NHRA
TOP FUEL’S ANTRON BROWN EMBRACING JOURNEY TO GET BACK ON TOP APPROACHING NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS
CHANDLER, AZ – Last season wasn’t up to the usual impressive standards from Antron Brown, but you won’t find 
an ounce of discouragement from the three-time NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world champ. Coming off his first winless season of his career in the Top Fuel ranks, Brown, a 66-time event winner, is welcoming the journey to once again get back on top.
He’s back with former crew chief Brian Corradi, a tandem that led to massive success in previous years, and Brown is eyeing the 2020 season as a return to form in his 11,000-horsepower Matco Tools/Global Electronic Technology/Toyota dragster. The veteran standout knows what a quick start could mean for the year, leaving him determined and focused heading into this weekend’s 36th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.
“We feel good right now, even though we know we’ve still got our work cut out for us getting the car where we want it,” Brown said. “It doesn’t happen overnight. It’s going to take laps and we know that. But the journey is the meaningful part. We know nothing comes free and you have to put the work in. You can see the mountain in front of you. Are you going to let it eat you up or are you going to conquer it? That’s one of the parts I enjoy most and you go through it as a team. For us, it’s not a question of if we can do it. We’ve been there before.”
Doug Kalitta Makes Top Fuel History at the 60th Winternationals
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Jack Beckman out Performs John Force for 60th Annual Winternationals Funny Car Title
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Jeg Coughlin Jr Grabs the Pro Stock Win at the 60th Annual Winternationals
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VORTECH SUPERCHARGERS NAMED TITLE SPONSOR FOR TOP DRAGSTER AND TOP SPORTSMAN CLASSES THROUGH 2022
GLENDORA, CA – NHRA announced today that Vortech Superchargers, which specializes in superchargers systems 
geared toward performance enthusiasts, will sponsor the Top Dragster and Top Sportsman classes through 2022.
The Top Dragster and Top Sportsman categories are for racers with a quick elapsed time. The qualified field includes 32, 48 or 64 entries. Eliminations are run using the traditional bracket format, featuring a full three-amber Christmas tree. The breakout rules are enforced.
“Vortech Superchargers is thrilled to be a part of the NHRA, and for the opportunity to showcase our products at the highest levels of drag racing competition,” said Jimmy Martz, Vortech Superchargers Sales & Marketing Director. “After winning the NHRA National Top Dragster Championship in 2019, it was natural for Vortech to sponsor the Top Sportsman and Top Dragster class. Vortech Superchargers has been the most trusted brand in Supercharging for over 30 years, and we are looking forward to continuing the legacy and expanding our reach into the highest level of racing, the NHRA. Everyone knows that the NHRA is the top level of competition in drag racing, so it only makes sense that, Vortech Superchargers, be here on this stage showing what our products can do. Customers all over the country have been amazed by the power and reliability Vortech Superchargers brings to the table. We are honored to showcase all of our products to the wide range of fans associated with the NHRA.”
KALITTA, BECKMAN AND COUGHLIN SCORE START THE SEASON WITH AT THE 60TH ANNUAL LUCAS OIL NHRA WINTERNATIONALS PRESENTED BY PROTECTTHEHARVEST.COM
POMONA, CA – For the third straight time, Doug Kalitta took home a national event win at the 60th annual Lucas 
Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com. Sunday’s win marks Kalitta’s 48th career win, placing him fifth in wins on the all-time Top Fuel list.
Jack Beckman (Funny Car) and Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) also took home event wins in their respective categories, marking the first time in NHRA history that the winners from the Auto Club Finals also took home wins at the Winternationals.
Top Fuel veteran Kalitta went 3.698-seconds at 330.23 mph in his Mac Tools dragster to defeat JFR’s Austin Prock in the final round at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Kalitta has won four of the last five races at the track and has advanced to five final rounds in a row at the Winternationals. Kalitta defeated Brandon Welch, Justin Ashley and former world champion Brittany Force to advance to the finals on Sunday.
