• Dodge//SRT and Mopar head to the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Camping World Drag Racing Series’ traditional east coast season opener, the Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals, at Florida’s Gainesville Raceway March 10-13
• Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Funny Car driver Matt Hagan seeks his first Gatornationals Wally aboard the Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat
• TSR pilot Leah Pruett set to stage her Dodge Power Brokers dragster among eight competing in NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout specialty race during Saturday qualifying 
• Cruz Pedregon Racing looking to make gains with Snap-on Tools Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car at Gatornationals 
• Seven Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Paks to compete at Gainesville in first of eight Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown events this season and vie for new $10,000-to-win Direct Connection Contingency purse 
• Dodge//SRT and Mopar displays in the NHRA Manufacturers Midway will feature a Direct Connection performance vehicle along with a new look on the Dodge Power Brokers Funny Car simulator for fans to experience the thrill of a nitro run
• Mopar Career Automotive Program (CAP) will kick off the first of seven activations at national events this season at the Dodge//SRT and Mopar displays 

March 8, 2022, Auburn Hills, Michigan — The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Camping World Drag Racing Series’ traditional east coast season opener takes place this weekend at the historic Gainesville Raceway with Dodge//SRT and Mopar racers excited to get staged for the Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals. Tony Stewart Racing’s Matt Hagan and Leah Pruett will seek a first win for their new team aboard their Dodge Power Brokers machines in their respective nitro categories, while both drivers are also looking to collect their first coveted Gatornationals Wally trophies.

Hagan, a three-time NHRA Funny Car World Champion, arrives in Gainesville, Florida, revving to go after powering his Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car from the team’s first No. 1 qualifier position to their first final round appearance at the Arizona Nationals. 

“After spending three weeks on the west coast, we compiled a lot of data out there between one week of testing and two races,” said Hagan. “There is a fair amount of altitude in Phoenix, so we’ll have to transition to sea level in Florida. It looks like it may be a bit of a rainy weekend, so it will be fast and cool. I’m looking forward to it. Crew chiefs will have some big changes to make as far as compression and other things they do to make our cars run better at sea level.” 

Hagan’s drive for success at one of the fastest tracks on the NHRA circuit is further amplified by the fact that it remains one of the few venues at which he has not yet turned on four consecutive win lights.

“Gainesville is a track that has always eluded me,” added Hagan. “I would like to be able to check it off. We are able to set track records if the temperatures and conditions are there, so I feel like we’re going into a racetrack where we can really lay down the performance that TSR is making with my Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat.”

Also ready to launch her Dodge Power Brokers Top Fuel dragster and the weekend on a positive note is Pruett, who puts an unfortunate pair of first round losses in the rearview mirror. Before setting her sights on going rounds in eliminations on Sunday, she’ll stage her 11,000-horsepower dragster for the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout, a thrilling specialty race among eight competitors with a unique format. 

“I am probably more excited about the Callout for various reasons than all of my other competitors,” said Pruett. “I personally have been having trouble on the tree when it comes to Sunday eliminations. Therefore, us having ‘eliminations’ on Saturday will give me the opportunity for redemption I’ve been chewing on for weeks. That will subsequently make for the most extreme competition this team has yet to offer.

“Gainesville Raceway is one of the most historic tracks in the country,” Pruett added. “It’s relatively low sea level and high barometer make for recipes of fast passes but the humidity factor really tries to smother that extra horsepower. Given our unique weather forecast ahead, this weekend is definitely shaping up to be the ultimate horsepower war.”

Pruett is seeded sixth for the first of three shootout rounds set to take place as part of Saturday qualifying. The initial “callouts” will take place prior to the first round of Friday qualifying on March 11 at 5 p.m. Eastern. The quickest first-round winner will have their pick of the remaining semifinal opponents, automatically locking in the other pairing as well. FOX will provide TV coverage of the NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout, including live action of the final round, beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, March 12. 

In addition to Hagan and Pruett competing in the nitro ranks, aboard the Snap-on Tools Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat is two-time Funny Car world champion and 1998 Gatornationals winner Cruz Pedregon. With two drives to the winner’s circle last year, the Cruz Pedregon Racing team is continuing to perform well with two top-five qualifying efforts and five round wins in the first two of 22 NHRA events this season.

The 53rd edition of the legendary Gatornationals event also kicks off the Constant Aviation NHRA Factory Stock Showdown (FSS) eight-event series season which showcases Detroit’s finest drag-racing ready, factory-built vehicles. The Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Paks competing in FSS this year will have even more incentive to go for a Wally as a new Direct Connection Contingency Program will award them with a $10,000 purse, the largest available contingency award from any manufacturer, for earning a win in the exciting fan-favorite race. There are seven Mopar Drag Paks on the entry list looking to qualify for this weekend’s race.

Fans attending the Gatornationals are invited to visit Dodge//SRT and Mopar’s massive 4,800-square-foot display, one of the largest exhibits in the NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, to check out a selection of performance parts and vehicles and meet their favorite Dodge//SRT drivers for autographs. Enthusiasts even get a chance to test their virtual race skills aboard the dueling pair of Dodge Challenger SRT Demon simulators or take to the driver’s seat in the Dodge Power Brokers Funny Car simulator to experience the thrill of a nitro run.  

This weekend the display will also host the Mopar Career Automotive Program (CAP), which launches its fourth season of activation at NHRA national events. The program offers immersive service technician courses through 100 certified training institutions, such as universities, colleges, community colleges and technical centers, with a curriculum designed to immediately place students in Stellantis dealerships upon graduation to meet the demand for new service technicians. 

“We’re looking forward to activating with Dodge//SRT and Mopar at the races. It’s a perfect fit for Mopar CAP,” said Keith Yancy, Director of Stellantis Performance Institute, which manages the program. “Students can turn their passion for automotive technology into a lucrative career working on the hottest cars in the industry.”

