Greg Anderson – Syndication Server

Hagan grabs 50th NHRA Funny Car victory at Charlotte 4-Wide

Reigning Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan picked up his 50th career victory on Sunday, driving past John Force, J.R. Todd and Daniel Wilkerson at zMAX Dragway to get the win at the 14th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte. Justin Ashley …

Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the fifth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Hagan went 3.946s at 332.34mph in his Tony Stewart Racing Direct Connection Dodge//SRT Hellcat in the final quad to power to his first win this season, defeating Wilkerson on a holeshot to pick up his milestone victory. Hagan was 0.029s on the starting line, holding off Wilkerson’s 3.923s at 327.50mph at the finish line for the win.

Hagan won his opening-round quad with a 3.918s at 331.61mph and then made the second-quickest run of eliminations with a 3.879s at 334.24mph to advance to the final round. That led to his fourth victory at zMAX Dragway, which is less than two hours from home for Hagan.

“This is obviously a massive achievement to win 50 races and to have Dodge sponsoring us for so many years,” Hagan said. “To see so many people come and go out here, you just don’t realize that it’s you, you know, you’re like, ‘Wow, I’ve been out here little bit over 15 years now,” and it’s just a huge accomplishment in my book to be able to be around a group of guys that have been nothing but the best out here, and I think that’s why we won four championships.

“To put us in an elite group of drivers with John Force and [Don] Prudhomme and Kenny Bernstein is pretty crazy. I’m very blessed to still be out here, surrounded by a great group of guys. They gave me a great race car and now we’re going to celebrate.”

It was the first career runner-up for Wilkerson, while Todd took third, going 3.978s at 320.36mph. Austin Prock retained the points lead in the category.

Top Fuel points leader Justin Ashley capped off his stellar weekend with his first career four-wide win, holding off Clay Millican, Doug Kalitta and Antron Brown with a run of 3.710s at 328.06mph in his Scag Power Equipment/Toyota dragster. It’s the second victory this season for Ashley, who swept the weekend by also winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday. He’s been dynamic with double-up wins — Sunday marked his third in the last two seasons — and Ashley did it again on Sunday, winning the first two quads to get to the final round, going 3.711s at 333.58mph in the second round.

In the finals, Ashley left first with another great 0.046s reaction time, holding off the hard-charging Millican, who went 3.722s at a strong 337.92mph, to claim his 15th career victory. Charlotte is where Ashley debuted, so racing at zMAX Dragway will always be special to him and he was thrilled to claim his first four-wide win on Sunday.

“For whatever reason, we’ve struggled a little bit before in four-wide races. We’d go to the traditional format and have a lot of success, but we struggled when we go four-ride racing,” Ashley said. “When you come out here and you race four-wide, the quads are so good. It really doesn’t matter who you’re racing, especially with depth of the Top Fuel field now. The quads are going to be stellar each and every time, and you saw it even in that final round. There was a lot of really good reaction times a lot of really good E.T.s and it made for some close racing.”

Kalitta, the No. 1 qualifier, finished third in the final quad with a 3.725s at 326.00mph.

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In Pro Stock, No. 1 qualifier Greg Anderson added another impressive Charlotte victory to his resume, driving past a loaded final-round quad with a standout pass of 6.502s at 210.77mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. Anderson ousted KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn, Aaron Stanfield and Cristian Cuadra to pick up his second victory of the season and the 105th in his career, extending his all-time lead in the category.

It’s been a banner season thus far for Anderson, who won both quads leading into the final round and making the quickest pass each round. He was also 0.011s on the starting line to advance to the finals and then chased down runner-up Stanfield and Glenn, who were both 0.011s in the final round, to pick up another meaningful victory. It’s the fifth Charlotte win for Anderson, who won the fall race last year but had not won the four-wide race at zMAX Dragway since 2012 – until Sunday. Anderson also took over the points lead in the class.

“This feels fantastic,” Anderson said. “There is so much talent out here and I’m so proud to be a part of it. We’re in a spot where anyone can win so you’ve got to dig deep to find it and I had it today. We didn’t back into it and it feels good to win a race at zMAX Dragway. It’s my home track and I love it here.

“You have to find a way to get your heart beating and get those butterflies in your stomach and get your nerves going. You can’t artificially create that. I can’t properly explain what it means to win a race for [Rick Hendrick]. I met Mr. H 20 years ago and we’ve stayed in touch and he obviously know a thing or two about winning and he knows how to motivate people. It’s just an honor to have those colors on my race car.”

Stanfield finished second, going 6.551s at 209.75mph and Glenn was third after his 6.551s at 209.75mph.

A prolonged break did nothing to slow down the dominant defending world champion in Pro Stock Motorcycle, as Gaige Herrera rolled to his second straight win this season on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki with a run of 6.684s at 202.73mph in the final round. Dating back to last season, Herrera has now posted seven consecutive victories, putting together another incredible weekend in Charlotte.

