TOPEKA, KS – Racing today from the lofty No. 3 qualifying position, Josh Hart drove the R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster into the quarterfinals before losing to three-time former world champion Antron Brown in the 33rd Menard’s NHRA Nationals presented by Pet Armor at Heartland Motorsports Park. Through two days of qualifying Hart along with crew chief and business partner Ron Douglas made the most of their passes on a hot and tricky racetrack. His 3.766 second pass at 310.41 mph was one-thousandth of a second from the No. 2 spot giving the driver from Ocala, Florida confidence going into race day.

After equaling the best starting position of his Top Fuel career, Hart drove the R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster past Austin Prock and the Montana Brand dragster out of the John Force Racing stable in round one.

“We made the most of qualifying,” said the two-time tour winner, “and starting the day in the top four is a good spot.  We are going to keep improving and working to get our first No. 1 qualifier.  The first round win was big and those are the kind of wins that motivate you.  If you want to race for the championship like we do we are going to do everything we can to qualify as high as possible and win as many rounds as possible. There is a lot of tough competition out here but we are a tough car to beat as well.”

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Ocala, FL – The satisfaction of chasing round wins at a brand new NHRA facility is something that drives second year Top Fuel driver and team owner Josh Hart. This season for the first time the two-time Top Fuel national event winner has raced on the west coast at picturesque tracks in Sonoma and Seattle as well as the desert of Arizona, the hills of Virginia and the cool climates of the northeast. This weekend Hart will bring his R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster to the plains of the Midwest and historic Heartland Motorsports Park – Topeka for the NHRA Menards Nationals presented by Pet Armor. This will be the next to last new facility for the driver who enjoys the challenges of competition as much as seeing new venues and engaging with new fans.

“I have been blessed to see a huge part of the country this season and it has been amazing,” said Hart. “The only way it could have been better was if my family was able to travel with me to all these places. My wife Brittanie and daughter haven’t been able to get out on the road since we have several businesses in Florida. They keep an eye on me thanks to the Fox broadcasts and my goal every race to get to the winner’s circle.”

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KENT, WA – Josh Hart and the R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster raced to another quarterfinal finish on the Western Swing. The second-year driver advanced out of the first round at all three races and held his position in the Top Fuel point standings throughout the tough stretch of competition. Through two days of qualifying Hart made three solid qualifying runs and went into race day as the No.8 Top Fuel dragster. He defeated Clay Millican in the first round before dropping a quarterfinal race to No. 1 qualifier and eventual race finalist Brittany Force. The grind of three races in three weeks at three new venues was balanced by the positive experience with the fans and some of the nicest scenery in the country.

“We are always focused on the racing and trying to get wins, but I have been amazed by the crowds and the scenery on the Western Swing,” said Hart. “This weekend was another example. Denver was beautiful and this place is beautiful. Sonoma was off the charts. I am happy to be travelling and living the dream of competing against the fastest drivers in the world.”

For the second race in a row on the Western Swing Hart squared off against veteran Millican in the first round. Hart was looking to improve his career record to 4-2 against the driver from Tennessee. The R+L Carriers dragster was first off the starting line and never trailed in the drag race. It was a strong improvement over qualifying, stepping up with a 3.759 second at over 325.61 mph pass in the first pair of Top Fuel competitors.

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PLAINVIEW, NY – As the historic Western Swing concludes this weekend at Pacific Raceway Justin Ashley will be adding some local flavor to his Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel dragster powered by Vita C Energy. Ashton Paving, a Salem, Oregon based company, will ride along at over 330 mph as Ashley looks to close out a three race stretch with a victory. Ashton Paving is a family owned and operated company specializing in residential paving as well as trucking and hauling logistics.

“We are always looking to partner with local companies that have a passion for drag racing,” said Ashley, a two-time winner in 2022. “I understand the importance of construction through my experience in real estate and fully appreciate the great job Bobby and Amanda Teeter do for their clients at Ashton Paving. Rich Bailey our marketing representative was kind enough to get everyone connected and I look forward to highlighting them and hosting their guests this weekend in Seattle.”

For 17 years Ashton Paving has been offering honest and fair bids with excellent service to all their customers. In addition to residential paving the company has provided their services to several businesses across the northwest including Woodburn Drag Strip.

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SONOMA, CA – The Sonoma Nationals were another showcase event for Josh Hart and the R+L Carriers Top Fuel team as they continue their pursuit of his first NHRA Top Fuel championship. The second year Top Fuel pro from Ocala, Florida, brought his race team and determination to northern California for the first time and raced to the quarterfinals from the No. 7 spot.

Hart’s first competition pass at Sonoma Raceway went completely according to plan, but the outcome was still in doubt for the entire 1,000 feet. Hart was first off the starting line but the veteran Clay Millican moved around him almost immediately. Crossing half-track Hart pulled back out in front by a nose and at the finish line he saw Millican moving again but he got the win. It was an amazingly close race with the margin of victory clocking in at three thousandths of a second. His reaction time of .058 to Millican’s .060 was a major contributor to the victory. The R+L Carrier dragster crossed the finish line 3.733 seconds after it left the starting line for its quickest run of the weekend.

“It is always good to have a clean race like that,” said Hart, who has two Top Fuel victories to his credit. “My race with Clay today was a ‘wow’ race. I saw him, then I didn’t see him, then I thought I saw him again. I was so glad to see my win light at the end. It is nice to go up there and know that you are competitive.”

