DINWIDDIE, VA – Due to pending weather, NHRA officials announced a schedule change to help fans get the chance to watch Friday’s qualifying session for this weekend’s Virginia NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park, as NHRA returns to the track for the first time since 2019.

Pro Stock Motorcycle is now slated to begin NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series qualifying at 1 p.m. ET on Friday, while the first round of qualifying for Funny Car and Top Fuel is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. The adjustment was made to help the chance of racing action taking place on Friday at Virginia Motorsports Park, which will see its first NHRA action in three years.

The opening round of qualifying in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Series presented by D-Wagon will take place before Pro Stock Motorcycle on Friday. Racing in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. ET on Friday.

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DINWIDDIE, VA – A self-described slow starter in her Pro Stock Motorcycle career, Angie Smith has been determined to change that to open the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

She’s done just that through the first three events for the motorcycles, advancing to the final round at the first race of the season and currently sitting fifth in points on her Denso Auto Parts Buell heading into this weekend’s Virginia NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park.

A victory would certainly keep that momentum rolling and Smith is beyond thrilled with the progress her team has made to open what has been a very competitive 2022 campaign in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

“I couldn’t have asked for a much better start,” said Smith, who has two career wins in the class. “It’s been huge for me because I’ve never started off this well before. I’ve always told people I don’t really show up to race until (later in the season). We showed up in Gainesville and that was good for me. We fixed a problem on the bike in the off-season and that’s given me a lot of momentum and confidence. I know I’ve got a good motorcycle and a fast motorcycle, and I have all the confidence in the world in our team and program. For as many good bikes as there are in this class, I’m happy to be in the place we’re in right now.”

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DINWIDDIE, VA – Doug Kalitta is still hunting for his 50th career win in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, but it’s a quest he hopes can come to an end at this weekend’s Virginia NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park.

The Top Fuel veteran remains just a victory away from an impressive career milestone and it could happen this weekend as the NHRA returns to Virginia Motorsports Park for the first time since 2019. Along with that anticipation of racing on one of the best surfaces on the NHRA circuit, Kalitta is eager to finally track down that illustrious 50th Top Fuel win in his 11,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster.

“We have had some good luck in Richmond recently the last few years we raced there,” said Kalitta, who is currently eighth in the loaded Top Fuel class. “I am looking forward to getting back there because I know there are a lot of passionate fans in the area. This Mac Tools team has been making some good runs lately and I think we will continue to keep getting better. We are all working together and I have a lot of confidence in this Mac Tools team.”

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EPPING, NH – With a scenic setting and some of the most passionate fans in drag racing, the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series is set to return to New England Dragway for the NHRA New England Nationals on June 3-5.

It is the eighth of 22 races during the 2022 season and the annual trip to the New England area has been filled with unbelievable action, a picturesque backdrop, and huge crowds since the inaugural event in 2013. Almost a decade later, the passionate fanbase is eager to again take in all the thrills of 11,000-horsepower, 330-mph nitro action, the side-by-side racing in Pro Stock, a full slate of qualifying, jet cars and can’t-miss eliminations on Sunday in front of another packed house at the historic facility.

The top stars in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock will all look to grab victories as the 2022 NHRA season heads into the summer months. Billy Torrence (Top Fuel), John Force (Funny Car) and Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) all won the 2021 event, and this year’s race will again be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 (FS1).

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DINWIDDIE, VA – For the first time since 2019, the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series is set to return to Virginia Motorsports Park for the Virginia NHRA Nationals on May 13-15.

It marks the seventh of 22 races during the 2022 season and the first trip to the fan-favorite facility near Richmond in three years brings plenty of excitement. Along with the thrilling action of 11,000-horsepower, 330-mph nitro cars, fans will get to enjoy incredible racing in a variety of classes, a can’t-miss Friday night qualifying session under the lights, a special exhibition race, eliminations on Sunday and much more.

The top stars in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock Motorcycle will all look to win in NHRA’s return to Virginia and will be eager to put on a show on one of the top racing surfaces on the NHRA circuit. Joining those three classes in Virginia will be the popular FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Series presented by D-Wagon, Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown and Top Fuel Harley. The Mountain Motor Pro Stock class will bring their exciting and powerful 800-plus cubic-inch engines to Virginia Motorsports Park, while fans can also enjoy a spectacular exhibition race between Top Fuel Motorcycle standouts Larry “Spiderman” McBride and Dave Vantine. The action from the weekend will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 (FS1).

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CONCORD, NC – John Force finished off a dominating weekend with his first victory of the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, racing to his 155th career Funny Car win on Sunday at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway.