Herrera qualified No. 1, setting the track E.T. record, picked up the victory in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday and then made the quickest pass of each session on Sunday, defeating John Hall, LE Tonglet and Richard Gadson in the finals to earn his 13th career victory and extend his points lead in the process. Herrera also defended his four-wide win from a season ago at zMAX Dragway.

“After Q1 and Q2 I was a bit worried. On the first run we had a malfunction in our wiring, and then after the second run, Matt [Smith] held on to the top spot and that’s because of the rule change,” said Herrera, referring to a recent NHRA rules revision that mandated the same fuel type for both V-twin and inline four-cylinder bikes. “It has created parity and made for better racing. We still had three Vance & Hines bikes in the final [quad].

“In the end, me and [crew chief] Andrew Hines and the bike bond so well. We’re a hard combo to beat. This is just the beginning. It’s all the haters that make us push that much harder and we’re out there to prove them all wrong. I hear people say it’s the bike and that I can’t cut a light, and today my worst light was a 0.021s, so I was here to prove a point. We had three fast bikes and almost everyone is running the same.”

Hall’s 6.758s at 202.12mph gave him the runner-up finish, while Gadson was third with a 6.767s at 198.41mph.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action May 17-19 with the 24th annual Gerber Collision & Glass NHRA Route 66 Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway in Chicago.

Kalitta takes second No. 1 at Charlotte 4-Wide

Defending Top Fuel world champion Doug Kalitta enjoyed his second straight No. 1 qualifier, cementing the top spot on Saturday at zMAX Dragway at the 14th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte. John Force (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 for the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series event.

Kalitta’s run of 3.691s at 337.92mph from Friday in his Mac Tools dragster held up through two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, handing the reigning world champion his second straight No. 1 spot and the 55th in his career. The result of taking the top position worked well in Las Vegas for Kalitta, as he claimed his first career four-wide win and he’ll look to replicate that on Sunday in Charlotte, also finishing qualifying with a strong 3.710s at 332.18mph.

“We kind of struggled a little bit today. We put this other blower on and just had a little bit too much power in that first run and smoked the tires, and then that last run, we got right to the finish line and kind of took care of that blower, unfortunately,” Kalitta said. “So we’re going to have to start from scratch again. But now that we’ve got our setup that we’ve been running, we’re going to be in good shape for tomorrow.”

Antron Brown clinched the second spot thanks to his 3.698s at 332.18mph, while points leader Justin Ashley’s 3.701s at 334.32mph, which happened during his winning run in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, sent him to the third spot.

In Funny Car, John Force stayed in the top spot thanks to Friday’s track E.T. record of 3.820s at 330.96mph in his PEAK Performance Chevrolet Camaro SS. It gives the legendary 16-time world champion his first No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 167th in his iconic career, putting him in a strong position for eliminations on Sunday. Force is aiming for his second win this season, closing out qualifying with a solid pass as well.

“I’ve got a real good Camaro and I’m learning how to drive it,” Force said. “It was a good day for my good chiefs. We tried to run it hard earlier [in the third qualifying session] and had a problem then came back and got cloud cover and ran [3.85s]. Now we’ve got to race tomorrow, and that’s a whole new baby. So we’ll see what happens but I’m having fun with my teams and my sponsors.”

Bob Tasca, who won the 4-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas two weeks ago, took second with a 3.834s at 338.34mph, setting the track speed record and also claiming the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win. Points leader Austin Prock is third with a 3.852s at 333.58mph.

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Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson finished as the No. 1 qualifier on the strength of Friday’s run of 6.500s at 210.90mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro, but Saturday certainly featured plenty of other headlines. His qualifying run in the third session – as part of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge – was disqualified due to a technical violation after bypassing a safety device. It eliminated that pass and took Anderson out of the specialty event, as his replacement, Erica Enders, went on to win the Challenge.

But Anderson still has momentum as the No. 1 qualifier at the home track for KB Titan Racing. He’s after his second victory this season after picking up his first top spot of 2024 and the remarkable 125th in his standout career.

“I’m not sure where to start but yesterday in Q2 we had an issue with our ECU [Electronic Control Unit] where the engine wasn’t getting a spark,” Anderson said. “We had a mad thrash in the pits and in the process, one of my guys disconnected a wire that goes to the system that deploys the parachutes in the event of low air pressure. In the process, he forgot to plug that wire back in so our win in the (Mission) #2Fast2Tasty Challenge was disallowed.

“I beat Jeg and Erica and David Cuadra, and then the bottom fell out. It was a simple mistake, but we lost the run and lost the win. Otherwise, the car ran great. It was just a crazy day but it’s over now and I’m ready for race day. Tomorrow, we’re going to make damn sure all the wires are where they should be. I’ve got a really good race car and we’re going to give it all we’ve got.”

Cristian Cuadra qualified second with a 6.507s at 210.18mph and Aaron Stanfield took third thanks to a 6.508s at 209.92mph.

