Doug Kalitta – Page 2 – Syndication Server

Kalitta storms to another No. 1 at NHRA Midwest Nationals

For the 53rd time in his career, Top Fuel’s Doug Kalitta clinched the No. 1 qualifier in front of a sellout crowd on Saturday at World Wide Technology Raceway at the 12th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals. Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro …

Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all qualified No. 1 at the 18th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, and the third of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Saturday also marked the eighth sellout of the 2023 NHRA season.

Kalitta hung on to his second No. 1 qualifier of the season thanks to Friday’s run of 3.709s at 331.85mph in his Mac Tools/Toyota dragster. The points leader will open eliminations against Lex Joon, looking to stay perfect in the Countdown to the Championship. The veteran, who is chasing his first world championship in Top Fuel, has won the first two playoff races, building a strong lead against the likes of Steve Torrence and Justin Ashley. He has marveled at the team’s consistency in the postseason and Kalitta hopes to continue their stellar run on Sunday in front of another huge crowd in St. Louis. Kalitta also went 3.72s to close out qualifying.

“I was really happy with that 0.72s in that last session,” Kalitta said. “My car has been really consistent. I just can’t say enough about how hard everybody is working on my car. Great crowd here today, a sellout. Connie Kalitta is our fearless leader out here and given me a great opportunity over the years.

“It’s just nice when it all can come together like it has the last couple of races for my car. We’re just going to hold on and do our best and keep going rounds, as many as we can get. We’re definitely looking forward to tomorrow, whatever it gives us, and hopefully we can have it dialed in real nice.”

Mike Salinas took the second spot with a run of 3.710s at 329.75mph and Antron Brown was right behind in third with a 3.714s at 331.69mph.

Tasca picked up his sixth No. 1 spot this year as Friday’s run of 3.852s at 324.90mph in his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang held up during Saturday’s final two qualifying sessions. Currently second in points, Tasca trails Robert Hight by less than a round as he looks for his second straight victory in the postseason. He’ll open eliminations against Jack Wyatt and heads into Sunday with plenty of positives after a strong pass of 3.877s at 331.85mph to close out the evening as well.

“Very exciting, but one round at a time, one run at a time,” Tasca said. “We really don’t pay as much attention to what the cars around us are running. We have enough data now with this car and enough track information to go up there and try to go as quick as we can for the conditions that are presented.

“You want to be in the (championship) conversation. No one can guarantee a championship. No one knows what’s going to happen over the next four races, but you want to be in the conversation. That’s why the sponsors invest in us, that’s what the fans cheer about. We’re going to do the best we can and if we come out victorious, it’s that much sweeter. But this is what it’s all about. I’ve been around a lot of successful teams. We’ve had some good runs, but this is clearly our best run at it.”

Chad Green moved all the way to second with a solid run of 3.886s at 330.47mph and Blake Alexander took second with a 3.888s at 326.79mph.

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After earning her third straight No. 1 qualifier to open the playoffs thanks to Friday’s run of 6.549s at 209.69mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro, Pro Stock’s Erica Enders has a chance at history on Sunday. With her next win, the defending world champion will become the winningest female driver in NHRA history. She’ll open eliminations against Eric Latino, hoping to secure her 47th victory this season and first in the Countdown to the Championship. Enders has also dominated over the years in St. Louis, winning four straight seasons heading into the weekend. Her six overall wins are the most for any driver at the track.

“I’m definitely excited to head into raceday,” Enders said. “St. Louis has always been really good to us, and we hope that the trend will continue tomorrow – but there are a lot of really tough competitors out there. I’m hopeful to park that JHG/Melling Performance car in the winner’s circle. We’ve got our work cut out for us, but I’m looking forward to it.

“I haven’t thought about [the record] on race day, but no matter when it comes it will be a huge honor. Angelle [Sampey] was one of my heroes growing up, and we’re great friends now. To be the all-time winner for females in any form of motorsports is pretty substantial and an honor I won’t take lightly.”

Points leader Matt Hartford moved up to second with a strong run of 6.549s at 207.75mph and Troy Coughlin Jr. qualified third with a pass of 6.558s at 208.97mph.

Gaige Herrera tied Matt Hines for the most No. 1 qualifiers in a single season in Pro Stock Motorcycle history, securing his 11th top spot in 12 PSM races with Friday’s run of 6.716s at 201.79mph on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. Hines set the mark in 1998 and Herrera matched the mark more than 25 years later as he continued his dominant season. The points leader made two more quality runs on Saturday, taking plenty of momentum into Sunday as he aims to pick up his first win in St. Louis and his eighth victory of the season.

