistent and then when I really needed to get on that pedal on time, I pulled it off. Halfway down the track, I didn’t see John (Force) at all and I was starting to celebrate and then at the finish line I saw the nose of his car. You just can’t count that man out and he’s the reason a lot of us love this sport. I love my guys more and my team and that badass race car.”

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.

CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
DENSO NHRA SONOMA NATIONALS
SONOMA RACEWAY IN SONOMA, CALIFORNIA
JULY 24, 2022

Team Chevy drinks in success in Sonoma wine country

• Brittany Force wins fourth race of season, retakes top spot in Top Fuel points
• Points leader Erica Enders earns sixth Pro Stock victory of the season
• John Force reaches Funny Car final round for 263rd time in his career
• No. 1 qualifier Robert Hight increases points lead in Funny Car standings

SONOMA, Calif. (July 24, 2022) — It was day of firsts for Chevrolet female drivers and an impressive day overall for Team Chevy in wine country.

Brittany Force moved to the top of the Top Fuel standings with her first career victory at Sonoma Raceway and fourth win of the season in the Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster.

Erica Enders also earned her first Pro Stock victory in 18 years competing at the track and her sixth win of the season in the Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro SS.

Force, the No. 5 qualifier, reset her track Top Fuel speed record three times in eliminations – with a best of 337.75 mph to break the 335.15 mark set in July 2019. She defeated Mike Salinas, who was the points leader, in the final for her 15th career win.

“Incredible race day for this Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy team. Coming into races, you go off of how you have done in the past and we’ve always struggled with the Western Swing. Sonoma has always been one I’ve wanted to win. It’s almost a home track for me. I’ve watched my dad as a kid with my sisters, raced Super Comp and A-Fuel, celebrated all the other John Force Racing team wins, to be able to pull this win is huge,” Force said.

Enders, the Pro Stock points leader, won on a holeshot in the final to deny Greg Anderson of a milestone victory.

“Anytime you can have one of these awesome Wallys in your hands is a good day,” said Enders, who claimed her 39th career Pro Stock win. “I had never won here at Sonoma Raceway so this one means a whole bunch to me.”

Anderson, driving the HendrickCars.com Camaro SS, is seeking his 100th career Pro Stock win. Only John Force (155) has triple-digit wins in the pro categories.

Force, the No. 15 qualifier advanced to his second Funny Car final this season in the PEAK/BlueDEF Platinum Chevrolet Camaro SS and 263rd of his career before falling to Bob Tasca III.

Robert Hight increased his Funny Car points lead to 144 over Matt Hagan with a semifinal appearance in the Automobile Club of Southern California Camaro SS. Hight, who had won the past three Funny Car races at Sonoma Raceway, was the No. 1 qualifier for the 74th time in his career.

Austin Prock, the No. 12 qualifier in the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster, bettered his qualifying elapsed time in the first round of eliminations but was paired with Force.

Anderson bested KB Racing teammate Kyle Koretsky in the Lucas Oil Camaro SS, while No. 1 qualifier Enders defeated Elite Motorsports teammate Aaron Stanfield in the Janac Brothers Camaro SS in the semifinals.

The third and final round of the Western Swing is July 29-31 in Kent, Washington, with the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways. FOX will telecast eliminations at 4 p.m. ET July 31. Aaron Stanfield defeated Greg Anderson in the Pro Stock final, while Brittany Force was the No. 1 Top Fuel qualifier in 2021.

An interview with Top Fuel winner BRITTANY FORCE, driver of the Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster:

YOU’VE WATCHED YOUR DAD WIN HERE AND TO NOW WIN HERE HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT?

“I’ve always wanted to win here since I was a kid. This is a big win. We finally pulled it off.”

YOU HAD A DOMINANT CAR TODAY. TALK ABOUT YOUR DAY.

“To be able to come out on race day and step it up is incredible. The best we ran all weekend is here today. It’s David Grubnic, Mac Savage and all the Flav-R-Pac team to be able step it up and prove it on race day.”

YOU PUT UP RIDICULOUS SPEEDS UP THERE TODAY.

