Category: NHRA

National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) news and information

  • STAN SHELTON GET FIRST CAREER WIN IN CONGRUITY NHRA PRO MOD SERIES AT ST. LOUIS

    STAN SHELTON GET FIRST CAREER WIN IN CONGRUITY NHRA PRO MOD SERIES AT ST. LOUIS

    ST. LOUIS (Sept. 29, 2024) – For the second straight race, a first-time winner found the winner’s circle in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, as Stan Shelton defeated Mason Wright in the final round on Sunday at World Wide Technology Raceway as part of this weekend’s NHRA Midwest Nationals.

    The event was the third in the category’s four-race “Road to the Championship” playoffs and was powered by M&M Transmission and Jerry Bickel Race Cars. It also marked the ninth of 10 races during the 2024 season.

    Advancing to his second career final round after defeating Michael Stavrinos, Lyle Barnett and defending event winner Jordan Lazic, Shelton went 5.786-seconds at 245.58 mph in his Culp Lumber Ford Mustang to hold off Wright’s 5.806 at 234.66.

    After qualifying 11th, Shelton posted reaction times of .010, .013 and .011 in the first three rounds, setting up a memorable final round and a thrilling first victory in the NHRA Pro Mod category.

    “This is very difficult to win. This class is so challenging and today was the day,” Shelton said. “My crew did an awesome job and this feels great. We’ve got such a great thing going on in Pro Mod and driver is such a small part in getting one of these. The crew are the ones doing everything behind the scenes and I just had to do my job.”

    On a wild weekend in St. Louis, Khalid Al Balooshi moved into the points lead, despite losing in the second round. Justin Bond jumped all the way to second and is just 12 points out of first heading into the final race of the NHRA Pro Mod season. Lazic is in third, 24 points out of first, while Ken Quartuccio is 26 points behind the leader.

    Wright advanced to the final round for the second time in his career by defeating Chip King, defending world champion Mike Castellana and Bond.

    The Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ closes out its 2024 season at the Ford Performance NHRA Nationals on Oct. 31-Nov. 3 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.


    MADISON, Ill. — Final finish order (1-16) at the 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway. The race is the ninth of 10 events in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+.

    PRO MODIFIED:

    1. Stan Shelton; 2. Mason Wright; 3. Justin Bond; 4. Jordan Lazic; 5. Mike Castellana; 6. JR Gray; 7. Lyle Barnett; 8. Khalid alBalooshi; 9. Billy Banaka; 10. Mike Stavrinos; 11. Kevin Rivenbark; 12. Nick Januik; 13. Dmitry Samorukov; 14. Chip King; 15. Doug Winters; 16. Kris Thorne.

    MADISON, Ill. — Sunday’s final results from the 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway. The race is the ninth of 10 events in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+.

    Pro Modified — Stan Shelton, Ford Mustang, 5.786, 245.58 def. Mason Wright, Chevy Camaro, 5.806, 234.66.

    MADISON, Ill. — Final round-by-round results from the 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway. The race is the ninth of 10 events in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+.

    PRO MODIFIED:

    ROUND ONE — Mike Castellana, Chevy Camaro, 5.738, 249.76 def. Kevin Rivenbark, Ford Mustang, 5.821, 246.98; Jordan Lazic, Camaro, 5.777, 248.98 def. Nick Januik, Chevy Corvette, 5.904, 242.19; JR Gray, Camaro, 5.769, 248.98 def. Dmitry Samorukov, Camaro, 6.064, 241.07; Justin Bond, Camaro, 5.772, 245.23 def. Billy Banaka, Camaro, 5.740, 249.03; Lyle Barnett, Camaro, 5.805, 244.74 def. Kris Thorne, Camaro, Foul – Red Light; Stan Shelton, Mustang, 5.766, 245.99 def. Mike Stavrinos, Camaro, 5.781, 245.27; Khalid alBalooshi, Camaro, 5.796, 249.95 def. Doug Winters, Chevy Chevelle, 8.061,

    115.59; Mason Wright, Camaro, 5.728, 250.32 def. Chip King, Dodge Charger, 7.158, 128.10;

    QUARTERFINALS — Shelton, 5.811, 244.92 def. Barnett, 5.818, 244.65; Lazic, 5.741, 249.39 def. Gray, 5.766, 250.51; Wright, 5.744, 249.53 def. Castellana, Foul – Red Light; Bond, 6.768, 150.11 def. alBalooshi, Broke;

    SEMIFINALS — Shelton, 5.841, 244.92 def. Lazic, 6.744, 146.42; Wright, 5.742, 249.35 def. Bond, 5.792, 244.83;

    FINAL — Shelton, 5.786, 245.58 def. Wright, 5.806, 234.66.

    MADISON, Ill. — Point standings (top 10) following the 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway. The race is the ninth of 10 events in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+.

    Pro Modified

    1. Khalid alBalooshi, 956; 2. Justin Bond, 944; 3. Jordan Lazic, 932; 4. Ken Quartuccio, 930; 5. Mason Wright, 921; 6. Kris Thorne, 918; 7. Kevin Rivenbark, 906; 8. Billy Banaka, 887; 9. Dmitry Samorukov, 881; 10. Mike Castellana, 876.
  • CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE IN CONGRUITY NHRA PRO MOD SERIES STILL LOADED WITH CONTENDERS IN ST. LOUIS

    CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE IN CONGRUITY NHRA PRO MOD SERIES STILL LOADED WITH CONTENDERS IN ST. LOUIS

    ST. LOUIS (Sept. 27, 2024) – Two races remain in the 2024 season in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ and there’s still plenty on the line heading to St. Louis as part of this weekend’s NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway.

    It is the ninth of 10 races during the 2024 season and the third of four events in the “Road to the Championship,” with several top drivers still alive in the title chase. This weekend’s event in St. Louis is powered by both M&M Transmissions and Jerry Bickel Race Cars, and another huge field will entertain fans in St. Louis as the Pro Mod season hits a thrilling point.

    A wild weekend in Charlotte included a first-time winner in Travis Harvey, as he filled in for former world champion Khalid Al Balooshi, sending the veteran to second in points in the process. Al Balooshi now trails Ken Quartuccio by just 19 points, with a flurry of additional contenders still racing for the championship.

    A number of top teams, including Bahrain 1 Racing, Scott Tidwell Racing, Team Shelton Motorsports and title contender Jose Gonzalez, are M&M Transmission customers, with the company thrilled to be part of such an important race weekend at their home facility.

    “St Louis is our home track, so it was a natural decision to support our NHRA Pro Mod racers and customers,” said Mark Micke, M&M Transmission Owner and CEO. “Our on-track maintenance services are an extension of our beliefs of delivering reliability and performance to enable the quickest and fastest doorslammers in the world to win and set records.”

    Jordan Lazic won last year in St. Louis and, like Harvey in Charlotte, did so in his first career start. Lazic is currently seventh in points, 65 out of first, showcasing the number of standouts still in title contention. Former world champs Kris Thorne and Gonzalez are 38 and 45 points behind, respectively, while Kevin Rivenbark rounds out the top five, trailing Quartuccio by 46 points.

    Justin Bond is just 48 points out of first, while other standouts in St. Louis include Charlotte runner-up Dmitry Samorukov, reigning world champion Mike Castellana, Billy Banaka, Mason Wright, J.R. Gray and Michael Stavrinos.

    Rain wiped out qualifying on Friday in St. Louis, meaning the NHRA Pro Mod drivers will get two shots at the track on Saturday, with qualifying times set for 11:15 a.m. and 4:50 p.m. CT in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+. The first round of eliminations is slated for 9:05 a.m. CT on Sunday.

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


    MADISON, Ill. — Final finish order (1-16) at the 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway. The race is the ninth of 10 events in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+.

    PRO MODIFIED:

    1. Stan Shelton; 2. Mason Wright; 3. Justin Bond; 4. Jordan Lazic; 5. Mike Castellana; 6. JR Gray; 7. Lyle Barnett; 8. Khalid alBalooshi; 9. Billy Banaka; 10. Mike Stavrinos; 11. Kevin Rivenbark; 12. Nick Januik; 13. Dmitry Samorukov; 14. Chip King; 15. Doug Winters; 16. Kris Thorne.

    MADISON, Ill. — Sunday’s final results from the 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway. The race is the ninth of 10 events in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+.

    Pro Modified — Stan Shelton, Ford Mustang, 5.786, 245.58 def. Mason Wright, Chevy Camaro, 5.806, 234.66.

    MADISON, Ill. — Final round-by-round results from the 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway. The race is the ninth of 10 events in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+.

