Camping World
FUNNY CAR’S BOB TASCA III IN THICK OF TITLE HUNT HEADING TO NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS
ST. LOUIS – The opening stretch of the NHRA Countdown to the Championship features three straight weeks of racing, capped off by this 
weekend’s 12th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway.
It’s an intense span of races and can go a long way in shaping championship journeys across all four classes in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Funny Car’s Bob Tasca III has made a strong impression over the first two races and looks to close out the first half of the Countdown to the Championship in style this weekend in St. Louis.
He won on Sunday in Charlotte, getting past points leader Robert Hight in a thrilling final round to move to second in points. He trails Hight – the defending Funny Car winner in St. Louis – by just 25 points, firmly putting his name in the championship mix. But Tasca, who qualified No. 1 at the first race of the playoffs, is eager to keep rolling in his 11,000-horsepower Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway.
TOP FUEL POINTS LEADER DOUG KALITTA LOOKS TO STAY RED-HOT IN ST. LOUIS AT NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS
ST. LOUIS – Before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship started, Doug Kalitta’s last Top Fuel victory came in 2020 at World Wide 
Technology Raceway, the site of this weekend’s 12th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals.
Since then, the fan-favorite driver has been perfect in NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series action, winning a pair of playoff races as he competes for that elusive first world championship in his 11,000-horsepower Mac Tools/Toyota dragster. Kalitta had waited nearly three years between wins, dating back to his 2020 triumph in St. Louis, before getting his 50th career win two weeks ago and adding another on Sunday in Charlotte.
Heading into St. Louis, where Kalitta has always thrived, the veteran also has the points lead for the first time in three years. A fifth victory at World Wide Technology Raceway – which would tie him with Antron Brown for the most in NHRA Top Fuel history at the popular track – would keep him perfect in this brilliant postseason run and cap off this string of three consecutive race weekends in dominant fashion.
KALITTA, TASCA, ANDERSON AND HERRERA RACE TO PLAYOFF WINS AT BETWAY NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS
CONCORD, NC – 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 NHRA Carolina Nationals.
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 3.696-seconds at 333.49 mph in his 11,000-horsepower 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 3.718 at 328.46 in the finals. With four races remaining, Kalitta holds a 63-points lead against Torrence and 68 over Justin Ashley.
TOP FUEL’S MIKE SALINAS BECOMES FIRST MEMBER OF THE “PHILLIPS CONNECT 300 AT THE 1/8” CLUB
CONCORD, NC – With a track-record run on Saturday at zMAX Dragway, Top Fuel’s Mike Salinas became the first member of the “Phillips 
Connect 300 at the 1/8” club, going 300.80-mph in the 1/8-mile during the final round of qualifying at the 15th betway NHRA Carolina Nationals.
Salinas became the first driver in NHRA history to reach the 300-mph milestone in the 1/8-mile in his 11,000-horsepower Valley Services/Scrappers Racing as part of his track-record run of 3.647-seconds at 338.00 that also gave him the No. 1 qualifier spot.
As part of reaching the incredible 300-mph mark in the 1/8-mile and becoming the first member of the “Phillips Connect 300 at the 1/8” club, which was started last season, Salinas will receive a special $30,000 bonus.
“This is surreal. Racers, we all dream about this. It’s just amazing,” Salinas said. “We’re inching up on things. This was not something we just stumbled on. The run itself, from half-track on, it was moving pretty good. I’m new to this stuff still, I’m learning, I’m not a veteran. To be able to do this and be the first at it, it’s amazing.”
SALINAS HITS 300-MPH MILESTONE; HIGHT, ENDERS AND HERRERA ALSO QUALIFY NO. 1 AT BETWAY NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS
CONCORD, NC – Top Fuel’s Mike Salinas became the first driver in NHRA history to go 300-mph in the 1/8-mile, setting both ends of the 
track record on Saturday at zMAX Dragway en route to qualifying No. 1 at the 15th annual betway NHRA Carolina Nationals.
Robert Hight (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at 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 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the McPhillips Racing Top Alcohol Dragster driven by points leader Tony Stewart was found to have unapproved ignition parts. Due to the items found, he was disqualified from the event and zero points were awarded.
Salinas powered to an epic blast of 3.647-seconds at 338.00 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Valley Services/Scrappers Racing dragster, earning his third No. 1 qualifier in 2023 and 14th in his career. He also went a whopping 300.80 mph to the 1/8-mile during the run, marking the first time in NHRA history a driver has reached 300-mph in the 1/8-mile and making him the first member of the “Phillips Connect 300 to the 1/8” club, which nets him a $30,000 bonus. It was also the fifth-fastest run in Top Fuel history, as Salinas aims to pick up his second win of the season on Sunday.