Mopar CAP information booths at the Dodge//SRT and Mopar display trailers will feature a subject matter expert, program information, games and giveaways. For information on the program and activation is available at Moparcap.com. 

Fans who can’t make it to the race track this weekend can stream all the Gatornationals action on their digital devices via NHRA.TV and tune in to FS1 for qualifying highlights on Saturday at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Eastern and broadcast elimination round coverage on Sunday, March 13, beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern.

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

$80k and Bragging Rights on the Line Saturday in Gainesville

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (March 7, 2022) – There’s a race within the race during the NHRA Gatornationals this weekend at Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway, and it’ll happen live on FOX.

The north-central Florida track that opened in 1968 and hosted the first Gatornationals event in 1970 plays host to another first on Saturday as part of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series weekend March 10-13. The inaugural Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout is a specialty race that pits the top-eight Top Fuel drivers against one another in a winner-take-all event worth $80,000 and televised live on FOX.

Leah Pruett, a nine-time Top Fuel event winner and driver of the Dodge Power Brokers Top Fuel dragster for Tony Stewart Racing (TSR), is one of the eight drivers in the Callout. She will be joined by reigning Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence and fellow Top Fuel drivers Brittany Force, Mike Salinas, Justin Ashley, Antron Brown, Doug Kalitta and Shawn Langdon.

The Callout is exactly what it sounds like. Prior to the first round of qualifying on Friday, drivers will “call out” who they want to go up against on Saturday. The first to make a call out is Torrence, who earned the No. 1 seed by virtue of his championship in 2021. He gets to pick from the seven drivers who he wants as his opening-round opponent. Force would get the next pick, provided she is not called out by Torrence. Salinas would follow until all the first-round matchups are set.

TSR’s Pruett earned the sixth seed by way of her seventh-place finish in the 2021 championship combined with her qualifying positions in the first two events of the 2022 season – the NHRA Winternationals Feb. 17-20 in Pomona, California, and the NHRA Arizona Nationals Feb. 25-27 in Chandler, Arizona.

The first round of the Callout will take place at 11:45 a.m. ET on Saturday with the semifinals set to follow at 1:30 p.m. FOX comes on the air at 2 p.m. to recap the action from the first round and semifinals before showing the final round live at 3:15 p.m.

“The Callout has really come full circle for us as I helped introduce it at the U.S. Nationals last year on behalf of Dodge,” Pruett said. “It’s something new and exclusive to the NHRA. With the top-eight being able to qualify into it, it’ll have a different format than what we’re used to. It’ll be a little more outlaw-style and allow us to put on our racer hats, and that’s what excites us about it. For this Dodge team to be qualified into it, it says a lot about our program.”

TSR made its NHRA debut at the season-opening Winternationals. In addition to fielding a fulltime Top Fuel entry for Pruett, TSR also campaigns a Funny Car for 39-time event winner and three-time Funny Car champion Matt Hagan. The $80,000 prize for winning the Callout can certainly assist the first-year team.

“Just to have a chance at getting those extra funds for TSR means a lot,” Pruett said. “The money can go toward our backup car, research and development, and extra test sessions. We have very qualified people on our team and those extra resources matter. The guys out here work for a bonus, and this is a bonus race for everyone across the board.”

Leah Pruett & Matt Hagan
Top Fuel | Funny Car
NHRA Arizona Nationals
Feb. 25-27 | Chandler, Arizona

Event Recap

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

● Earned No. 3 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (3.703 ET at 328.22 mph)

●  Scored one bonus point for third-quickest run of the session.

● Earned No. 4 qualifying position in Q2 on Saturday (3.725 ET at 328.14 mph)
● Secured No. 9 qualifying position in Q3 on Saturday (3.922 ET at 232.15 mph)
● Ran a 3.699 ET at 330.07 mph in Round 1 of eliminations in Sunday, lost to Josh Hart (3.705 ET at 332.10 mph)
● Currently 12th in the championship standings, 115 points behind Top Fuel leader Mike Salinas.

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

● Earned No. 4 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (3.859 ET at 324.44 mph)
● Earned No. 4 qualifying position in Q2 on Saturday (3.861 ET at 331.36 mph)
● Secured No. 1 qualifying position in Q3 on Saturday (3.823 ET at 333.41 mph)

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

● Advanced to the Finals on Sunday:

●  Round 1: 3.850 ET at 332.26 mph, defeated Terry Haddock (4.063 ET at 277.43 mph)

●  Round 2: 3.864 ET at 329.91 mph, defeated Alexis DeJoria (3.941 ET at 324.44 mph)

●  Semifinal: 3.875 ET at 332.18 mph, defeated Tim Wilkerson (3.857 ET at 333.16 mph)

●  Final: 4.045 ET at 267.00 mph, lost to Robert Height (3.837 ET at 330.39 mph)

● Currently second in the championship standings, 65 points behind Funny Car leader Robert Hight.

Notes of Interest

● In securing the No. 1 qualifying position on Saturday for the NHRA Arizona Nationals, Hagan set a new track record (3.823 ET at 333.41 mph), surpassing Courtney Force for the quickest run ever at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. It was also the quickest Funny Car run in four years, and it gave Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) its first No. 1 qualifier in just the team’s second event. It was Hagan’s first No. 1 spot of the season and the 44th of his career.

● Hagan now owns track records at five tracks on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series schedule – Phoenix; Norwalk, Ohio; Bristol, Tenn.; Indianapolis; and Topeka, Kansas.

● Hagan’s final round appearance marked the first for TSR and it came in just the second event for the organization. Last weekend’s NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, California, served as TSR’s debut.

● Pruett qualified to participate in the Pep Boys NHRA All-Star Top Fuel Callout in two weeks at Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway. Her combined qualifying times from the Winternationals and Arizona Nationals earned her the sixth spot in the Callout.

