Mission #2FAST2TASTY
GREG ANDERSON LOOKS TO CARRY PHOENIX MOMENTUM INTO LAS VEGAS AT 4-WIDE NATIONALS
LAS VEGAS – Pro Stock veteran Greg Anderson is no stranger to the NHRA winner’s circle as proven by his 104 career wins. This weekend at 
the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas, he’ll look to add another to his impressive resume at a track that means a great deal to him.
Anderson, the winningest driver in the Pro Stock field, and the rest of the stars of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will again take to the track this weekend at the 24th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Anderson is coming into Las Vegas hot after his win in Phoenix, his first of the year in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro.
“I’m excited to get to Vegas because obviously I love the Black family,” said Anderson. “Ken and Judy Black have been my team owners for 20 plus years. We now have new ownership but they’re still the greatest supporters you could ever imagine. They text, they call at races. They certain are not out of the sport. They’re at home but they’re still watching. They’ll be in Vegas next weekend and I would love nothing better than to show off in front of them so I can’t wait to get there.”
STRONG START IN FUNNY CAR HAS AUSTIN PROCK FEELING GOOD AHEAD OF VEGAS’ NHRA 4-WIDE NATIONALS
LAS VEGAS – Less than a week after his first NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car win, Austin Prock has a chance to keep 
rolling at this weekend’s NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The 2019 NHRA Rookie of the Year moved to the Funny Car ranks for the first time this season for John Force Racing, joining a successful team that also includes his father, crew chief Jimmy Prock, and his brother, Thomas.
He stepped in for Robert Hight, who stepped out of the car prior to the season to deal with a medical situation, and Prock has proven to be a natural piloting the 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS.
Prock has picked up two No. 1 qualifiers in three races and grabbed his first NHRA Funny Car win on Sunday in Phoenix, becoming just the 19th driver in NHRA history to win in both Top Fuel and Funny Car. Now, he’ll aim to get his first Vegas four-wide victory just days after a monumental weekend. Continue reading
TOP FUEL’S TONY STEWART FEELING SURGE OF MOMENTUM HEADING INTO VEGAS’ NHRA 4-WIDE NATIONALS
LAS VEGAS – Returning to the site of his first victory as an NHRA competitor, racing legend and Top Fuel rookie Tony Stewart also enters 
this weekend’s NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with some newfound momentum.
The motorsports Hall of Famer picked up his first NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series round win on Sunday in Phoenix and then added another, advancing to the semifinals for the first time in Top Fuel.
It was a strong improvement for Stewart in his 11,000-horsepower Rayce Rudeen Foundation Dodge//SRT dragster ahead of this weekend’s race at Las Vegas, which is a motorsports facility that has treated him very well over his storied championship career. That includes on the drag racing side as well, where Stewart won in Top Alcohol Dragster last year at the four-wide event. The unique spectacle of four-wide drag racing is also something Stewart has quickly embraced.
Schumacher, Todd, Enders win Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in Phoenix
Phoenix AZ – Tony Schumacher – Top Fuel Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge Winner, Leatherwood Distillery Top Fuel Dragster – 3.925 seconds, 292.77 mph
J.R. Todd – Funny Car Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge Winner, DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car – 3.974 seconds, 316.67 mph
Erica Enders – Pro Stock Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge Winner, Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / SCAG Power Equipment Pro Stock Car – 6.541 seconds, 210.87 mph
video courtesy of NHRA
TODD, SCHUMACHER AND ENDERS TAKE MISSION #2FAST2TASTY CHALLENGE IN FRONT OF SELLOUT CROWD AT PHOENIX
S. Torrence, Prock and J. Coughlin Jr. earn No. 1 qualifiers at NHRA Arizona Nationals
PHOENIX – J.R. Todd powered to the Funny Car victory in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday at a sold-out Firebird 
Motorsports Park, defeating John Force in the final round of the specialty event as part of the 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals.
Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, while Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car) and Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) claimed No. 1 qualifiers at the third of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
Todd held off Force in the final round of the Challenge with a run of 3.974 at 316.67 in his 11,000-horsepower DHL Toyota GR Supra. It gives the former world champion his second victory in the specialty race, with the first coming last year in Sonoma. Todd swept that weekend, which is something he would certainly love to replicate in Phoenix. Todd knocked off Matt Hagan in the earlier round before leading from start-to-finish against Force in the final round.
SELLOUT CROWD ANNOUNCED AT FIREBIRD MOTORSPORTS PARK FOR NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS
PHOENIX – For the second straight year, NHRA and officials at Firebird Motorsports Park announced a sellout crowd for Saturday 
qualifying at the NHRA Arizona Nationals.
The standout fanbase again packed the newly-renamed facility during qualifying, which also featured the finals of the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge. The overflow crowd enjoyed an action-packed day at the “Duel in the Desert,” which is the third of 20 races during the NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series season.