Gaige Herrera’s qualifying dominance in Pro Stock Motorcycle continued on Saturday in Charlotte, but it took until the final session when the defending world champ put together a track-record run of 6.671s at 202.70mph on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. It’s the quickest run in zMAX Dragway history and also hands Herrera his 11th straight No. 1 qualifier dating back to last season. It’s already the 16th career top spot for the young phenom, who will look to stay perfect this season on Sunday.

“Yesterday, we had a malfunction on the first run that set us back, and then we ran 6.68s on the second and that was a good run,” Herrera said. “Today, I ran a 6.70s and then that 6.67s and that’s just our team learning how to fine-tune the new fuel. There was not much left on my bike. It went straight and required very little correction. Tomorrow will be a lot of fun.”

Matt Smith’s 6.685s at 201.61mph from Friday qualified him in the second spot, while LE Tonglet is third after his 6.703s at 200.77mph from Friday as well.

Eliminations for the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals begin at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte.

Herrera clinches NHRA PSM title during qualifying at Pomona

Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera clinched his first career NHRA world championship on Saturday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, wrapping up his dominant title run to close out qualifying at the 58th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals. Austin …

Austin Prock (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) also qualified No. 1 at the 21st race of the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, and the last of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Herrera extended his single-season class record by earning his 14th No. 1 qualifier thanks to a track-record run of 6.661s at 203.80mph on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. He will try to pick up his 11th win of the season on Sunday, which would also set a single-season record in the class, but earned the bigger prize on Saturday by picking up a world championship for the first time.

It is the finishing touch on one of the most incredible seasons in Pro Stock Motorcycle history, as Herrera dominated from start to finish. He won the first three races of the season, added another three-race winning streak during the year and then has won the last four races during the Countdown to the Championship. Add in a multitude of track records, the quickest run in class history and a sweep of the Western Swing and Herrera enjoyed a simply spectacular season.

“This is very special, it doesn’t feel real to be honest,” Herrera said. “The amount of stuff we’ve accomplished this year and then wrapping it up getting the championship and then making a run like that the last qualifier, it’s been an incredible season. I’m living the dream. Last year I was just out here trying to have a little fun and to get the opportunity to ride for the legends that I grew up watching race and looked up to, to be able to race with them and accomplish what we have, it’s very surreal.

“Wrapping up the championship here in my hometown, this is something I’ll never forget, winning the championship in my first full season. There is a lot that has been accomplished this year, but this definitely tops it all. This is something I’ll always cherish and remember. You never can take anything for granted. The bike has been flawless all year. We set a lot of records and it just goes on and on. It’s crazy.”

Funny Car title contender Robert Hight powered to a massive run to close out qualifying under the lights in Pomona, going 3.844s at 331.61mph in his Automobile Club of Southern California/Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS. It’s the seventh No. 1 of the season for the three-time world champ and the 84th in his career, and he also moved past Bob Tasca III into second place in the process. He’s just 12 points behind leader Matt Hagan – with Tasca only 17 points out of first – heading into what will be one of the most thrilling finishes in class history on Sunday.

For Hight, he’s eager for the opportunity to compete for a world championship, knowing full well it’s going to be a monumental battle against Hagan and Tasca – one that could come down to the final run of the year in a winner-take-all scenario. Hight and Hagan, who is the No. 5 qualifier could meet in the semifinals, while Tasca, who qualified sixth, is on the other side of the bracket.

“That’s big [going around Tasca],” Hight said. “Let’s say it comes down to Tasca and I, and we lose the same round, you want to go ahead of him in qualifying, so this was big for us today. I was a little nervous yesterday after screwing up the first run and then we had to make a safe run last night. We knew what we had to do but you have to execute, too. This is a tricky place, no matter what anybody tells you, this place is tricky. Two separately different lanes and when it’s good, it’s really good and you have to be aggressive and get after it. I’m really proud of the whole Auto Club team.

“It’s exactly what we needed to do and it might have a little effect going into Sunday. We’ve got a little momentum and we’re running well but we have to race smart tomorrow. Probably not going to sleep tonight, but at least we’re qualified.”

John Force qualified second with a 3.862s at 328.14mph and defending event winner Cruz Pedregon took third after a run of 3.865s at 330.15mph.

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In Top Fuel, Austin Prock made a huge move to close out qualifying as he looks to close out the season with a win for a second straight year, taking the No. 1 spot with a run of 3.636s at 332.92mph in his Montana Brands/Rocky Mountain Twist dragster. It’s the second top qualifier this season for Prock and the third in his career as he made a career-best pass to close out the session. The run also gives him a strong opportunity to end his year on a high note – much like he did in 2022.

“I love it anytime I come here,” Prock said. “As a kid growing up, ditching school and flying out here to come watch my dad race and race for championships and Wallys, it was always a treat to me. It’s got a special place in my heart and it just seems like we’ve a little mojo going here. If we go to the final round tomorrow that’s five consecutive final rounds for me here in Pomona, so I hope I can make that a fact.