    PRO MODIFIED:

    ROUND ONE — Mike Castellana, Chevy Camaro, 5.738, 249.76 def. Kevin Rivenbark, Ford Mustang, 5.821, 246.98; Jordan Lazic, Camaro, 5.777, 248.98 def. Nick Januik, Chevy Corvette, 5.904, 242.19; JR Gray, Camaro, 5.769, 248.98 def. Dmitry Samorukov, Camaro, 6.064, 241.07; Justin Bond, Camaro, 5.772, 245.23 def. Billy Banaka, Camaro, 5.740, 249.03; Lyle Barnett, Camaro, 5.805, 244.74 def. Kris Thorne, Camaro, Foul – Red Light; Stan Shelton, Mustang, 5.766, 245.99 def. Mike Stavrinos, Camaro, 5.781, 245.27; Khalid alBalooshi, Camaro, 5.796, 249.95 def. Doug Winters, Chevy Chevelle, 8.061,

    115.59; Mason Wright, Camaro, 5.728, 250.32 def. Chip King, Dodge Charger, 7.158, 128.10;

    QUARTERFINALS — Shelton, 5.811, 244.92 def. Barnett, 5.818, 244.65; Lazic, 5.741, 249.39 def. Gray, 5.766, 250.51; Wright, 5.744, 249.53 def. Castellana, Foul – Red Light; Bond, 6.768, 150.11 def. alBalooshi, Broke;

    SEMIFINALS — Shelton, 5.841, 244.92 def. Lazic, 6.744, 146.42; Wright, 5.742, 249.35 def. Bond, 5.792, 244.83;

    FINAL — Shelton, 5.786, 245.58 def. Wright, 5.806, 234.66.

    MADISON, Ill. — Point standings (top 10) following the 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway. The race is the ninth of 10 events in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+.

    Pro Modified

    1. Khalid alBalooshi, 956; 2. Justin Bond, 944; 3. Jordan Lazic, 932; 4. Ken Quartuccio, 930; 5. Mason Wright, 921; 6. Kris Thorne, 918; 7. Kevin Rivenbark, 906; 8. Billy Banaka, 887; 9. Dmitry Samorukov, 881; 10. Mike Castellana, 876.
  • NHRA AT WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY: Team Chevy Race Report | Notes & Quotes

    NHRA AT WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY: Team Chevy Race Report | Notes & Quotes

    CHEVROLET IN NHRA
    2024 NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS
    WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY
    MADISON, ILLINOIS
    TEAM CHEVY RACE REPORT | NOTES & STATS
    SEPT. 29, 2024

    JACK BECKMAN AND JOHN FORCE RACING CAPTURE THE NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS VICTORY AT WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY

    Competing on Behalf of John Force in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, Beckman Notches his 36th Career NHRA Win and 34th in Funny Car

    Notes:

    • Capturing Chevrolet’s 169th NHRA win, Jack Beckman, driving the PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car on behalf of John Force, captured his 36th career NHRA win and 34th in Funny Car Sunday at World Wide Technology Raceway.
    • After stepping back into a Funny Car for the first time in four years at Brainerd this season to compete on behalf of Force for the championship, Beckman raced to the Winner’s Circle in his 74th career final round and earned valuable points for Force.
    • Despite facing issues on his semifinal run, Prock still leads the Countdown to the Championship point standings leaving World Wide Technology Raceway over John Force by 105 points. With Beckman’s Midwest Nationals win, he moves John Force up to second in the championship standings over Bob Tasca, III in third.
    • John Force Racing’s Funny Cars are perfect in final round appearances and wins so far during the Countdown to the Championship, with Prock winning Reading and Charlotte 2, and Beckman winning Sunday at World Wide Technology Raceway.
    • Facing only two qualifying sessions Saturday with Friday canceled for inclement weather, Prock leveraged his winning momentum to capture his 12th-career No. 1 qualifier with his stunning Q1 run of 3.836 seconds E.T. at 330.72 mph.
    • Brittany Force qualified No. 3 after two qualifying sessions Saturday but faced an early end to her Midwest Nationals race day after being eliminated by Shawn Reed in Round 2.
    • Dallas Glenn, of KB Titan Racing, and Aaron Stanfield, of Elite Motorsports, once again faced off in the Pro Stock finals, with Glenn coming out the Midwest Nationals victor over Stanfield, running 6.577 seconds E.T. at 207.82 mph.
    • Sunday’s victory is Glenn’s 13th career victory, and with his impressive 0.010 seconds reaction time in the finals, he captured a back-to-back win after last week at Charlotte 2. Glenn continues to lead the Pro Stock championship standings by 31 points over Aaron Stanfield.
    • Glenn’s win Sunday is Chevrolet’s 398th in the Pro Stock category since 1970.
    • Six-time Pro Stock champion Erica Enders, driving the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Melling Chevrolet Camaro SS machine, captured her 41st career No. 1 qualifier after running 6.565 seconds E.T. at 208.01 mph in Q1.
    • Aaron Stanfield captured the Factory X Wally trophy Sunday at the NHRA Midwest Nationals and leaves St. Louis continuing to lead the point standings by 119 over Lenny Lottig.

    Quotes:

    JACK BECKMAN, DRIVER OF THE PEAK ANTIFREEZE AND COOLANT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS FUNNY CAR, JOHN FORCE RACING:

    “This is John’s trophy. He’ll tell me to take it home. But I have to thank John (Force), I’ve got to thank Robert Hight. For the confidence they had in me, all the sponsors… When Robert (Hight) called me, he said ‘Here’s the deal. If you want to do it, I still have to check all the boxes off.’ They called PEAK, they went to Chevy, and everybody said, ‘Yeah, we’re willing to let him get in there.’ They took a chance on me, and that group of guys on the PEAK Chevy Camaro team, they’re the baddest in the country today. We’re going to savor this. It feels great to be back.”

    Everybody has been trying to take out your teammate (Austin Prock), but you’re the one to do it. How?

    “I guess we cashed in here. They’ve (Austin Prock and the AAA team) been the class of the field. Our guys had to change the body after the first round. They blew up a Camaro SS pretty good there, but the PEAK/BlueDEF car… Clearly, the AAA/Cornwell Tools car (of Austin Prock) has been amazing all year long. We’re pretty darn good ourselves here. We’ve got a great chance to take a chunk out of their points lead. But more importantly, we want a win for John (Force).”

    AUSTIN PROCK, DRIVER OF THE AAA/CORNWELL TOOLS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS FUNNY CAR, JOHN FORCE RACING:

    “Obviously, we had to change everything on this AAA Chevrolet Camaro. When I got on it, it was just way over-revved, and I tried coming off of it. I mean, you’re only talking a few thousandths trying to feather that pedal. I had to stick that up a little bit, but that didn’t cause us to smoke the tires on the hit.”

    You know, as cliche as it sounds, we wanted to come out and win the championship. We have all the parts, pieces, sponsors. John Force gives us a great operation to race out of. And we knew how good this car was. As long as I could do a decent job driving, we knew we were going to win races. And races won turn into championships…”

    DALLAS GLENN, DRIVER OF THE RAD TORQUE SYSTEMS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS FUNNY CAR, KB TITAN RACING:

    “I really want this one, this season. Really want the championship. We’ve had several great years, and I’ve always came up a little bit short. I really, really want this one. I’ve been to three final rounds here. I always came up just a little bit short. I really, really wanted it on that one. We drove over here from North Carolina last weekend, and then the next day everything got washed out. I don’t know exactly what we’re going home to. But yes! We’ve got the points lead still.”

    JACK BECKMAN, driver of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, competing on behalf of John Force – Winner’s Circle Transcript:

    You had to take on JR Todd, Daniel Wilkerson, Austin Prock, and Ron Capps on your way to the win. You’re back and back in the Winner’s Circle. Talk about your win…

    “I was looking at the time slip because in the final round, lane choice for the next round doesn’t matter and you can chunk in if you want. What it does is make your reaction time look better, and it’s not. But it makes the E.T. look worse. We’re sitting up there, and I’m thinking ‘Whatever you’ve got to do, Jack, just make up your mind.’ You commit to it before they start the car, and I thought I was just going to go in shallow and let’s see what the car will run. That was the quickest 60-foot I have ever had in my life. That is getting with it. That PEAK BlueDEF Camaro SS is flying. I’m pretty sure it put a hole out and man, it started drifting right. I thought Capps was going to come by me, but our win light came on. That’s a lot of emotion in four seconds.”