“To be able to leave our mark here with a win and then hit those speeds, we’re excited to do that.”

THIS IS A SPECIAL ONE THAT YOU NEVER COULD QUITE GET UNTIL TODAY.

“It is. This is wine country, Sonoma, and I love it here. I’ve been coming here since I was a kid running Super Comp, A Fuel, (sister) Courtney won here in Sonoma and brought home that win goblet. We got the job done.”

DO YOU FEEL BAD ABOUT BEATING MIKE SALINAS IN HIS HOME RACE?

“I never feel bad about getting in the winner’s circle.”

WHAT AN INCREDIBLE DAY YOUR TEAM HAD.

“Big thank you to all my guys. One of the really cool things was after first round and we got the win over Austin Prock, he was in my pit helping me pack my chutes. It just shows you the kind of support that John Force Racing has. Everybody is involved. We’re all one team.”

IT’S BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS SINCE WE’VE BEEN TO SEATTLE AND YOU’RE GOING IN THERE ON A HOT STREAK.

“We are. It feels good to come off a win and go into Flav-R-Pac’s home track and a race that they’re the title sponsor.”

An interview with Pro Stock winner ERICA ENDERS, driver of the Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro SS:

YOU WON ON A HOLESHOT. HOW DOES THAT CHANGE HOW YOU’RE GOING TO CELEBRATE IT?

“No different. Anytime you can have one of these awesome Wallys in your hands is a good day. Our guys really rallied; we had to change a bunch of stuff in the pit. I was throwing my helmet on, GA (Greg Anderson) was waiting for me. It was kind of one of those rush finals. We were like 150 feet short of the finish line and my engine let go; that’s why we were only 196 mph. Thank God we got it done for Melling Performance. I had never won here in Sonoma in 18 years of Pro Rock racing, so this one means a whole bunch to me. We were talking about that win goblet all weekend.”

TALK ABOUT YOUR DAY.

“Today was excellent. For 18 years victory evaded us somehow, someway. Every year at the beginning of the year m family and I sit down and we set our goals for the year. Sonoma, Indy and the world championship always seem to make an appearance on that list. So, this means a lot to me. I’m really excited. My Melling Performance team is great and my car is just running on mean.”

YOU CAME OUT WITH A MISSION THIS YEAR. EVEN YOU MUST BE SURPRISED BY YOUR SUCCESS?

“It’s definitely a pinch-me season for sure. The fashion in which we lost last year was definitely interesting. It gave my guys and myself the motivation to go back and just come out better and stronger. That’s what we’ve done so far this year. We just have to make it last. Those final six races in the Countdown are the ones that matter. What a dream season. What an excellent start. I couldn’t be more proud.”

WHAT ABOUT THE RIVALRY YOU AND GREG ANDERSON HAVE?

“It’s been an honor to race alongside him. To be the best you have to beat the best and he’s been a thorn in our side my entire career. But those guys are awesome. They work hard and they have a tremendous work ethic. For my guys to go out there and beat them it means a lot to us. The rivalry continues and I know he loves it as much as we do.”

CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT

TOP FUEL:

AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER: “It was a tough match up against our teammate Brittany today, but happy she got the job done for JFR. We made a competitive pass, even on seven cylinders. Myself and the this Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist team are confident that we can drop the door Friday and be competitive in Seattle next weekend. We made progress and feel like our car is capable of being a contender again. We would love to keep our reigning champ status in Seattle after next weekend.”

FUNNY CAR:

JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK/BLUEDEF PLATINUM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “It was a good day for this PEAK Chevy. Yeah, would have been better to get the win but we figured some things out from qualifying. Danny Hood and Tim Fabrisi had my hot rod running well, we were getting after it today. We’re in a good place, we’ll pick up and just get it after it again in Seattle in a couple days. Flav-R-Pac race, looking forward to putting on a show for everyone, Brittany going in there with a win, hopefully do it again.”

ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “We had the car to beat all weekend. This Auto Club Chevy, we’re pushing it and these guys are working hard to be perfect every run. Just couldn’t get the job done today. Still in the points lead, gained some good points and we’ll just pick up and try it all over again in Seattle next week.”