“This is very cool. I just have to give it up to Andrew (Hines, crew chief) and all the guys at the shop and Matt, included,” Herrera said. “They’re the ones that make that possible. To be able to tie Matt and get that many No. 1 qualifiers in one season, it’s incredible. There have been a lot of remarkable, crazy, things I’ve accomplished so far this year but to add something like this to it is pretty cool.

“We tried to do different things on the bike today, the track is kind of a little tricky for us, so I feel like we made good passes considering. We’ll go back and go over all our data and be ready for tomorrow. All in all, I felt pretty good on the bike and it should be good tomorrow.”

Defending world champion and defending event winner Matt Smith took second with a 6.766s at 201.76mph and Eddie Krawiec bumped to third thanks to his 6.773s at 201.25mph.

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

Kalitta, Tasca, Enders, Herrera start Midwest Nationals on top

Top Fuel points leader Doug Kalitta continued his impressive run in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship at World Wide Technology Raceway, powering to the provisional No. 1 spot to close out Friday’s racing at the 12th annual NHRA Midwest …

Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 18th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, and the third of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

As part of the final pair of the evening under the lights at World Wide Technology Raceway, Kalitta turned in a run of 3.709s at 331.85mph in his Mac Tools/Toyota dragster. If that holds, the veteran would pick up his second No. 1 spot this year and 53rd in his career. Seeking his first career world championship, Kalitta has won the first two playoff races this year and continued to gain momentum on Friday.

“Everybody is running really close, and we somehow snuck by them,” Kalitta said. “Hat’s off to (crew chiefs) Alan Johnson and Brian Husen and all my guys; they’re really working their tails off on this car, and it’s definitely showing. Consistency is everything in this sport, and that was a nice A to B run for us. It was close, but we pulled it off.

“We’re all hungry. I always love coming to St. Louis. Just a lot of great memories here and a great racing town. This is really a good start for us here for the first qualifying run. The competition is tough and everybody is running well. I just feel really fortunate to pull off the low qualifier so far.”

Mike Salinas took the second spot with a run of 3.710s at 329.75mph and Antron Brown was right behind in third with a 3.714s at 331.69mph.

In Funny Car, Tasca delivered an epic blast to close out qualifying, going a spectacular 3.852s at 324.90mph in his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang. Coming off last weekend’s win in Charlotte and advancing to second in points, Tasca grabbed the qualifying points on Friday at World Wide Technology Raceway as only one of two drivers to dip into the 3.80s. With warm temperatures expected on Saturday, Tasca appears on track to earn his sixth No. 1 qualifier in his tremendous 2023 campaign and the 15th in his career. It would also be his second No. 1 in the playoffs if it holds, a week after making a career-best pass in Charlotte.

“We’ve been working on this all season long, starting in testing,” Tasca said. “We had to have the setup to go out here and run with the big teams when the conditions were good. We had flashes of that early in the season, worked on it when the conditions were good, and just seeing this car run really hard. Aaron Brooks, Todd Okuhara, they have a lot of confidence in the setup. They were trying to run 0.85s and the car ran 0.85s.

“This wasn’t a fluke, they told me keep it on the inside until about a half-track and then pull it back slowly. Normally you muscle a Funny Car, but in this example, you’re really just finessing it. You can’t be a one-trick pony. You have to be able to throw down when it’s hot and be able to pull it back and still throw down when it’s cool.”

Blake Alexander took the second spot with a run of 3.888s at 326.79mph and John Force is third after going 3.914s at 325.06mph. Points leader Robert Hight is 13th.

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World Wide Technology Raceway has belonged to Pro Stock’s Erica Enders over the years and that continued on Friday, as the defending world champion went to the No. 1 spot with a run of 6.549s at 209.69mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro. If that holds, Enders would earn her third straight No. 1 qualifier, fifth this season and the 34th in her stellar career. She’s been nearly flawless in St. Louis, winning the past four years at the track, giving her six overall. That’s the most in NHRA history at the facility and a seventh win this weekend – and 47th in her career – would also give her the most wins by a female in NHRA history.