“Our focus every weekend is ‘Go for a Wally,’ and I feel like we finally have a race car that can do it. We’ve been picking at it slowly throughout the year and the last two or three races, the thing has really come around. The first run today, that was the first time we’ve smoked the tires in like eight runs. We just lowered the boom a little bit there and hopefully we can keep that up tomorrow. It would be huge to win the last race of the year here and get to enjoy it for a few months.”

Prock’s run bumped Torrence and his 3.641s at 335.65mph to second, with Antron Brown taking third with a 3.663s at 335.82mph. Torrence takes the points lead into Sunday, holding a 12-point advantage over Doug Kalitta, 39 points over Leah Pruett, 76 points over Mike Salinas and 88 points over Justin Ashley. Torrence and Pruett could potentially meet in the semifinals, while Kalitta, Ashley and Salinas are all on the other side of the bracket.

Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson couldn’t have asked for a better performance in qualifying as he looks to make a last-ditch attempt for a world championship, making the quickest run in all four sessions, including a 6.492s at 211.69mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro to close out the day. It’s his third No. 1 spot this season and the 124th in his standout career.

But he’ll need a near-miracle to get past Erica Enders on championship Sunday in Pomona. He trails by 104 points and Enders simply needs to win in the opening round against Fernando Cuadra to clinch her sixth world championship. Cuadra would have to knock off Enders and Anderson would have to win the race to clinch a sixth title, but he was thrilled with how his team performed during qualifying. He also has a chance to pick up his 15th career win at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip on Sunday.

“Super pumped with the job these guys have done this weekend,” Anderson said. “I love this racetrack, I love racing here. Just the atmosphere, it’s the perfect time to go down that racetrack and it’s a great feeling. The cars just love it and the drivers love it. You saw it today, a lot of great runs in the class and I had two of them. I’m extremely pleased with my race car this weekend. It’s made four as-close-to-perfect runs you can make and you don’t get that very often. It set the table to do the best job we can do tomorrow.

“We don’t have any clue how it’ll turn out, but I’ve got a great horse, I’ve got a great race car and if nothing else, I have a great chance to win. We’ll give it all we’ve got tomorrow and let the cards fall where they may.”

Kyle Koretsky qualified second with a 6.497s at 211.00mph and Enders’ 6.500s at 210.31mph puts her third heading into raceday.

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

Hagan rockets to top on fast Friday at NHRA Finals at Pomona

Funny Car points leader Matt Hagan made a pair of strong qualifying runs to open the final race weekend of the 2023 NHRA season, powering to the provisional No. 1 position for Tony Stewart Racing on Friday at the 58th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA …

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 21st race of the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, and the sixth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Hagan put together a run of 3.869s at 328.46mph in his Dodge Direct Connection Charger SRT Hellcat, moving into the No. 1 spot and putting him in line for his second top qualifier of the season and 51st in his career. Hagan, Bob Tasca III and Robert Hight entered the weekend separated by just 17 points as Hagan seeks his fourth career world title and the first for Tony Stewart Racing.

“This is what I worked for all year long – to be able to do this, go down that racetrack, and have a fast racecar underneath me,” Hagan said. “That’s what excites me and keeps me coming back every year. I keep crawling back in this racecar because I get to create these moments. I truly wake up every morning going damn this is my job and I get to do this, and I’m right here in this fight.

“I truly love pulling the helmet on and having an opponent that makes me rise to the occasion. I don’t care if it’s on me. For me, it’s turning it into something that’s exciting energy instead of nervous energy. It’s taken me a long time to learn how to do that as a competitor.”

Paul Lee took the second spot with a run of 3.875s at 322.58mph and Tasca is currently third thanks to his run of 3.880s at 336.99mph. Hight is fourth with a 3.898s.

In Top Fuel, Steve Torrence opened up what he hopes is a championship-winning weekend with a spectacular start, going 3.641s at 335.65mph in his Capco Contractors/Toyota dragster. Should that hold, the four-time world champion would earn his fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 38th in his career. More importantly, it’s a great way to kick off the weekend in what could be an incredible finish in the category. Torrence, Doug Kalitta and Leah Pruett are all within striking distance of each other heading into the weekend and each delivered standout runs during the second qualifying session under the lights. But it was Torrence who delivered the biggest, something he hopes is the sign for the rest of the weekend.

“That’s a huge boost for us,” Torrence said. “The last four, five, six races, the car has been really good and getting better. We took a year and developed what we’re doing, maybe a year and a half. We were always the car that ran well in mediocre, hot conditions and tricky racetracks but not powerful or strong enough to go 0.64s, 0.65s, 0.63s. It took a lot of time and effort to get there and I feel very confident that when conditions are like they are now, we’ve got one of the strongest cars if not the strongest.

“That’s big for me. Not that it boosts your head up, but it definitely gives you a mental confidence and somewhat of an advantage going into a round where, hey we’ve got to throw down and we can throw down more than they can. I would dare to say that I have the best racecar I’ve had in a long time, probably the quickest and fastest I’ve ever had. If not the best at the racetrack, one of the best.”

