SONOMA, CA – Looking to become the first driver in NHRA history to win four straight races at Sonoma Raceway, Funny Car’s Robert Hight secured the No. 1 position in front of a capacity crowd on Saturday at the 34th annual Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals.

Leah Pruett (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the 12th of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the second stop of the three-race NHRA Western Swing.

Hight’s run of 3.825-seconds at 332.75 mph from Friday in his 11,000-horsepower Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro held up, giving the Funny Car points leader his third No. 1 qualifier this season and 74th in his career. In addition to his three straight wins at Sonoma, Hight also has five victories in 2022, including two in a row, and he will open eliminations against Jeff Diehl on Sunday.

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SONOMA, CA – A week after winning in Denver, Top Fuel star Leah Pruett kept rolling on Friday in Sonoma, powering to the provisional No. 1 spot for Tony Stewart Racing at the 34th annual Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway.

Robert Hight (Funny Car), Troy Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 12th of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. It is also the second event in the three-race NHRA Western Swing.

Pruett went 3.689-seconds at 327.59 mph in her 11,000-horsepower Rayce Rudeen Foundation Top Fuel dragster during the lone qualifying session, putting her on track to qualify No. 1 for the first time this season and the 12th time in her career. It also puts the team on a great path following their Denver win, which only further bolstered the overall desire to add another victory.

“What was most important to this team was starting off in Q1 in a different fashion than we have in the last handful of races,” said Pruett, who was the runner-up in Sonoma last season. “We considered it a little bit conservative, but it gives us a really solid look into our tuning window. The win in Denver was so big for us because it showed us where we needed to improve to do it again and that’s what we’ve prepared for this week.”

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SONOMA, CA – The trip out West has already been a good one for defending Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Matt Smith, who blistered the track record book in Denver en route to a win last weekend.

But now the five-time world champ has the chance to make it a great two-race span at his sponsor’s race, this weekend’s 34th annual Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals at scenic Sonoma Raceway. With the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship just two races away from this weekend, Smith’s third victory of the season on his Denso Auto Parts motorcycle would go a long way in positioning himself well for the playoffs.

He was impressive on the Buell in Denver, shattering track records and picking up back-to-back wins at the facility, but Smith has also won on his Suzuki earlier this year. Now he’s looking for his first Sonoma victory since 2007 and no matter what bike he chooses, as long as he or his wife, Angie, picks up the win at the Denso-sponsored event, that’s all that matters in his mind.

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KENT, WA – For the first time since 2019, the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series is headed back to Pacific Raceways, as the famed NHRA Western Swing will once again conclude with the 34th annual Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals on July 29-31.

It is the 13th of 22 races during the 2022 season and anticipation is high for NHRA’s return to Seattle. Nestled in the Paci?c Northwest in the shadow of majestic Mount Rainier and surrounded by horsepower-aiding trees that emit tons of power-enhancing oxygen, Pacific Raceways has provided a terrific backdrop for teams and race fans for more than three decades.

After three years away, fans will get the opportunity for another weekend of incredible 11,000-horsepower, 330-mph thrills starting with qualifying action on Friday and Saturday and then eliminations on Sunday. The track has been home to several historic moments over the years, including John Force’s 150th win in 2019, setting the stage for what should be an incredible return to racing in 2022. Continue reading →

SONOMA, CA – Already on an incredible run this summer during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, Robert Hight now heads to a track where the Funny Car points leader has enjoyed some of his greatest moments, including a run of three straight victories at Sonoma Raceway.

Hight will look to become the first driver in NHRA history to win four straight races in the heart of wine country at this weekend’s 34th annual Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals, and he certainly heads to Sonoma with plenty of momentum. Hight has won two straight races this season in his 11,000-horsepower Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS, taking over the points lead and giving him five wins in 11 races.

It’s an impressive stretch and Hight is hungry for more at a track that always seems to treat him well. In addition to his four career wins in Sonoma, the three-time Funny Car world champ also made the fastest run in NHRA history at the track, going 339.87 mph in 2017. That was one of several Hight highlights in Sonoma and he’s looking for another this weekend at the middle race in the famed three-race NHRA Western Swing.