“It definitely felt awesome,” Enders said. “I say this a lot but I feed off of Mark Ingersoll, my crew chief. I really enjoy his confidence because it in turn gives me confidence. This place has always been amazing to me. To have the last four years in a row is pretty awesome. It’s Mark’s home track, and he wants to swing hard here. We’re really excited.

“My sister and I have coined the phrase, everything changes in St. Louis. We’ll just go ahead and hope that’s going to be the outcome. When we went into the Countdown, we haven’t won one yet, but I said three races in a row, in three weeks I’m going to know where I stand and maybe my stomach can relax a little bit. It’s so fun coming here. I’m excited to have things change in St. Louis.”

Troy Coughlin Jr. took the second spot thanks to his pass of 6.558s at 208.97mph and Greg Anderson, who won last weekend in Charlotte, is third after a 6.560s at 208.81mph. Points leader Matt Hartford’s 6.565s has him fourth.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Gaige Herrera enjoyed another terrific Friday night, this time putting together an impressive run of 6.716s at 201.79mph on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. It puts the points leader on track for an incredible 11th No. 1 qualifier this season in 12 races for the category, another sign of his dominating season. He picked up his first career win in the Countdown to the Championship last weekend and, after moving back into the points lead, Herrera looks to keep rolling this weekend in St. Louis.

“I’ve been having fun all year, and all the little changes, they’re out to get us as a team or me,” Herrera said. “Just to have that feeling, basically, Matt (Smith) is doing everything he can to try to knock us off the top. I think that makes us drive harder, push harder, and me as a rider, try to be more consistent. I had a 0.029s light there today and last weekend I had an average of 0.032s. It makes me try harder and push harder, and the same for Andrew (Hines, crew chief). He wants to give me the most consistent but fast motorcycle, so I think overall it just drives us to keep on pushing. I’m just excited to be a part of it. I’m very lucky to ride for them and be part of it.”

Defending world champion and defending event winner Matt Smith, who trails Herrera by 52 points heading into the weekend, is currently second with a 6.766s at 201.76mph and Eddie Krawiec is third with a 6.787s at 201.40mph.

Qualifying continues at 1:30 p.m. CT on Saturday at the NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway.

Kalitta undefeated so far in NHRA Countdown after Charlotte

Top Fuel’s Doug Kalitta stayed undefeated in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs, picking up his second straight win on Sunday at zMAX Dragway and moving into the points lead for the first time in three years at the 15th annual betway …

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

After making a career-best run of 3.836s on Saturday to qualify third, Tasca took down Alexis DeJoria, Terry Haddock and Matt Hagan to reach the final round against Hight. Tasca was previously 0-3 against the three-time champ in final rounds, but Tasca’s 0.050s reaction time proved to be the difference to hold off Hight and pick up the thrilling win. Tasca also pulled to within 25 points of Hight after two races in the Countdown to the Championship.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hagan quickest so far in NHRA qualifying at zMAX Dragway

Matt Hagan made the quickest Funny Car run of the year on Friday at zMAX Dragway, taking the provisional No. 1 spot for Tony Stewart Racing at the 15th annual betway NHRA Carolina Nationals. Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and …

Matt Hagan made the quickest Funny Car run of the year on Friday at zMAX Dragway, taking the provisional No. 1 spot for Tony Stewart Racing at the 15th annual betway NHRA Carolina Nationals.

Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 17th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, and the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Hagan powered to an impressive run of 3.825s at 333.49mph in his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, setting the track E.T. record and making the quickest pass in the Funny Car category since he went 3.823 in Phoenix at the second race of the 2022 season. If it holds, the three-time Funny Car world champ would earn his second No. 1 qualifier of the season and 50th in his career. It was also a nice bounce back for Hagan and his team after falling by a crushing 0.0001s in the second round last weekend against points leader Robert Hight.

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

“A run like that is a huge confidence-booster and it’s just nice to be able to put that in the bank. I can’t say enough about my guys and it was just a great day. These cars are probably the most humbling thing I’ve ever dealt with in my life. You’ve got to be peaking at the right time and if we want to be champion, we need to win two or three more races this year. That’s our mindset and our mentality right now.”

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

In Top Fuel, Doug Kalitta continued his hot streak, following up on last weekend’s 50th career win by going to the No. 1 spot in Charlotte with a standout performance of 3.665s at 331.61mph in his Mac Tools dragster. The veteran, who moved up to third in points with the win last week, is aiming for his second No. 1 spot this season and 53rd in his career. The run under the lights was also the fifth straight run in the 3.60s for Kalitta dating back to last weekend, which bodes well for the rest of the weekend as well as the remaining races in the Countdown to the Championship.