PRO STOCK:

CAMRIE CARUSO, CARUSO FAMILY RACING, TEQUILA COMISARIO CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “Dallas (Glenn) is definitely not an easy first-round pick. If we would have been a little higher in qualifying, we would have had a more favorable first round match-up possibly. We have learned a lot so far on the Western Swing. We are going to go into Seattle looking to finish the swing strong. My guys have the experience we need to keep being successful. I am not worried about that. I like being in the car a lot. This schedule is hard and people are not kidding when they say the Western Swing will test you.”

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.

CHEVROLET AT SONOMA

What: Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals
When: Friday, July 22-Sunday, July 24
Where: Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California
TV: FOX will telecast eliminations at 4 p.m. ET Sunday, July 24

Team Chevy takes aim at second leg of Western Swing
Robert Hight seeking to become first to win four in a row at Sonoma Raceway

DETROIT (July 21, 2022) – No driver has won four consecutive National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) events at Sonoma Raceway. That’s all the motivation Funny Car points leader Robert Hight needs as he heads into the race weekend at the scenic and fast California racetrack.

Hight, winner last week at Denver in the Automobile Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS, has won the past three races (2021, ’19 and ’18; no race in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic) at the facility 44 miles north of San Francisco. He’ll seek to keep that streak intact, which would give him victories in two legs of the three-race Western Swing and increase his Funny Car points lead.

Hight has been on a roll with five wins and a pair of runner-up finishes through 11 races this season.

“We’ve just got to go to Sonoma and treat it like we did in Denver and make three really good qualifying runs and race smart,” said Hight, said Hight, who pushed his career victory total to 58 and delivered the 152nd Funny Car win for Chevrolet.

“If we keep doing that, the round wins are going to come, but this class is tough. I think it’s a successful season when you have five wins total with the level of competition here. We’re at the halfway point, but it’s the next 11 races that count. We have to keep working and keep digging.

“We’ve got a great combination and we’re fine-tuning it, and I think we’re only getting better and more consistent. I don’t feel like we’ve peaked yet, but I also know the competition is getting tougher.”

“We’ve got a great combination and we’re fine-tuning it, and I think we’re only getting better and more consistent. I don’t feel like we’ve peaked yet, but I also know the competition is getting tougher and we’ve got our work cut out for us. Everything is working from top to bottom and we’re just going to try to stay focused and keep working.”

Only 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force (1994) ha swept the Western Swing in Funny Car, and five-time champion Greg Anderson (2004) accomplished the feat in Pro Stock. In 2019, Anderson nearly duplicated the feat, winning the first leg at Denver and the second at Sonoma before finishing runner-up to Matt Hartford at Seattle.

Hartford, driving the Total Seal Camaro SS, won at Bandimere Speedway last weekend, beating No. 1 qualifier Aaron Stanfield in the final for his first win since May 2021 at Houston and his fifth overall.

“This Total Seal Camaro is coming around and I’m starting to drive better,” Hartford said. “This deal isn’t over yet. We’re coming.”

Stanfield, driving the Janac Brothers Camaro SS, has advanced to the final round in six of the nine races. He won at Sonoma in 2021, defeating rookie Dallas Glenn in the final. Stanfield is second in the Pro Stock standings to Elite Motorsports teammate Erica Enders.

Anderson, who has six wins and was the No. 1 qualifier in 2021 at Sonoma Raceway, is aiming to add his 100th Pro Stock victory to his stellar career in the HendrickCars.com Camaro SS. Only Force (155) has triple-digit wins in pro categories.

Force, winner earlier this season at zMAX Dragway in the PEAK/BlueDEF Platinum Camaro SS and a semifinalist at Denver, has eight wins at Sonoma Raceway.

Brittany Force, who is 10 points out of the top spot in the Top Fuel category in the Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster, earned her fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season at Denver and will be looking for her first victory at Sonoma. She was the No. 1 qualifier at the track in 2021 and holds the Top Fuel speed record of 335.15 mph set in 2019.

CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT

TOP FUEL

BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, FLAV-R-PAC/MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (three-time winner this season; second in points): “We still kept ourselves up in the points and brought home our fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season. Lucky for us we head straight to Sonoma for number two on this Western Swing.”

AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (runner-up at Pomona opener; semifinalist in two of past five races): “I have a good feeling about Sonoma. I’m glad my dad and Hight were able to make the day worth it, especially with NK Seeds and Frank Tiegs in attendance. We will celebrate their win for the John Force Racing team and get it done this weekend.”

FUNNY CAR

JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK BLUEDEF PLATINUM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier and Charlotte four-wide winner; eight-time winner at the racetrack): “As a team owner, as part of a team, anytime you come out of the day with someone in your camp winning, it’s a good day. Robert and that Auto Club team they’re on a roll, they’re the team to beat. But this PEAK team, we’re getting there, we’re right there. We’ve been consistent. Danny Hood and Tim Fabrisi, all these PEAK guys, they are working hard to get the job done and I just need to keep doing my job too.”

ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (five-time winner this season; points leader; holds both ends of track Funny Car record set in 2017): “We’ve just got to go to Sonoma and treat it like we did in Denver and make three really good qualifying runs and race smart. If we keep doing that, the round wins are going to come, but this class is tough. I think it’s a successful season when you have five wins total with the level of competition here. We’re at the halfway point, but it’s the next 11 races that count. We have to keep working and keep digging. I’d like to get to 60 (career wins) this year. Everything from top to bottom is working right now. We have to stay focused and keep working, and we can only get better.”

PRO STOCK

MASON MCGAHA, HARLOW SAMMONS RACING, HARLOW SAMMONS OF ODESSA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (semifinalist in four of the nine races): “I would really like to get that first win. I felt like we had a pretty good race in Denver. My dad had his best qualifying effort and on race day I felt pretty strong. In that first round I hit all my shift points perfectly and was .003. I needed all of it right there for that win. I have always liked Sonoma and it would be pretty cool to get my first win at a track where my dad has won. It is a nice facility and you can run pretty fast there when conditions are right. I feel like at some point things have to go my way on race day. The odds just need to swing in my favor and we will keep going up there giving it our best.”

CHRIS MCGAHA, HARLOW SAMMONS RACING, HARLOW SAMMONS OF ODESSA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (2015 winner at the track): “I have won eight races, but I haven’t won somewhere twice. I feel like I am due to win somewhere twice. The last few years on the fuel injection have been tough. I won Sonoma in 2015 and had the track record. I haven’t done as well at Sonoma the past few years as I thought I could. Having two cars now helps. I was looking at my notes for Sonoma and I think in previous years I just took for granted how good the track really is. I think it could be a better track than I have given it credit. I might not have been as aggressive as I needed to be. I am looking forward to getting back there and seeing if I can get that second win.”

GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, HENDRICKCARS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (reigning Pro Stock champion; seeking to become second pro driver with 100 wins; six-time winner at Sonoma; No. 1 qualifier in 2021): “If they ever drop one or two races off the Western Swing, I hope they never drop Sonoma. It’s probably one of my favorite races. I’ve had a lot of luck there. It’s always decent weather, the cars run good there, so it’s everything that makes you smile if you race Pro Stock.”

CAMRIE CARUSO, CARUSO FAMILY RACING, TEQUILA COMISARIO CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (first season in Pro Stock; No. 1 qualifier and runner-up at Houston): “The Mile High Nationals was a race that tested our team, but I think we will be stronger because we did struggle. We are a young team and we are working to get better every race. We have had a lot of success so far this season, but I know we can be better. I am getting better as a driver and the team is getting better. There is so much to learn and process it is a challenge but one that I am up for.”

KYLE KORETSKY, KB RACING, LUCAS OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier at Phoenix; runner-up at Gainesville; third in standings; No. 2 qualifier at track in 2021): “Sonoma has a cool atmosphere and we had a fast car last year. Going into Sonoma we’ll change cars back from the high altitude of Denver and we’ll try to keep the momentum going. We’ll focus on going one round at a time and try to gain some points.”