    You know how hungry Ron (Capps) is and you both go back a long way. He wanted it as bad as you did…

    “Well, he’s owned me quite a bit. I don’t know what the record is. I think it’s a lot for him and not nearly as many for me. I don’t think it’s a secret, and I hope I don’t offend anybody, but they have not been their dominant self the last couple of months, but I knew they have been getting better and better. And this weekend they looked stellar. If you’ve looked at their numbers, like one of their runs, all four of us went 388’s, the winning cars in the semifinals. But Ron with the shallow stage probably would’ve been 386. They had the quickest car that round. They had lane choice, and this is the lane you want if you had lane choice, but I am (darn) fine with the right lane right now.”

    When you got the call, you likely thought this could be the chance to add some trophies to your collection… Talk about it now that you’ve won:

    “Two things – I had eight races for this year, and I thought we could win eight races. We may not win any races. You just don’t know because sometimes you have to have some luck and fortune on your side. A couple of races ago at Maple Grove, I lost first round and then Joe Morrison nipped the cone at the finish line and we’re back in. That’s racing luck. But if you run good and haul butt consistently, you’re going to make your own racing luck. Chris Cunningham, Danny Hood, Tim Fabrisi, and everybody on that team made our luck today.”

    Beating John Force Racing teammate Austin Prock has been seemingly impossible. By anyone. Talk about defeating him today…

    “I think I count 14 straight round wins for that team, which is hard to believe. When somebody is super duper good at something, it makes it look easy. If you’ve never golfed, and you watch pro golfers, that looks easy. Until you try it, and then realize this is way more difficult than it seems because they are pros. What (Austin) Prock and (Jimmy) Prock have been doing the last few races, they make it look easy. And it’s not easy, folks. It’s not easy at all. We’ve had a good streak where we’ve made it look easy. It’s just a matter of getting that data because I know that that is John Force’s car, but that car had never been down the racetrack. I weigh 20 pounds more than John (Force), and our driving styles are different. Tim and Chris and Dan had to take time to figure out what this car wanted to haul butt down low and still pull hard in the middle of the track. In case you haven’t looked, I think they may have figured it out.”

    Three races left. Prock is still going to be a handful, but you’re in the thick of it now…

    “Well, nobody’s catching them if they keep doing what they’re doing. But if we can win out and they lose early a couple of times, and we’ll be right there. We can run on par with that car. That sounds like a boastful statement, but we can. That’s a testament to both of the John Force (Racing) cars. But we also know not to get out of our comfort zone. When we went up against them, we ran what we thought this lane could handle. There’s a little jump out there at 300 feet that really upsets the Funny Cars, and you’ve really got to slow the clutch down. You give up a little bit in (elapsed time). We were able to negotiate that lane just fine. Now, who knows if they hadn’t spun the tires. But you don’t would of, could of, should of here. We made it to the finish line, and we turned on the win light, and we beat the baddest car in Funny Car this year.”

    What do you want to say to John (Force) watching this?

    “I love you, man. You know I love you. We’re going to work on hugs. I know he’s not a big hugger, but we will hug. This is your trophy. I’ll store it if you want, but that’s your trophy.”

    Up Next:

    The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship continues Oct. 10-13 at the Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex. Eliminations air Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Coverage of qualifying and the race stream live throughout the weekend on NHRA.tv, and is available via AppleTV, Android TV, and Roku devices.

    About Chevrolet

    Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

  • BECKMAN, SCHUMACHER, GLENN & HERRERA PICK UP PLAYOFF WINS AT NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS

    BECKMAN, SCHUMACHER, GLENN & HERRERA PICK UP PLAYOFF WINS AT NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS

    • Beckman wins first FC race for John Force
    • Schumacher rolls to first TF playoff win in 10 years
    • Glenn holds off Stanfield for second straight PS race
    • Herrera moves back into PSM lead

    ST. LOUIS (Sept. 29, 2024) – Funny Car’s Jack Beckman picked up his first victory since taking over for legendary driver John Force, defeating Ron Capps in the final round of the 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals, also winning his first race in nearly four years on Sunday at World Wide Technology Raceway.

    Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the 17th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the third of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

    Beckman went 3.856-seconds at 315.86 mph in his 11,000-horsepower PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS, holding off Capps’ 3.882 at 329.42 to record his 34th career win and first since 2020. Beckman was named the substitute driver for Force following Force’s crash in June, collecting points for the 16-time champ as Beckman attempts to win another title for the iconic Force.

    To reach the final round, Beckman defeated J.R. Todd, Daniel Wilkerson, and points leader and teammate Austin Prock, snapping Prock’s streak of 14 straight round wins. Beckman moved into second in points and heads into the final three races trailing Prock by 105 points.

    “The guys just kept making the right call,” Beckman said. “You have all the confidence in your crew that whatever they have to do, we can go drag that thing back up there and it’s going to go down the racetrack. We made a monster lap in the final round. That was fantastic to see our guys turn the screws up and get more aggressive with it because that comes from confidence.

    “There is potential pressure but it’s a complete honor to drive this car. John Force has done everything and we may not have seen the last of him yet. He is by all metrics the greatest of all time and he’s also a friend of mine. He’s also John Force. He’s his own personality. I am absolutely fine with having an asterisk next to John Force’s 17th title out there, but we have Mount Austin and Jimmy (Prock) to continue to try to close that gap on.”

    Capps, now fourth in points, reached the final round for the fourth time this season and the 151st time in his career after defeating Buddy Hull, Bobby Bode and Blake Alexander.

    In Top Fuel, Tony Schumacher and his team appear to be hitting their stride at an ideal time, as Schumacher won for the second time this season with a run of 3.718 at 329.42 in his 11,000-horsepower Leatherwood Distillery/Waltrip Brewing Co. dragster to defeat Steve Torrence in the championship round. Remarkably, it is Schumacher’s first victory in the Countdown to the Championship since 2014 (Reading), which was also the year of the most recent of the standout’s eight world championships.

    To repeat that, Schumacher, who now has 88 career wins, will have to stay red-hot to track down Antron Brown, but he is 103 points behind in sixth with three races remaining. On Sunday, Schumacher got by Julie Nataas, who was making her Top Fuel debut, and then recorded a massive second-round win against Brown. He defeated Shawn Reed to reach the final round, quickly chasing down Torrence to pick up the memorable victory in St. Louis.

    “It was a great day,” Schumacher said. “Running Antron Brown second round, we had to go after it. You look back on moments like that and we made the choice to go after this stuff and run well. I’m proud of the guys.

    “I haven’t looked at the points, I don’t know how far back we are. We hurt ourselves early on, but at the end of the day, that’s racing. We won the race, we did a great job, we get points, we’re closer than we were the moment we started this morning. Whether we win a championship or not, we did a heck of a job going out there. Is there time to win a championship? I don’t know. Is there time to win a few more races and be great and do what we’re expected to do by our sponsors? Definitely.”

    Torrence reached the final round for the third time in 2024 and 90th time in his career after defeating Ida Zetterstrom, No. 1 qualifier T.J. Zizzo and Justin Ashley, who remained second in points. Ashley is 34 points behind Brown, while Shawn Langdon is 60 points back in third.

    The Pro Stock final featured another thrilling duel between Dallas Glenn and Aaron Stanfield, and Glenn got the better of Stanfield for the second straight race, going 6.577 at 207.82 in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro to get past Stanfield’s 6.586 at 206.01. It strengthens Glenn’s points lead over Stanfield, as he now leads by 31 points as both young standouts attempt to win their first Pro Stock world championships, and also handed the 2021 NHRA Rookie of the Year his fifth victory.

    It’s his second straight playoff victory as well, as Glenn got the better of Camrie Caruso, Mason McGaha and KB Titan Racing teammate Greg Anderson to reach the championship round. Glenn followed with a sterling .010 reaction time and rolled to the wire-to-wire victory against Stanfield, picking up his 13th career victory in the process.

    “Wins in the Countdown are harder than wins during the regular season,” Glenn said. “Everybody steps up their game, the points matter more, everybody brings their best stuff. Everything just gets tighter and more difficult. Looking at it, I have two wins and a semi in the Countdown and I barely have a round and a half lead. It’s definitely a lot tighter than I would like right now, but Aaron does a fantastic job. He’s a great driver, and I’m sure he’s going to be real tough for the remainder of the Countdown.

    “Coming into this weekend I was thinking, St. Louis is usually where stuff starts happening. The first two races, the who’s who of the Countdown starts to be established. Then the big moves really start being made, kind of like the deciding race as to who is really going to be in the Countdown chase and who’s not really starts in St. Louis. There are only three races left, and there just isn’t a lot of time to gain points, especially when you have the same four drivers in the semis the first three races in a row. It’s really hard to gain points on somebody when they’re right with you the whole way.”

