CHICAGO – Legendary Funny Car racer John Force has enjoyed a terrific start to his 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. The 16-time world champion has already posted one victory this season and a pair of final-round appearances, giving the team plenty of momentum heading into this weekend’s Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway.

It’s a meaningful race for the sport’s winningest driver in his 11,000-horsepower PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS, too, as Force knows the importance of doing well in his sponsor’s backyard.

Force has always found success in Chicago, winning three times at Route 66 Raceway, including the second-ever race at the famed facility in 2000. He’s eager to put on a show in front of another huge crowd this weekend, determined to keep his strong season going as the summer months approach. Continue reading →

CHICAGO – Following a successful return to Route 66 Raceway last year, the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is bringing a massive show to Chicago in 2024, including four overall qualifying sessions, for the 24th annual Gerber Collision & Glass NHRA Route 66 Nationals presented by PEAK Performance on May 17-19.

The four qualifying sessions adds an extra run on Friday, as fans will get to see a pair of qualifying runs each day in all four professional categories (Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle), as well as the GETTRX Pro Stock All-Star Callout and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday.

It’s one of the biggest schedules ever for an NHRA race in Chicago, with Friday’s qualifying sessions taking place at 2:30 and 5 p.m. CT on Friday, May 17, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, May 18 at 11:40 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. CT. Eliminations begin at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday, May 19. Continue reading →

EPPING, NH – Back at New England Dragway for the NHRA New England Nationals on May 31-June 2, all the teams in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series are eager to return to the beloved track for a full event in front of another huge crowd at the fan-favorite facility.

New England Dragway, settled in Epping N.H., is set to host its 11th annual event in 2024 and the race is always a highlight on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule. After inclement weather at last year’s event, drivers will be more than ready to put on a show and battle it out for a chance at an NHRA Wally trophy on a weekend loaded with action.

After a year away, Pro Stock is back at the storied facility, as is the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, adding to the nonstop excitement coming to New England Dragway. Along with four rounds of can’t-miss qualifying, the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge takes place on Saturday, leading right into eliminations in front of what’s expected to be another huge crowd in Epping. Continue reading →

CHARLOTTE – Reigning Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan picked up his 50th career victory on Sunday, driving past John Force, J.R. Todd and Daniel Wilkerson at zMAX Dragway to get the win at the 14th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte.

Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the fifth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Hagan went 3.946-seconds at 332.34 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Tony Stewart Racing Direct Connection Dodge//SRT Hellcat in the final quad to power to his first win this season, defeating Wilkerson on a holeshot to pick up his milestone victory. Hagan was .029 on the starting line, holding off Wilkerson’s 3.923 at 327.50 at the finish line for the win.

Hagan won his opening-round quad with a 3.918 at 331.61 and then made the second-quickest run of eliminations with a 3.879 at 334.24 to advance to the final round. That led to his fourth victory at zMAX Dragway, which is less than two hours from home for Hagan. Continue reading →

CONCORD, NC – Defending Top Fuel world champion Doug Kalitta enjoyed his second straight No. 1 qualifier, cementing the top spot on Saturday at zMAX Dragway at the 14th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte.

John Force (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the fifth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Kalitta’s run of 3.691-seconds at 337.92 mph from Friday in his 11,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster held up through two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, handing the reigning world champion his second straight No. 1 spot and the 55th in his career. The result of taking the top position worked well in Las Vegas for Kalitta, as he claimed his first career four-wide win and he’ll look to replicate that on Sunday in Charlotte, also finishing qualifying with a strong 3.710 at 332.18.

“We kind of struggled a little bit today. We put this other blower on and just had a little bit too much power in that first run and smoked the tires, and then that last run, we got right to the finish line and kind of took care of that blower, unfortunately,” Kalitta said. “So we’re going to have to start from scratch again. But now that we’ve got our setup that we’ve been running, we’re going to be in good shape for tomorrow.” Continue reading →

CONCORD, NC – Funny Car’s Bob Tasca III made the fastest run in zMAX Dragway history on Saturday, racing to the victory in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge specialty race as part of this weekend’s 14th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte.

Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the specialty race at the fifth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

In the Challenge final, Tasca went 3.834-seconds at 338.34 mph – the 10th-fastest run in Funny Car history – in his 11,000-horsepower Ford Performance Mustang to hold off points leader Austin Prock, J.R. Todd and Paul Lee. Tasca’s qualifying run from Friday was disqualified after his car’s intake manifold was found to have been media blasted. The violation is considered a technical infraction, as the intake manifold is not allowed to be altered in any form from its original, accepted state. Continue reading →