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MORRISON, CO – Leah Pruett delivered the first Top Fuel win for Tony Stewart Racing, powering to the victory on Sunday at the 42nd annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway.

Robert Hight (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won at the 11th of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. The stop in Denver marks the first event in the three-race NHRA Western Swing.

Pruett, who is also married to Stewart, went 3.884-seconds at 316.38 mph in her 11,000-horsepower Dodge Power Brokers dragster to knock off Shawn Langdon in the final round. It gives Pruett her first win of the season and 10th in her career, as well as her second victory in Denver. She reached the final round by taking down Antron Brown, Clay Millican and Justin Ashley, making a series of consistent runs that was her trademark this weekend in Denver. Pruett made another strong run in the championship round to close out one of the more meaningful weekends in her career at her sponsor’s race. Getting the first Top Fuel win for the TSR team was also massive for one of the sport’s most popular drivers. Continue reading →

MORRISON, CO – Sunday’s final results from the 42nd annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway. The race is the 11th of 22 in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel — Leah Pruett, 3.884 seconds, 316.38 mph def. Shawn Langdon, Broke.

Funny Car — Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 4.065, 311.92 def. Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 4.263, 272.89.

Pro Stock — Matt Hartford, Chevy Camaro, 6.967, 196.36 def. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 7.054, 172.61. Continue reading →

MORRISON, CO – Brittany Force made the most of her final qualifying pass on Saturday at Bandimere Speedway, powering to the No. 1 position in Top Fuel at the 42nd annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway.

Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the 11th of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. The stop in Denver marks the first event in the three-race NHRA Western Swing.

Force picked up her fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season and 36th in her career by going 3.758-seconds at 325.61 mph in her 11,000-horsepower Flav-R-Pac dragster to close out qualifying on Thunder Mountain. She’ll meet Terry Totten to open eliminations and was thrilled with how her team bounced back after struggling during qualifying on Friday. It was a different story on Saturday, as Force made two quality runs, going to No. 1 to close out the day. The former world champ will now try to win for the first time in Denver and jump back into the points lead in the process.

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MORRISON, CO – Tony Stewart Racing teammates Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan raced to the provisional No. 1 spots in Top Fuel and Funny Car on Friday, powering to the top positions at the 42nd annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway.

Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 11th of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. It is also the first event in the three-race NHRA Western Swing.

After struggling in her first run of the day, Top Fuel’s Pruett and her team rebounded with a run of 3.788-seconds at 326.79 mph in her 11,000-horsepower Dodge Power Brokers dragster. If it holds up, Pruett would earn her first No. 1 qualifier of the season, while the first-year TSR team of Pruett and Hagan look to qualify No. 1 together for the first time as well. Pruett, who has one Denver win, was also thrilled with the work her team put in on Friday that led to the strong pass.

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DENVER – It’s been three years since Deric Kramer has been able to race Pro Stock at his home track, Bandimere Speedway. But the good news is Pro Stock returns to Thunder Mountain for the first time since 2019 as the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series kicks off the famed three-race Western Swing at this weekend’s 42nd annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals in Denver.

That has Kramer plenty excited, as the category didn’t race at his home track last year, and a dream weekend for the area native would be his first Pro Stock win at Bandimere Speedway. Coming off his first semifinal appearance of the year at the most recent race in Norwalk in his Get Biofuel Chevrolet Camaro – as well as a solid test session on the mountain last week – Kramer is thrilled to be back racing in Denver, and with a car capable of winning.

“It’s the first time in three years I’m racing just down the street from where I live, so I can’t wait,” Kramer said. “We got to test at the track last week and I’m just extremely excited. I started racing in Pro Stock here at Bandimere in 2012 and it’s always been a special place to me. I learned how to drive a Pro Stock car at altitude and just remembering what that’s like, this weekend is going to be fun for me.”

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