    To reach the final round for the ninth time this season and 24th time in his career, Stanfield got past David Cuadra, Matt Hartford and Erica Enders. Enders remained third in points and now trails Glenn by 90 points.

    After failing to win in the first two Pro Stock Motorcycle playoff races, defending world champ Gaige Herrera got back on track on Sunday, moving back into the points lead and taking his eighth victory of the season after a run of 6.805 at 198.12 on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki to defeat Chase Van Sant’s 6.868. It was an impressive bounce back weekend for Herrera, who qualified No. 1 and ran between 6.797 and 6.813 during all four elimination rounds to win for the 19th time in his career and the second straight season in St. Louis.

    To get there, Herrera cruised past John Hall and Reading winner Hector Arana Jr., setting up a rematch of the Seattle final round. Van Sant won that, snapping Herrera’s streak of 11 straight victories, but Herrera rode past Van Sant on Sunday. Back in the points lead, Herrera leads Matt Smith, who lost in the second round, by 34 points.

    “This means a lot. St. Louis is the halfway point in the Countdown, and to leave here with the points lead and get the win just gives me and the whole team a big boost going into Dallas and the rest of the races,” Herrera said. “If you don’t do well here, it sets you back and puts you in a different mindset.

    “We’re leaving with a lot of confidence. I’m glad to say my bike’s back, especially after the last couple of races. I had a red light and in Charlotte had a malfunction and lost a decent amount of points to Matt and he got the points lead. I’m glad to get that back. It brings me a lot of confidence and I’m looking forward to going to Dallas. It’s always a fun race. I’m glad I get to win in St. Louis, I’m not far from here and it’s a beautiful facility. I’m glad the rain was only Friday. It was a good day of racing.”

    Van Sant knocked off Chris Bostick, Richard Gadson and Geno Scali to advance to the finals for the third time in 2024. Gadson is third in points, 65 behind his teammate.

    The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action Oct. 9-13 with the 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex in Dallas.


    ST. LOUIS — Final finish order (1-16) at the 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway. The race is the 17th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

    TOP FUEL:

    1. Tony Schumacher; 2. Steve Torrence; 3. Shawn Reed; 4. Justin Ashley; 5. Shawn Langdon; 6. Antron Brown; 7. Brittany Force; 8. T.J. Zizzo; 9. Clay Millican; 10. Josh Hart; 11. Tony Stewart; 12. Ida Zetterstrom; 13. Billy Torrence; 14. Julie Nataas; 15. Doug Kalitta; 16. Jasmine Salinas.

    FUNNY CAR:

    1. Jack Beckman; 2. Ron Capps; 3. Austin Prock; 4. Blake Alexander; 5. Bob Tasca III; 6. Bobby Bode; 7. Daniel Wilkerson; 8. Chad Green; 9. J.R. Todd; 10. Alexis DeJoria; 11. Cruz Pedregon; 12. Matt Hagan; 13. Dave Richards; 14. Buddy Hull; 15. Dale Creasy Jr..

    PRO STOCK:

    1. Dallas Glenn; 2. Aaron Stanfield; 3. Greg Anderson; 4. Erica Enders; 5. Jeg Coughlin; 6.

    Mason McGaha; 7. Eric Latino; 8. Matt Hartford; 9. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 10. Camrie Caruso; 11. Cory Reed; 12. David Cuadra; 13. Jerry Tucker; 14. Chris McGaha; 15. Fernando Cuadra Jr.; 16. Cristian Cuadra.

    PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

    1. Gaige Herrera; 2. Chase Van Sant; 3. Hector Arana Jr; 4. Geno Scali; 5. Angie Smith; 6.

    Richard Gadson; 7. John Hall; 8. Matt Smith; 9. Jianna Evaristo; 10. Chris Bostick; 11. Marc Ingwersen; 12. Ryan Oehler; 13. Lance Bonham; 14. Wesley Wells; 15. Steve Johnson.

    MADISON, Ill. — Sunday’s final results from the 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway. The race is the 17th of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

    Top Fuel — Tony Schumacher, 3.718 seconds, 329.42 mph def. Steve Torrence, 3.763 seconds, 316.90 mph.

    Funny Car — Jack Beckman, Chevy Camaro, 3.856, 315.86 def. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.882, 329.42.

    Pro Stock — Dallas Glenn, Chevy Camaro, 6.577, 207.82 def. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.586, 206.01.

    Pro Stock Motorcycle — Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.805, 198.12 def. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.868, 195.53.

    Competition Eliminator — Ryan Warter, Pontiac Sunfire, 8.477, 160.71 def. Todd Frantz, Chevy Cobalt, 8.603, 154.42.

    Super Stock — Jimmy Hidalgo Jr., Pontiac Firebird, 9.814, 135.76 def. Ryan Montford, Chevy Camaro, 8.923, 142.07.

    Stock Eliminator — Ross Ponville, Camaro, 10.444, 121.79 def. Joe Belanger, Chevy II Wagon, 11.462, 110.51.

    Super Comp — Alison Prose, Dragster, 8.901, 184.88 def. Chris Vang, Dragster, 8.892, 181.59.

    Super Gas — Kris Whitfield, ’27-T Ford, 9.912, 157.58 def. Luke Bogacki, Chevy Corvette, 9.926, 148.89.

    Top Dragster — James Glenn, Dragster, 7.451, 167.76 def. Matt Woodard, Dragster, 7.016, 179.95.

    Pro Modified — Stan Shelton, Ford Mustang, 5.786, 245.58 def. Mason Wright, Chevy Camaro, 5.806, 234.66.

    Factory X — Aaron Stanfield, Chevy Camaro, 7.155, 189.79 def. Rick Hord, Camaro, 7.241, 186.56.

    Factory Stock Showdown — Mark Pawuk, Dodge Challenger, 7.792, 176.28 def. Jonathan Allegrucci, Ford Mustang, 7.833, 175.96.

    MADISON, Ill. — Final round-by-round results from the 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway, the 17th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

    TOP FUEL:

    ROUND ONE — Steve Torrence, 3.726, 328.78 def. Ida Zetterstrom, 3.764, 321.42; Antron Brown, 3.715, 330.07 def. Jasmine Salinas, 10.365, 73.32; Brittany Force, 3.702, 324.98 def. Josh Hart, 3.745, 324.05; T.J. Zizzo, 3.718, 330.88 def. Billy Torrence, 3.812, 310.84; Tony Schumacher, 4.359, 303.09 def. Julie Nataas, 5.050, 191.16; Justin Ashley, 3.733, 325.53 def. Clay Millican, 3.712, 330.96; Shawn Langdon, 3.727, 323.89 def. Doug Kalitta, 5.399, 157.25; Shawn Reed, 3.773, 319.29 def. Tony Stewart, 3.755, 323.58;

    QUARTERFINALS — Ashley, 3.721, 327.43 def. Langdon, 3.731, 320.81; S.

    Torrence, 3.766, 315.49 def. Zizzo, 10.915, 73.35; Reed, 3.732, 318.02 def. Force, 10.819, 61.19; Schumacher, 3.746, 322.34 def. Brown, 3.759, 295.92;

    SEMIFINALS — Schumacher, 3.724, 323.74 def. Reed, 3.766, 311.85; S. Torrence, 3.785, 321.50 def. Ashley, 5.618, 126.52;

    FINAL — Schumacher, 3.718, 329.42 def. S. Torrence, 3.763, 316.90.

    FUNNY CAR:

    ROUND ONE — Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.814, 330.96 was unopposed; Chad Green, Ford Mustang, 3.933, 305.49 def. Dale Creasy Jr., Dodge Charger, 14.127, 70.04; Jack Beckman, Camaro, 3.878, 329.42 def. J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 3.926, 326.63; Ron Capps, GR Supra, 3.873, 329.18 def. Buddy Hull, Charger, 12.672, 75.09; Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.901, 327.51 def. Alexis DeJoria, GR Supra, 3.940, 325.22; Bobby Bode, Mustang, 3.995, 322.50 def. Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.045, 313.80; Blake Alexander, Mustang, 3.920, 325.53 def. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.956, 318.17; Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.913, 327.43 def. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.976, 297.55; QUARTERFINALS — Beckman, 3.887, 326.00 def. Wilkerson, 8.392, 84.04; Prock, 3.884, 316.67 def. Tasca III, 3.908, 409.58; Capps, 3.884, 322.58 def. Bode, 4.688, 178.54; Alexander, 3.889, 326.08 def. Green, Broke;

    SEMIFINALS — Beckman, 3.877, 322.65 def. Prock, 8.266, 101.42; Capps, 3.868, 325.77 def. Alexander, 9.261, 68.29;

    FINAL — Beckman, 3.856, 315.86 def. Capps, 3.882, 329.42.