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

“We had a real good draw for the first round against Josh Hart. There is no good way to lose, but as a driver, the worst possible way to lose is on a holeshot, and that’s what we had here. For me, two weekends in a row, I have mini two-stepped it, so we have a sequence of negative events that are happening for me on my side of the office. The impressive part is that this team has been able to provide us with a car that is consistent, healthy and running 3.60s. I’m most impressed with the crew members having my back, knowing that we are going to work as a team to correct what I’ve got going on up there. Personally, I’m in such a different head space and enjoying it. I think I’m wanting it more than I ever have. We’ve all put so much effort into making this operation happen and I just want to go out there and kill it. As a result, I’m just a little early (two stepping it), which results in being too late on the tree. So, I’m now looking forward to the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout and really do not give one tiny atom of an iota of whoever calls me out or if I get to call somebody out. I’m focused on going out and getting to race somebody and fixing my problems. That’s what’s exciting to me. I’m focusing on getting my game. You probably won’t hear from me for the next two weeks as I focus on getting ready for the Gatornationals, work on a couple of different items to get back into a performance advantage in the cockpit.”

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

“What a wonderful weekend here in Arizona. It’s just special here. I would’ve loved to have gotten the first win here for TSR with Tony and Leah and with everybody from our Radford (Racing) family here that shows us lots of love and support. What I’m most proud of this weekend is my guys. They made quick turnarounds. Nothing was falling off the racecar. They’re gelling really well and things are starting to flow. That’s huge to me, as that builds confidence. I know what Dickie Venables (crew chief) is capable of. I know we’re going to win a lot of races and get a lot of trophies and the big picture on our mind is that championship. There is still a learning curve, but one thing about Dickie, he learns fast and he’s very methodical about what we do. I feel good with our lights and the way the Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat is running and driving. I know Robert Hight has pulled off two wins now, but it’s just a matter of time before we start pulling in wins for TSR over here. They give us all the parts and pieces that we need. This Dodge Power Brokers Hellcat has been running strong. We sat on the pole and we’re just piecing it together little by little. Really proud of everybody in this organization. We put a hole out on the run (dropped a cylinder) trying to run really hard. We wanted to get back to that record run again and put everything back up the same way, but when you do that, you put a lot of fuel and volume in there and sometimes it’s just too much. It just didn’t go our way this weekend, but we’ve got Gainesville coming up and I’m excited about that. I haven’t yet won the Gatornationals, so I think that’s one I need to put down in my record book.”

Next Up

The next event on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series schedule is the NHRA Gatornationals March 10-13 at Gainesville Raceway.

CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS
WILD HORSE PASS MOTORSPORTS PARK
CHANDLER, ARIZONA
FEB. 27, 2022

Chevrolet scores three more wins in strong start to season

• Robert Hight remains unbeaten in Funny Car competition
• New dad Aaron Stanfield earns fifth Pro Stock victory
• Leo Glasbrenner makes it two in a row in COPO Camaro
CHANDLER, Ariz. (Feb. 27, 2022) – For the 55th time in his Funny Car career, Robert Hight hoisted a Wally into the air.

For the fifth time in his Pro Stock career, Aaron Stanfield did the same.

Hight, driving the Automobile Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS, remained unbeaten on the young National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Camping World Drag Racing Series with a victory in the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.

“It’s one big team effort; it’s a big win,” said the three-time Funny Car champion, who claimed back-to-back wins to start the season for the first time in his career. “Last year was definitely subpar and we worked really hard over the winter. That hard work is really paying off now. Right now, after these two weekends, we have the best of both worlds — quick and consistent. It’s a dream come true to drive a car like this. It’s been a while.”

The Auto Club Chevy was consistent again in eliminations following 3.8 passes on the way to the No. 2 qualifier spot for the second race in a row, producing runs of 3.864, 3.855, 3.847 and finally 3.837 seconds (330.39 mph) in the final against No. 1 qualifier Matt Hagan.

Stanfield, the No. 2 qualifier for the second consecutive race in the Janac Brothers Camaro SS prepared by Elite Motorsports, was runner-up at the season opener the previous week to teammate Erica Enders. In the interim, he welcomed his first child.

“The (Elite Motorsports) guys have been working really hard at the shop trying to get us more power and trying to get these race cars working good. She’s flying. It’s a good day,” said Stanfield, who topped teammate Troy Coughlin Jr. in the JEGS.com Camaro SS in the final with a pass of 6.526 seconds at 210.50 mph.

Hight got past team patriarch John Force, the No. 3 qualifier in the PEAK BlueDEF Platinum Camaro SS, in the semifinals. Force upended reigning Funny Car champion Ron Capps in the quarterfinals – their 112th meeting overall and second in two weeks.

Brittany Force, the No. 6 qualifier in the Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet dragster, faced off against John Force Racing teammate Austin Prock for the second week in a row. This time, Force was victorious in the first-round matchup against Prock, the runner-up at Pomona in the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster. Force fell in the quarterfinals on a holeshot to defending champion Steve Torrence.

Coughlin defeated No. 1 qualifier Kyle Koretsky, driving the Lucas Oil Camaro SS, and Stanfield got past Mason McGaha in the Harlow Sammons of Odessa Camaro SS in the semifinals. Chevrolet has dominated the Pro Stock with 349 wins, including 230 by the Camaro, since the class was introduced in 1970.

Camrie Caruso became the third female in Pro Stock history to turn on a win light, joining Lucinda McFarlin (1992) and Erica Enders (2005). Reigning Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson, driving the HendrickCars.com Camaro SS, will look to Gainesville, Florida, in two weeks to become the fifth NHRA driver overall and second in the pro ranks with 100 wins.

Leo Glasbrenner of Murrieta, California, earned his second consecutive Stock Eliminator national event victory and ninth of his career in his Chevrolet COPO Camaro.

“I told myself at the beginning of the year that I was going to pay more attention to my racing program and just focus more, and it’s paying off,” he said. “I hope it continues to pay off all year long.”

