Greg Anderson – Syndication Server

Force makes quickest No. 1 run of 2024 at NHRA Finals in Pomona

Brittany Force made the quickest Top Fuel run of the 2024 season on Saturday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, qualifying No. 1 for the fourth time in the past five races at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals. Austin Prock (Funny Car), Greg Anderson …

Austin Prock (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the last of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the sixth race in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Force, who won the most recent race in Las Vegas, went an impressive 3.643s at 336.65mph in her Monster Energy/Chevrolet dragster, collecting her sixth No. 1 of the season. After enduring her share of struggles this season, Force and her team have come on strong to close out the season as she looks to end the year with a second straight win. She’s 108 points out of first, giving her an outside shot at a championship as well, but Force is thrilled with how her team has persevered to get back on track.

Steve Torrence went 3.644s just moments earlier on Saturday, but Force and her team laid down an incredible run to close out qualifying.

“We ran a 3.64s and that’s huge. I’m very proud of [crew chief] David Grubnic and John Collins, and the whole Monster Energy team. I wanted as many bonus points as we could get,” Force said. “[The number of cars in the 3.6s] says the competition is fierce. It’s killer out there. I didn’t know how quick I ran but when I pulled off the track there were cameras in my face so I thought it might be better than it felt.

“I’m not disappointed [in being a championship longshot]. Everything happens for a reason and it all helps pull our team together. We win as a team and we lose as a team.”

Torrence’s 3.644s at 334.90mph puts him second, while defending world champion Doug Kalitta is third after a 3.650s at 334.98mph. Shawn Langdon took fourth with a 3.653s at 331.45mph, jumping into second in points.

He’s currently 43 behind points leader Justin Ashley, who is looking for his first world championship. Ashley will open eliminations in an epic first-round matchup against Antron Brown, who is only 46 points behind the young standout. Kalitta and Torrence are 78 and 79 points behind, respectively, while Clay Millican also remains in contention at 95 points out of first heading into the opening round of eliminations.

In Funny Car, Austin Prock closed out qualifying with an incredible track-record run of 3.804s at 334.57mph in his AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS. Prock clinched his first career world championship in qualifying, making the quickest Funny Car run in seven years and the fourth-quickest in Funny Car history. It is his 15th No. 1 qualifier in 2024, the most in Funny Car history.

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Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson stayed alive in the championship chase, making two strong runs of 6.50s on Saturday, including a category-best 6.505s at 211.20mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. It is the eighth No. 1 qualifier of the season for the five-time world champion, who also remained in contention for the world title. He’s currently 48 points behind leader Aaron Stanfield, with a potential semifinal matchup looming between the contenders.

He could also meet KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn in the championship round in what would be a winner-take-all final round. It’s a scenario that has the veteran and the all-time wins leader in the category excited for Sunday, as an epic championship finale could be in store at Pomona.

“Qualifying means everything. To be able to control our own destiny on Sunday is all you can ask for,” Anderson said. “The way the ladder is set up is a prayer answered. I can’t remember a time when we had three cars within two rounds of the championship going into Sunday.

“Win the race and win the championship. If I can pull that off, it might be the biggest thing I’ve done in this sport. We’ve got it all set up. I just hope I wake up on the right side of the bed. For the last dozen races I’ve had the strongest horse out here but I just haven’t closed the deal. Tomorrow, I hope the sun shines on me and if it doesn’t, I hope it shines on my teammate, Dallas Glenn.”

Glenn is 29 points behind Stanfield, qualifying second with a run of 6.512s at 209.82mph, pulling to within a round of Stanfield heading into eliminations. He could potentially meet Stanfield in a winner-take-all final round as well, while Stanfield qualified fourth with a 6.517s at 209.98mph.

Matt Smith kept Gaige Herrera from his second straight championship on Saturday, securing enough qualifying bonus – as well as the No. 1 spot – to extend the championship race into Sunday. He qualified in the top spot for the sixth time this year, going 6.721s at 202.64mph on his Denso Auto Parts/Matt Smith Racing Buell. With that, he closed the gap to 119 points against Herrera, though Smith will need plenty of help to secure a seventh world championship on Sunday.

If Herrera knocks off Clayton Howey in the opening round of eliminations, Herrera will claim his second straight world title. Smith’s only path to a championship is if Herrera loses in the first round and Smith wins the race. If that doesn’t happen, Smith would at least like to end the year with a victory.

“We came here to try and get the win and we’re in a spot to do that,” Smith said. “We’re still alive [for the championship] but we made too many mistakes during the Countdown to battle Gaige [Herrera] for the championship.

“Funny, but I’m going to finish No. 2 in the championship and I’ve never been No. 2 in my career. I’ve either won the championship or been third or fourth or lower. It would be huge for us to win the race tomorrow or for Angie [Smith], John Hall or Jianna [Evaristo] to win it. I’d love to see one of them win it. It would be a great way to end the season.”

A. Smith qualified second with a 6.758s at 201.43mph and Herrera is third after going 6.765s at 201.22mph.

Eliminations for the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals begin at 11 a.m. PT on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

JFR grabs both nitro No. 1s in Vegas on John Force’s return to the track

With John Force returning to the track on Friday for the first time since his crash in June, team drivers Brittany Force and Austin Prock both went to the top in Top Fuel and Funny Car, respectively, securing the provisional No. 1 spots at the 24th …

Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 19th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the fifth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

B. Force powered to an impressive run of 3.675s at 336.74mph in her Chevrolet Accessories dragster, putting the two-time world champion in line for her fifth No. 1 qualifier of the season and 51st in her career. Las Vegas has treated the standout driver well over the years and a win this weekend would certainly be a memorable one.

“Coming into this weekend, we knew it was going to be special, because my dad had planned to come out, and I think everyone was really looking forward to seeing him, especially me,” B. Force said. “I’m so excited for him. I think it’s great for him. This is just the best medicine for him.

“We’re always excited to come back to Las Vegas where we’ve had so much success in the past. We’re really looking to close out the season strong and get into the winner’s circle for our sponsors.”

Shawn Langdon is currently second after going 3.706s at 333.74mph and reigning world champ Doug Kalitta is third with a pass of 3.707s at 330.96mph.

In Funny Car, Prock delivered a standout run of 3.843s at 333.33mph in his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS, as John Force Racing teammate Jack Beckman ran a stellar 3.859s at 332.43mph in the lane next to him. With J. Force looking on, the two drivers put on a thrilling side-by-side show, with Prock going to the top.

Should Prock, who held a commanding 147-point lead over Beckman heading into the weekend, qualify No. 1, he would break J. Force’s single-season record with his 14th No. 1 spot.

“That was a great way to welcome him back,” Prock said. “All three John Force Racing cars made tremendous runs and it was a good way to say, ‘Welcome back, boss.’ It’s just nice to have John back at the racetrack for the first time since Richmond. I’m glad that he’s back. I wanted to cry when I saw him this morning.