“This car is happy to be on the track,” Kalitta said. “I’m just really happy for all my guys and this whole team. Charlotte is one of the greatest places we run and we’re hungry to keep this momentum going. So far, so good and we’ll see what we’ve got after tomorrow.

“We’ve got plenty of confidence right now and the conditions are going to be good [this weekend]. This team has been gelling really well and hopefully we can keep it going. They’ve been making me look good. We’re going to keep our head down, keep trying to get round wins and see what we can do.”

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

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For the second straight race, defending Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders enjoyed a strong start, taking the provisional No. 1 in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro with a run of 6.509s at 210.18mph. If that holds, Enders would earn her fourth top spot this year and 33rd in her career. It would also continue Enders’ strong start to the playoffs after she qualified No. 1 in Reading and advanced to the semifinals. Looking for a sixth world championship, Enders is after more at zMAX Dragway – namely a third win of the season.

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

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

Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera shrugged off his surprising second-round loss from last weekend in strong fashion on Friday, distancing himself from the rest of the field with a run of 6.731s at 200.44mph on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. Herrera, who is now second and 17 points behind Matt Smith, is seeking his 10th No. 1 qualifier of the year and what he hopes is his seventh victory of the year and first career Countdown to the Championship victory. Herrera enjoyed a terrific start on Friday and will try to replicate that over the next two days in Charlotte.

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

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

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

Capps quickest in Friday NHRA qualifying at Brainerd

Defending Funny Car world champion Ron Capps powered to the provisional No. 1 spot on Friday at Brainerd International Raceway as he looks to win the 41st annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals for a seventh time. Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson …

Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 14th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Capps went 3.894s at 330.23mph in his NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra, putting the back-to-back Funny Car champ in the No. 1 position after two qualifying sessions. If it holds, it would give Capps his second No. 1 qualifier this season and 38th in his career. Only John Force has won at Brainerd more than Capps, who will look add to his success this weekend at a track that means a great deal to him.

“It’s hard to explain, but I love this place — a lot of great memories,” Capps said. “That was just another version of it. We had to shut the car off in the first run, and I sat there at the starting line and watched (Matt) Hagan go low E.T.

“(Crew chief) Guido (Dean Antonelli) and I had a talk [before the later session] and he said, ‘It’s going to be hot tomorrow, and I don’t want to not be in the top half – but we can’t improve. I don’t want to throw down and miss it and smoke the tires. There are 17 cars.’ But I just looked at him and said, ‘Dude, go for it. Throw down.’ He just smiled. He didn’t throw down as much, but it was enough.”

J.R. Todd is currently second with his run of 3.907s at 327.98mph and points leader Matt Hagan is third after going 3.910s at 328.06mph.

In Top Fuel, Doug Kalitta made the quickest run in the opening session, going 3.757s at 330.31mph in his Mac Tools dragster. The second session was cancelled due to a lack of daylight, but Kalitta made the most of the first run, putting together a strong run that he hopes sets him up for a strong weekend. He’s in line for his second No. 1 qualifier this season and 52nd in his career, but what would really make the veteran happy is a 50th career victory. The team has been trending in the right direction and a third career win at Brainerd International Raceway could be in store this weekend.

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“That was good. You never can tell really, but this track is usually really good, so I was hopeful we could get down,” Kalitta said. “I’m real proud of my guys and I can’t wait to see how it holds up for tomorrow. I’m happy for today, for sure. They do an awesome job on the track and I’m pretty confident we’ll have two good lanes for tomorrow, so I’m looking forward to it.

“We’re definitely hungry for a win but just making it to the final – if you can get to the final at every race, you can keep your points going. Hopefully, we’ll fall into that win category again, and this would be a great place to do it. I love coming to Brainerd. It’s always great coming back and seeing what we can do.”

Steve Torrence’s 3.758s at 328.54mph has him second, while reigning world champion Brittany Force went 3.762s at 331.45mph. That has her third and points leader Justin Ashley is sixth.