    PRO STOCK:

    ROUND ONE — Eric Latino, Chevy Camaro, 6.607, 206.10 def. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 6.671, 206.67; Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.588, 207.94 def. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, Foul – Red Light; Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.583, 208.14 def. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.608, 206.70; Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.586, 208.49 def. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 18.665, 42.32; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.567, 208.39 def. Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.600, 206.35; Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.574, 207.66 def. David Cuadra, Camaro, 6.606, 207.05; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.570, 207.50 def. Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 6.587, 206.35; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.552, 208.39 def. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.645, 206.83; QUARTERFINALS — Stanfield, 6.605, 207.15 def. Hartford, 6.648, 206.86; Glenn, 6.578, 207.82 def. M. McGaha, 6.597, 207.50; Anderson, 6.564, 208.46 def. Coughlin, 6.582, 207.56; Enders, 6.555, 208.39 def. Latino, 6.619, 205.98;

    SEMIFINALS — Glenn, 6.604, 207.18 def. Anderson, 6.613, 208.17; Stanfield, 6.602, 206.92 def. Enders, 16.149, 50.20;

    FINAL — Glenn, 6.577, 207.82 def. Stanfield, 6.586, 206.01.

    PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

    ROUND ONE — John Hall, 6.868, 196.10 def. Marc Ingwersen, 6.939, 194.04; Angie Smith, Buell, 6.834, 198.32 def. Ryan Oehler, 7.054, 187.76; Geno Scali, Suzuki, 6.936, 193.29 def. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, Foul – Red Light; Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.866, 194.97 def. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.910, 194.24; Hector Arana Jr, 7.884, 157.80 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 12.282, 61.14; Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.834, 196.04 def. Lance Bonham, Buell, Foul – Red Light; Matt Smith, Buell, 6.815, 198.64 def. Wesley Wells, Suzuki, 7.454, 178.73; Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.808, 198.09 was unopposed;

    QUARTERFINALS — Arana Jr, 6.870, 195.65 def. A. Smith, 6.840, 197.77; Van Sant, 6.887, 194.83 def. Gadson, 6.880, 193.99; Scali, 6.998, 193.10 def. M. Smith, 6.986, 195.79; Herrera, 6.797, 198.88 def. Hall, 6.925, 193.71;

    SEMIFINALS — Van Sant, 6.939, 192.91 def. Scali, 6.945, 191.84; Herrera, 6.813, 197.74 def. Arana Jr, 6.839, 196.27;

    FINAL — Herrera, 6.805, 198.12 def. Van Sant, 6.868, 195.53.

    MADISON, Ill. — Point standings (top 10) following the 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway, the 17th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series –

    Top Fuel

    1. Antron Brown, 2,344; 2. Justin Ashley, 2,310; 3. Shawn Langdon, 2,284; 4. Doug Kalitta, 2,257; 5. Steve Torrence, 2,256; 6. Tony Schumacher, 2,241; 7. Clay Millican, 2,211; 8. Brittany Force, 2,171; 9. Tony Stewart, 2,150; 10. Billy Torrence, 2,113.

    Funny Car

    1. Austin Prock, 2,454; 2. John Force, 2,349; 3. Bob Tasca III, 2,295; 4. Ron Capps, 2,260; 5. Matt Hagan, 2,249; 6. J.R. Todd, 2,191; 7. Blake Alexander, 2,176; 8. Daniel Wilkerson, 2,162; 9. Chad Green, 2,159; 10. Alexis DeJoria, 2,145.

    Pro Stock

    1. Dallas Glenn, 2,437; 2. Aaron Stanfield, 2,406; 3. Erica Enders, 2,347; 4. Greg Anderson, 2,321; 5. Jeg Coughlin, 2,205; 6. Cristian Cuadra, 2,157; 7. Jerry Tucker, 2,150; 8. Troy Coughlin Jr., 2,143; 9. Matt Hartford, 2,142; 10. Eric Latino, 2,127.

    Pro Stock Motorcycle

    1. Gaige Herrera, 2,404; 2. Matt Smith, 2,370; 3. Richard Gadson, 2,339; 4. Hector Arana Jr, 2,267; 5. Chase Van Sant, 2,248; 6. Angie Smith, 2,206; 7. John Hall, 2,205; 8. Jianna Evaristo, 2,170; 9. Steve Johnson, 2,127; 10. Chris Bostick, 2,096.
  • Toyota Gazoo Racing North America NHRA Midwest Nationals Post-Race Report – 09.29.24

    Toyota Gazoo Racing North America NHRA Midwest Nationals Post-Race Report – 09.29.24

    TORRENCE, CAPPS MAKE FINAL ROUND RUNS AT MIDWEST NATIONALS
    Toyota has now reached 40 consecutive NHRA final rounds

    MADISON, Ill. (Sept. 29, 2024) – Steve Torrence had a productive points day at World Wide Technology Raceway on Sunday, finishing runner up in Top Fuel in the NHRA Midwest Nationals. Torrence took out No. 1 qualifier, T.J. Zizzo and Toyota teammate, Justin Ashley, in his run to the finals, but fell to Tony Schumacher in end. Making his 96th career final round, and third of the 2024 season, Torrence moved up to fifth in the Top Fuel points with just three races remaining in the Countdown to the Championship.

    Ashley fell to Torrence in the semifinals but retained second in the Top Fuel points and inched closer to points leader, Antron Brown, who made the second round on Sunday. Shawn Langdon was the other Toyota Top Fuel Dragster to make it past round one.

    In Funny Car, Ron Capps also made the final round, falling in the end to winner, Jack Beckman. Capps’ final round run is the 151st of his career and marks the sixth time he and the NAPA Auto Care team have made the finals this season. The multi-time world champion now sits fourth in the Funny Car points halfway through the Countdown. Alexis DeJoria and J.R. Todd were eliminated in round one of Funny Car action.

    The final round appearances by Torrence and Capps on Sunday mark 40 consecutive NHRA event final rounds for Toyota in either Top Fuel and/or Funny Car.

    The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is next on track at Texas Motorplex for the Texas Fall Nationals, with eliminations on Sunday, October 13.

    Toyota Post-Race Recap
    NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series
    World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway
    NHRA Midwest Nationals
    Race 17 of 20

    TOYOTA TOP FUEL FINISHING POSITIONS 

    NameCarFinal ResultRound-by-Round
    Steve TorrenceCAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel DragsterFinalistW (3.726) v. I. Zetterstrom (3.764) W (3.766) v. T. Zizzo (10.915) W (3.785) v. J. Ashley (5.618) L (3.763) v. T. Schumacher (3.718)
    Justin AshleySCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel DragsterSemi-finalistW (3.733 – holeshot) v. C. Millican (3.712) W (3.721) v. S. Langdon (3.731) L (5.618) v. S. Torrence (3.785)
    Shawn LangdonKalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel DragsterSecond RoundW (3.72) v. D. Kalitta (5.399) L (3.731) v. J. Ashley (3.721)
    Antron BrownMatco Tools Toyota Top Fuel DragsterSecond RoundW (3.715) v. J. Salinas (10.365) L (3.759) v. T. Schumacher (3.746)
    Doug KalittaMac Tools Toyota Top Fuel DragsterFirst RoundL (5.399) v. S. Langdon (3.727)
    Billy TorrenceCAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel DragsterFirst RoundL (3.812) v. T. Zizzo (3.718)

    TOYOTA FUNNY CAR FINISHING POSITIONS 

    NameCarFinal ResultRound-by-Round
    Ron CappsNAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra Funny CarFinalistW (3.873) v. B. Hull (12.672) W (3.884) v. B. Bode (4.688) W (3.868) v. B. Alexander (9.261) L (3.882) v. J. Beckman (3.856)
    J.R. ToddDHL Toyota GR Supra Funny CarFirst RoundL (3.926) v. J. Beckman (3.878)
    Alexis DeJoriaBandero CaféToyota GR Supra Funny CarFirst RoundL (3.940) v. D. Wilkerson (3.901)

    *= Non-Toyota driver

    TOYOTA QUOTES

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

    TF Final Result: Finalist

    Take us through your day today.