“That first run was really stout, obviously low of the session. We’ve got two more shots at it tomorrow, and conditions are going to be probably better. I don’t believe that 3.84s will hold. I think we’re going to have to improve on that”

Following Beckman in third is Ron Capps, who went 3.860s at 330.96mph.

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Calling it a must-win weekend in Las Vegas, Pro Stock veteran Greg Anderson enjoyed a strong start in qualifying, taking over the No. 1 spot in the second session with a run of 6.597s at 207.02mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. That would give Anderson seven No. 1 qualifiers this season if it holds and 131 in his career, but Anderson knows he needs a victory to stay in championship contention.

He entered the weekend third overall and 90 points back of KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn. Anderson, a five-time world champ, picked up a handful of points on Glenn on Friday, but knows he’ll need much more this weekend to stay alive.

“Without a doubt I need to win this race,” Anderson said. “That’s all I can do at this point. Even if I do win the last two races that might not be enough to get [the championship] done. Our plan is to set the ladder up so it’s favorable but there is no happy spot on a Pro Stock ladder. At least I still have a shot and that’s all you can ask for.

“Things could change if I drop the ball. If that happens, I’ll do everything I can to help Dallas with the championship. I’ll do what’s best for the KB Titan team. That pole is not safe. The conditions figure to be a little better tomorrow and it’s supposed to be overcast so it’s not safe.”

David Cuadra’s 6.605s has him second, while Aaron Stanfield’s 6.609s at 205.66mph puts him third. Glenn is in fourth after running 6.615s at 205.29mph.

Need a big result to stay in the championship hunt, Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Matt Smith couldn’t have asked for a better Friday, making the best run in both sessions on his Denso Auto Parts/Matt Smith Racing Buell, including a run of 6.822s at 198.70mph in the second session. It would be Smith’s sixth No. 1 qualifier this season, but more importantly, he gained four points on leader and defending world champ Gaige Herrera.

That puts him 58 points back of Herrera heading into Saturday and the six-time world champ will look to make another move before a likely must-win situation on Sunday in Las Vegas.

“Our mindset this weekend is to just have no bad luck because we’ve had a lot of it lately,” Smith said. “In Reading I had a bad fuel pump and then in St. Louis we lost a crank trigger and in Dallas the bike wouldn’t shift. Those are three races we should have won and that would have been 60 points. We should be leading right now so I’m not asking for good luck. I just don’t want any more bad luck.

“We never quit. I know that I’m No. 2 and we’ve got the second best bike but we’re still in this. I do see this race as must win unless Gaige has some bad luck, which hasn’t happened yet.”

Herrera, the defending event winner in Vegas, is currently second after going 6.846s at 196.99mph and Angie Smith took third with a run of 6.850s at 197.59mph.

Qualifying continues at 12:30 p.m. PT on Saturday at the Ford Performance NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Force, Prock, Anderson, Herrera qualify No. 1 at NHRA Texas FallNationals

Two-time Top Fuel world champion Brittany Force clinched her 50th career No. 1 qualifier on Saturday at Texas Motorplex, hanging on to the top position at the 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals. Austin Prock (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) …

Two-time Top Fuel world champion Brittany Force clinched her 50th career No. 1 qualifier on Saturday at Texas Motorplex, hanging on to the top position at the 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals.

Austin Prock (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the 18th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the fourth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Force’s run of 3.667s at 338.19mph from Friday in her HendrickCars.com/Chevrolet dragster wasn’t challenged on Saturday, handing the 16-time event winner her fourth No. 1 qualifier of the year. She will open eliminations against Spencer Hyde, looking to pick up her first victory since the 2022 season. Force was thrilled to earn a 50th career No. 1 qualifier, but her focus remains on going four rounds on Sunday.

“Just to hear ‘50,’ that’s such a big achievement,” Force said. “It’s a big achievement by all of John Force Racing. It’s something I’m very proud of. It seems like an impossible number and to have that in my career, to be able to accomplish that is huge and something I’m very proud of. The cool thing is, it was a collective thing. It was done with so many different teams and crew chiefs that I’ll always look up to. They all taught me things along the way that I still use to this day. I’m very thankful to them that they’re part of my career and getting that 50.

“To see three [No. 1s] in the last [five] races, it shows that this team is gaining momentum and that we’re moving in the right direction. We’re starting to move on to something positive. But ultimately, we want to perform well on Sunday.”

Shawn Reed qualified second with a 3.676s at 330.71mph and Texan Steve Torrence took third thanks to his pass of 3.721s at 332.03mph. Points leader Antron Brown qualified fifth and will face off with Justin Ashley, who is 34 points behind in second, in a must-see opening round.

In Funny Car, Prock matched his boss and legendary Funny Car driver John Force for the most No. 1 qualifiers in a single season in class history, earning his 13th No. 1 spot of the 2024 season when Friday’s track-record run of 3.813s at 333.09mph in his AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS wasn’t challenged on Saturday, ensuring a John Force Racing sweep in qualifying.

Friday’s run was also the eighth-quickest in Funny Car history for the dominant points leader, who will look to extend his lead on Sunday. He will start raceday against Terry Haddock as he seeks an eighth victory in 2024.

“It’s pretty special. I had no idea that there was a record until a few weeks ago and we’ve knocked off a few more, and we eventually tied them today,” Prock said. “It’s pretty special to be added to that list, and to do it in 18 races is pretty incredible. It speaks volumes about this team, my dad, my brother, Nate Hildahl, everyone that’s on this AAA/Cornwall Tools car. I’m really proud of this team and happy to be driving this race car.

“I did talk to John last night and he was he was so ecstatic to see our race car and his daughter’s race car go No. 1 qualifier. He was watching all evening long, and he was really proud. It was nice to hear his voice and know that he was watching and he’s proud, and hopefully we can make them proud the rest of the season.”

Defending event winner and reigning world champion Matt Hagan took second after Friday’s 3.823s at 335.20mph and Jack Beckman, who is second in points, finished third with a 3.825s at 331.49mph.

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Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson heads into race day with plenty of momentum after his 6.524s at 208.99mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro from Friday was enough to hand the five-time world champion his sixth No. 1 spot of the season and the 130th in his standout career. Anderson, who is currently fourth in points, made a pair of solid runs on Saturday as well. To stay in the title hunt, Anderson knows he will need a big day on Dallas.

Enders qualified second thanks to Friday’s 6.526s at 209.09mph and David Cuadra took third with a 6.532s at 208.60mph. Aaron Stanfield and leader Dallas Glenn – are fourth and fifth, respectively. The top two in points could meet in the second round, with a potential matchup with Anderson looming in the semifinals.

