NHRA
HUGE FUNNY CAR FIELD AWAITS POINTS LEADER J.R. TODD AT LUCAS OIL NHRA WINTERNATIONALS
The 21-car Funny Car field is largest for the NHRA Winternationals since 2014
POMONA, CA – After winning the NHRA Gatornationals to open the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, J.R. Todd heads to this 
weekend’s 64th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals with plenty of momentum.
But it certainly won’t get any easier for the former Funny Car world champion at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. Todd is one of 21 Funny Car entries for this weekend’s annual early-season race in Pomona, which makes it the largest Funny Car field for the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals since 2014.
It’s a huge and massively talented Funny Car category, but Todd is feeling the best of everyone heading into Pomona in his 11,000-horsepower DHL Toyota GR Supra. A season-opening win in Gainesville gives the team plenty of confidence and Todd knows his team will be ready for the challenge in Pomona. But Todd also knows there will be talented drivers at every turn this weekend at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.
NHRA RETURNS TO LAS VEGAS FOR FIRST FOUR-WIDE EVENT OF 2024 SEASON
LAS VEGAS – A definite highlight for every NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series driver and fan is the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in 
Las Vegas, which returns to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway April 12-14 for the unique four-wide drag racing spectacular.
As an added bonus, the event will host the first-ever four-wide Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, which brings competitive racing to the Saturday schedule. Introduced last year, the Saturday specialty event puts a bonus purse and bonus championship points on the line. It will debut at the Four-Wide race in Las Vegas for the first time in 2024, with four standouts aiming for the Challenge victory to close out qualifying on Saturday in each professional category (Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock).
That leads directly into Sunday eliminations, giving fans non-stop action all weekend in Las Vegas as NHRA’s fiercest competitors prepare for the ultimate test of skill and performance at the 24th annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas. The race is the fourth race on the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series circuit and promises to deliver all the wild, incredible action only a four-wide race can deliver.
NHRA RETURNS TO FIREBIRD MOTORSPORTS PARK FOR THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS
PHOENIX – After a banner event in 2023, NHRA officials and teams were prepared to bid goodbye to the fan-favorite NHRA Arizona 
Nationals in Phoenix. But the track has returned in a major way, with the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series set to take race at newly-renamed Firebird Motorsports Park on April 5-7.
The “Duel in the Desert” has always been a highlight on the NHRA circuit. When plans began to add it back to the schedule, officials, fans and race teams were thrilled to return to the track for the NHRA Arizona Nationals, an event that has delivered countless drag racing historical moments for nearly four decades.
Last season saw massive crowds as well as phenomenal racing from the stars of the NHRA, and fans can expect more of that this year at one of the top tracks on the NHRA circuit. The 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals marks the third stop on tour for the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and features a full dose of action, including qualifying on both Friday on Saturday, the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday.
MATCHUPS FOR FIRST MISSION #2FAST2TASTY NHRA CHALLENGE OF 2024 SET FOR LUCAS OIL NHRA WINTERNATIONALS
POMONA, CA – The Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge is back in 2024 and the first matchups in the Saturday specialty event are set 
for next weekend’s 64th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.
After a wildly-successful first year in 2023, the unique challenge is back for 2024, bringing competitive racing to the qualifying schedule during the regular season in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. The Challenge pits semifinalists from the previous race against each other, with the two winners matching up as part of Saturday’s final qualifying session.
There’s a bonus purse and bonus points for the Countdown to the Championship on the line, putting a major importance on Saturday success starting next weekend in Pomona.
“After we got by (Ron) Capps in the second round (at Gainesville), we knew we were in (the Challenge) and that’s great. It’s a nice bonus for us,” said Funny Car’s J.R. Todd, who won in Gainesville to start the 2024 season. “It’s definitely a nice incentive. When we won the deal in Sonoma, that was a cool perk and then we won on Sunday. It definitely gives you a pep in your step.”
LANGDON AND TODD GIVE KALITTA MOTORSPORTS FIRST NITRO SWEEP; ENDERS AND HERRERA ALSO WIN AMALIE MOTOR OIL NHRA GATORNATIONALS
GAINESVILLE, FL – For the first time in team history, Kalitta Motorsports doubled-up in the nitro categories on Sunday at Gainesville 
Raceway, as Shawn Langdon and J.R. Todd picked up wins in Top Fuel and Funny Car, respectively, to kick off the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season at the 55th Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.
Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the first of 21 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
After 18 previous attempts to win in both Top Fuel and Funny Car in one weekend, Langdon wrapped up the successful nitro sweep for Kalitta Motorsports on Sunday, picking up his first victory in Gainesville with a run of 3.711-seconds at 335.40 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Kalitta Air Careers Toyota dragster in the final round against Billy Torrence.
Langdon qualified No. 1 with new crew chief Brian Husen and rolled off a string of strong runs on Sunday to collect his 18th career victory and first since 2020, knocking off Cody Krohn, Justin Ashley and Antron Brown to reach the final round. There, he quickly tracked down Torrence, setting off a memorable first-time celebration for Kalitta Motorsports.