Kalitta is currently in second with a 3.671s at 336.99mph and Pruett’s 3.676s at 332.84mph puts her third.

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Looking to stay alive in the championship hunt, Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson made a stellar run to close out Friday, going 6.495s at 211.69mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. He entered the weekend trailing Erica Enders by 114 points, but closed the gap a little with two strong runs to open qualifying. Enders can still clinch the title on Saturday if she gains seven or more qualifying points than Anderson. If not, the championship would be decided the next day and Anderson hopes he can stay in the mix for at least a couple more days as both standouts race for their sixth world championship.

“The points deal is not exactly playing in my favor right now, but it’s like the old line from ‘Dumb and Dumber, ‘So you’re saying there’s a chance,’” Anderson said. “Until they tell me there’s not a chance, I’m not leaving. I’m going to give it everything I’ve got. I need to find a way to have a great run in qualifying and score bonus points and not lose bonus points to Erica. That would put her another round ahead and make it to where it’s locked up.

“That’s No. 1 goal, qualify ahead of her and not lose bonus points. Day one in the books, mission accomplished. We did great today, we did all we could do today. I’ve got all the confidence in the world that this team will do all we can possibly do. You just never know what’s going to happen. It’s not over until it’s over. We’re going to keep swinging until they tell us it’s over.”

Troy Coughlin’s 6.500s at 210.01mph puts him in the second spot, while Enders moved to third in the final session after going 6.500s at 210.31mph.

Gaige Herrera will clinch his first Pro Stock Motorcycle world championship on Saturday and enjoyed a strong Friday as well in Pomona, going to the provisional No. 1 spot on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki with a run of 6.721s at 200.59mph. Should that hold, Herrera would extend his PSM single-season record with his 14th top spot in 15 races, one of the many examples of his dominance in 2023. Herrera will wrap up his world title at the conclusion of qualifying on Saturday on the strength of 10 wins during his record-setting season.

“It’s really starting to set in, what all has been accomplished,” Herrera said. “We’re basically wrapping up the championship tomorrow, and it’s a lot to take in. I was talking to a good friend of mine and he was like a year ago at this time, did you think you’d be in the position you’re in? That’s a definite no. Even though I joined one of the best teams out here, you can’t expect to have a season like this. It’s just, it’s remarkable. It’s incredible. I’m literally living the dream I had as a little kid and I’m just having fun with it. I don’t think it can get any better than this.

“I’m definitely thinking about the championship, but I’m not even nervous about this, I’m more worried about the banquet on Monday.”

Hector Arana Jr. is currently in the second spot after going 6.729s at 201.28mph and Eddie Krawiec, who is seeking his 50th career win, is third thanks to a 6.742s at 201.52mph.

Qualifying continues at 12:00 p.m. PT on Saturday at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

Millican fires back to victory lane at NHRA Midwest Nationals

Top Fuel star Clay Millican picked up his third win of the season for Rick Ware Racing on Sunday at World Wide Technology Raceway, defeating a charging Leah Pruett in the final round in front of a huge crowd at the 12th annual NHRA Midwest …

Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won 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.

Millican powered to his third win this season and sixth in his career, defeating Pruett in the championship round with a pass of 3.758s at 331.94mph in his Parts Plus/Comp Cams dragster. He jumped up to eighth in points in the process, tying Antron Brown for the second-most wins in Top Fuel in 2023.

He reached the finals by defeating Austin Prock, Mike Salinas and Tony Schumacher, before outrunning Pruett in a thrilling side-by-side duel. It is Millican’s first career victory at World Wide Technology Raceway and the veteran was thrilled with his team’s performance in the heat.

“Man, what a day. This is huge,” Millican said. “He gave us a hot weekend and man, (crew chief) Jim O (Oberhofer) just showed again that when it’s hot out, look out. We got away with a couple, but we outperformed the cars we raced, and I am so proud. I mean, this was huge. Jim O will quickly tell you, give me a track above 90 degrees and look out. Needless to say, with this perspiration on my face here, it’s above 95 degrees out there, and it was all day. I am already talking to the man upstairs, bring on the heat in Dallas, baby.

“Our goal is obviously top 10, as far as we can possibly get. It’s way too big a gap to think about chasing down No. 1, but three wins for this Parts Plus team is huge.”

Leah Pruett advanced the finals for the fourth time this year and the 23rd time in her career, driving past Shawn Langdon, points leader Doug Kalitta and Steve Torrence. She also jumped to second in points, trailing Kalitta by 47 points at the halfway point of the Countdown to the Championship. Torrence is 51 points back of Kalitta and Justin Ashley is 77 points behind.

Hagan went 3.991s at 324.90mph in his American Rebel Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat to slip past Ron Capps’ run of 4.025s at 306.68mph, earning his 48th career win in the process. The three-time world champ also pulled to within less than a round of first, as he now trails Bob Tasca III by just 13 points heading into the final three races of 2023.