In Pro Stock’s first appearance at Brainerd since 2019, it was the hometown guy who stole the show on Friday, as Duluth native Greg Anderson grabbed the provisional No. 1 position with a run of 6.597s at 205.79mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. Coming off a strong showing last weekend in Topeka when Anderson raced to his first final round of the 2023 campaign, the five-time world champ kept rolling on Friday, making the quickest run in both sessions. If that holds, Anderson would pick up his first No. 1 of the season and the 122nd in his standout career. Hoping to make a big run with the Countdown to the Championship approaching, a good weekend in Brainerd would be huge for Anderson.

“Being back home is cool,” Anderson said. “This is where I grew up, where it all started for me. It’s pretty darn cool to come back after a long four years. The facility is wonderful, the race track is great, the weather is great – it’s just like I remember it. It’s been a really good Friday, and we got all the points that they had to give today with two pretty much flawless runs.

“They were absolutely right on par, and I couldn’t be prouder of the guys that work on these KB Titan Chevys back here. They’re impressive. It’s time to win a race before we get into the Countdown. You have to peak at the right time, and it’s the right time going into Indy and the playoffs, and here at my home track.”

Matt Hartford jumped to second with a stout run of 6.598s at 205.54mph, while defending world champ Erica Enders, who won last weekend in Topeka, is currently third thanks to her 6.603s at 207.27mph.

Qualifying continues at 12:45 p.m. CT on Saturday at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.

Kalitta hunts for 50th NHRA win with provisional No. 1 in Seattle

Searching for his 50th career victory, Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta powered to the provisional No. 1 qualifier on Friday at the 34th annual Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceway. Bob Tasca III (Funny Car) and Gaige Herrera (Pro …

Searching for his 50th career victory, Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta powered to the provisional No. 1 qualifier on Friday at the 34th annual Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceway.

Bob Tasca III (Funny Car) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 11th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Kalitta put together a run of 3.753s at 327.66mph in his Mac Tools dragster, putting him in line for his second top spot this season and 53rd in his career. The 49-time event winner will try to pick up his second win in Seattle as part of the second race in the NHRA’s three-race Western Swing and things appear on the upswing, with Kalitta advancing to the final round last weekend in Denver.

“I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished to get to 49 wins and we’d love to get to 50, but you try not to make too big a deal out of it,” said Kalitta, who last won in 2020. “But it’s certainly getting to that point with it being (nearly) three years. We’ll just keep digging and hopefully all the stars align, and we get another win. It’s a humbling sport for sure and you’ve just got to take the good with the bad and take advantage of the opportunities.”

Clay Millican, who knocked off Kalitta in the final round in Denver, is currently second after going 3.779s at 322.88mph and Shawn Langdon is third with a run of 3.786s at 321.27mph. Points leader Justin Ashley is right behind with a pass of 3.801s at 319.45mph.

In Funny Car, Tasca is after his second straight No. 1 qualifier in Seattle and fifth this season after his run of 3.964s at 320.13mph in his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang. Tasca is still seeking his first career victory in Seattle, but even with new crew chiefs, he performed at a high level during qualifying. Currently sixth in points, Tasca is after his sixth win this season.

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“We did so good here during qualifying last year, and we got snake bit in the (second) round, but what I was really happy about this run is that I always ask the crew chiefs, what is it going to run? And Aaron (Brooks) goes ‘Around 3.96s,’ and you see John Force run (3.98s), you know 0.96 is going to be a great run out there,” Tasca said. “So good way to start.

“Tomorrow, I think you’ll see more of the same in Q2, and then Q3 will be the throw-down run, so I certainly don’t expect this to hold for No. 1 tomorrow night, but I fully expect us to pick up in the last session. So we’ll see what we can do.”

John Force, who has nine career wins in Seattle, is second with a run of 3.982s at 322.42mph and Tim Wilkerson is third after going 3.983s at 320.36mph. Points leader Matt Hagan, who won in Denver, is currently seventh.

In the first appearance for Pro Stock Motorcycle at Pacific Raceways, points leader Herrera made a great first impression, going to the top spot with a run of 6.767s at 198.09mph Vance & Hines/Mission Foods Suzuki. Coming off his impressive victory in Denver, Herrera kept rolling in his debut in Seattle as he looks to pick up his sixth No. 1 qualifier of the year. By making the first appearance in Seattle, there’s a chance for the first official sweep of the Western Swing and Herrera can be the one to do it after winning in Denver.

“For us to come out with the win (in Denver), we were definitely in awe,” said Herrera, who scored his fourth win of the season there. ‘I’m glad to be back as the provisional No. 1 and hopefully we’re going to hold on to them tomorrow.

