NHRA
Postponed Finals from Winternationals Run at Arizona Nationals
Phoenix AZ – The finals of the postponed Winternationals were hosted during qualifying at the Airizona Nationals. Ashely, Force and Glenn take hone the Wallys!
Justin Ashley – Top Fuel Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals Winner SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel dragster – 3.802 seconds, 330.15 mph
John Force – Funny Car Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals Winner PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS – 4.033 seconds, 318.24 mph
Dallas Glenn – Pro Stock Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals Winner RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro – 6.537 seconds, 209.14 mph
video courtesy of NHRA
TODD, SCHUMACHER AND ENDERS TAKE MISSION #2FAST2TASTY CHALLENGE IN FRONT OF SELLOUT CROWD AT PHOENIX
S. Torrence, Prock and J. Coughlin Jr. earn No. 1 qualifiers at NHRA Arizona Nationals
PHOENIX – J.R. Todd powered to the Funny Car victory in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday at a sold-out Firebird 
Motorsports Park, defeating John Force in the final round of the specialty event as part of the 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals.
Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, while Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car) and Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) claimed No. 1 qualifiers at the third of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
Todd held off Force in the final round of the Challenge with a run of 3.974 at 316.67 in his 11,000-horsepower DHL Toyota GR Supra. It gives the former world champion his second victory in the specialty race, with the first coming last year in Sonoma. Todd swept that weekend, which is something he would certainly love to replicate in Phoenix. Todd knocked off Matt Hagan in the earlier round before leading from start-to-finish against Force in the final round.
FORCE, ASHLEY AND GLENN WIN POSTPONED LUCAS OIL NHRA WINTERNATIONALS IN PHOENIX
PHOENIX – Funny Car legend John Force picked up his first victory in two years, powering past Matt Hagan of Tony Stewart Racing to win 
the postponed Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, which was completed on Saturday in front of a sellout crowd at Firebird Motorsports Park in Phoenix.
Justin Ashley (Top Fuel) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) also won the postponed Pomona race on Saturday at Firebird Motorsports Park, which was the second of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
Force, the winningest driver in NHRA history, went 4.033-seconds at 318.24 mph in his 11,000-horsepower PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS, slipping past Hagan’s 4.048 to claim his 156th career victory and first since April of 2022. Force now has eight Winternationals wins to his credit and this marked another special one in his iconic career.
“I’m just facing the truth in life, that, you know, time’s running out, and I’m trying to hang on,” Force said. “This morning, I was talking about, ‘You know, maybe this is it, maybe I should just walk out the gate and go to the casino,’ and then all sudden you win and your weight and your personality just changes.
SELLOUT CROWD ANNOUNCED AT FIREBIRD MOTORSPORTS PARK FOR NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS
PHOENIX – For the second straight year, NHRA and officials at Firebird Motorsports Park announced a sellout crowd for Saturday 
qualifying at the NHRA Arizona Nationals.
The standout fanbase again packed the newly-renamed facility during qualifying, which also featured the finals of the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge. The overflow crowd enjoyed an action-packed day at the “Duel in the Desert,” which is the third of 20 races during the NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series season.
It’s also an exciting new time for the facility, which has hosted the NHRA Arizona Nationals for nearly four decades. The track name change was announced in the off-season as the facility looks to host NHRA racing well into the future.
“When we started this journey to pursue a new era of Firebird Motorsports Park, it was driven by the passion of keeping racing alive in Arizona for our great fans, drivers and teams,” Firebird Motorsports Park Track Manager Casey Buckman said. “Today is proof that racing is alive and here to stay at ‘Arizona’s Home for Motorsports.’ Thank you to the loyal fans, racers, sponsors and employees for selling out the 2024 Arizona Nationals and we look forward to hosting this great event for years to come.”
S. TORRENCE AND PROCK PICK UP PROVISIONAL NO. 1 SPOTS AT NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS
PHOENIX, AZ – Four-time Top Fuel world champion Steve Torrence powered to the provisional No. 1 qualifier on Friday at Firebird 
Motorsports Park, putting him in line for his first top spot of the season at the 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals.
Funny Car’s Austin Prock is also the provisional No. 1 qualifier at the third of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Due to unseasonable weather conditions on Friday in Phoenix, the Safety Safari has spent additional time working on the track and track prep.
Based on those weather conditions, the Pro Stock and Pro Mod qualifying sessions were postponed to Saturday. Both classes will make three qualifying attempts on Saturday, with Pro Stock running at its scheduled 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. times. The Pro Stock #2Fast2Tasty Mission Challenge will take place during those sessions. The last session in Pro Stock is slated for 3:30 p.m., where the finals of the NHRA Winternationals will also take place.