Eliminations from the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals will be telecast at 7 p.m. ET March 13.

An interview with Funny Car winner ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 2 qualifier):
YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE DISAPPOINTED IN THE PERFORMANCE LAST YEAR. WHAT’S CHANGED?
“We basically have the same guys we’ve had for the last three or four years and we won a couple of championships in that time. So, last year was definitely subpar and we worked really hard over the winter. That hard work is really paying off now. I think (co-crew chiefs) Jimmy (Prock) and Chris (Cunningham) are maybe even a little surprised with some of the changes they made a how fast this car is and how it’s responding. You have no idea how hard it is to win one race much less two in a row. It’s unheard of and we’re not getting lucky. This is pure performance.”

YOU CAME HERE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND LOOKED GOOD TESTING. YOU HAD TO HAVE COMFIDENCE COMING IN HERE?
“This three-week swing has been amazing. When we left here from testing, we said we’re coming back here in a couple of weeks, and we really ran good. We just have to go put one together at Pomona and we’re back here. We put it together there, too.”

TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT STARTING TWO FOR TWO.
“This is amazing. The Funny Car class, I feel is the toughest class out here. From top to bottom, it’s’ stacked. And any given weekend, somebody can step up and win. To go and win two in a row in this day and age, that is amazing. If you look back to the string of runs that we’re on, five in a row at Auto Club in the (3.80s) and come here and have seven in a row in the 80s, so that’s pretty impressive what Jimmy (Prock) and Chris (Cunningham) and the whole Auto Club team have come up with over the winter. Even yesterday when the track was 107 degrees, we went up there and ran 84. You don’t surprise Jimmy very often and that run surprised him. It surprised me, too. I’m very fortunate to get to drive this thing right now. It’s what you dream about, and it’s not going to get any easier from here on out. You have big battles, last weekend with (Ron) Capps and this weekend with (Matt) Hagan, and you’re going to see a lot of those battles all year long. I just hope we’re up for it.”

IS JIMMY GOING FOR CONSISTENCY?
“Jimmy and Chris like big numbers. They’ve pushed this thing; we’ve not found the edge yet. This thing is very safe early on, and that’s what we had last year that didn’t work. You’d be going along, and for no reason at all blow the tires off the hit. This thing is anchored, it’s got great traction and honestly I was a little nervous because Hagan ran an 82 last night with similar conditions. Jimmy is not going to say we’re going to go up and lay 84. We’re going to go for it. Jimmy’s not going to be happy until he finds the edge, but the consistency on this side of the edge is pretty amazing. You get over that edge and you’re going to start seeing some tire spin. And from here on out, we’re going to start seeing warmer racetracks and we’re going to have to race a little differently now. You have to give an A-plus for the first two races.”

DOES IT TAKE SOMETHING OFF YOUR SHOULDERS OR MORE INTENSE WITH THIS RUN YOU’RE HAVING?
“You can’t take anybody lightly; you’ve got to stay focused. It’s put this behind us because you cold go to Gainesville and have a bunch of troubles because we haven’t been on a warm racetrack yet. We have to stay focused and not get complacent. We know all the rest of these guys are going to be gunning for us and pushing hard. We just have to keep doing our job. You can’t let up anytime during the year. We want to focus and try to win every race we go to this year, that’s still no guarantee you’re going to win the championship.”

DOES THIS START MAKE YOU THINK WE CAN BE GOOD ALL SEASON LONG?
“Yeah, it does, but you have to stay focused. If you start thinking we’ve got this, it will slap you in the face so fast. We have to continuously work hard and the results will come. I am excited about getting in some different conditions. We haven’t raced in any humidity yet, and you get all of that in Gainesville. Unfortunately, we don’t get to race next weekend. When you’re on a roll like this is when you want to keep racing.”

DID YOU LEARN FROM THE FAILURES TO ADD TO WHAT WAS WORKING TO GET TO WHAT WE’RE SEEING RIGHT NOW?
“We went back to more like we ran in ’19. Jimmy and Chris did some other things and it’s responding.”

YOU GET A BREATHER AND YOU’RE OFF TO GAINESVILLE.
“I’d like to run another week. Gainesville is the kickoff for the East Coast; I can’t wait to get there. We might as well win there.”

An interview with Pro Stock winner AARON STANFIELD, ELITE MOTORSPORTS, MELLING PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 2 qualifier):
WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHANGE IN THE OFFSEASON THAT HAS MADE THIS POSSIBLE?
“The (Elite Motorsports) guys have been working really hard at the shop trying to get us more power and trying to get these race cars working good. She’s flying. It’s a good day.”

IF YOU’VE HAD A BETTER WEEK IN YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
“It would be hard to top. I was able to win this week after getting to the final round last week, but a little disappointing. I’m on Cloud Nine.”

IT APPEARS THE ELITE TEAM HAS MADE GAINS IN THE OFFSEASON.
“They’ve been working really hard and we all have fast hot rods. I had a very fast hot rod today that bailed me out a few times. It was a pretty good day. We’ll have double duty in Gainesville (also driving the Janac Brothers Chevrolet COPO Camaro in the Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown opener) and see if we can if we can’t get both of them in the same day.”

CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT
TOP FUEL:
BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, FLAV-R-PAC/MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (No. 6 qualifier; fell quarterfinals): “Tough day for this Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team out here in a Phoenix. We qualified sixth and lined up with Austin Prock first round. We got past him but got beat in the second round. It was driver error. It’s tough; I got beat on a holeshot. We’ll pack up and head to the next one, put this one behind us and move forward.”

AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (No. 11 qualifier; fell in first round to Brittany Force): “Not the weekend we wanted but it was a weekend of growth. We learned a lot and had a tough first round match-up with Brittany. We had to go out there with our guns loaded and try to run a 3.65. We left hard and had the best sixty-foot on anyone all weekend, but the tires just came loose. It was a good opportunity for me to learn and I got it to recover and got it down there. I learned a little bit on my end and the crew chiefs learned. We’re going to go to Gainesville and try to go to the finals again.”

FUNNY CAR:
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK BLUEDEF PLATINUM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 3 qualifier; fell in semifinals to Robert Hight): “Not a bad weekend for this PEAK Chevy. Qualified decent you know, right there at No. 3. We went some rounds and if I have to lose, well then, I’d rather it be to Robert and that Auto Club car. They’re really something right now, and Brittany and Austin, they’re right in it too. We’ll keep on building, keep working. Danny Hood, Tim Fabrisi, they really pour themselves into this car. So, I’m looking forward to getting to Gainesville and going after it again.”

PRO STOCK:
TROY COUGHLIN JR., ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JEGS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 4 qualifier; runner-up): “That was a big turning point right there We had some electrical gremlins with the EFI stuff that had been haunting us but the guys were relentless in chasing it down and fixing the car. They made the right choices when they had to with some pretty extreme pressure on them. I’m so proud of this group.”

ERICA ENDERS, ELITE MOTORSPORTS, MELLING PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 3 qualifier; fell in quarterfinals): “We hurt a motor on the first run. I didn’t get to wash my hands or sit down or anything before we came up there. It definitely wasn’t the tune-up we were hoping for on that engine. Mason did a great job on the Tree and I haven’t been stellar this weekend.”

KYLE KORETSKY, KB RACING, LUCAS OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier; fell in semifinals): “I think Pro Stock is the hardest class in NHRA. It comes down to that 1,500 rpm shift point, letting the clutch go the same every time. My first national event here in Phoenix and any time at the track is better than a day at work.”

GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, HENDRICKCARS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 7 qualifier; fell in quarterfinals): “It’s been a bit of a slow start, but it’s hard not to have faith in your car and your team coming off the year we had. It’s taking a little time, and we’re a little puzzled as to why.”

CAMRIE CARUSO, CARUSO FAMILY RACING, POWERBUILT TOOLS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 8 qualifier; fell in quarterfinals): “I think I’ll still be learning for a long time to come. There’s so much to these cars. My entire team, I can’t thank them enough for helping me progress.”

MASON MCGAHA, HARLOW SAMMONS RACING, HARLOW SAMMONS OF ODESSA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 11 qualifier; fell in semifinals): “I’m just trying to do my thing. I don’t want to go up there and think about it too much because that can throw you off. You just have to go up there and make consistent runs.”
About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. 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.

NUMBER ONE QUALIFIER AND SEMI-FINAL SHOWING HIGHLIGHT TGRNA IN ARIZONA
Kalitta Claims Number One Qualifier, Torrence Makes Semi-Final Appearance

CHANDLER, Ariz. (February 27, 2022) – As the NHRA made it’s second stop of the season at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park outside Phoenix, Arizona, TGRNA (Toyota Gazoo Racing North America) claimed the number one qualifier with Doug Kalitta in his Toyota Top Fuel dragster and Steve Torrence drove his Toyota Top Fuel dragster to the semi-finals.

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series
Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park
Race 2 of 22

TOYOTA TOP FUEL QUALIFYING POSITIONS

Name	Car	Final Result	Round-by-Round
Steve Torrence	Capco Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Semi-final	L v. Salinas (5.981 v. 3.693)W v. Force (3.710 v. 3.709) HoleshotW v. Foley (3.686 v. 12.043)
Shawn Langdon	DHL Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Round 2	L v. Salinas (3.726 v. 3.692)W v. Brown (3.699 v. 3.742)
Justin Ashley	Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Round 1	L v. Schumacher (4.026 v. 3.892)
Antron Brown	Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Round 1	L v. Langdon (3.742 v. 3.699)
Doug Kalitta	Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Round 1	L v. Passey (5.606 v. 4.318)

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING POSITIONS

Name	Car	Final Result	Round-by-Round
Alexis DeJoria	Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	Round 2	L v. Hagan (3.941 v. 3.864)W v. Todd (3.944 v. 4.303)
J.R. Todd	DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	Round 1	L v. DeJoria (4.303 v. 3.944)

TOYOTA QUOTES

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

Final Result: Semi-Finals

What happened in the semi-finals to eliminate you from today’s race?

“I’m not for certain, but we don’t typically smoke the tires on a hit like that. So I’m sure that we might have had something malfunction. The track has been spectacular all day and you’ve seen it, you’ve seen it in the numbers. We’ll get in here and figure out what it was. We’re working on a new setup, trying to just improve. We’ve been in the same spot for the last four years and the cars been so consistent and so predictable. But we’ve got to build on that and we’ve got to try to step up our game because everybody else has. Good day for us all together. The Capco Toyota car — we’re just going to try to keep marching on. We go to Gainesville and we’re number one seed in that Pep Boys Callout. So we’re going to try to win that first and then we’ll concentrate on the race second.”

As the number one seed for the Callout, what is your game plan?

“We’ll analyze our competition pretty thoroughly and make a decision based on that. I think that they also said that maybe second round was going to be called out. So there’s no way to try to manipulate the ladder. You’ve just got to go out and do the best you can, but I’m pretty confident in our cars with what we learned in the last three weeks of running the car, so I feel like we’re headed in the right direction. I’m pretty confident.”

DOUG KALITTA, MAC TOOLS Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Kalitta Motorsports

Final Result: Round 1

After qualifying number one, unfortunately eliminated in round one. What happened and what can you take out of the weekend moving forward?

“I couldn’t be happier with the effort from our Mac Tools team for this weekend’s race. To get the number one qualifier for the first time in a few years was definitely a step in the right direction. Of course round one didn’t go anywhere near what we wanted and had to try to pedal the car to the line, but it just wasn’t enough. Overall, we’re encouraged by our performance this weekend and I expect good things heading to Gainesville.”