BROWN WINS PEP BOYS TOP FUEL ALL-STAR CALLOUT; LANGDON, PROCK, ENDERS & HERRERA QUALIFY NO. 1 AT AMALIE MOTOR OIL NHRA GATORNATIONALS
GAINESVILLE, FL – Antron Brown picked up the victory in the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout on Saturday at Gainesville 
Raceway in front of a capacity crowd, knocking off Brittany Force in the final round of the specialty race as part of this weekend’s 55th Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.
Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all qualified No. 1 at the first of 21 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
Brown went 3.709-seconds at 332.43 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Matco Tools Toyota dragster, taking down Force’s 3.730 at 328.70. It gave Brown, who defeated Langdon and Steve Torrence earlier in the day, his first Pep Boys All-Star Callout victory, a big payday in the specialty event and a stellar way to start his 2024 NHRA season.
FRIDAY NIGHT PRO QUALIFYING FROM THE 55TH GATORNATIONALS
GAINESVILLE, FL – Friday’s results after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the 55th annual NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville 
Raceway, first of 21 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday’s final eliminations.
Top Fuel — 1. Steve Torrence, 3.690 seconds, 333.08 mph; 2. Shawn Langdon, 3.697, 332.43; 3. Mike Salinas, 3.717, 321.19; 4. Doug Kalitta, 3.723, 332.10; 5. Clay Millican, 3.726, 332.67; 6. Tony Schumacher, 3.728, 328.94; 7. Tony Stewart, 3.739, 327.82; 8. Tripp Tatum, 3.761, 319.07; 9. Doug Foley, 3.764, 318.84; 10. Josh Hart, 3.776, 318.62; 11. Billy Torrence, 3.782, 330.72; 12. Brittany Force, 3.787, 327.51; 13. Shawn Reed, 3.791, 325.45; 14. Antron Brown, 3.793, 326.16; 15. Justin Ashley, 3.892, 311.56; 16. Cody Krohn, 3.951, 286.92.
Funny Car — 1. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.820, 334.65; 2. Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 3.829, 337.75; 3. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.871, 333.00; 4. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.883, 331.20; 5. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.887, 329.26; 6. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.897, 324.90; 7. Alexis DeJoria, GR Supra, 3.900, 327.74; 8. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.912, 329.58; 9. John Force, Camaro, 3.920, 324.67; 10. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 3.977, 317.94; 11. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 3.989, 315.86; 12. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.051, no speed; 13. Jim Campbell, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.090, 294.24; 14. Buddy Hull, Charger, 4.116, 304.87; 15. Paul Lee, Charger, 4.206, no speed; 16. John Smith, Charger, 4.312, 257.48. Not Qualified: 17. Dave Richards, 8.576, 86.66.
PROCK, TORRENCE, ENDERS AND HERRERA GET PROVISIONAL NO. 1 SPOTS AT AMALIE MOTOR OIL NHRA GATORNATIONALS
GAINESVILLE, FL – Austin Prock set the Gainesville Raceway track record in his Funny Car debut on Friday for John Force Racing, 
powering to the provisional No. 1 position at the 55th Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.
Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the first of 21 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
Prock, the 2019 NHRA Rookie of the Year, moved from Top Fuel to Funny Car before the season and enjoyed an impressive start to the 2024 NHRA campaign, going 3.820-seconds at 334.65 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS. If that holds, it would be his fourth No. 1 qualifier and first in his new class.
SIX-TIME PRO STOCK CHAMP ERICA ENDERS LOOKS TO FINALLY CONQUER AMALIE MOTOR OIL NHRA GATORNATIONALS
GAINESVILLE, FL – Of all Erica Enders’ incredible accomplishments throughout a sterling Pro Stock career, there has only been one thing 
that has eluded the six-time NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and that’s a win at legendary Gainesville Raceway.
She’ll have an opportunity to grab that victory at this weekend’s 55th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals and Enders is determined to knock that off her bucket list. It’s the only track on the current NHRA tour where motorsports’ winningest female has not won and Enders would love to change that to kick off the year.
Last year, Enders’ car wouldn’t start before the first round of eliminations, the latest in a string of unfortunate and downright unlucky occurrences in Gainesville. But the back-to-back world champ remains determined to pick up a Gatornationals win in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/SCAG Power Equipment car and add another notch to her impressive legacy.
GAIGE HERRERA RETURNS TO GAINESVILLE RACEWAY WITH HOPES TO CONTINUE HIS NHRA PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE DOMINANCE
GAINESVILLE, FL – After his incredible showing in the 2023 NHRA season, reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Gaige Herrera returns 
to where his dominance started last season: the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.
The NHRA returns to the famed Gainesville Raceway for its season kick-off this weekend for a new era as the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series begins its multi-year partnership as the new title sponsor of the pro classes.
Herrera, rider of the RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki, kicked off his 2023 season with an impressive win in Gainesville. From there, he continued to impress fans and reign supreme over the Pro Stock Motorcycle field.
“Coming back to Gainesville as now the defending champion, I feel like there’s more pressure now than there was last year,” Herrera said. “I raised the bar for myself very high last year. I have a lot I have to live up to. All in all, I’m very excited. I have a new teammate (Richard Gadson) and a new primary sponsor in RevZilla. There’s going to be a lot of awesome things to happen in the offseason, so it’s definitely every exciting to get back to Gainesville.”