“The run did not feel good at all. When I left a line it went left, and then I had to correct it. It felt like in third gear it kind of went left again, so I corrected again. It gives me confidence that we can go even quicker tomorrow.”

Herrera’s teammate, Eddie Krawiec, is second with a 6.776s at 198.82mph. He is also seeking his 50th career win. Steve Johnson is third after going 6.809s at 195.45mph.

Qualifying continues at 1:45 p.m. PT on Saturday at the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways.

Kalitta, Tasca, Cuadra top qualifiers at NHRA Arizona Nationals

Alexis DeJoria claimed the victory in the first Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge as part of the NHRA Arizona Nationals, defeating J.R. Todd in the Funny Car final round of the bonus event on Saturday in front of a sold-out crowd at Wild Horse …

In the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Troy Coughlin (Jr.) also picked up wins in the bonus event in Phoenix. Kalitta (Top Fuel), Bob Tasca III (Funny Car) and Cristian Cuadra (Pro Stock) all qualified No. 1 at the second of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

DeJoria went 3.914s at 324.51mph in her 11,000-horsepower Bandero Premium Tequila Toyota GR Supra to knock off Todd, claiming the bonus purse and bonus points for the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. The win also took place at the site of her first Funny Car victory, which came in 2014 at Phoenix. She knocked off Matt Hagan to reach the final round of the Challenge and then easily drove past Todd when he went up in smoke to start the celebration.

“It’s really incredible to be able to do this here at this track. It really just makes even better memories of this track,” DeJoria said. “They just keep coming here. The track was a little tricky this weekend, so to make it down the track was a big deal. It feels really good to get that redemption and give that (bonus) check to my team. We’ll see what happens tomorrow, but today we’re going home with a win.”

Tasca claimed the No. 1 spot with a stout run of 3.898s at 329.50mph in his 11,000-horsepower Ford Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang, giving the veteran his 10th career top spot. He was the only driver to make a run in the 3.80s in qualifying, giving Tasca plenty of confidence heading into eliminations. He’ll open race day against Jim Campbell, racing for his first win of the year.

“Hats off to (crew chiefs) Todd (Okuhara) and Aaron (Brooks) and the whole team. They’re very different than anyone I’ve ever raced with,” Tasca said. “You saw all of the cars struggling, but they don’t care what anyone else runs. They just focus on what they believe we can run. I love racing here and it’s great to see a sellout crowd. It’s an iconic place and I’ve had so many great memories here.”

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DeJoria finished second in qualifying and Blake Alexander took third after going 3.927s at 322.50mph.

In Top Fuel, Kalitta is on the verge of a stellar weekend in Phoenix, enjoying another great day at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park with his victory in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge. The veteran earned the win over Mike Salinas in the bonus event with a run of 3.868s at 294.82mph in his 11,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster. Kalitta also sewed up the No. 1 qualifier spot with his stellar Friday run of 3.679s held up, earning his 52nd career top spot.

He’ll open eliminations against Rob Passey, aiming for his milestone 50th career win, but grabbed plenty of momentum with his Challenge victory, which included getting past Steve Torrence in the semifinals on Saturday.

“We certainly appreciate the opportunity to run this race and it’s such a cool challenge,” Kalitta said. “Fortunately, I got to the end and the win light was on, so that was good and we’re super happy. We’re definitely looking forward to tomorrow, but it’s going to be a dogfight like it always is. But we’re looking forward to getting after it and let’s see if we can get a double-up.”

Salinas qualified second with a 3.689s at 335.73mph from Friday, while Austin Prock’s 3.696s at 330.31mph gave him third.

In Pro Stock’s first Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, Troy Coughlin Jr. kept his early-season hot streak going, beating Greg Anderson in the final round with a pass of 6.572s at 208.78mph in his JEGS.com/White Castle/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro. It follows his victory in Gainesville and Coughlin, who also knocked off Dallas Glenn in a Gatornationals rematch, couldn’t be more thrilled with his quick start.

“What an honor to be the first winner of this. I can’t say enough about my group right now,” Coughlin said. “Cloud nine is an understatement right now. They’ve got this car flying and it’s just a tribute to my guys and how hard they work. I wish we could race every day, so let’s keep this going.”