NHRA Friday Night Qualifying from the Phoenix Nationals
Top Fuel and Funny Car #1 runs from Friday night. Due to unseasonable weather conditions on Friday in Phoenix, the NHRA Safety Safari spent additional time working on the track and track prep. Based on those weather conditions, Friday’s Pro Stock qualifying session was postponed to Saturday.
Steve Torrence – Top Fuel Provisional No. 1 Qualifier
CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel dragster – 3.678 seconds, 336.23 mph
Austin Prock – Funny Car Provisional No. 1 Qualifier
Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS – 3.840 seconds, 334.40 mph
Video courtesy of NHRA
NHRA STARS SOUND OFF ON THE CHANCE TO WIN MULTIPLE TIMES THIS WEEKEND AT FIREBIRD MOTORSPORTS PARK
Along with the NHRA Arizona Nationals, the finals of the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge also takes place in Phoenix
PHOENIX – In short, six NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series drivers have a chance for an epic weekend at Firebird Motorsports Park. 
Along with the 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals, the final round of the postponed Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals happens during final qualifying on Saturday, while the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge takes place on Friday and Saturday.
Top Fuel’s Tony Schumacher and Justin Ashley, Funny Car’s Matt Hagan and John Force, and Pro Stock’s Erica Enders and Dallas Glenn all have a chance for something special this weekend in Phoenix. The six Winternationals finalists spoke about the chance for a spectacular, “triple-up” weekend.
TOP FUEL
TONY SCHUMACHER VS. JUSTIN ASHLEY
This is a rematch of a final round last year in Bristol, where Ashley swept the weekend, winning the New England Nationals against Schumacher, the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and then the Thunder Valley Nationals the next day.
Schumacher is currently 5-3 against Ashley in eliminations.
Schumacher, an eight-time world champ, is after his first win since 2022. Ashley will attempt to win the Winternationals for the third straight year.
CONGRUITY NHRA PRO MOD SERIES SET FOR PHOENIX DEBUT AT RACE POWERED BY LAT RACING OILS
PHOENIX – In the first-ever appearance for the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ at Firebird 
Motorsports Park, a huge field of standout drivers will put on a show this weekend as part of the 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals, adding another exciting aspect to the race.
It’s the second of 10 races during the 2024 season and this weekend’s event is powered by LAT Racing Oils, which works with several teams in the NHRA Pro Mod category. That includes many of the 20 talented entries for Pro Mod’s debut at the “Duel in the Desert,” where the category will surely put on a show in front of the Phoenix fans for the first time.
“We are proud to sponsor the NHRA Pro Mod class at Phoenix,” LAT Racing Oils’ Co-owner Danny Vaca said. “As a leader in performance lubricants we support many Pro Mod teams with high-performance racing oils designed to help power these engines to the winner’s circle. We are looking forward to seeing first-hand how our lubricants perform at this race.”
PRO STOCK’S TROY COUGHLIN JR. LOOKS TO GET 2024 SEASON ON TRACK AT NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS
PHOENIX – Pro Stock standout Troy Coughlin Jr. returns to Firebird Motorsports Park this weekend with hopes to capitalize on his success 
at last season’s NHRA Arizona Nationals.
Last year, Coughlin earned the first Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge race for the Pro Stock category, which came off a season-opening win in Gainesville. The specialty event, which provides a bonus purse and bonus championship points while also bringing competitive race to qualifying, kicked off at last year’s NHRA Arizona Nationals and has been a highlight to the Saturday schedule at all NHRA national events.
“It’s always an honor to be the first winner so to speak,” Coughlin said of his Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win. “I think we have all the confidence in the world to get after (an event win) in Phoenix.”
FUNNY CAR VETERAN RON CAPPS RETURNS TO FIREBIRD MOTORSPORTS PARK FOR 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST NHRA START
PHOENIX – Former NHRA champion Ron Capps has been a staple within the Funny Car ranks for three decades and this weekend’s 39th 
annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park will celebrate the 30-year anniversary of his first NHRA start.
Ironically, Capps’ career didn’t begin in Funny Car. Capps’ rookie season was in Top Fuel, driving for Roger Primm, with his debut coming at Firebird Motorsports Park in 1995.
“I just remember Roger Primm taking a chance on me,” Capps said. “I was brought up and picked over a pretty big list of much more creditable and experienced drivers and I was thrown in. I hadn’t made a full run yet and Steve Gibbs had signed my license in Bakersfield and it exploded a supercharger and I did all the right stuff to get off the track. So, he signed the license because I did that and not really because I made a great run.
“Fast forward, we get a brand-new car and show up in Phoenix and I still hadn’t made a full run when we showed up Sunday morning. We qualified somewhere between 10-16 and we had Joe Amato first round. I was pretty nervous all night Saturday and remember he smoked the tires. It was a heck of a way to start to beat the legendary Joe Amato in my first round of competition.”