Mike Salinas (Top Fuel) and Steve Johnson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all picked up wins at the sixth of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Force qualified No. 1 with a track-record run of 3.850-seconds, set the track speed record with a blast of 335.07 mph in his 11,000-horsepower PEAK/BlueDEF Platinum Chevrolet Camaro SS during the first round of eliminations and then finished off the weekend with a run of 3.914 at 328.66 in the final round, knocking off Robert Hight, defending world champion Ron Capps and first-time finalist Mike McIntire Jr. Force, the 16-time Funny Car world champ, had the standout car all weekend, rolling to his second straight four-wide win in Charlotte and he also dedicated the win to his daughter, Adria, who is recovering from a medical issue.

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CONCORD, NC – Justin Ashley picked up his first career No. 1 qualifier in Top Fuel on Saturday, clinching his first top spot at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway.

John Force (Funny Car) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the sixth of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

On the strength of his pass of 3.669-seconds at 331.77 mph on Friday in his 11,000-horsepower Phillips Connect dragster powered by Vita C Shot, Ashley secured his first No. 1 position in his young career, doing so at the same track where he made his Top Fuel debut in 2019. Ashley will open eliminations in a first-round quad that also features Cameron Ferre, Austin Prock and Antron Brown, looking to power to his second win of 2022 and potentially take over the points lead in Top Fuel.

“We’ve accomplished a lot in a short period of time, but to be able to sit here and say we’ve qualified No. 1 at an event like this with the depth in this Top Fuel field, it really says a lot about our team,” Ashley said. “I’m along for the ride and I’m enjoying it, that much I can tell you. There’s pressure on raceday because it’s raceday. It’s just about going out there and putting our best foot forward.”

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CONCORD, NC – John Force set both ends of the track record at zMAX Dragway on Friday, making the fastest run ever at the facility to power to the Funny Car provisional No. 1 position at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.

Justin Ashley (Top Fuel) and Steve Johnson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the sixth of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Force, the 16-time Funny Car world champ, went a blistering 3.850-seconds at 334.24 mph in his 11,000-horsepower PEAK/BlueDEF Platinum Chevrolet Camaro SS, eclipsing the track record of 3.851 set by his daughter, Courtney, five years ago, while the speed was the fastest ever in both nitro categories. If it holds, Force would earn his first No. 1 of the season and the 164th of his legendary career. He started the day with a pass of 3.858 at 333.25 in the opening session and saw even more improvement under the lights at zMAX Dragway, making a spectacular run to close out the day.

“We’re looking for consistency and this was a good night for our team,” Force said. “We found something there and I was driving right down the groove. It was pretty cool and a good night for our team. I’ve felt some pressure the last couple weeks, but sometimes you get tested in life and to come back and run like this feels good.”

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CONCORD, NC – Steve Johnson enjoyed the best season of his NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series career in 2021 and the resurgence all started with his spectacular performance in Pro Stock Motorcycle a year ago at zMAX Dragway.

Johnson impressed throughout the weekend and came through with his first victory in seven years, propelling a season filled with wins and a championship chase. Back at “the Bellagio of Dragstrips” for this weekend’s Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, Johnson has carried that momentum into 2022 as well.

The Pro Stock Motorcycle veteran won less than a week ago in Houston, setting the track record and making his first 200-mph run in the process, making him one of the favorites on his USA Electric Suzuki heading into the thrilling four-wide weekend.

“It was such a special race and we hadn’t won in a long time (heading into last year’s race),” Johnson said. “They say that vitamin C can cure a common cold, well, winning a race after seven years cures a lot, too. This is all I’ve ever wanted to do and I’m 100 percent grateful. We’ve just wanted to stay on this path and that’s basically what we’re doing since that win, but I’m always looking to try and find something else or ways to make the bike better. Winning in Houston definitely gives us confidence and shows that our recipe is good and we haven’t forgotten it.”

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CONCORD, NC – After putting together an impressive start to the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, Matt Hagan’s year has a chance to get even better when he heads to zMAX Dragway for this weekend’s Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.

The Funny Car points leader and three-time world champ has won two of the past three events this season, including Sunday in Houston, handing the first-year Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) team its first two victories in the process. It’s been a dominant stretch for Hagan in his 11,000-horsepower Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car, advancing to final rounds in four of the first five races in 2022.

Trying to keep this hot streak going, Hagan will look to solve the unique and thrilling challenge of four-wide drag racing at the “Bellagio of drag strips.”

“I’ve done everything from red light to not stage the car to win the race to ‘what just happened,’ and that’s four-wide racing for you,” Hagan said. “The mentality of it all, there’s just a lot going on. It changes the dynamic of everything, and it changes it up, but it makes you a better driver. It certainly makes things different, but you have to adapt, and you have to rise the occasion. The mindset you need to have with four-wide racing is different and we’re here to put on a great show for our fans.”

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