Qualifying also included a historic moment, as Cristian Cuadra kept the top spot, becoming the first Mexican driver in NHRA history to qualify No. 1, as his 6.552s at 210.24mph in his Corral Boots Ford Mustang held up from Friday. It gave Cuadra a special moment as he now looks to pick up his first career victory, opening eliminations against Alan Prusiensky.

“It’s crazy. Everything starts with a dream,” Cuadra said. “I was a kid and saw my dad racing and I wanted to be in that spot. You meet the people at Elite Motorsports to help make the dream come true. My heart wants to go out of my chest and I feel really, really happy. That’s why we’re here. We want to make history for our country. Now my next goal is to try and get a Wally.”

Eliminations for the NHRA Arizona Nationals begin at 11 a.m. MT on Sunday at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.

Kalitta, Alexander, Cuadra lead Friday NHRA Phoenix qualifiers

Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta is in line for his second straight No. 1 qualifier position in Phoenix, powering to the provisional top spot on Friday at the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. Blake Alexander (Funny Car) and …

Kalitta, who has 49 career Top Fuel victories, went 3.679-seconds at 330.23 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster to go to No. 1. Should it hold, Kalitta would pick up his first No. 1 qualifier since last year in Phoenix and the 52nd in his career. It marks another strong moment in the early part of the season for the veteran. He struggled a year ago, including a first-round upset in Phoenix last year, but is motivated for a big turnaround in 2023.

“The car was strong and to go out and run a 3.67 was pretty cool,” Kalitta said. “My guys have been working their tails off on this thing and we’re super hungry to make it happen. There’s no better place to do it than here because we love coming to Phoenix.

“Last year was just one of those years. For whatever reason, the car just wasn’t happy, and it wasn’t responding to what we were doing. It was a long year, but I think all the changes and everything we’ve made have been paying off. Hopefully we’ll just stay on a nice roll.”

Kalitta will also be part of Saturday’s first Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, which offers a bonus purse and bonus playoff points, plus competitive racing during qualifying. It includes semifinal rematches from the previous race, including Kalitta taking on Steve Torrence and Gainesville winner Mike Salinas racing Leah Pruett. Salinas is currently qualified second with a 3.689 at 335.73, with Austin Prock’s 3.696 at 330.31 putting him third.

Alexander made the most of his one pass on Friday in Funny Car, going to the top in his 11,000-horsepower Pronto/Head Inc. Ford Mustang with a run of 3.927 at 322.50. If that holds, Alexander would earn his first No. 1 qualifier in a loaded Funny Car class, as the talented driver made one of only two three-second runs during the session. After a first-round loss to open the year, it was also a positive move in the right direction.

“We came out today with the mindset of we didn’t do that well on Friday in Gainesville. In fact, we lit the car on fire, and we just wanted to get down the track today,” Alexander said. “It turned out to be a nice ending for us. We work really, really hard and even when you have a bad weekend you work extra hard. So we’re happy. We know what this car needs and we just need to keep moving forward.”

Chad Green, who is competing in Saturday’s Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, is currently second after going 3.952 at 319.29 and Terry Haddock is third with a 4.044 at 308.14. Green will face off with J.R. Todd in the Challenge, while Matt Hagan takes on Alexis DeJoria in a semifinal rematch from Gainesville.

In an impressive Pro Stock qualifying session, Cristian Cuadra went to the top position, closing in on his first career No.1 qualifier with a run of 6.552 at 210.24 in his Corral Boots Ford Mustang. Cuadra has advanced to one final round in his career but hasn’t finished on top in qualifying. That could change this weekend in Phoenix after a strong start on Friday.

“When I saw my time slip, I was excited but I thought it wasn’t going to be No. 1 because the fast cars, Erica [Enders], Greg [Anderson], and T.J. [Troy Coughlin Jr.] all those cars are always really fast,” Cuadra said. “I was really, really amazed. Hopefully, I can keep it for tomorrow. I’m really excited. I really want to be the first Mexican to be No. 1. That’s something important for me. We want to make history in Mexico, and we’re already making it.”

Kyle Koretsky, who qualified No. 1 in Phoenix last season, is currently second after a run of 6.554 at 210.37 and KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn is right behind thanks to a run of 6.556 at 210.11. The Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge matchups include Troy Coughlin Jr. racing Glenn, and Mason McGaha taking on Greg Anderson.

Qualifying continues at 12 p.m. MT on Saturday at the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.