DALLAS GLENN, KB RACING, RAD TORQUE SYSTEMS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (winner at Gainesville; No. 1 qualifier at Epping; runner-up in 2021 race at track): “Just didn’t go our way (at Denver). Excited to head to Sonoma and to some regular elevation racing. I seem to do better in those conditions anyways.”

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.

Leah Pruett & Matt Hagan
Top Fuel | Funny Car
DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals
July 22-24 | Sonoma, California

Event Overview

Friday, July 22 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Nitro qualifying session (Q1): 8:10 p.m. PDT/11:10 p.m. EDT

Saturday, July 23 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Nitro qualifying session (Q2): 1 p.m. PDT/4 p.m. EDT
● Nitro qualifying session (Q3): 4 p.m. PDT/7 p.m. EDT

Sunday, July 24 (Nitro Eliminations, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Round 1: 10:30 a.m. PDT/1:30 p.m. EDT
● Round 2: 1 p.m. PDT/4 p.m. EDT
● Semi-Finals: 2:30 p.m. PDT/5:30 p.m. EDT
● Finals: 3:50 p.m. PDT/6:50 p.m. EDT

TV coverage

● Saturday, July 23: Qualifying show recapping Friday’s action (7:30 a.m. PDT/10:30 a.m. EDT on FS1)
● Sunday, July 24: Qualifying show recapping Saturday’s action (10:30 a.m. PDT/1:30 p.m. EDT on FS1)
● Sunday, July 24: Finals show (1 p.m. PDT/4 p.m. EDT on FOX)

Notes of Interest

● The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series is in the midst of its Western Swing. It kicked off last weekend with the Dodge Power Brokers Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colorado, and continues this weekend with DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway before culminating with the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals July 29-31 at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Washington.

● Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) and its two-car lineup – one in Top Fuel for 10-time event winner Leah Pruett and one in Funny Car for three-time Funny Car champion Matt Hagan – comes into Sonoma after a strong weekend at Bandimere. Pruett advanced all the way to the finals and won her second Mile-High Nationals event and Hagan secured the No. 1 qualifying position for the fourth time this season.

● Pruett and Hagan enter Sonoma representing the Rayce Rudeen Foundation and DieHard, respectively.

● The Rayce Rudeen Foundation is a non-profit organization that works with organizations and programs to encourage a healthy and productive life that is free of addiction. The designated 501(c)(3) is named in honor of Rayce Rudeen, who at age 26 passed away from an accidental Fentanyl overdose. Since its inception, the Rayce Rudeen Foundation has advocated for creating a supportive community in which everyone can access prevention, treatment, recovery and family-support services, all free from stigma. By collaborating with local universities, researchers, organizations, businesses and community coalitions, the Rayce Rudeen Foundation is leading communities toward a united and compassionate response to addiction by identifying gaps in care and building educational tools.

● For more than 50 years, DieHard has been one of the automotive industry’s most recognizable brands. As America’s most trusted auto battery, DieHard Batteries are renowned for reliability, durability and starting power in the most extreme weather climates. DieHard is sold at Advance and participating Carquest Auto Parts locations nationwide.

● The DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals will serve as Pruett’s 183rd career Top Fuel start and her sixth at Sonoma. For Hagan, this will be his 305th career Funny Car start and his 13th at Sonoma.

● Pruett is eyeing her first victory in the DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals. She advanced to the final round last year, where her 3.768 ET at 23.04 mph run was narrowly defeated by Steve Torrence’s 3.757 ET at 327.98 mph run. Pruett has one No. 1 qualifier at the event, which came in 2017 (3.669 ET at 328.38 mph) and set a new track record for the 1,000-foot long dragstrip.

● Hagan is also seeking his first victory in the DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals. He has advanced to the finals three times – 2012 (5.462 ET at 146.67 mph, lost to Johnny Gray: 4.142 ET at 305.15 mph), 2019 (4.030 ET at 316.60 mph, lost to Robert Hight: 3.973 ET at 325.45 mph) and 2021 (3.991 ET at 324.44 mph, lost to Hight: 3.871 ET at 322.50 mph). Hagan has two No. 1 qualifiers at the event, which came in 2009 (4.068 ET at 307.51 mph) and 2013 (3.986 ET at 320.51 mph).