“Three of us are one side. Erica happened to end up on the other side and I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing for her. We’ll see how it plays out tomorrow,” Anderson said. “There’s only going to be one of the three left in the semifinal on our side of the ladder. Without something like that happening at one of these races I probably wouldn’t have a chance to make up ground because if we all four keep making the semifinals, you’re not going to make up much ground. It’s really the only chance I’ve got.

“We’ll see how the cards fall tomorrow, but it’s an opportunity. I like that. We’re going to be fast. I’m excited to race, and it could be a turning point of the season. It’s time to either get it done or go home.”

Herrera was the only provisional No. 1 qualifier to improve on Saturday, delivering a run of 6.749s at 202.52mph in Pro Stock Motorcycle on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. It hands the points leader his eighth No. 1 qualifier in 2024 and the 22nd in his career, and Herrera will look to win in Dallas for a second straight year. Herrera was impressed with his team’s ability to improve on Friday’s run as he looks to extend his points lead on Sunday.

“The only thing that made it possible was tail wind,” Herrera said. “You just had to catch it at the right time. It was a cross tail so I didn’t think being in the right lane would affect us as much as it did, but it did. That was a good pass. Tomorrow we’re going to be racing in this kind of weather. I think it’s going to be a direct, straight tail wind instead of across. Probably see a pretty good mile an hour tomorrow and it’ll be a good day of racing.

“The biggest thing I focus on is the here and now. You can’t predict what’s going to happen. You can’t try to make stuff happen. You just have to go out there and do what you have to do and it’s going to turn out how it’s going to be.”

Matt Smith jumped up to second in the final session after going 6.756s at 201.77mph and Jianna Evaristo took third thanks to Friday’s 6.777s at 201.81mph.

Eliminations for the 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals begin at 12 p.m. CT on Sunday at Texas Motorplex.

Prock, Force, Anderson Herrera go No. 1 on Friday at NHRA Texas FallNationals

Funny Car points leader Austin Prock made the quickest Funny Car run in seven years on Friday at Texas Motorplex, setting the track record and taking the provisional No. 1 spot for John Force Racing at the 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals. …

Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 18th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the fourth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

A special “Friday Night Live” meant more than $40,000 in bonus money on the line as well. The low qualifier under the lights on Friday night handed the Top Fuel and Funny Car stars $15,000 each in bonus money, with $7,500 going to the quickest qualifier in Pro Stock and $5,000 in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Prock left no doubt who would get the $15,000 bonus money in Funny Car, as he went a blistering 3.813s at 333.09mph in his AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS, eclipsing the track record by a huge margin and making the quickest run in Funny Car since 2017. If it holds, Prock would earn his 13th No. 1 spot of the season, which would tie him with John Force for the most No. 1 qualifiers in a single season in Funny Car history.

“I was definitely jacked up for this one,” Prock said. “I knew the conditions were there and this AAA team was going to push. I’m really proud of them. This track is really difficult to drive, especially at night, [but] I stood on the gas and felt like I was pretty centered up. I think I got a little close to the center line, but it was still a pretty great run. I’m looking forward to getting back to the pit and scoping it out and seeing what I can learn from that.

“We’re always on kill, I would say, but we know we have to be at our absolute best these last three races to try to wrap this deal up. We’ve put a lot of hard work in this year, but three races, that’s a long way to go in this Countdown. We have to keep making smart decisions, play off our notebook, and try to do the best we can and see how everything plays out.”

Defending event winner and reigning world champion Matt Hagan is second after a run of 3.823s at 335.20mph and Jack Beckman, who is second in points, was right behind with a pass of 3.825s at 331.49mph.

In Top Fuel, Brittany Force made it a John Force Racing bonus double-up on Friday, delivering a stellar run of 3.667s at 338.19mph in her HendrickCars.com/Chevrolet dragster to earn the $15,000 bonus check. It was the second-fastest run of the year in Top Fuel and puts Force in a great position to collect her fourth No. 1 qualifier of the year and the 50th in her standout Top Fuel career. Looking for her first victory since 2022, Force is eager to build on a memorable Friday night at Texas Motorplex.

“That was just an amazing run for our team to come out here. We’ve had a tough year and that 3.66s and 338mph, that’s David Grubnic and this HendrickCars.com team,” Force said. “We’ve been pushing all season long to have a run like that. Getting the check and the cowboy boots really boosts the team morale, and we’re ready to attack the rest of the weekend.

“We won’t give up until it’s done. We’ll keep on pushing. Our game plan is to win this event here. We try not to get too far ahead of ourselves, we’re focused on moving up on that ladder and getting back in that winner’s circle. It’s been far too long. When I head back to my pits right now, I know the guys are going to be pumped. We all kept pushing. It gets hard, but we continue to push to be the best that we can. To do that today, it gives us a boost. We want to keep doing that.”

Shawn Reed is currently second after going 3.676s at 330.71mph and Texan Steve Torrence is third thanks to his pass of 3.721s at 332.03mph.

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Anderson closed out Pro Stock qualifying in standout fashion, taking the $7,500 bonus and the provisional No. 1 spot with a run of 6.524s at 208.99mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. Erica Enders set the bar early in the session, but Anderson closed it out on top as he seeks his sixth No. 1 qualifier of the year and the 130th in his tremendous career. Anderson, who is currently fourth in the Pro Stock points standings, has enjoyed several terrific moments at Texas Motorplex over the years and he added to that on Friday under the lights.

“I love coming here, I absolutely love it,” Anderson said. “It’s all the Meyer family. They make it special, and it matters to us. It makes you rise to the next level. We got it done by 0.002s and how fitting. That’s the battle we’ve been having lately, it’s who makes the sweetest, most perfect run. That was pretty mean. I knew that was the target and it was going to be close, and it certainly was. Fortunately, we were able to keep her in the center of the racetrack and got the check by 0.002s. It all ended up great, it’s a great night in Texas.

“These bonus points mean everything. It’s going to be extremely hard to make up ground on any one of them, let alone three of the four of them. They’re not making mistakes. They’re racing error-free, they’re fast. It’s going to be very hard to make up some ground. I’m not in a great spot, but I’m not going to give up. I’m going to keep trying. Mission accomplished today, a perfect Friday.”

Enders took the second position, just missing the top spot after a run of 6.526s at 209.09mph and David Cuadra’s 6.532s at 208.60mph puts him third. The top two drivers in points – Aaron Stanfield and leader Dallas Glenn – are fourth and fifth, respectively.

Herrera shattered records a year ago in Pro Stock Motorcycle at Texas Motorplex and enjoyed another impressive Friday to open the weekend this season, making the quickest run of each session, including a 6.757s at 201.21mph under the lights on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. The run nets Herrera $5,000 and also puts the defending world champion and current points leader in line for his eighth No. 1 spot this season and 22nd in his career.

Herrera moved back into the lead thanks to his win at the most recent race in St. Louis and he looks to strengthen in a major way with a second straight victory in Dallas.