    “A good day overall for our CAPCO Contractors Toyota team. Not the outcome we were hoping for in the end, but we were able to go rounds and gain some solid points by making the finals today. Now, we need to capitalize on this momentum heading to Ennis in a couple weeks and for the remainder of the Countdown with just a few races left.”

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

    FC Final Result: Finalist

    How would you describe your weekend and what it means for the rest of the Countdown?

    “Our day started with Slugger (Labbe, Engineering Manager, Vehicle Support, Toyota Racing Development) coming over and saying ‘I have a good feeling about today for you guys.’ And he was right. We had a good hot rod. You know, it was important for us to keep lane choice, and for a driver, anytime a crew chief tells you how important that is, it gives you a little added pressure on. But, we’re professionals out here and we’re supposed to do that anyway. I just felt like we were rising to the occasion every single run and we kept lane choice, meaning we were quickest where needed in each session. And the 3.86 semifinal time was really a great run and that really opened everyone’s eyes, especially the John Force Racing team’s with (Jack) Beckman and they knew they had to go up there and run a 3.85 in the final, which they did. Our car seemed to lose a little E.T. (elapsed time) in the middle of the track, and then it just never gained. And I never say his (Beckman) nose out my window. I thought we had it won. I went to hit my parachute button and I didn’t see him next to me and I was ready for my win light, but his came on. So, it was a sucker punch down there. But, so proud of my guys. We put the new GR Supra body on it that we just got. It’s a little lighter and so much fun to drive, especially when it’s running 3.80s and 330mph. It’s encouraging going into the last three races. We moved up another position in the points to fourth, and a lot of momentum right now. Now, let’s see if we can capitalize on it.”

    About Toyota

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

    Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 12 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 13th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 29 electrified options.

    For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

  • TOP FUEL FIELDS FOUR FEMALES FOR HISTORIC START IN ST. LOUIS

    TOP FUEL FIELDS FOUR FEMALES FOR HISTORIC START IN ST. LOUIS

    ST. LOUIS (Sept. 29, 2024) – For the first time in history, NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series race day will include four female drivers in the Top Fuel ranks at the 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis.

    The Top Fuel field at the NHRA Midwest Nationals will see former champion and No. 3 qualifier Brittany Force taking on Josh Hart in the first round of eliminations. No. 7 qualifier Jasmine Salinas will meet up with points leader Antron Brown while No. 9 Ida Zetterström will face off with former champion Steve Torrence. Finally, reigning Top Alcohol Dragster champion Julie Nataas – who qualified No. 15 – will battle with eight-time champion Tony Schumacher in her Top Fuel debut.

    NHRA has a rich history of female competitors. The 100th different female winner was crowned earlier this season in Seattle. Shirley Muldowney paved the way, winning three Top Fuel championships in the 70s and 80s. Pro Stock’s Erica Enders is the winningest female throughout all of motorsports with six championships to her credit. The Pro Stock Motorcycle division has seen five female riders qualify at St. Louis in 2022.

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


    About Mission Foods

    MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

    About NHRA

    NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 110 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

  • PROCK, ZIZZO, ENDERS & HERRERA DELIVER NO. 1 QUALIFIERS IN FRONT OF CAPACITY CROWD AT NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS

    PROCK, ZIZZO, ENDERS & HERRERA DELIVER NO. 1 QUALIFIERS IN FRONT OF CAPACITY CROWD AT NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS

    ST. LOUIS (Sept. 28, 2024) – Funny Car points leader Austin Prock rolled to his 12th No. 1 qualifier of the season for John Force Racing in front of a capacity crowd on Saturday at World Wide Technology Raceway, as he looks to stay unbeaten in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs at the 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals.

    T.J. Zizzo (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the 17th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the third of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

    Prock just missed the track record set by Robert Hight in 2017, going 3.836-seconds at 330.72 mph in his 11,000-horsepower AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS. His 12th No. 1 qualifier this season also pulls him to within one No. 1 spot of tying John Force for the most top qualifiers in a single season in Funny Car history.

    Prock has picked up 12 No. 1 qualifiers in the first 17 races and he remains focused on his quest for a first career world championship. The young standout has won the first two playoff races, holding a 129-point lead entering the weekend, and will try to pick up his eighth win of the year on Sunday.

    “This whole team, they’re so incredibly smart and dialed in right now,” Prock said. “It sure is fun to drive. We were low both sessions and I’m really proud to be driving this AAA Camaro this weekend.

    “We’re definitely not changing our mindset, we’re not laying up at all. We’re going out there and racing like what got us to this point. We want to get as much of a points lead as we can possibly have going into Pomona, and we’ve been doing a good job of that today. We racked up all the qualifying points today. It was another great day – stout runs, and we have a good hot rod for tomorrow.”

    Chad Green jumped to the second spot during the final qualifier with a run of 3.876 at 325.77 and Ron Capps took third on the strength of a 3.878 at 333.33.

    In a Top Fuel field filled with championship contenders, it was part-time racer T.J. Zizzo who impressed the most for the second time this season, racing to the No. 1 spot with a run of 3.714 at 327.66 in his 11,000-horsepower Rust-Oleum dragster. It’s the second career No. 1 qualifier for the veteran, who earned his first career top spot earlier this year in Chicago. He put together a similar performance on Saturday in St. Louis, holding off an absolutely loaded Top Fuel field.

    He’ll open raceday against Billy Torrence, looking to pick up his first career Top Fuel victory, and Zizzo had plenty to be excited about after two strong runs on Saturday.

    “It’s spectacular. Our all-volunteer team, we do this because we love the sport, we love the sport of NHRA championship drag racing,” Zizzo said. “We come out here and qualify No. 1 twice now. As far as the mindset of a driver, it puts way more pressure on me. That’s what a good racecar does. I can’t go up there and lollygag anymore, I have to go up there and get after it.

    “The 16 (cars) that are qualified for the show, no joke, any one of us can win. It would be near and dear to my heart to be able to qualify No. 1 and then go four rounds tomorrow. But I know that’s a tough feat.”

    Eight-time world champ Tony Schumacher impressed on Saturday as well, qualifying second with a 3.718 at 325.22 and Brittany Force is third after going 3.722 at 314.39. Points leader Antron Brown, who has won the first two races in the Countdown, qualified 10th and will open eliminations Jasmine Salinas.

    Looking to make a late-season run, St. Louis might be the place for defending Pro Stock world champ Erica Enders to do it and she made the most of Saturday’s two sessions, taking the No. 1 qualifier for the seventh time this year after a run of 6.565 at 208.01 in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Scag Power Equipment car. Enders thriving at World Wide Technology Raceway should be no surprise, as the six-time world champion has more wins at the facility than any driver in NHRA history.

    Entering the weekend third in points, she’ll look to win for the seventh time in St. Louis on Sunday, opening raceday against Chris McGaha. Enders hasn’t won since the season-opening race in Gainesville and Sunday would certainly be an ideal time as she tries to track down points leader Dallas Glenn and Elite Motorsports teammate Aaron Stanfield.

    “The (qualifying) points always add up, I’ve said that from the beginning of our career, and they made a huge difference in both of our ‘14 and ‘15 championship chases,” Enders said. “I imagine it will be the same this year, but to come off the trailer after a long day yesterday and go to the No. 1 spot, you want to run great but be good enough to get down. We made a huge error in the second qualifier but were still second for the session, and we’ll take that into Sunday and see what we can do with it.

    “It’s extremely important to get down and go as fast as you can because you want those points, but you have to be conservative enough to not go out there and blow the back window out. It’s a fine line to be fast and a little bit out of control. I’m glad they got the track ready today and it was awesome for us.”

    Glenn qualified second with a 6.570 at 207.66 and his KB Titan Racing teammate Greg Anderson took third after going 6.578 at 207.91.

    In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Gaige Herrera delivered a stellar run to open qualifying on Saturday, going 6.796 at 197.74 on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki, earning his seventh No. 1 spot of the season. Herrera, the defending world champ, entered the weekend in an unfamiliar spot, as Matt Smith took over the points lead last weekend with his victory in Charlotte.

    Smith has been terrific in St. Louis over the years, but Herrera won the event last year and will attempt to make it two in a row at the pivotal playoff race.

    “This is what makes it fun — between Vance & Hines and (Matt Smith Racing), we’re going back and forth, and that’s how it should be going through the Countdown,” Smith said. “The points are very tight, within one round, so I’m glad to get that No. 1 qualifier and see if we can continue this tomorrow and throughout race day. That’s all that counts.

    “My mindset is just trying to go round-by-round. I really don’t look back at last year or yesterday, I just try to go out there and go A-to-B as a rider. It’s going to play out how it’s going to play out.”