It was a clutch performance by Hagan as he defeated Alexis DeJoria, John Force and Tasca to reach the finals. He went 4.016s at 316.38mph to get past Tasca and then held off Capps and his run of 4.025s at 306.68mph to get a much-needed victory.

“We knew we had to win this race to be in the hunt for this thing,” Hagan said. “It feels like it’s meant to be, and I’m just enjoying the ride. [The team] sat down and looked across from each other, and it’s one of those things where you go, I’m going to dig for you, you dig for me, let’s make this happen. I think that’s what makes it happen, having a core group of guys you want to work hard for. You want to show up for them, and today they all showed up for me, and I felt like I showed up for them.

“The pressure is huge. I was telling (crew chief) Dickie Venables, damn, this is a lot of pressure, but that’s what you want. That’s what we’re here for. If we didn’t have the pressure, that means we didn’t have a shot. The pressure was huge – you just have to find a way to capitalize on it.”

Capps reached the final round for the seventh time in 2023 and the 147th time in his career after defeating Tim Wilkerson, Alex Laughlin and Blake Alexander. Tasca leads Hight by just six points – marking the first time Tasca has held the points lead in the playoffs – with Capps only 33 points back in fourth.

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Greg Anderson’s late-season surge in Pro Stock continued at St. Louis in a major way, as the veteran won for the second straight weekend thanks to a run of 6.552s at 209.92mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro in the finals against Aaron Stanfield. After struggling for much of the season, Anderson is now second in points – just 25 points behind Erica Enders – picking up his second win of the season and the 103rd in his career. He’s gone from eighth to second in just two races, taking down Jerry Tucker, Deric Kramer and Enders on Sunday to reach the final round.

It was the second straight semifinal win against Enders, as Anderson was 0.002s on the starting line against the defending world champ, also snapping her string of four straight wins in St. Louis. He was great on the starting in the final round, too, going 0.021s to lead wire-to-wire against Stanfield, who went 6.567s at 209.14mph.

“I’m back in the game. I’ve legitimately got a shot at this championship with three races to go, and that’s all you can ask,” Anderson said. “I went to the first race at Reading and lost in the first round, and I’ve said it a million times – you can’t win the championship at the first race of the playoffs, but you can lose it. I was knocking on the door of knocking myself out of it. if I didn’t have a big recovery at the next race, I was out of it. I’m back in the fight, and I have a great hot rod, but there are so many great cars, so many great drivers in this class right now. It’s incredible. These next three races are going to be a bare-knuckled brawl.

“From first round on, it’s like racing the final, every week. Right now, if you don’t do a perfect job round one you go home. There’s no telling what’s going to happen from here on out. I feel fantastic about the way things have gone these past two weeks. With the job my guys have done on my race car and even the job I’ve been able to do behind the wheel, it feels great.”

Stanfield advanced to his first final round of 2023 and 14th in his Pro Stock career by defeating Camrie Caruso, Chris McGaha and Bo Butner. Matt Hartford, who was upset in the first round, is 38 points back of Enders and Dallas Glenn, who also lost in the opening round, trails the defending champ by 64 points.

It was a picture-perfect weekend for Gaige Herrera in Pro Stock Motorcycle, continuing his dominant season with a run of 6.728s at 201.79mph on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki to defeat teammate Eddie Krawiec in the final round. It gives Herrera his eighth victory this season, extending his lead to 99 points over Matt Smith at the halfway mark of the playoffs. After qualifying No. 1 for the 11th time this season – tying the single-season mark in Pro Stock Motorcycle history – Herrera broke the track E.T. record in the first round (6.701s) to defeat Joey Gladstone.

He knocked off rookie Chase Van Sant to reach the final round, where he dispatched Krawiec and his 6.761s at 201.52mph to deny his teammate of his 50th career victory. But in the process, Herrera moved a step closer to his first career NHRA world championship.

“Hopefully, I still have a job after knocking Ed off, but that final round was good for our whole team,” Herrera said. “All day I had a very consistent motorcycle, and first round was probably the most nervous round for me. Racing Joey, he’s always a tough competitor, so I knew he was going to be on it. All day has been really good.

“I can’t give enough credit to the whole Vance & Hines Mission Suzuki team. I still can’t believe I got that phone call almost a year ago now to race for them. It’s been incredible, and I’m proud to be part of it.”

Krawiec reached the final round for the second time this season and the 93rd in his career thanks to round wins against Ryan Oehler, Jianna Evaristo and Smith.

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series returns to action Oct. 12-15 with the 38th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at the Texas Motorplex in Dallas.

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.

Brown wins 2Fast2Tasty as Ashley goes No. 1 at NHRA Brainerd Nationals

Top Fuel standout Antron Brown picked up his first win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, defeating defending world champion Brittany Force in the finals of the bonus event on Saturday at Brainerd International Raceway as part of this …

In the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) also won in Brainerd, as the bonus race featured three first-time winners. Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) qualified No. 1 at the 14th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Brown drove to the victory against Force with a run of 3.840s at 292.01mph in his Matco Tools/Toyota dragster in the championship round. He defeated points leader Justin Ashley earlier in the day before driving past Force. Brown, a three-time world champion, will try to double-up on Sunday in Brainerd and also earn his second event win this season.