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

Final Result: Round 1

What happened in round one?

“Each time I get in this Phillips Connect Vita C Shot Toyota dragster I tend to experience something new. That pedal job was a great learning experience for me. I felt it shake the tires and I was able to get back on it. I looked over to the left hand lane and saw Tony out in front of me and I was just about to lift. I noticed he started mixing up cylinders and I said to myself ‘let’s just stay on it and see if we can catch him.’ We just ran out of real estate. Every experience is valuable and that was one of them.”

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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.

Kansas City, MO (February 24, 2022) – To mark 55 years of drag racing participation, WELD is sponsoring a number of Top Fuel and Funny Car teams participating in the 2022 NHRA season.

As the fastest wheel brand on the planet, WELD will continue to support Stringer Performance and driver Clay Millican in Top Fuel. It also returns with John Force Racing across four classes of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. The cars will be driven by familiar faces including John Force, Brittany Force and Robert Hight, with the addition of 2019 Auto Club Road the Future Award winner, Austin Prock.

WELD Racing has formed partnerships with Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan in the newly formed Tony Stewart Nitro Racing; three-time NHRA Champion Antron Brown and his first-year team AB Motorsports; and defending Funny Car champion Ron Capps and his new Ron Capps Motorsports team.

With its roots firmly entrenched in drag racing WELD is able to utilize its history and passion for the sport as the inspiration for its legendary wheel design and the ultimate proving grounds. As such, WELD is delighted to continues its commitment to support both established teams with sponsorship and assist fledging teams through its 2022 contingency program.

“As the 2022 NHRA schedule gets underway, we’re proud to align ourselves with some of the most prominent teams in drag racing competition, “said Andres Cisneros, President of MW Company. “We look forward to the upcoming season and hope to see our partners on the winner’s podium.”

For more than 55 years, WELD has built technologically superior wheels and continues the tradition of building Racing and Performance wheels using 21st century technology while giving the customer top quality, true craftsmanship, and excellent customer service.

For more information, please visit www.weldwheels.com

ABOUT WELD

Founded in a Kansas City garage in 1967, WELD was the result of a relentless pursuit of speed, durability, and safety. The company engineers and produces performance automotive wheels for professional racing, off-road and aftermarket vehicles. WELD wheels are designed and engineered in the USA. WELD is part of the MW Company portfolio of brands across racing and automotive aftermarket industries. For more information, please visit https://www.weldwheels.com

ABOUT MW COMPANY

MW Company is an engineering, design, manufacturing, and marketing company with a portfolio of leading brands in the automotive and lifestyle industry. Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., its portfolio of brands includes WELD, MOMO, Forgestar, ADV.1, CCW Forged Performance, Driven Motorsports, Reds, HiPer Technology and Tikore. The company employs more than 200 people worldwide. MW Company is part of the Cisneros Corp, a third-generation global family enterprise with experience in numerous industries across media, telecommunications, consumer goods and automotive brands. Learn more at https://mw.company

CHEVROLET AT PHOENIX

What: NHRA Arizona Nationals
When: Friday, Feb. 25-Sunday, Feb. 27
Where: Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona
TV: FS1 will telecast taped eliminations at 7 p.m. ET Sunday, Feb.27

Team Chevy ready to run fast at Wild Horse Pass
Momentum from Funny Car, Pro Stock wins and Top Fuel runner-up carry over

DETROIT (Feb. 24, 2022) – Inconsistency, acknowledges Robert Hight, was the main culprit preventing the three-time NHRA Funny Car champion and the Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS from contending for the 2021 title.

“That wasn’t a lot of fun last year,” he said. “Since Jimmy (Prock) came back, we’ve been in the thick of things every year. Won two championships, set records. But the guys stayed focused, worked really hard and looked at what bit us last year.”
After qualifying No. 2 in the season opener at Pomona, California, Hight laid down runs of 3.890, 3.893, 3.861 and 3.861 seconds in winning for the 54th time in his Funny Car career. It was the 147th Funny Car victory for Chevrolet, including 67 with the Camaro model and 20 by Hight, since 1967.

“If you look at our runs in testing and our runs here, I think they’ve found it,” he added. “We have to work race by race, run by run. This is a long road to win this championship. It’s not going to be easy. We’re up for the task. We on a mission, we’re focused and we’re going to do the best we can.”

Hight and rest of the Chevrolet contingent turn their attention to Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in suburban Phoenix for the NHRA Arizona Nationals. The event was not held in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hight’s teammate at John Force Racing, Austin Prock, also found consistency in the Montana Brands/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster. Qualifying fourth, Prock was the runner-up in the Winternationals for the second time in three appearances. After racing to the NHRA rookie of the year award in 2019, Prock competed in only three races the past two seasons.

His season debut was just about all that he could ask for. “This is my dream to drive this race car, and to be back and doing what I love again, it’s a lot of fun,” he said.

Brittany Force, driving the Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster, claimed the top qualifier honor at Pomona. It was the 11th No. 1 in the past 14 races for Force, who owns both ends of the Wild Horse Pass track records for Top Fuel (3.643 seconds and 337.92 mph, both set in February 2020).

Four-time Pro Stock champion Erica Enders dominated the opening weekend, riding the No. 1 qualifying spot to victory in the Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro SS.

Coming up short a semifinal matchup with Enders, reigning and five-time Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson, driving the HendrickCars.com Camaro SS, will seek his 100th career victory. She won the 2020 race at Wild Horse Pass. Chevrolet has recorded 348 wins, including 229 with the Camaro model, in 900 Pro Stock races since 1970.

FS1 will telecast taped eliminations at 7 p.m. ET Sunday, Feb. 27.

CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT
TOP FUEL
BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONSTER ENERGY/FLAV-R-PAC CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (No. 1 qualifier and semifinalist at opener): “This team is off to a great start. We ran well during qualifying, got the No. 1qualifier, and made a semifinal-round appearance. We have a great team around us with David Grubnic, Mac Savage, and all our guys with two new additions.”

AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (No. 4 qualifier and runner-up at opener): “Great start to the year. This team got put together about three to four weeks ago, and I thought we did an excellent job this past weekend. It’s going to be a long, fun year, and I’m really looking forward to it. This is my dream to drive this race car, and to be back and doing what I love again, it’s a lot of fun.”

FUNNY CAR
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK BLUEDEF PLATINUM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (has eight wins at the track): “Ron Capps won the championship last year, but I don’t quit because he won the championship. I won’t quit because I lost first round (at Pomona). I drive this PEAK BlueDEF Chevy because I love driving race cars and I will fix it. It will only make me stronger.”

ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 2 qualifier and winner at opener): “It’s one of many battles, the first race of the year. To get the job done is a big day. We’re going to have a lot more of those this year.”

PRO STOCK
ERICA ENDERS, ELITE MOTORSPORTS, MELLING PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier and winner in opener): “We opted not to go to Phoenix (for testing in early February) because with all the fuel cars there we would probably only make three runs per day. With seven cars and 45 crew guys, we kind of wanted to make our own cluster at Bakersfield. We were able to do really well. We knew when we got our butts whipped here last year at the world finals that we had to go to work, and the guys did just that.”

GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, HENDRICKCARS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 4 qualifier and semifinalist at opener; seeking to become fifth driver with 100 wins): “We did OK, but that’s not good enough. We have to go back to work. It’s obvious that some of the other teams have gained on us. We can run as fast as anybody right now, but we can’t run faster. We want to outrun everybody, like we did last year, so we have to get back to work and figure out how to find more power. The HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro is fast, and that’s great. But we need it to be faster. That’s what we’re going to work on.”

DALLAS GLENN, KB RACING, RAD TORQUE SYSTEMS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (semifinalist in opener): “It was nice to get behind the RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro last weekend. I wish we would’ve come back with the win the first race out, but I have to stay realistic with this new, to me, car. We’re getting the kinks out of it one lap at a time, and I think we will have a successful weekend in Phoenix.”

KYLE KORETSKY, KB RACING, LUCAS OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 3 qualifier in opener): “It was definitely a good start to the season. We’ll go to Phoenix and be ready to take it to the winner’s circle. (Testing two weeks ago at facility) The track is definitely not all there. We’ll continue to work on it, and I think we have enough data from the test session to really come out swinging. I was pleased with how we started out. We qualified out good and every round we got better.”

MATT HARTFORD, HARTFORD RACING, TOTAL SEAL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “(Arizona) is our hometown race and we’ll have a lot of friends and family and a lot of the employees come down, so it’s really important that we get to have a race in our hometown. We want to win everywhere, but we really want to win at home. We’re going to try to do better tomorrow than we did today, and we’re going to focus on exceeding our own expectations.”

TROY COUGHLIN JR., ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JEGS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “Phoenix will be the perfect place to get past (early exit at Pomona because of a loose nut in right rear shock) and turn in a big result. It’s a long season and there will always be races that don’t live up to your expectations. How we react is key. I fully expect us to be back in contention this weekend. We’ll take nothing for granted and do all the work we need to do each round to put ourselves in the best position possible come race day.”

CAMRIE CARUSO, CAMRIE CARUSO RACING, POWERBUILT TOOLS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (qualified seventh in Pro Stock debut at Pomona): “I think when you look at the whole weekend, this Powerbuilt Tools team did really well. We made some big strides, and we just have to take the positive from this race to Phoenix and beyond. Our biggest takeaway headed to Phoenix is we want to keep making good runs and just get that first win light in Arizona. We tested in Phoenix, but I think the national event will have a different feel. I am looking forward to getting back out there.”

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. 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
NHRA Arizona Nationals
Feb. 25-27 | Chandler, Arizona

Event Overview

Friday, Feb. 25 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Nitro qualifying session (Q1): 5 p.m. MST/7 p.m. EST

Saturday, Feb. 26 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Nitro qualifying session (Q2): 1:30 p.m. MST/3:30 p.m. EST
● Nitro qualifying session (Q3): 4:30 p.m. MST/6:30 p.m. EST

Sunday, Feb. 27 (Nitro Eliminations, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Round 1: 11 a.m. MST/1 p.m. EST
● Round 2: 1:20 p.m. MST/3:20 p.m. EST
● Semi-Finals: 2:50 p.m. MST/4:50 p.m. EST
● Finals: 4:10 p.m. MST/6:10 p.m. EST

TV coverage on FS1

● Saturday, Feb. 26: Qualifying show, recapping all of Friday’s action (9 a.m. MST/11 a.m. EST)
● Saturday, Feb. 26: Qualifying show, recapping all of Saturday’s action (5:30 p.m. MST/7:30 p.m. EST)
● Sunday, Feb. 27: Finals show, recapping all of Sunday’s final-round action (5 p.m. MST/7 p.m. EST)

Notes of Interest

● Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park is located in Chandler, Arizona, just on the outskirts of Phoenix. It is a multi-use race facility that includes four racetracks – an NHRA sanctioned drag strip, a 1.6-mile road course, a 10-turn 1.25 mile road course, and a 1.1 mile road course. The drag strip is home to this weekend’s NHRA Arizona Nationals.

● Sparkling Ice +Caffeine is the primary partner of Leah Pruett and her Top Fuel dragster from Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) this weekend during the NHRA Arizona Nationals. It’s the first of the brand’s two primary sponsorships in 2022, with Sparkling Ice +Caffeine returning to Pruett’s 11,000-horsepower machine July 29-31 for the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Kent Washington. 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 nine of her Top Fuel victories.