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OCALA, FL – The Western Swing consists of three races in three weeks moving the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series from Denver to Sonoma to Seattle. Second-year driver Josh Hart from Ocala, Florida, is tackling all three tracks for the first time with his R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster. After a breakout rookie season last year that saw Hart, a multi-time Top Alcohol Dragster winner, win twice racing only a partial schedule, he has invested in expanding his commitment to the NHRA by racing the full season. Over the off-season Hart’s Fearless Racing operation bought a new Top Fuel dragster and invested in additional assets to make a run at the Top Fuel world championship.

“Last year was amazing and really got me excited for this season,” said Hart. “Over the off-season we made a big commitment to being successful in 2022 and beyond. We had some growing pains at the start of this year, but we worked through them together. Over the past four races we have really turned a corner and I am looking forward to success at the Sonoma Nationals.”

The new experiences at tracks like Sonoma Raceway also provide Hart the chance to not just have success in front of new fans but also introduce his sponsors to a new group of potential supporters. The R+L Carriers marketing program is more than logos on the side of Hart’s 11,000 horsepower dragster and multiple haulers. Throughout the weekend R+L Carriers hosts guests and employees at the races and talks with fans about the unique employment opportunities the nationally recognized and family-owned company offers.

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DENVER, CO – Josh Hart and the R+L Carriers Top Fuel team continued their hot streak to begin the historic Western Swing. The second-year driver made his first passes at Bandimere Speedway on Friday and raced to the semifinals from the No. 9 spot today. Tough competition faced Hart all day as he defeated Doug Kalitta and Brittany Force before dropping a close drag race to Shawn Langdon.

“I am just excited to be racing in the Western Swing,” said Hart, who raced to the final round three weeks ago in Norwalk, Ohio. “We want to take it one round at a time. We want to progressively get our R+L Carriers dragster back to where we think it needs to be. I am having a lot of fun and this team is moving in the right direction.”

The first round race versus perennial championship contender Kalitta was a classic drag race. Hart was first off the starting line but Kalitta pulled around the R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster at half-track. Hart was tracking him down and Kalitta’s Goodyear tires began to haze at about 600 feet as Hart kept charging. At the finish line Hart got to the stripe first for the win with a 3.999 second pass in front of Kalitta’s 4.003 giving him a victory by seven thousandths of a second at over 310 miles per hour. Continue reading →

OCALA, FL – A recent runner-up finish in Norwalk, Ohio, has second year Top Fuel driver and team owner Josh Hart eager to start the three race Western Swing this weekend at the NHRA Mile-High Nationals. Hart powered the R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster to the final round at the NHRA Norwalk Nationals and moved up to sixth place in the point standings just four points out of fifth place. The positive momentum from that finish as well as three races of strong qualifying efforts has the driver from Ocala, Florida, geared up for a strong regular season finish.

“We got off to a tough start this season, but I think those hurdles made our R+L Carriers team stronger,” said Hart, who has two Top Fuel victories to his credit. “Our first season we turned heads with our performance and success. This year we made a lot of changes to improve for the long haul and it just took us some time to figure a few things out. The Western Swing will be a great chance for us to get into a racing groove. Racing in Denver, Sonoma and Seattle will be a great test for our team.”

Even though this is Hart’s second season wheeling the 11,000 horsepower R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster this will be the driver’s first appearance at Bandimere Speedway. Last year the team was racing on a limited schedule and a trip to the mountaintop race track was not in their plans. The new experience is one that Hart and his young team are looking forward to tackling.

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NORWALK, OH – Josh Hart and the R+L Carriers Top Fuel team had a breakout weekend at the NHRA Summit Equipment Nationals racing to a runner-up finish, jumping to sixth place in the Top Fuel point standings and building much needed momentum as the tour heads to the back half of the season. Hart powered his 11,000-horsepower R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster to the No. 4 position on the qualifying ladder on the strength of his 3.744 second Friday night qualifying pass. Hart parlayed that excellent position into wins over Spencer Massey, Austin Prock and Brittany Force on race day before dropping a close final to points leader Mike Salinas.

In his third career final round and first final of the 2022 season Hart felt that his R+L Carriers team needed to get back to the basics and take a page from their success last year.

“I would say we have definitely turned a corner,” said Hart, who also has two semifinal finishes this season. “I am just going back to what I did last year and just trying to have fun. I believe all good leadership comes from the top. The owner of R+L Carriers told me I was forgetting an important thing. I was forgetting to have fun. That is what we did this weekend. We went out and had fun.”

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OCALA, FL – Back-to-back races have many benefits for NHRA professional teams. Drivers get into a groove and teams can gel into a more cohesive working unit. For Josh Hart and the R+L Carriers Top Fuel team getting back to the track for the NHRA Norwalk Nationals will afford them the opportunity to put a frustrating Thunder Valley Nationals in the figurative rearview mirror. Through two days of qualifying at Bristol Dragway Hart and his Ron Douglas tuned 11,000-horsepower R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster were making consistently quick runs and entered race day as the No. 3 qualifier, their best qualifying position of their young career. They made another solid run in the first round but surprisingly it was not enough to advance to the quarterfinals.

“We had our best qualifying position and we just had a tough first round match-up which shows how competitive this Top Fuel category is,” said Hart, who has two career national event Top Fuel wins. “The good news is we aren’t hurting parts on our R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster and we are making quick runs.”

Throughout this season Hart and his young team have been chasing several issues breaking in a brand-new Top Fuel dragster. This learning curve has tested the entire team but in Hart’s opinion his team is rising to the occasion every race.

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