“We’ve been wanting to win this for a long, long time,” Brown said. “We made it a couple times, and it felt good to get past that first round today. All these cars are just tough, tough competitors. To go into that final round against Brittany and the way their car’s been running, to go against Justin first round. They’re the two heavy-hitters in the class, so to pull off that is very, very special for us.

“That championship is right around the corner, so we have to keep going and doing what we do. It feels good to get that first #2Fast2Tasty win, and for Mission to put this on and give us something to race for on Saturday, it just feels like this is Sunday but we’re racing on Saturday. It’s really cool to get to do that and watch the fans go crazy.”

Ashley made a big move on Saturday in the heat at Brainerd, powering to the No. 1 position during the final session with a stout run of 3.746s at 328.14mph in his Phillips Connect/Toyota dragster. Conditions will be significantly cooler on Sunday during race day, but Ashley and his team made a big statement to close out qualifying as the Top Fuel points leader looks for his seventh win of the 2023 season. Doug Kalitta’s 3.757s at 330.31mph gave him second and Steve Torrence’s 3.758s at 328.54mph puts him third.

“That’s a stout run with the conditions what they were,” Ashley said. “Nothing surprises me with the team that we have, but nonetheless, it was going to be tough to go out there and run as well as we did. It really just speaks volumes of our team. It’s kind of a unique situation, because I’m not sure how much you can actually take of that and apply it tomorrow. It’s going to be cooler, much different out there tomorrow. But we positioned ourselves the best we can heading into race day.

“I’m looking forward to what will hopefully be a long and exciting race day. It’s going to be cool out tomorrow, so I think you’re going to see a lot of really close racing and a lot of really fast racing.”

In Funny Car, it was a matchup of standouts in the final round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, as Robert Hight prevailed over points leader Matt Hagan with a run of 3.988s at 315.05mph in his Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS. It was a first-time win in the bonus race for Hight, who appears to be turning the corner at the perfect time after a handful of struggles earlier this summer. He knocked off Bob Tasca III on a holeshot earlier in the day and held off Hagan in the finals as Hight looks for his third victory – and first double-up – of the season.

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“We’ve been chasing this all year and just haven’t been able to seal the deal and get the job done,” Hight said. “I do feel this Cornwell Tools Camaro has turned the corner and we’re getting to where we need to be. Really want to thank Mission Foods for putting up the money and this challenge. It makes things exciting on Saturday and gives us some practice out there racing. You better be on your game.

“Throughout the year, people who win this thing seem to go out there and double up so that’s our goal tomorrow. We need to go out there and get a win.”

Capps’ 3.894s at 330.23mph in his NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra held up from Friday, giving the back-to-back Funny Car world champ his second No. 1 qualifier this season and 38th in his career. He’ll look for his seventh win at Brainerd on Sunday, opening eliminations against Jim Campbell. J.R. Todd took second with a 3.907s at 327.98mph and Hagan’s 3.910s at 328.06mph put him third.

“You never take anything for granted, the equalizer will be those cool conditions,” Capps said. “Tomorrow is going to be epic, some pretty incredible times and speeds. But the yellow hat is just such a tribute to how good our guys are. As a driver, you stage the car, keep it in the groove. But I look back at that first run we had to shut the car off and I thought, man, that’s really unfortunate. We really don’t get very many races we get two qualifying runs on Friday but the fact they caught that, we didn’t get anything hurt, then we went back up and got the No. 1 spot, it sure felt a lot better.”

Erica Enders continued to stay hot at an ideal time in Pro Stock, defeating Deric Kramer in the final round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on a holeshot with a time of 6.700s at 203.95mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance Camaro. It’s the first win in the bonus race for the defending world champion, who used a 0.026s reaction time to hold of Kramer’s 6.696s. She also continues to roll after winning last weekend in Topeka as Enders, who beat points leader Dallas Glenn in the opening round of the bonus event, continues to look in championship form at the perfect time of the 2023 season.

“This is very exciting,” Enders said. “We went to the finals last weekend and weren’t able to get it done, so to get it done here is pretty exciting. I’m really excited to put that car in the winner’s circle and put our name on that trophy. Coming into the year, we thought, we’re going to do some good – and then we haven’t, so it’s very meaningful.

“I’ve always loved racing at Brainerd, it’s been a track that’s been really good for me, but aside from that, it’s just really fun coming up here. The last time we were here in 2019, my homie Jason Line put it on me in the finals and took home the win in his home track, but we’ve had a lot of success here and we’re looking to go one round further.”

Greg Anderson continued his hold on the top spot in qualifying, claiming his first No. 1 of the season thanks to his run of 6.597s at 205.79mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro from Friday. The five-time world champ and Duluth native made the quickest run during three of the four qualifying sessions, giving the veteran plenty of momentum as he seeks his first victory of the season. Matt Hartford qualified second with a 6.598s at 205.54mph, and Enders’ 6.603s at 207.27mph puts her third.