“You come here, you get a different vibe,” Herrera said. “It’s a very welcoming, ‘have fun’ vibe, and that’s what we’re doing. We’re having fun and getting to race at the same time. It’s awesome to get that bonus money on Friday night. I can’t thank the Meyer family enough for all they do for us racers at Texas Motorplex. My bike ran good coming off the trailer, so we were happy to get that and get a little extra change.

“There are a lot of fast motorcycles right now between the whole class. We just have a consistently fast motorcycle at the moment. We’re trying to get every little point that we can. It’s all about consistency right now.”

Jianna Evaristo is second after going 6.777s at 201.81mph and Angie Smith is third thanks to a run of 6.808s at 201.41mph.

Qualifying continues at 12 p.m. CT on Saturday at the Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex.

Kalitta DNQs for 70th running of NHRA US Nationals in Indy

Top Fuel points leader and reigning world champion Doug Kalitta did not qualify for the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals, going 3.793s during the final qualifying session. His teammate, Shawn Langdon, bumped him out on the next pass, going 3.784s to go to 16th. He’ll take on Brittany Force in the opening round, while Kalitta won’t qualify for the first time since 2010, an incredible span of 301 races.

Funny Car’s Paul Lee won a specialty race for the first time in his NHRA career on Sunday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, defeating Bob Tasca in the final round of the Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout.

In other racing action, Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all qualified No. 1 at the 14th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Lee, who was seeded eighth in the eight-car field and appeared in a specialty race for the first time, went 4.243s at 328.38mph in his McLeod Racing/FTI Performance Dodge Charger to slip past Tasca’s 4.255s. Both cars drove into smoke near the finish line, but Lee had enough to coast to the victory, which nets the veteran the $80,000 prize. Lee beat Ron Capps and defending world champion Matt Hagan earlier on Sunday to reach the final round of the specialty race.

He left first on Tasca and held on for the win, which is certainly Lee’s biggest moment in the Funny Car ranks. Lee has made impressive strides this year with Jonnie Lindberg as his crew chief and John Medlen offering guidance as well.

“I couldn’t be prouder of my whole team. They really worked their butts off today, changed engines between first and second round and did a flawless job,” Lee said. “This is a team sport. I’m here representing my team, but it’s a true team sport and I just remember growing up watching all the specialty shootouts in the past and then growing up and getting to be in one and win it? I’m over the moon.

“I’m in it, I don’t care who I race. I didn’t really care because you have to beat everybody. Look at the cars you have to race, these are the top cars in the country. I don’t look at this as stress, I look at it as opportunity. This time, it was an opportunity to win $80,000. Tomorrow, I look at it the same way. I have the opportunity to win the U.S. Nationals.”

Top Fuel’s Brittany Force has enjoyed the weekend she has needed so far, securing the No. 1 qualifier when Saturday’s 3.693s at 333.08mph in her Chevrolet Accessories dragster. It’s the 48th top qualifier for the two-time world champ and Force needed every bit of it this weekend, entering the U.S. Nationals 10th in points. She’ll enter raceday with a 58-point advantage over 11th-place Josh Hart and Force will need to stay in the top 10 to earn a spot in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. That means plenty is on the line for Force on Monday as she opens eliminations against Shawn Langdon.

“It’s been a whirlwind of a weekend,” Force said. “We’ve done really well and we’re wearing a No. 1 qualifier hat. We ended up No. 1 and haven’t done that since the very beginning of the season. That’s a huge deal, but we are right now so focused on tomorrow and what it takes to stay in this thing. We’re sitting 10th and we can get bumped out. This team, we want to be in a hunt for a championship. We’ve done great so far and done everything that we can..

“If it wasn’t Langdon, it’d be somebody else and there is no easy team or driver out here. We’ve seen crazier things happen on raceday. We’re going to give it our all, we’re in a really good position, we have to focus on that and just stay in our lane – focus on what our team can do, what our goals are, what we want to accomplish.”

Tony Stewart qualified in the second spot with his 3.707s at 331.04mph and T.J. Zizzo is third with a 3.716s at 332.67mph.

In Funny Car, Austin Prock easily held on to the No. 1 spot, as Saturday’s stellar pass of 3.855s at 328.38mph in his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS handed the points leader a remarkable 10th No. 1 qualifier this season. It’s been nothing short of a spectacular season for Prock in his rookie season in the category and this was another major moment for the young standout who earned his first career U.S. Nationals No. 1 qualifier. Prock will try to turn that into his first U.S. Nationals victory on Monday, where he will open eliminations against Chris King.

“It’s pretty cool, I didn’t even think about it until today and not very many people get to qualify No. 1 here at the U.S. Nationals. It’s our biggest race of the year, and I’m definitely proud of this team,” Prock said. “They all work really hard and deserve results like this. I was proud to be able to get the car down the track in a nice, neat fashion all five runs, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

“Earlier this week I got a new attitude, and I’ve just been having fun. When you get punched in the face like I did (in Brainerd), that’ll change a man. I got a new attitude and it’s been working so far. I’m having fun and can’t wait for tomorrow. It’s going to be a great show for the fans, and that’s how the U.S. Nationals should be.”

Tasca took the second spot with a 3.871s at 336.23mph and Jack Beckman, racing for John Force, qualified third thanks to a run of 3.877s at 329.10mph.

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For a third straight day, Greg Anderson stayed atop the Pro Stock field and for the third straight day, the veteran improved on his performance, going 6.575s at 207.88mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. Weather conditions should allow for Anderson to improve again on Monday during eliminations, where the five-time world champion will have a chance to win The Big Go for the eighth time. He’ll open raceday against Camrie Caruso, looking for his third win of 2024. It’s already been a rewarding weekend for the veteran, making the quickest run in all five qualifying sessions, but success on Monday is the biggest thing and Anderson feels confident his team is on track.

“The big day is Monday but it’s been near perfection for three days straight and that’s a helluva confidence builder,” Anderson said. “It certainly makes me feel good, the car feels great, engine is running great, crew is right on point making decisions. Hopefully, we can make that go for four more runs tomorrow and make some magic here at Indy. I feel great, a lot of confidence in the group, the team, and that helps as a driver and makes you get up on the wheel as a driver.

“I need to get it done. That’s not just me, it’s the entire race team. We need to race error free, like we qualified and get the job done, win the race. I’ve got the horse, I need to ride that sucker to the finish line and ride it proud. That’s what I plan on doing tomorrow. I love racing here at Indy. It would be tough to find a more special race than when I won my 100th race here. You never know when you’re going to get another one. The very next one I get, if I can get another one, will be the best one I ever had.”

Defending world champion Erica Enders remained in second with a 6.592s at 207.11mph, while Jeg Coughlin Jr. took third with a 6.598s at 207.50mph.