HAGAN, KALITTA, ENDERS AND HERRERA RACE TO PROVISIONAL NO. 1 SPOTS AT BETWAY NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS
CONCORD, NC – Matt Hagan made the quickest Funny Car run of the year on Friday at zMAX Dragway, taking the provisional No. 1 spot for 
Tony Stewart Racing at the 15th annual betway NHRA Carolina Nationals.
Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at 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.
Hagan powered to an impressive run of 3.825-seconds at 333.49 in his 11,000-horsepower Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, setting the track E.T. record and making the quickest pass in the Funny Car category since he went 3.823 in Phoenix at the second race of the 2022 season. If it holds, the three-time Funny Car world champ would earn his second No. 1 qualifier of the season and 50th in his career. It was also a nice bounce back for Hagan and his team after falling by a crushing .0001 in the second round last weekend against points leader Robert Hight.
MATT SMITH LOOKS FOR WIN AT PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE’S 500TH RACE AT BETWAY NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS
CONCORD, NC – Reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Matt Smith wasn’t at the first race in the class, but the six-time champ will be at the 500th official race for the category, which takes place at this weekend’s 15th annual betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway.
Smith also enters the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series event, which is the second in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs, with plenty of momentum, having won back-to-back events and jumping into the points lead for the first time this year on his Denso Auto Parts Suzuki.
Racing at his home track adds another great layer for Smith, who is tied for the most world championships in class history. He’s enjoyed a number of significant milestones in the category along the way and getting the victory at the 500th Pro Stock Motorcycle race this weekend in Charlotte would certainly be another.
“I’ve won No. 498 and 499, so it would be really nice to win the 500th race,” Smith said. “It would add even more to do it at my home track. To say you’ve won the 500th race in class history, that would be a pretty big accomplishment.
NHRA DRAWS BIGGEST COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP AUDIENCE EVER IN NHRA ON FOX ERA TO OPEN PLAYOFFS
INDIANAPOLIS – The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series enjoyed its most-watched weekend of Countdown to the Championship 
telecasts in the NHRA on FOX era, as more than 2.1 million viewers tuned in to original airings of last weekend’s 38th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.
A total of 1.504 million viewers tuned into the NHRA on FOX broadcast of Sunday’s eliminations coverage at Maple Grove Raceway.
The final hour of the broadcast on Sunday also averaged a higher viewership than the final hour of last year’s NFL adjacent broadcast, with viewership increasing eight percent over last year for the full second hour and more than 25 percent for the final quarter-hour.
“These viewership milestones don’t occur without the full support of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series teams and racers, our track partners, which includes the Koretsky family at Maple Grove Raceway, and the hard-working men and women who support the event on-site, including facility staff, the NHRA Safety Safari and the NHRA on FOX production team,” NHRA Vice President of Broadcast Steve Reintjes said.
FUNNY CAR POINTS LEADER ROBERT HIGHT SEEKS ZMAX DRAGWAY SWEEP AT BETWAY NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS
CONCORD, NC – Robert Hight has already won once this year at one of his favorite tracks, zMAX Dragway, which hosts this weekend’s 15th annual betway NHRA Carolina Nationals. But a season sweep at the Bellagio of Dragstrips would go a long way in the Funny Car standout trying to claim a fourth world championship.
Hight opened the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs in style last weekend, winning in Reading and jumping into the points lead in a loaded Funny Car category.
He also knows that won’t be nearly enough to win a world title in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, but the good news is Hight has enjoyed more success than anyone in the Funny Car ranks at zMAX Dragway. His seven overall wins at Charlotte pace the field and there’s plenty of good vibes following his triumph at the Circle K NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in April.
Hight is also plenty focused on the task at hand in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS, knowing the importance of another good weekend at zMAX Dragway in the midst of a stretch of three straight races to open the Countdown to the Championship.
BETWAY NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS LOADED WITH SPECIAL EVENTS FOR FANS – ON AND OFF THE TRACK
CONCORD, NC – The action on the track at zMAX Dragway will heat up on Friday through Sunday when the NHRA Camping World Drag 
Racing Series hosts the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals, the second of six playoff races in the Countdown to the Championship.
But a full slate of fun and thrills off the track ensures the weekend in Charlotte will be filled with non-stop excitement for fans of all ages. With can’t-miss attractions like KSFMX freestyle motocross exhibitions in the midway to Friday night fire to a wealth of activities on the Nitro Alley Stage, the late-season race at the Bellagio of Dragstrips will be one to remember from start to finish.
The midway will come alive three times a day during the event when the performers with the KSFMX freestyle motocross put on a show. Fans will have a front-row seat to their incredible stunt show, which including a 300×50-foot blueprint in the middle of the midway. That means while fans are watching team work on their 11,000-horsepower machines in the pits, they can also catch a glimpse of some spectacular high-flying motocross action before the nitro cars take to the track.