“It’s very gratifying to know that you can run in heat, you can run in cool, you can run in any conditions. I’m proud of the KB Titan Racing guys and the job they’ve done this weekend,” Anderson said. “I’m looking forward to tomorrow, it’ll be a more fun day for racers. The cars will be fast and hooked up. It’ll be a throw everything you’ve got at the racetrack and it should hold it. Those are exciting days for us, that’s how we love to race.”

Eliminations for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals begin at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday at Brainerd International Raceway.

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.

Torrence blasts to provisional No. 1 at NHRA Topeka Nationals

Four-time Top Fuel world champion Steve Torrence made the only run in the 3.70s on Friday at Heartland Motorsports Park, driving to the provisional No. 1 spot at the Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor. Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Greg …

Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 13th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. It is also the final NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series national event at Heartland Motorsports Park.

Torrence put together a run of 3.764s at 326.24mph in his Capco Contractors/Toyota dragster to close out the opening round of qualifying in a thrilling side-by-side run with points leader Justin Ashley. If it holds, Torrence, who is currently second in points, would pick up his first No. 1 qualifier this season and 35th in his career as he also gets closer and closer to getting into championship form. Torrence won in Seattle and ran well in Sonoma, and will look to build on that this weekend in Topeka.

“This is a huge confidence booster, just for getting the momentum going early in the weekend and getting us set up to go into tomorrow for the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge,” Torrence said. “We needed to have a good qualifying run tonight to set us up to go into that race tomorrow with a competitive car and try to compete for those three points.

“That’s going to be huge going into the Countdown, where we’re able to kind of cut that lead down or see if we can cut it to nothing between now and then with Justin Ashley being so far ahead of us. These guys, we’ve been working hard. Everybody is putting in a whole lot of blood sweat and tears in this thing.”

Clay Millican, who has a pair of wins this season, is currently second with his 3.813s at 316.15mph and Ashley’s run of 3.818s at 322.88mph puts him third. Ashley currently has five victories this season.

After a Western Swing that didn’t go according to plan, Funny Car’s Robert Hight appeared to bounce back on Friday, powering to the provisional No. 1 position with a run of 3.948s at 321.19mph in his Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS. If that holds, the multi-time world champ would earn his third No. 1 qualifier this season and 80th in his career. Hight enjoyed a strong start to the season, winning in both Phoenix and Charlotte, but hasn’t been past the semifinals since. That makes Topeka a big weekend as Hight and his team look to get back in championship form.

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“This was definitely much needed,” Hight said. “We kind of went off of last year when we ran [3.93s] here in similar conditions. We’ve been struggling, and the car hasn’t been cooperating with every adjustment (crew chief) Jimmy [Prock] makes. He’s really set on this new clutch combination, but he believes that he’s the one that’s been making the mistakes. He beats himself up pretty bad and it was just awesome to hear the excitement in his voice when he told me what it ran. We needed that run big time.

“It’s going to be pretty hot out there, and it’s really setting yourself up for race day. It’s not going to do us any good to make a good run here tonight and go out there tomorrow and smoke the tires or drop cylinders. We really need to make good, quality runs so we’re set up for Sunday and get to where we can race this thing a little better.”

Defending and back-to-back world champ Ron Capps is currently second following his run of 3.950s at 314.17mph and defending event winner Bob Tasca III is third thanks to a pass of 3.967s at 316.60mph.

Greg Anderson hopes Friday is the start of his Pro Stock turnaround in 2023, as the five-time world champ went to the No. 1 spot with a run of 6.677s at 205.38mph in his HendricksCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. Currently seventh in points, the season hasn’t gone as planned thus far for Anderson, who is still seeking his first appearance in the final round. He took a good step during what he hopes is a big weekend in Topeka with his run on Friday, also putting him on track for his 122nd career No. 1 qualifier.

“We made a lot of changes – we had three weeks at home and did a lot of work, but you just never know what you have until you get to the racetrack,” Anderson said. “This year, I’ve been kind of let down when I get to the racetrack, but this was a good night. It’s a great feeling I haven’t had for a while, and I think we can even do better. It was good to see that when we pull the run up on the computer, it’s got a little bit of room. Hopefully we can improve.

“[It was] completely different conditions than we’ve seen all year, but maybe that’s what my race car needed. It went right up to the top, and I’m not going to complain one little bit. It’s still going to be hot tomorrow but slightly cooler conditions to see if we can improve on that.”

Reigning world champ Erica Enders is in the second spot after her run of 6.686s at 204.63mph, as Anderson and Enders were the only two drivers in the 6.60s. Troy Coughlin Jr., the defending event winner in Topeka, is third with a 6.704s at 205.16mph. Coughlin is also the most recent winner in the category after his Denver triumph.

Qualifying continues at 2:15 p.m. CT on Saturday at the Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor at Heartland Motorsports Park.