After two days of strong performances from Matt Smith Racing, Pro Stock Motorcycle points leader Gaige Herrera had his day on Sunday, picking up the No. 1 qualifier with a standout run of 6.809s at 197.71mph on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines. It was a strong weekend turnaround for the defending world champion, who picks up his fifth No. 1 qualifier of the season with the impressive run. He’ll open eliminations against Wesley Wells, trying to pick up his first victory at the world’s biggest drag race. It’s one of the few events Herrera didn’t win a year ago and he’ll get a chance for redemption on Monday.

“It’s good to get the No. 1 spot for Vance & Hines. This is big for us,” Herrera said. “I was happy to run 6.80 and I’ve got to credit Mother Nature because the [cool weather] helped us. I just didn’t think it would be good enough to stick. I was surprised that it did. It should be even cooler tomorrow, so I think you’ll see some 6.70s for sure.

“We tested here a couple of weeks ago and it helped quite a bit. The air was close to what we had this morning, so we got good data. We’re in a good spot for Monday. That goes for me and Richard [Gadson], Kelly [Clontz], and Geno [Scali]. I think we’ll also do well tomorrow.”

Matt Smith took the second spot with a 6.816s at 196.90mph and John Hall qualified third after going 6.830s at 198.76mph.

Eliminations for the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals begin at 10 a.m. ET on Monday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Prock, Force, Anderson, Hall move to the top at NHRA US Nationals

Funny Car’s Austin Prock moved into the No. 1 position on Saturday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, taking over the provisional top spot at the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals. Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and …

Funny Car’s Austin Prock moved into the No. 1 position on Saturday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, taking over the provisional top spot at the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals.

Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and John Hall (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 14th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Prock made the quickest run in both qualifying sessions, including a weekend-best run of 3.855s at 328.38mph in his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS. If that holds, Prock, who is looking to win for the first time at the U.S. Nationals, would pick up his 10th No. 1 qualifier of the season in the first 14 races of the 2024 season.

“It’s been an outstanding weekend so far,” Prock said. “Everybody has just been having fun in this Cornwell Tools pit this weekend and I feel like we have a good attitude about the U.S. Nationals and going into the playoffs. It’s been an exciting weekend so far, and to lock up that Mission #2Fast2Tasty Championship says a lot about this race team and how consistent this racecar is with the job that they’re doing.

“Through life you have your ups and downs, but after [Brainerd], I feel like I have a brand new attitude and new mindset that can’t be shook. I’ve been annihilating the Christmas Tree this weekend which makes me feel really good and the hard work that I’ve been putting in is paying off. It’s a great start to the weekend. I’m just so proud of my family and this whole Cornwell Tools team and all of John Force Racing. We’ve been outstanding all weekend, all three race cars are just flying and it’s a great time to be doing it.”

Bob Tasca took over the second spot with a 3.871s at 336.23mph and Jack Beckman is in third after going 3.877s at 329.10mph.

Selections were also made for the opening round of the Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout. Top seed Tasca selected Cruz Pedregon, while Ron Capps picked Paul Lee and Matt Hagan chose Alexis DeJoria, setting J.R. Todd and Chad Green as the final first-round matchup.

After a strong start to her weekend, Top Fuel’s Brittany Force enjoyed another standout day, improving on Friday’s time and staying as the provisional No. 1 qualifier with a run of 3.693s at 333.08mph in her Chevrolet Accessories dragster. Needing a big weekend after coming into Indy 10th in points, Force has done that so far, accumulating some much-needed qualifying bonus points in the process. She remains in prime position to pick up her second top qualifier of the season and the 48th in her career.

“There is a lot on the line this weekend, so to be able to improve and step up – our No. 1 spot was taken from us in Q2, and we knew we had to step it up. That was already David Grubnic’s plan, so to go from a 0.74s to a 0.69s was pretty awesome for this team,” Force said. “We’re very proud of that and very happy. We’re moving ahead, and we’re going to try to grasp as many points as we can get.

“The momentum is building for the entire team. We’re excited to be here, it’s the biggest race of the season. We’re sitting 10th and there is so much coming this weekend, so much pressure, but having three good runs down the racetrack really amps us up that much more. We’re excited to be here, but we’re waiting to get to Monday.”

Tony Stewart made a strong improvement as well, racing to the second spot with a pass of 3.707s at 331.04mph, while T.J. Zizzo is third with a 3.716s at 332.67mph.

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Greg Anderson believed there was more in his car and that proved to be true on Saturday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, making a major improvement with a run of 6.588s at 206.20mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. He stays in the No. 1 spot for a second straight day and there was plenty for the five-time champion to like. Anderson, who has won the U.S. Nationals seven times, made the quickest run during both sessions on Saturday, putting him on a strong path to collect his fifth No. 1 qualifier of the season.

“I knew if we didn’t do something like that, we wouldn’t be No. 1,” Anderson said. “The guys did a fantastic job. My car was No. 1 to 60-foot, I didn’t quite expect that, and that’s what got us the provisional pole. Everything has to go perfect for you to get a No. 1 spot and win rounds anymore. We did a great job but we’re only halfway through the weekend, still have another whole day of qualifying left and it looks like tomorrow is going to be a tick better again.

“The pole is not safe. You’ll have to find a way to do a better job again. They’re all nipping at my heels, without a doubt, and anybody can get that pole. There are a lot of people capable of taking it, so we’ll have to give it all we’ve got and try to be perfect. We’re three for three so far, it’ll be quite a feather in the cap if we can go five for five in qualifying and bring momentum into Monday.”

Erica Enders remained in second, improving to a 6.592s at 207.11mph, while Jerry Tucker nearly dipped into the 6.50s as well, moving to third with a 6.600s at 207.59mph.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Matt Smith Racing continued to have a strong weekend at Indy, with John Hall making a big move to the No. 1 position with a run of 6.830s at 198.76mph on his Denso Auto Parts Buell. Hall made the best run of both sessions on Saturday, putting him in a great position to earn his first career No. 1 qualifier. Hall is a previous U.S. Nationals winner and knows full well what success at this race means.

“In this weather, I think a 6.83s is pretty good,” Hall said. “Normally, the Friday run would have been the best, but it was hot yesterday, so we had an opportunity to pick up today. I was in a similar spot in 2013 but this time I have more confidence than ever and that’s the No. 1 thing you can have. This is the biggest race of the year and the one you really want. We want to win all of them, but this is the one that sticks with you for life. I was fortunate to win once but I’d love to have two.”

Matt Smith is currently second after going 6.836s at 199.35mph, while points leader Gaige Herrera moved up to third thanks to a 6.850s at 196.64mph.