B. FORCE, HAGAN AND COUGHLIN CLINCH NO. 1 QUALIFIERS TO KICK OFF THE SEASON OPENER
POMONA, CA – Five-time Pro Stock world champion Jeg Coughlin had a monumental day at the 60th annual Lucas 
Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com. Coughlin kicked off the day by announcing that the 2020 season will be his last season as a professional Pro Stock driver. He followed up the announcement by claiming the No. 1 qualifying spot.
Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Brittany Force (Top Fuel) also clinched No. 1 qualifier positions in their respective categories in the first of 24 races during the 2020 NHRA Mello Yellow Drag Racing Series season.
Coughlin is looking to go out with a bang after announcing that he will be retiring from full-time Pro Stock racing at the conclusion of the 2020 season. He is off to a good start by seeding himself at the top with a run of 6.525-seconds at 210.77 mph. Looking to compete for his sixth Pro Stock world title, this marks Coughlin’s 33rd career No. 1 qualifier. He will face Joey Grose in the opening round of eliminations.
NHRA ANNOUNCES LAUNCH, NEW CAREER PORTAL PLATFORM
GLENDORA, CA – The National Hot Rod Association along with Pro Stock Motorcycle legend Terry Vance and the 
Vance Family Foundation are happy to announce the official start of NHRA Launch Motorsports Careers, NHRA’s motorsports career portal.
NHRA Launch Motorsports Careers will allow individuals and companies within the motorsports industry to connect for career opportunities. Individuals who are looking for jobs may search for openings within the portal while companies with available jobs may post openings.
The goal of NHRA Launch Motorsports Careers is to provide opportunities to those with a passion for motorsports to dive into the industry and begin their careers. These opportunities will range from crew member positions, to team public relations managers, to seasonal track operational work.
LANGDON, HAGAN AND COUGHLIN SECURE PROVISIONAL NO. 1 SPOTS AT 2020 SEASON OPENER
POMONA, CA – Shawn Langdon kicked off the 2020 season opener in style, grabbing the Top Fuel provisional No. 1 
qualifier spot on Friday at the 60th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com after making the switch from Funny Car back to Top Fuel dragster.
Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) also claimed provisional No. 1 qualifiers in their respective categories at the first of 24 races on the 2020 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.
Langdon knocked off Brittany Force during Q2 to claim the quickest run with a pass of 3.699-seconds at 322.42 mph in his DHL Toyota Top Fuel Dragster to kick off the season. Langdon is looking to start off the season strong after a two year hiatus in the Top Fuel class to run Funny Car. Langdon is chasing his third No. 1 qualifier at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, and 19th of his career.
“There are tracks you go to and it seems like everything just clicks. I could stage this thing in reverse and it seems like it just works out. There are tracks you go to and it feels like you fall out of bed awkwardly. Pomona is one of those tracks I feel like I’ve had good success at. I’m just excited about today. It’s a good start,” said Langdon. “Every run we’re making small little changes trying to get me more comfortable. It’s a big change going back from a Funny Car to a dragster. We feel confident right now. For Connie (Kalitta, owner and crew chief), I know he’s excited.”
ERICA ENDERS HONORED TO BE DEFENDING WORLD CHAMP TO START PRO STOCK’S 50TH YEAR AT 60TH ANNUAL LUCAS OIL NHRA WINTERNATIONALS
POMONA, CA — Coming off her third NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world title, Erica Enders considers it a 
great honor to have the No. 1 on her car as the reigning champion heading into a special 50th anniversary season for Pro Stock.
That celebratory year starts with this weekend’s 60th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, with Enders eager to celebrate the history of the class in 2020, as well as the resurgence the category has enjoyed in recent seasons. Enders will start as the headliner in her Elite Motorsports/Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro, looking to build on her championship-winning year from 2019.
“I’m really excited about the 50th year for Pro Stock,” Enders said. “The changes that have been made in our class and what we’ve all done to get more competitors – and we have more entries than any pro category this weekend – it’s been a long road and taken a lot of work. But it’s been fun to be part of and watch it grow, and I’m honored to be the defending champ for this prestigious year. It’s humbling and it’s surreal to be part of Pro Stock’s history and what it’s becoming.”