    Smith finished right behind in second thanks to a 6.807 at 198.12 and Richard Gadson, who has advanced to the finals in each of the first two playoff races, is third after going 6.840 at 195.28.

    Eliminations for the NHRA Midwest Nationals begin at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday at World Wide Technology Raceway.


    ST. LOUIS — Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway, the 17th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.

    Top Fuel — 1. T.J. Zizzo, 3.714 seconds, 327.66 mph vs. 16. Billy Torrence, 3.795, 322.27; 2. Tony Schumacher, 3.718, 325.22 vs. 15. Julie Nataas, 3.791, 318.92; 3. Brittany Force, 3.722, 314.39 vs. 14. Josh Hart, 3.787, 324.98; 4. Clay Millican, 3.729, 324.20 vs. 13. Justin Ashley, 3.784, 321.96; 5. Shawn Langdon, 3.738, 320.13 vs. 12. Doug Kalitta, 3.779, 312.93; 6. Shawn Reed, 3.740, 325.61 vs. 11. Tony Stewart, 3.779, 320.13; 7. Jasmine Salinas, 3.745, 320.81 vs. 10. Antron Brown, 3.764, 324.90; 8. Steve Torrence, 3.752, 320.20 vs. 9. Ida Zetterstrom, 3.760, 319.37.

    Did Not Qualify: 17. Kyle Wurtzel, 3.824, 302.21; 18. Scott Palmer, 3.896, 296.76; 19. Jacob Opatrny, 5.058, 145.72.

    Funny Car — 1. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.836, 330.72 vs. Bye; 2. Chad Green, Ford Mustang, 3.876, 325.77 vs. 15. Dale Creasy Jr., Dodge Charger, 5.199, 144.71; 3. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.878, 333.33 vs. 14. Buddy Hull, Charger, 4.985, 161.69; 4. Jack Beckman, Camaro, 3.888, 325.77 vs. 13. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 4.230, 219.47; 5. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.894, 319.75 vs. 12. Alexis DeJoria, GR Supra, 4.074, 260.86; 6. Bobby Bode, Mustang, 3.910, 324.36 vs. 11. Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.045, 311.41; 7. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 3.915, 325.61 vs. 10. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.972, 309.77; 8. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.915, 316.38 vs. 9. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.921, 300.00.

    Pro Stock — 1. Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.565, 208.46 vs. 16. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.645, 207.53; 2. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.570, 207.66 vs. 15. Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 6.621, 206.39; 3. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.578, 208.36 vs. 14. Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.615, 206.67; 4. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.584, 207.66 vs. 13. David Cuadra, Camaro, 6.613, 206.61; 5. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.587, 207.66 vs. 12. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.611, 207.72; 6. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.590, 207.46 vs. 11. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.601, 207.50; 7. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.591, 208.04 vs. 10. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.599, 207.88; 8. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.593, 206.39 vs. 9. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 6.596, 206.80.

    Did Not Qualify: 17. Val Smeland, 6.676, 205.10; 18. Kenny Delco, 6.696, 204.98; 19. Robert River, 7.062, 194.38.

    Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.796, 197.74 vs. Bye; 2. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.807, 198.12 vs. 15. Wesley Wells, Suzuki, 7.328, 180.00; 3. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.840, 195.28 vs. 14. Lance Bonham, Buell, 7.282, 185.49; 4. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.841, 198.29 vs. 13. Ryan Oehler, EBR, 7.026, 191.67; 5. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.853, 196.39 vs. 12. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.923, 191.16; 6. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.862,

    195.90 vs. 11. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.920, 193.02; 7. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.880, 196.73 vs. 10. Geno Scali, Suzuki, 6.917, 194.69; 8. John Hall, Beull, 6.889, 196.93 vs. 9. Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 6.894, 195.85.

  • CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE IN CONGRUITY NHRA PRO MOD SERIES STILL LOADED WITH CONTENDERS IN ST. LOUIS

    CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE IN CONGRUITY NHRA PRO MOD SERIES STILL LOADED WITH CONTENDERS IN ST. LOUIS

    ST. LOUIS (Sept. 27, 2024) – Two races remain in the 2024 season in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ and there’s still plenty on the line heading to St. Louis as part of this weekend’s NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway.

    It is the ninth of 10 races during the 2024 season and the third of four events in the “Road to the Championship,” with several top drivers still alive in the title chase. This weekend’s event in St. Louis is powered by both M&M Transmissions and Jerry Bickel Race Cars, and another huge field will entertain fans in St. Louis as the Pro Mod season hits a thrilling point.

    A wild weekend in Charlotte included a first-time winner in Travis Harvey, as he filled in for former world champion Khalid Al Balooshi, sending the veteran to second in points in the process. Al Balooshi now trails Ken Quartuccio by just 19 points, with a flurry of additional contenders still racing for the championship.

    A number of top teams, including Bahrain 1 Racing, Scott Tidwell Racing, Team Shelton Motorsports and title contender Jose Gonzalez, are M&M Transmission customers, with the company thrilled to be part of such an important race weekend at their home facility.

    “St Louis is our home track, so it was a natural decision to support our NHRA Pro Mod racers and customers,” said Mark Micke, M&M Transmission Owner and CEO. “Our on-track maintenance services are an extension of our beliefs of delivering reliability and performance to enable the quickest and fastest doorslammers in the world to win and set records.”

    Jordan Lazic won last year in St. Louis and, like Harvey in Charlotte, did so in his first career start. Lazic is currently seventh in points, 65 out of first, showcasing the number of standouts still in title contention. Former world champs Kris Thorne and Gonzalez are 38 and 45 points behind, respectively, while Kevin Rivenbark rounds out the top five, trailing Quartuccio by 46 points.

    Justin Bond is just 48 points out of first, while other standouts in St. Louis include Charlotte runner-up Dmitry Samorukov, reigning world champion Mike Castellana, Billy Banaka, Mason Wright, J.R. Gray and Michael Stavrinos.

    Rain wiped out qualifying on Friday in St. Louis, meaning the NHRA Pro Mod drivers will get two shots at the track on Saturday, with qualifying times set for 11:15 a.m. and 4:50 p.m. CT in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+. The first round of eliminations is slated for 9:05 a.m. CT on Sunday.

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


    About M&M Transmission

    Founded in 1996 by Mark Micke, M&M Transmission specializes in race-winning and record-setting drag racing transmissions, torque converters and shifters with trusted reliability and top technology. Today, M&M Transmission is based out of Jefferson City, Missouri. A comprehensive array of in-house machinery and equipment, such as a SuperFlow transmission and torque converter dyno, state-of-the-art lathes, mills, and more, allows the talented team to manufacture and assemble its performance drag racing transmissions, torque converters, shifters, and more with a commitment to upholding a strong “Made in the USA” standard of quality. Established by a diehard racer and staffed with a group of drag racing enthusiasts, Mark Micke’s M&M Transmission knows what it takes to win. Head over to mandmtransmission.com to join the race-winning team!

    About Jerry Bickel Race Cars

    Jerry Bickel Race Cars are synonymous with quality built, fast door cars around the world. Established in 1985, Jerry Bickel Race Cars created a new generation of innovative techniques and procedures that would continue WINNING races for over 35 years. In 2000, JBRC built a state-of-the-art building designed to engineer, fabricate, paint, and complete race cars from start to finish. JBRC also carries a full line of racing components to make Jerry Bickel Race Cars a “one stop chassis shop”. For more information visit www.jerrybickel.com

    About NHRA

    NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 110 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

  • American Rebel Light Beer is Primary Sponsor of Tony Stewart Racing Team’s SRT Hellcat Funny Car driven by Matt Hagan at the NHRA Midwest Nationals in St. Louis

    American Rebel Light Beer is Primary Sponsor of Tony Stewart Racing Team’s SRT Hellcat Funny Car driven by Matt Hagan at the NHRA Midwest Nationals in St. Louis

    Nashville, TN, Sept. 27, 2024 — American Rebel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AREB) (“American Rebel” or the “Company”), the creator of American Rebel Beer (www.americanrebelbeer.com), and branded safes, personal security and self-defense products and apparel, announced they are the primary sponsor of Tony Stewart’s National Hot Rod Association (“NHRA”) Funny Car, driven by Matt Hagan, at the Midwest Nationals in St. Louis, MO the weekend of September 27 – September 29.