● Dodge Power Brokers and Direct Connection are the primary partners of Matt Hagan and his TSR-prepared Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car this weekend for the NHRA Arizona Nationals. The new Dodge Power Brokers program will roll out ready to serve as the exclusive source for all new Direct Connection, Dodge’s factory-backed performance parts program, and equipped with staff trained to deliver a performance-focused customer service experience.

● The Arizona Nationals will mark Pruett’s 174th career Top Fuel start and her ninth at Phoenix.

● The Arizona Nationals will mark Hagan’s 295th career Funny Car start and his 13th at Phoenix.

● Pruett earned her first and second career Top Fuel victories at Phoenix. In the 2016 Arizona Nationals, she defeated Brittany Force. And in Pruett’s return to Phoenix in 2017, she successfully defended her win by outdueling Doug Kalitta to earn her second Top Fuel triumph.

● When Pruett faced Force in the 2016 Arizona Nationals, it was the first time in NHRA history that two women faced off in the final round.

● Phoenix is Pruett’s most successful venue. In addition to her two Top Fuel victories, she has three final round appearances (2016, 2017 and 2019) and one No. 1 qualifier (2017). She also earned her career best speed at Phoenix – 334.15 mph in Q3 during the 2018 Arizona Nationals.

● Hagan has three career Funny Car wins at Phoenix (2015, defeated Del Worsham; 2017, defeated Ron Capps; and 2019, defeated J.R. Todd).

● Hagan has made four final-round appearances at Phoenix (2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019).

● Hagan has two No. 1 qualifiers at Phoenix (2015 and 2020).

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

There was a lot of newness surrounding you as you came into this season – how does it feel to have a full race weekend under your belt as you now turn your attention to Phoenix?

“The Phoenix race can’t come soon enough for us. We’re very pleased with the place we are right now, which is a position to continue to chip away at the performance. It’s very common for new teams and cars to throw tune-up darts in the dark hoping to at least land on the board. We’ve been hitting the board since day one and narrowing in on the bullseye, which is the 3.6-second zone. It’s much better to be under-aggressive and work our way up than over-aggressive and back into it. It’s an exciting time to transition so soon for just getting everything shook down, to focusing on faster performance. Many of the teams that were running in the 60s were also blowing up every run and killing blocks and superchargers. We don’t want to be doing that, hence the importance of our Sparkling Ice dragster running fast and healthy.”

You were able to test at Phoenix Feb. 9-12. How valuable were those days to you and your team and how helpful will they be for this weekend’s event at Phoenix?

“Racing on the same surface we tested on is important and will provide a valuable baseline heading into qualifying. It looks to be much cooler than when we tested there, so we can’t wait to wick it up. Phoenix is home to two of my Wally’s, and I would love to add to the Arizona Wally family. I also consider this race somewhat of a hometown race, as an Arizona resident, but also because I believe any racetrack that you can drive to in just a couple hours, as a racer or fan or family, really qualifies it as a home track to me.”

What are the characteristics of the track at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park and what challenges does it pose to make a quick run?

“The cool conditions, low altitude and low humidity in Phoenix make for a quick run. The atmospheric conditions factor into a successful run there, rather than the surface of the track.”

Between your test at Phoenix, your race last weekend at Pomona, and now your return to Phoenix for the second race of the NHRA schedule, is this stretch of West Coast racing helpful because it allows you to work in a similar climate for three weeks and hone routines because everyone is together, or is it a bit of a grind because it’s nearly a month on the road away from the team’s home base in Brownsburg, Indiana?

“This West Coast stretch at the start of the year is always challenging because there is no ‘warming up’ to the season. The parts you order and the people you put in place are fixed, and you’re committed to making that program work for those races. You’re not able to run back to the shop to build this piece or swap that part. So, this swing demands very thorough attention to detail. It also poses an immediate opportunity to have quick gratification after a never-ending couple of months of nonstop work. It’s nice for us all to immediately get a couple chances to get some feel-good win lights. By the end of Phoenix, everyone is going to be looking forward to catching our breath, but right now, we’re full steam, hammer down.”

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

After your debut event with Tony Stewart Racing last weekend at Pomona, how does it feel to have a full race weekend under your belt as you now turn your attention to Phoenix?

“Putting Pomona behind us and rolling into Phoenix right away helps the team get back into the groove of things – making a run, taking it apart, putting it back together and dragging it back up to the starting line and just getting back into the rhythm. That rhythm helps builds confidence in my team and lets me just focus on what I have to do on the starting line with the Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat so we can turn on more win lights.”

You were able to test at Phoenix Feb. 9-12. How valuable were those days to you and your team and how helpful will they be for this weekend’s event at Phoenix?

“I love being at Phoenix. I love the atmosphere. I love the track and the scene around it. We were able to make 10 runs in testing, which got us to where we’re at now. I feel like we’ll roll in there with some really valuable data on both lanes, since we ran side-to-side. I feel really confident about it and the track will only get better since NHRA will be there prepping it and spraying it down. They’re doing a great job of putting a good racetrack underneath of us.”

What are the characteristics of the track at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park and what challenges does it pose to make a quick run?

“There aren’t a whole lot of challenges at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. It’s a good, smooth track and the shut-down is long. We don’t have a whole lot to worry about there. For us, it will be important to get the car dialed-in to run up top. I really think Dickie (Venables, crew chief) can go out there and stand on the pole in Phoenix, so I’m excited about that.”

Between your test at Phoenix, your race last weekend at Pomona, and now your return to Phoenix for the second race of the NHRA schedule, is this stretch of West Coast racing helpful because it allows you to work in a similar climate for three weeks and hone routines because everyone is together, or is it a bit of a grind because it’s nearly a month on the road away from the team’s home base in Brownsburg, Indiana?

“I think this team is used to being on the road and on the grind. For us, any time we get to tracks that are comparable with altitude or the same weather conditions, it helps crew chiefs.”