JOLIET, IL – Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta made the most of windy conditions on Friday at Route 66 Raceway and kept his impressive qualifying run going, powering to the provisional No. 1 position at the 25th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK.

Teammate J.R. Todd (Funny Car) and Angie Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the sixth of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Kalitta went 3.788-seconds at 326.24 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster and was the only car to go in the 3.70s during Friday’s challenging conditions. Should that hold, the former Top Fuel world champion would earn his fourth No. 1 in six races in 2025 and third in a row, a remarkable streak considering the talent level in the Top Fuel category. Kalitta hasn’t qualified lower than fourth this season. Continue reading →

CHICAGO – First in points just two races ago, Funny Car standout Jack Beckman is more than ready to get back to that form at this weekend’s 25th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK at Route 66 Raceway.

The former world champion, who is driving for the legendary John Force during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season, was riding high after winning the Winternationals in Pomona, putting him in the points lead after three races.

But the standout team suffered back-to-back first-round losses during the two four-wide races in April, paving the way for Beckman’s JFR teammate, reigning world champion Austin Prock, to move into the lead with two straight wins.

Now in fourth, Beckman is eager to get to Chicago in his 11,000-horsepower PEAK Chevrolet SS and put April behind him. A quick rebound at a PEAK-sponsored race would also put the team back on track with plenty of big goals ahead. Continue reading →

CHICAGO – In the midst of a strong late-season run a year ago and then a record-breaking run in Charlotte less than a month ago, one race that has been on Brittany Force’s mind is this weekend’s 25th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK at Route 66 Raceway.

Last year’s Chicago race didn’t go as planned for the two-time world champion, as Force failed to qualify for the first time in 187 races (Pomona 2, 2014). It was a discouraging moment for Force and her talented team, but the turnaround to end the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season was encouraging.

Force won in Las Vegas, finished a solid fifth in points and had five No. 1 qualifiers over the final seven races. She’s since followed that up with a historic 341.59-mph record-breaking blast in Charlotte last month, giving her and the team added confidence as they seek redemption at Route 66 Raceway this weekend in their 11,000-horsepower Monster Energy dragster. Continue reading →

BRISTOL, TN – As one of the highlights on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tour, teams and fans are thrilled to return to Thunder Valley and famed Bristol Dragway for the 24th annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals on June 6-8.

Scenic Bristol Dragway has served as a must-see facility for NHRA fans for more than two decades and serves as the eighth of 20 events during the 2025 season. The Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals will once again deliver an incredible sensory overload with 12,000-horsepower nitro burning machines blazing down the track – and through the mountains – at more than 330 mph.

The weekend is filled with nonstop action, too, starting with a pair of qualifying sessions on Friday. That includes nitro at night, as fans can see the massive nitro header flames under the lights to close out the day. Saturday continues with the final two rounds of qualifying and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, which brings competitive racing to the qualifying schedule. It leads to Sunday eliminations, as all the stars in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle look to pick up wins at one of the most memorable events of the year. Continue reading →

EPPING, NH – Once again the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is headed to New England Dragway for a huge year of action-packed, 340-mph drag racing at the 12th annual NHRA New England Nationals on May 30-June 1.

Nestled in Epping, N.H., New England Dragway gives NHRA fans an old-school feel, attracting huge crowds for a weekend always filled with spectacular action. The NHRA New England Nationals promises to see incredible performances from the 12,000-horsepowered nitro machines, treating fans to a weekend loaded with excitement.

It starts with a pair of Friday qualifying sessions, including an epic nitro at night under the lights to close out the day, continuing with a pair of qualifying rounds – and the must-see Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge – on Saturday. That leads right into Sunday eliminations and the chance to see a winner in the star-studded Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock categories. Continue reading →

CHICAGO – The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is set for a big weekend in Chicago, celebrating 25 years at Route 66 Raceway at the upcoming Gerber Collision & Glass NHRA Route 66 Nationals presented by PEAK on May 15-18.

Since its return to the facility in 2023, the event has been a highlight on the schedule of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing circuit. The stadium-style facility has been a popular destination for race fans, with this year’s race serving as the sixth event during the 20-race 2025 season..

Over its 25 years, the Gerber Collision & Glass NHRA Route 66 Nationals presented by PEAK has been synonymous with some of NHRA’s biggest moments, including in 2000 when John Force won his 86th Funny Car race, making him the winningest driver in NHRA history. He went on to win 157 races and 16 championships, cementing Force as an NHRA legend. Continue reading →