Final qualifying begins at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday at the Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Prock sweeps Saturday at NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd

On the final Funny Car pass of the day at Brainerd International Raceway, points leader Austin Prock powered to the No. 1 spot and claimed his sixth straight victory in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday at the 42nd annual Lucas Oil NHRA …

Antron Brown (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, while Steve Torrence (Top Fuel) and Jerry Tucker (Pro Stock) also qualified No. 1 at the 13th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Prock went a stellar 3.860s at 334.07mph in his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS to close out qualifying and win the specialty race against Ron Capps in the process. It gives Prock an incredible seven victories in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, which is the most in the history of the program that started a year ago.

He’s earned 23 bonus championship points as well, while the run hands the points leader and first-year Funny Car driver an equally incredible nine No. 1 qualifiers in the first 13 races of the season. Like he’s done several times in 2024, Prock will look for a clean sweep of the weekend on Sunday, opening eliminations against Jim Campbell.

“It was impressive, but the conditions were coming to everybody,” Prock said. “Safety Safari did an outstanding job of getting the race track back into tip-top shape. I’m really proud of the team, we had a great day and were low of both sessions.

“I was nervous but a little excited to get another shot at a late run here because last night we threw up. We were kind of scratching our heads on why. It was really close to making it and it just didn’t go. [Today], it went right down there and made a really nice pass. We ended up with three more points, a Mission win, and another yellow hat – pretty proud of that.”

Bob Tasca III jumped to second after going 3.868s at 334.98mph in the final session, while Blake Alexander took third thank to Friday’s run of 3.874s at 331.61mph.

In Top Fuel, Antron Brown stayed red-hot in Brainerd, as the defending event winner and victor in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge repeated the first part of that on Saturday, defeating Steve Torrence in the final of the bonus race with a run of 3.842s at 314.17mph in his Matco Tools Toyota dragster.

It is Brown’s second victory in the Challenge this season, giving him 10 bonus points for the Countdown to the Championship. Brainerd continues to be a great place for the three-time world champion who looking to be peaking at the perfect time. He’s the back-to-back Indy winner and Brown, who is currently fifth in points, also won the most recent race in Sonoma, giving him plenty of momentum at an ideal time.

“It’s always been a plan in motion to try to peak at the right time. Our car has been running exceptionally well and that’s just a tribute to our team,” Brown said. “They’ve been working really hard at this and they got a good combination. We’ve been running strong enough, even with the Mission #2Fast2Tasty to pull off the runs. We make it down track every run, and when you do that, it gives you a chance to win.

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“This is one of those great tracks. This is a special track for us, this is where we ran our first 0.60s, a 3.68s against J.R. Todd. This track always has some great memories for us, and we always kick into gear – this is where we get into our groove. We race enough races in a row to know where we’re at and where we need to be at. Tomorrow, hopefully we can continue that trend and carry it on to the U.S. Nationals.”

Torrence kept the No. 1 position on the strength of Friday’s 3.688s at 335.32mph in his Capco Contractors Toyota dragster. It gives the four-time world champ his third top spot this season and the 40th in his career. He’ll open eliminations against Ida Zetterstrom, who is making her Top Fuel debut this weekend in Brainerd.

“This is time where you really get up on your A-game and start working on trying to go win a championship,” Torrence said. “We have here and Indy left, and then it’s ‘katy bar the door.’ Everybody is going to be swinging as hard as they can and trying to go out and win a championship. We’re right in the thick of things, and we need to capitalize on every opportunity we have to stay a top three car and start the Countdown strong.”

Tony Stewart stayed in the second spot thanks to Friday’s 3.688s at 332.18mph and Brittany Force jumped to third in the final qualifying session thanks to a run of 3.698s at 335.48mph.

Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson capped off the night with his third win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, taking down KB Titan Racing teammate Cory Reed in the final of the bonus race with a run of 6.618s at 204.79mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. It was an ideal finish for the evening for Anderson, who will look to sweep his hometown race and win for the first time in Brainerd since 2011.

“It was definitely a great day,” Anderson said. “You have to stick it out. Nobody cares how it happened, they just know who won, period, so you have to find a way to win. We did. It was a great race in the final with my new teammate, Cory Reed. He’s obviously going to be a special racer. I’m very proud of the boy, and I dodged a bullet. We’ll see what the Good Lord brings tomorrow.

“Today was a great day. I love racing on Saturday, and as I’ve said many times before, after a great win on Sunday I sure wish we could race tomorrow, and man we get to race tomorrow. I’m very happy about that, and I can’t wait to get to it. I think tomorrow is going to be smooth, it should be a great day, and hopefully we can find a way to show off in front of the hometown fans.”

Jerry Tucker earned his second career No. 1 qualifier of the year in his Outlaw Mile Hi Beer/Scag Power Equipment Car after a strong pass of 6.612s at 207.78mph. It adds to Tucker’s current momentum after running well in Sonoma and advancing to the semifinals. He’ll face off with Mason McGaha, hoping to pick up his first career win in Pro Stock and give Elite Motorsports its seventh straight victory of the year as well.

“We knew we had it in us. We went to Sonoma, and we were probably the fastest car. I let the team down,” Tucker said. “We went over to Rock Falls and did some testing and we were faster than Jeg and TJ and Erica. Really, in testing, if you’re that fast, you’ve got a good racecar. When the car is that fast, it’s a lot of pressure on a guy not to mess up a good deal. Erica drove that car for five years, and there are no issues with that car. It’s the fastest car.

“The Elite team is something, it’s hard to put your finger on. Everyone is pulling in the same direction. Erica Enders has been great to me, Jeg has been right beside me. Anytime you have that many championships trying to keep you in line, it’s kind of hard to mess up. My team is good that works on my car, so it’s really just up to the driver.”

Enders is second with a 6.612s at 207.27mph and Anderson qualified third.

Eliminations for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals begin at 10:30 a.m. CT on Sunday at Brainerd International Raceway.

Torrence, Alexander, Anderson go No. 1 on Friday at Brainerd

Four-time Top Fuel world champion Steve Torrence powered to the provisional No. 1 position on speed at Brainerd International Raceway, taking the top spot over Tony Stewart on Friday at the 42nd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. Blake Alexander …

Blake Alexander (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 13th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Torrence and Stewart both went a blistering 3.688s during the second qualifying session at Brainerd, but Torrence had the faster run, going an impressive 335.32mph in his Capco Contractors dragster. If that holds, it would be Torrence’s third top spot of the season and the 40th in his career. After winning in Seattle, things are continuing to come around for Torrence, who is currently third in Top Fuel points.

“We’ve been working on trying to make power,” Torrence said. “At the end of the day, power is speed, and the high mile an hour is just an exhibition of power and being able to get it down. These conditions here are different than a lot of places we go, so it’s rather difficult to make power here. I was a little surprised to see 0.68s being low.

“The track is good, everything is good, but people are struggling to make the power they want. We were wanting to run quicker than 0.68s, and that’s just what it gave us. We were just a little closer to it than everybody else, only a little better than Smoke. Pretty cool to see him come out and do as well as he’s done right here. We got lucky and it’s been a good day.”