It’s also an exciting new time for the facility, which has hosted the NHRA Arizona Nationals for nearly four decades. The track name change was announced in the off-season as the facility looks to host NHRA racing well into the future.
“When we started this journey to pursue a new era of Firebird Motorsports Park, it was driven by the passion of keeping racing alive in Arizona for our great fans, drivers and teams,” Firebird Motorsports Park Track Manager Casey Buckman said. “Today is proof that racing is alive and here to stay at ‘Arizona’s Home for Motorsports.’ Thank you to the loyal fans, racers, sponsors and employees for selling out the 2024 Arizona Nationals and we look forward to hosting this great event for years to come.”
S. TORRENCE AND PROCK PICK UP PROVISIONAL NO. 1 SPOTS AT NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS
PHOENIX, AZ – Four-time Top Fuel world champion Steve Torrence powered to the provisional No. 1 qualifier on Friday at Firebird 
Motorsports Park, putting him in line for his first top spot of the season at the 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals.
Funny Car’s Austin Prock is also the provisional No. 1 qualifier at the third of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Due to unseasonable weather conditions on Friday in Phoenix, the Safety Safari has spent additional time working on the track and track prep.
Based on those weather conditions, the Pro Stock and Pro Mod qualifying sessions were postponed to Saturday. Both classes will make three qualifying attempts on Saturday, with Pro Stock running at its scheduled 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. times. The Pro Stock #2Fast2Tasty Mission Challenge will take place during those sessions. The last session in Pro Stock is slated for 3:30 p.m., where the finals of the NHRA Winternationals will also take place.
NHRA STARS SOUND OFF ON THE CHANCE TO WIN MULTIPLE TIMES THIS WEEKEND AT FIREBIRD MOTORSPORTS PARK
Along with the NHRA Arizona Nationals, the finals of the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge also takes place in Phoenix
PHOENIX – In short, six NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series drivers have a chance for an epic weekend at Firebird Motorsports Park. 
Along with the 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals, the final round of the postponed Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals happens during final qualifying on Saturday, while the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge takes place on Friday and Saturday.
Top Fuel’s Tony Schumacher and Justin Ashley, Funny Car’s Matt Hagan and John Force, and Pro Stock’s Erica Enders and Dallas Glenn all have a chance for something special this weekend in Phoenix. The six Winternationals finalists spoke about the chance for a spectacular, “triple-up” weekend.
TOP FUEL
TONY SCHUMACHER VS. JUSTIN ASHLEY
This is a rematch of a final round last year in Bristol, where Ashley swept the weekend, winning the New England Nationals against Schumacher, the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and then the Thunder Valley Nationals the next day.
Schumacher is currently 5-3 against Ashley in eliminations.
Schumacher, an eight-time world champ, is after his first win since 2022. Ashley will attempt to win the Winternationals for the third straight year.
PRO STOCK’S TROY COUGHLIN JR. LOOKS TO GET 2024 SEASON ON TRACK AT NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS
PHOENIX – Pro Stock standout Troy Coughlin Jr. returns to Firebird Motorsports Park this weekend with hopes to capitalize on his success 
at last season’s NHRA Arizona Nationals.
Last year, Coughlin earned the first Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge race for the Pro Stock category, which came off a season-opening win in Gainesville. The specialty event, which provides a bonus purse and bonus championship points while also bringing competitive race to qualifying, kicked off at last year’s NHRA Arizona Nationals and has been a highlight to the Saturday schedule at all NHRA national events.
“It’s always an honor to be the first winner so to speak,” Coughlin said of his Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win. “I think we have all the confidence in the world to get after (an event win) in Phoenix.”
NHRA RELEASES DETAILS FOR CONCLUSION OF LUCAS OIL NHRA WINTERNATIONALS, MISSION #2FAST2TASTY CHALLENGE IN PHOENIX
PHOENIX – The NHRA announced details for the racing action at the 39th NHRA Arizona Nationals on April 5-7 at Firebird Motorsports 
Park, including the final rounds of the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, as well as the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge.
In what promises to be an epic weekend with two race finishes and a specialty event in Phoenix, fans can expect non-stop action during the return to Firebird Motorsports Park. The opening round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge will take place during Friday’s qualifying session that begins at 4 p.m. PT. The finals of the bonus event follows during the second round of qualifying at 11:30 a.m. PT on Saturday.
That sets up a marquee finish to the day on Saturday, with the final rounds in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock for the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals taking place as part of final qualifying, which begins at 2 p.m. The final rounds from Pomona, which were postponed on Sunday due to inclement weather, will be the final pair in each category.
It adds up to an incredible, can’t-miss weekend at the “Duel in the Desert” in Phoenix, with final eliminations of the NHRA Arizona Nationals to follow at 11 a.m. PT on Sunday, April 7. Television coverage includes action on FS1 at 9:30 p.m. ET. on Friday and then a special NHRA in 30: Pomona Finals show at 9:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. Sunday coverage includes qualifying at 10:30 a.m. and eliminations at 6:30 p.m. ET.