● On Friday at Sonoma, Pruett will present the Juggers Annual Scholarship to Jacob Reuser, who graduated from nearby Casa Grande High School in Petaluma with a 4.5 GPA. The Juggers Annual Scholarship was formed in San Mateo, California, in 1953, by the 120 members of the Juggers Racing Team who participate primarily in drag racing, land-speed racing and autocross. Their premier program in support of organized drag racing for high school students is their annual scholarship, which awards a certificate and $1,000 in cash. Reuser, this year’s recipient, works a part-time job to pay for car parts while also volunteering at Sack’s Thrift Store, which raises money for Hospice of Petaluma. Reuser started drag racing on Wednesday nights in 2021 and is a contender for this year’s High School Class Championship. He will study mechanical engineering at the University of California at Santa Barbara.

● DYK? The dragstrip at Sonoma is located inside the track’s road course, which annually hosts the NASCAR Cup Series. While Tony Stewart Racing is looking for its first NHRA win at Sonoma, Tony Stewart the owner is already a three-time winner at the track. The NASCAR Hall of Famer won three NASCAR Cup Series races on the 1.99-mile, 10-turn road course – 2001, 2005 and 2016. His victory in 2016 was his 49th and final NASCAR Cup Series victory as Stewart retired from NASCAR racing at the conclusion of the season.

Leah Pruett, Driver of the Rayce Rudeen Foundation Top Fuel Dragster

How important was your victory in last weekend’s Dodge Power Brokers Mile-High Nationals to making consistent runs and collecting valuable points in these five remaining events of the regular season before the Countdown to the Championship begins?

“The Denver race win proved to ourselves that we are the winning team we’ve believed all along, and infuses confidence into each of our crafts. Making eight runs at Bandimere Speedway, with some extreme turnaround times on Sunday, has exposed our team’s small opportunities to improve. It took a Sunday at Bandimere to show us how we can even improve more as we continue the Western Swing.”

What adjustments do you have to make as a driver and as a team racing at sea level this weekend at Sonoma compared to the 5,800 feet of elevation you experienced last weekend at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colorado?

“There’s not a deep list of adjustments for a driver. Our deliverables stay the same, but my approach changes only slightly. On the mountain, the less dense air makes mid-track wheelies a thing and something to be extra prepared for. Pulling the fronts on the launch is not as frequent because our initial hit is less, due to less power, via less air. For me, that means there’s a likelihood the car will wash out with the front hiked in the air and become less drivable. Coming to sea level, the car will be at its optimum level of aggressiveness, and I will have to really emphasize the importance of not only square, but straight. Between Denver and Sonoma, the team will give our Top Fueler a complete makeover in regard to jetting changes, blower compensation, clutch adjustments, chassis weight and, of course, the new body that will promote the Rayce Rudeen Foundation and its work with organizations and programs to encourage a healthy and productive life that is free of addiction.”

Matt Hagan, Driver of the DieHard Batteries Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car

What adjustments do you have to make as a driver and as a team racing at sea level this weekend at Sonoma compared to the 5,800 feet of elevation you experienced last weekend at Bandimere Speedway?

“We’ll take everything off the car from Bandimere and put it on the shelf for next year, since the conditions are so different from Sonoma and the other tracks we visit. We’ll be running different rods, rod links and pistons at Sonoma and Seattle. At sea level, everything is crisper and quicker and easier on parts. As a racer, we get back into the groove of what we do on a normal basis. The elevation was tough on us in Denver, so I’m ready to hit the reset button at Sonoma and make more runs.”

You’ve advanced to the finals three times at Sonoma but you’re still looking your first win at the track. What would it mean to bring home a Wally from wine country?

“You want to win at every racetrack. Sonoma is one of the tracks that’s eluded me. I feel confident with the changes we’re making following Denver. I know the changes we’re making will allow the car to go back down the racetrack at a high rate of speed. We all pay attention to the championship points hunt, so we want to put this DieHard Batteries Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car in the top spot and have that cushion at the reset of the Countdown. Every qualifying point, and points during the race, make a difference.”