Stewart went a career-best 3.688s at 332.18mph to sit in the second spot, while points leader and reigning world champ Doug Kalitta is third with a run of 3.703s at 335.40mph.

Funny Car’s Blake Alexander made a big move to close out qualifying on Friday in Brainerd, jumping to the No. 1 position in his Head Racing Ford Mustang after a strong run of 3.874s at 331.61mph. It would be Alexander’s first career No. 1 qualifier should it hold. It was a standout performance by Alexander, who has enjoyed some strong moments during the 2024 campaign, including a pair of semifinal finishes over the last four events. Adding his first career No. 1 qualifier would certainly add that list if Alexander can hang on.

“Given the circumstances of the previous race, that was very sweet – but also, I think we’re capable of doing that, and it wasn’t exactly surprising,” Alexander said. “It’s repetitive – that’s the second time we’ve run 3.87s, and that’s when you start becoming a problem for these guys out here who are, quite frankly, bigger outfits than us. It feels pretty good to be able to run with them.

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“We’re having the best season we’ve ever had, to be honest. We just haven’t won a race yet. I think that gets lost in the nature of this business is you’re only as good as your last run. That will happen tomorrow, and that will happen on Sunday, but right now we’re happy with where we’re at.”

Alexis DeJoria took the second spot after going 3.882s at 332.84mph and Bob Tasca III, who won the most recent race in Sonoma, is third thanks to a run 3.884s at 332.59mph.

In Pro Stock, Duluth native Greg Anderson put together a classic performance at the track where he grew up racing, taking the provisional No. 1 position with a run of 6.641s at 207.08mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. That puts Anderson in position to pick up his fifth No. 1 qualifier of the year and the third in the past four races. Anderson hasn’t won in Brainerd since 2011, something the five-time world champion would love to change as the Countdown to the Championship approaches. He closed out qualifying with a standout run and will look to continue that on Saturday when Pro Stock will make three qualifying runs.

“I was hoping we could have run a little bit quicker, but the bottom line is that we did all we could do today. We got all the points that they had to give, and we won Friday,” Anderson said. “So, we’ll move into tomorrow as a new day, and we’ll use that as tuning data. There’s definitely a lot of room left in it, we know we can run better which is great news.

“I love racing here at Brainerd. When it’s cloudy and cool like this, the racetrack is great. The bottom line is that the racetrack is better than we went up there prepared for. That’s a good problem. You go home and find some courage, come back tomorrow and be better. That’s what we’ll do. We’ll come back like a lion tomorrow and hopefully run better and take No. 1 home with us.”

Aaron Stanfield, who has won three of the past four races, is currently second with a 6.642s at 206.26mph and Matt Hartford is right behind after going 6.643s at 204.66mph.

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

M. Smith sets PSM track record en route to No. 1 at Sonoma

Six-time Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Matt Smith set a new track E.T. record on Saturday at Sonoma Raceway, defeating teammate Jianna Evaristo in the final round of the GETTRX Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout as part of this weekend’s …

Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Smith all qualified No. 1 at the 12th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

In the final round of the specialty race, Smith went 6.655s at 204.23mph on his Denso Auto Parts Buell, defeating Evaristo’s 6.703s at 203.77mph to win his first Callout race. Smith topped the track record he set earlier in the day – when he beat top seed Gaige Herrera in the opening round with a 6.662s – and also qualified No. 1 for the fourth time this season as he looks for his first event win of the season.

“I’m really thrilled. This is my first win in the GETTRX Callout but my third win in a specialty race,” Smith said. “We’ve had a tough year. We haven’t won a race, but we’ve been good on Saturdays. Now, we’ve got to be good on Sunday. This is a big payday, and it means a lot so I have to say thanks to Steve Bryson and GETTRX for putting this deal on.

“(Jianna) is going to be an excellent rider and I’m proud of what she’s doing. Before the final, I didn’t cut her any slack. We’ve both struggled to cut a light here, but I still told her I was going to spank her.”

Evaristo qualified second in PSM with a career-best 6.674s at 204.54mph – also making the second-fastest pass in class history – and Herrera is third after going 6.688s at 202.55mph, which took place in the opening round of the Callout.

Top Fuel points leader Doug Kalitta fell in the final round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge to teammate Shawn Langdon, but he kept his No. 1 spot on the strength of Friday’s track-record 3.649s at 336.40mph in his Mac Tools/Toyota dragster. It handed the points leader his No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 58th in his career, as he looks to win in Sonoma for a sixth time in his career.

“On that last run in Q4, we pushed a bit harder and it didn’t hold so Shawn ended up with the [Mission Challenge] win,” Kalitta said. “Even though I ran a 3.64s there were other cars that were close and tomorrow I don’t think it will be much hotter, so I expect a real battle.

“I’m actually a bit relieved because we now know how hard we can push and that should be a bit tomorrow. You might get one lucky round, but you need to be on your game. Shawn pushes me and he keeps me on my game especially now that both of our cars are as close as possible. He’s one of the best out there and he’s one up on me right now.”

Clay Millican jumped to second with a 3.664s at a track-record 338.26mph and Brittany Force qualified third after going 3.668s at 335.57mph.

In Funny Car, Matt Hagan came close to bumping him out, but Bob Tasca III hung on to the No. 1 position in the loaded category, as Friday’s run of 3.839s at 338.43mph in his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang held up. It gave the veteran his second No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 18th in his career, putting Tasca in a strong position to try and pick up another Sonoma victory.

He’ll open eliminations against Buddy Hull, keeping the top position after reigning world champ Matt Hagan went an identical 3.839s at a slower 330.49mph to take the second spot. Ron Capps qualified third with a 3.864s at 332.43mph. Tasca did close qualifying with a stout 3.868s at a whopping 337.66mph, adding to his momentum for Sunday.

“We tried to run 340mph this morning and it nearly put me into the wall so on the last run we slowed it way down to make a full pull,” Tasca said. “I say this all the time but you could take a fan in the stands, put them in one of these cars and tell them to keep it straight and on most runs they could do it. That was Q4 where the car did exactly what it was supposed to do.

“We’ve had some vibrant conversations in our trailer and a lot of discussions about going 340mph. We have parts that are faster, but we had to be smart. This car is set up to win a championship and when it warms up, like today, we need to be smart.”

Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson made the most of Saturday morning’s conditions, shattering the track E.T. record and taking the No. 1 spot for the fifth time this season with a spectacular run of 6.491s at 211.20mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. It was nearly a picture-perfect run for the five-time world champion and Pro Stock’s winningest driver, earning his 128th career No. 1 qualifier in the process. Anderson has a Pro Stock-best six wins in Sonoma and will open raceday against Derrick Reese.