    “We’re excited to be sponsoring the Tony Stewart NHRA racing team and having Matt Hagan, who won last year at this event in St. Louis, as the driver of the American Rebel Light Beer Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car,” said Andy Ross, Chief Executive Officer of American Rebel. “The American Rebel Light Beer Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car is quickly becoming a fan favorite within the NHRA racing community. The NHRA events allow us to engage with the fans throughout the weekend and we are excited to be able to introduce the millions of viewers on television to American Rebel Light Beer. We’ve got a winning team with Tony and Matt and we’re looking forward to the race weekend, celebrating their success while promoting American Rebel Light, America’s Patriotic, God-Fearing, Constitution-Loving, National Anthem-Singing, Stand Your Ground Beer.”

    Hagan is currently fourth in the Funny Car championship standings, 153 points behind leader Austin Prock. Hagan is a four-time season-long champion (2011, 2014, 2020 and 2023) and is the defending event winner at St. Louis. “We have some good luck at St. Louis, so hopefully we can continue our momentum from Charlotte with the final-round appearance,” said Matt Hagan, driver of the American Rebel Light Beer Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car. “We’re going to have a few Dodge executives there and our friends from American Rebel Beer, so I’d really like to have good performance and put on a good show for them to show them what we’re capable of.”

    American Rebel Light is produced in partnership with AlcSource, the largest integrated provider of beverage development, sourcing, and production solutions in the U.S. American Rebel Light Beer just completed its first production run and is now available in 12oz and 16oz cans in several states across the USA.

    For an updated list of locations featuring American Rebel Light, visit www.americanrebelbeer.com

    About American Rebel Holdings, Inc.

    American Rebel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AREB) has operated primarily as a designer, manufacturer and marketer of branded safes and personal security and self-defense products and has recently transitioned into the beverage industry through the introduction of American Rebel Beer. The Company also designs and produces branded apparel and accessories. To learn more, visit www.americanrebel.com and www.americanrebelbeer.com. For investor information, visit www.americanrebel.com/investor-relations.

  • MATT SMITH TAKES OVER PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE POINTS LEAD, LOOKS TO CONTINUE MOMENTUM IN ST. LOUIS

    MATT SMITH TAKES OVER PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE POINTS LEAD, LOOKS TO CONTINUE MOMENTUM IN ST. LOUIS

    Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson is hopeful for more success at NHRA Midwest Nationals

    ST. LOUIS (Sept. 26, 2024) – For the first time in the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season, the Pro Stock Motorcycle class has a new points leader. That rider is none other than six-time champion Matt Smith and as the series heads to St. Louis for this weekend’s 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway, Smith will look to extend that points lead in hopes of earning his seventh world title.

    Smith, rider of the Denso Auto Parts Buell, took over the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle points lead from reigning champion Gaige Herrera following his win last weekend at the NHRA Carolina Nationals. As Smith and the rest of the riders set their sights on the halfway mark of the playoffs in St. Louis, he’ll be ready to carry his momentum into the third race of the NHRA Countdown to the Championship.

    “I feel good about St. Louis,” Smith said. “I’ve won that race a lot and I think we have good momentum. We have to get a couple of our other bikes running better in our camp, to help out and get up here in the points, too. I think St. Louis is going to be hard. We’re in a dog fight. We all know that the Vance & Hines group is tough. I think you’ll see them step their stuff up a little bit more come St. Louis.”

    Last season, Clay Millican (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all collected wins in St. Louis and this year’s race will again be broadcast on FS1, with elimination coverage airing at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 29. It is the 17th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and finishes off a stretch of three straight race weekends to open the Countdown to the Championship.

    Smith has five wins at World Wide Technology, which is the most in PSM history at the fan-favorite facility. He has two wins on the season, including his victory last week as well as in Sonoma earlier this summer. With Herrera just 25 points back and rookie Richard Gadson only 27 points behind, Smith will need to continue to turn on win lights if he wants to extend his lead in his run to Pro Stock Motorcycle history.

    “I like being under pressure,” said Smith. “It doesn’t matter what you do in the regular season, you have to be good the last six races. I’ve always been pretty good the last six races and that’s how you win championships and that’s how I will continue to race.

    “You have to put your best foot forward. A lot of times you test a lot of stuff during the regular season, but we stepped up when we needed to in Sonoma and stepped up in Charlotte and we’re going to go to St. Louis and try to step up a little bit more. Everything is looking really promising and if we can find a little bit more power, I think we’ll be really good.”

    Pro Stock’s Anderson, driver of the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro, has two wins on the 2024 season at Phoenix and the Charlotte spring race. He has back-to-back semifinal appearances in the Countdown but knows he will need to continue to win rounds in order to stay in contention for his sixth NHRA world championship.

    Dallas Glenn took over the points lead in Charlotte with his fourth win of the year, but it’s a tight group among the top four. Aaron Stanfield, who has five wins in 2024, is just eight points back, while defending world champion Erica Enders and Anderson trail by 53 and 74 points, respectively.

    “Charlotte was a good weekend for us,” said Anderson. “On Sunday, our KB Titan cars were the best, and we were able to capitalize on that and put one of them in the winner’s circle (Glenn). I fully believe that we can carry that momentum on to St. Louis.

    “This is the most exciting time of the year in NHRA drag racing, across the board, and it’s the most pressure-packed of all – just how we like it. Everyone in this camp works darn hard all year long, and every one of us are pulling the rope in the same direction. This team was built to win races and championships, and I absolutely believe I have a great shot this year. It feels good to be in the game with the HendrickCars.com Chevy, and I’m thrilled that we get to head right to St. Louis and keep working toward the goal.”

    Former Top Fuel champion Antron Brown currently leads the points, thanks to his back-to-back Countdown wins. Justin Ashley, who has three wins on the season, trails Brown by 53 points while former champion Shawn Langdon is third. Reigning world champion Doug Kalitta is fourth and Millican is fifth thanks to his win at the U.S. Nationals.

    In Funny Car, Hagan will try for his second straight St. Louis win in hopes of trying to track down points leader Austin Prock, who has won three straight races. Others to watch include Jack Beckman, who is driving for John Force, Bob Tasca III, J.R. Todd, Ron Capps and rookie Daniel Wilkerson.

    The NHRA Midwest Nationals also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, Holley EFI Factory X and Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown. It is the penultimate race in Pro Mod’s “Road to the Championship” and the final race of the season in Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown. The ET Racing Showcase, Jr. Arch Shootout, Budweiser Challenge, high school challenge and Jr. Dragster Shootout will all take place during the weekend as well.

    Fans will be invited all weekend long to the Nitro Alley Stage, which is the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets, music and much more. Race fans at World Wide Technology Raceway can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the St. Louis event winners.

    As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, food, and fun.

    NHRA Mission Food Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 12 and 2:30 p.m. CT on Friday, Sept. 27, and the final two rounds on Saturday, Sept. 28 at 12 and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. CT on Sunday, Sept. 29. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 27 and 2 p.m. ET on Sunday Sept. 29, with eliminations starting at 3 p.m. ET on FS1 on Sunday.

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

    Top Fuel

    1. Antron Brown, 2,292
    2. Justin Ashley, 2,239
    3. Shawn Langdon, 2,230
    4. Doug Kalitta, 2,225
    5. Clay Millican, 2,174
    6. Steve Torrence, 2,162
    7. Tony Schumacher, 2,119
    8. Tony Stewart,2,118
    9. Brittany Force, 2,114
    10. Billy Torrence, 2,082

    Funny Car

    1. Austin Prock, 2,370
    2. Bob Tasca III, 2,241
    3. John Force, 2,234
    4. Matt Hagan, 2,217
    5. Ron Capps, 2,163
    6. J.R. Todd, 2,160
    7. Alexis DeJoria, 2,113
    8. Daniel Wilkerson, 2,108
    9. Blake Alexander, 2,103

    10.Chad Green, 2,100

    Pro Stock

    1. Dallas Glenn, 2,317
    2. Aaron Stanfield, 2,309
    3. Erica Enders, 2,264
    4. Greg Anderson, 2,243
    5. Jeg Coughlin, 2,151
    6. Cristian Cuadra, 2,125
    7. Jerry Tucker, 2,118
    8. Troy Coughlin Jr., 2,111
    9. Matt Hartford, 2,088
    10. Eric Latino, 2,074

    Pro Stock Motorcycle

    1. Matt Smith, 2,308
    2. Gaige Herrera, 2,283
    3. Richard Gadson, 2,281
    4. Hector Arana Jr, 2,193
    5. Chase Van Sant, 2,154
    6. John Hall, 2,152
    7. Angie Smith, 2,149
    8. Jianna Evaristo, 2,137
    9. Steve Johnson, 2,095
    10. Chris Bostick, 2,064

    About Mission Foods

    MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

    About NHRA

    NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 110 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.