Mission #2FAST2TASTY
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.
B. FORCE, HAGAN AND GLENN TAKE TOP SPOTS AT LUCAS OIL NHRA WINTERNATIONALS
Full Pro Final Qualifying Results and Round 1 Eliminations of Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge
POMONA, CA – Brittany Force powered to the top spot to close out qualifying on Saturday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, earning 
her first No. 1 qualifier of the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season at the 64th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals.
Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) also qualified No. 1 at the second of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
After a lengthy rain delay, Force put together a run of 3.711-seconds at 335.73 mph in her 11,000-horsepower Mark Christopher Auto Center Chevrolet/Monster Energy dragster. It was the lone qualifying session due to weather and Force claimed her 47th career No. 1 qualifier with the standout run. She’ll open eliminations looking for her first victory since 2022 when she finished the year as world champion.
“That was a good, consistent run and that’s what we’re focused on,” Force said. “We’re in a good place and it’s pretty awesome to have 47 No. 1 qualifiers. That’s (crew chief) David Grubnic and this entire team. But our focus is on raceday and trying to get a win. We’re ready for tomorrow.”
PRO STOCK STANDOUT DALLAS GLENN AFTER REPEAT LUCAS OIL NHRA WINTERNATIONALS WIN
POMONA, CA – After a solid showing in 2023, NHRA Pro Stock driver Dallas Glenn returns to In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in hopes 
of repeating his Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals win.
The 64th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals kicks off this weekend at the historic In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. Glenn and the other stars of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series are eager to return to the historic facility and race for a shot at an early-season NHRA Wally trophy.
“Coming off a strong start in Gainesville a few weeks ago and heading into a race where I am the defending event champion is a definite boost to my confidence,” said Glenn, a semifinalist at the season opener in Florida. “We had a really solid regular season in 2023 and I want to take it a step further and win this championship this year. Pomona is the next obstacle to make that happen.”