“I love coming here because it’s so fast but we have to rely on Mother Nature to do it for us,” Anderson said. “I love it when she shines on us like today and you can throw everything at it. I didn’t have a great day yesterday but today we had a turn of fortune. We made two great runs today.

“We have a good book on this place and when you come here, you don’t have to de-tune it. That’s a tribute to the guys in our engine shop. I love it here, from the track to the people – everyone is happy.”

Points leader Dallas Glenn took second with a 6.497s at 211.00mph and Eric Latino is third with a 6.501s at 210.60mph.

Eliminations for the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals begin at 10:30 a.m. PT on Sunday at Sonoma Raceway.

Kalitta sets Norwalk record to go No. 1 at NHRA Summit Nationals

Top Fuel points leader Doug Kalitta made the fastest run in track history on Saturday at Summit Motorsports Park, picking up the win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and cementing his No. 1 qualifier position at the 18th annual Summit Racing …

Austin Prock (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Richard Gadson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, while Prock, Anderson and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) qualified No. 1 at the 10th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Kalitta stayed red-hot in the loaded Top Fuel ranks, picking up his first specialty race win of the year, going 3.703s at a track-record 337.16mph in his Applied Innovation/Toyota dragster to defeat Antron Brown’s 3.755s. It was an impressive performance in a stretch that has been filled with them for the defending world champion.

Friday’s track-record run of 3.692s held up as well at the home track for Kalitta Motorsports, handing the veteran his fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season and 57th in his career. He opens eliminations against Kyle Wurtzel, looking for his second straight win and third in the past four races.

“This just gets you ready on Saturday to go racing, and we’re having fun. I think all the drivers – and definitely me – we enjoy having the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty race and the format,” Kalitta said.

“The track turned out to be in great shape and the conditions were perfect to put down good numbers. The way my car is running, I’m just trying to get into a good routine. I’m certainly working at that and trying my best to be consistent. So far this weekend, I’ve been pretty steady and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Justin Ashley jumped to the second spot during the final session, going 3.702s at 330.47mph, while Brown’s 3.717s at 333.33mph gave him the third spot. In all, 15 of the 16 qualified dragsters went 3.791s or quicker.

Funny Car’s Austin Prock enjoyed another spectacular Saturday in a year filled with terrific moments, winning his third straight Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, this time over Bob Tasca III with a stellar, track-record pass of 3.853s at 330.55mph in his AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS. Tasca left the starting line first and delivered a strong 3.882s, but Prock tracked him down to stay on an impressive pace in the Funny Car ranks.

The pass was also an improvement from Friday’s provisional No. 1 qualifying run, as the Funny Car points leader earned an incredible seventh No. 1 spot in the first 10 races of the season. After winning the past two races, Prock will also look to make it three in a row, opening eliminations against Joe Morrison. Earlier this month in Bristol, Prock also qualified No. 1, won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and picked up the event win the next day.

“This feels really good, and we’re very blessed to be in this situation,” Prock said. “It’s a lot of hard work that goes into making these race cars run like this one has this year. I’ve said it all year, hats off to my guys, they’re making it easy on me. I can go up there and I believe in my car, and they’re giving me opportunities every weekend. It’s definitely helped my learning curve.

“It’s been a great year; the hard work is showing. Growing up, there was always a saying, ‘Races are won in the shop.’ We get to the racetrack and we’re prepared, our ducks are in a row and we’ve got a good notebook. We’re just executing that and trying to race smart and make smart decisions, then leave it up to me to let the pedal out and stomp the gas. It’s all been working out.”

J.R. Todd qualified second with a 3.865s at 332.02mph, while defending event winner Blake Alexander jumped to third after going 3.874s at 328.14mph in the final session.

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Anderson also made it a clean sweep through two days in Pro Stock, winning his second straight Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge after going 6.595s at 204.94mph in his Summit Racing Equipment/HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro to defeat longtime rival Erica Enders in the finals of the specialty race. After missing out on any bonus race wins since last year, the veteran has now won two in a row.

He also qualified No. 1 for the third time this year on the strength of Friday’s 6.592s at 207.69mph, putting him in a prime position to sweep the weekend. That would mean a great deal for Anderson, who has 105 career wins and is sporting a special Summit Racing Equipment wrap this weekend. He opens eliminations against Ohio native Larry Morgan.

“This has been a great week. I got here on Wednesday morning, spent all day at Summit and got to chat with all the great employees again. It was great to see them all and it fires you up, it makes you feel good,” Anderson said.

“To come over here to Summit Motorsports Park with the wrap I have on my car, it’s just a proud weekend for me. We’re off to a great start and we had another great day today. The car ran great, and we found our way to another Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win. I guess we’re figuring that deal out. It’s all good and a great tuneup for tomorrow. The Summit Racing Equipment Nationals, that’s what I’m looking forward to, that’s the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for me. I just really, really hope that I can come out tomorrow feeling as well as I did today. I’m looking forward to it.”

Enders, the defending world champion, stayed second, but improved to a 6.601s at 207.15mph, making that run in the specialty race final. Deric Kramer’s 6.605s at 208.17mph from Friday handed him the third spot.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Richard Gadson enjoyed a special moment, picking up his first win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty after going 6.819s at 196.87mph on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki against John Hall, who beat Gaige Herrera in the opening round. Gadson took down Hector Arana Jr. earlier in the day, getting past Hall’s 6.857s in the finals.

“That round right there, that was big for me, to avenge my teammate. That was big. Before I walked out of the trailer, Gaige said to me, ‘Go do what I couldn’t do.’ That was a little booster,” Gadson said. “I’m having a blast and I just want to thank Mission Foods and NHRA for having this. It gets the juices flowing before Sunday. I love it.

“It gets you into race mode and you start to find your spot, you start to learn how your bike is reacting and how you’re reacting. Typically, you might not be worried about that stuff in qualifying, but it gets you amped up and into race mode. I love the format.”

Matt Smith earned his third No. 1 qualifier in the past four races, as his track-record run of 6.748s at 201.31mph from Friday on his Denso Auto Parts/Matt Smith Racing Buell easily held up. The six-time world champion enjoyed another strong effort in qualifying and will now to look to pick up his first win since September of last year. Since then, Herrera has won the past 10 races, but Smith has plenty of momentum heading into Sunday’s eliminations.

“We’ve been No. 1 two other times before this, but we have to get it done on Sunday. We have not done that this year like we need to,” Smith said. “Hopefully we can do that tomorrow. Tomorrow is going to be a totally different day from what it looks like. It’s going to be cooler and a lot drier. We’re just trying to get an MSR bike in the final and see if we can win this thing tomorrow.”

Angie Smith qualified second with a 6.798s at 200.26mph, while Herrera took third with a 6.799s at 198.88mph.

Eliminations for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals begin at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday at Summit Motorsports Park.