CONCORD, NC – This season marks the fourth year in the Countdown to the Championship for 2020 NHRA Rookie of the Year Justin Ashley and the third time he’s led at some point during the playoffs in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

He’s the points leader heading into this weekend’s 16th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals at state-of-the-art zMAX Dragway, the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship. But it’s hardly a huge advantage, as Ashley leads by just a single point over Reading winner Antron Brown and only six points over Reading runner-up Shawn Langdon.

Ashley, though, continues to be in the championship conversation in his 11,000-horsepower Scag Power Equipment/Toyota dragster, a sign of the progress Ashley and his team continue to make. He qualified No. 1 and advanced to the semifinals in Reading and the lessons learned in previous years may mean Ashley is as ready as ever to find success this weekend in Charlotte for the first time and perhaps, ultimately, win his first NHRA Top Fuel world championship. Continue reading →

READING, PA – In an all-John Force Racing final round in Funny Car, points leader Austin Prock powered past Jack Beckman on Sunday at Maple Grove Raceway, picking up his sixth victory of the season at the 39th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals.

Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the 15th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. It is the first of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Prock, who also qualified No. 1 for the 11th time in 15 races, went 3.896-seconds at 332.51 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS to get past Beckman’s 3.951 at 330.88. It extends the points lead for Prock, who won his second straight race and also earned his 10th career victory.

He defeated Mike Smith, Chad Green and Bob Tasca III to reach the finals, and then delivered another consistent run in the final round, becoming one of only a handful of drivers to win in both Top Fuel and Funny Car and Maple Grove Raceway. Prock’s lead now stands at 86 points over Tasca heading into the final five races. Continue reading →

READING, PA – Top Fuel’s Justin Ashley clinched his first No. 1 qualifier of the season on Saturday at Maple Grove Raceway, taking the top spot in front of a sellout crowd at the 39th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals.

Austin Prock (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the 15th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. It is the first of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Ashley’s run of 3.713-seconds at 333.49 mph from Friday in his 11,000-horsepower Scag Power Equipment/Toyota dragster stayed atop the field, giving the former NHRA Rookie of the Year his sixth career No. 1 qualifier and second straight at Maple Grove Raceway. Currently second in points, Ashley also made the quickest run to close out qualifying on Saturday and will open eliminations against Smax Smith, looking for his first career win at his home track.

“For the most part, today’s focus was going to be on getting ready for race day and collecting those bonus points. What we saw today was probably similar conditions to what we’ll see tomorrow,” Ashley said. “I think the team learned a lot, they did a great job to be able to collect a total of five bonus points today was critical for us. Tomorrow is a brand new day. It’s really important to qualify No. 1, but at the same time the competition is just so good right now, anything can happen. Continue reading →

READING, PA – For the third straight season, NHRA and officials at Maple Grove Raceway announced a sellout crowd for Saturday’s qualifying action at the 39th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals.

The historic facility featured an overflow crowd during two rounds of qualifying, as the passionate fanbase in the area continued to pack the historic facility to open the six-race NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

It also marks another sellout crowd for the Koretsky family, who purchased Maple Grove Raceway in 2022 and continue to make improvements to a facility that has hosted NHRA drag racing for nearly four decades. Saturday sellout crowd resulted in another special moment for the family at the “House of Chaos.”

“That just shows how dedicated these fans are out here,” Kyle Koretsky said. “They support drag racing and us as a family, the teams and the track. We want to give them the best experience possible and we can’t thank you guys enough. We love each and every one of you.” Continue reading →

READING, PA – Funny Car points leader Austin Prock made the fastest run in his career on Friday at Maple Grove Raceway, powering to the provisional No. 1 spot for John Force Racing at the 39th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals.

Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 15th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. It is also the first of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Prock, who has been the No. 1 qualifier 10 times in the first 14 races this season, went 3.849-seconds at 338.43 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS, posting a career-best speed and just missing out on the track record. Prock opens the Countdown to the Championship playoffs in the points lead, looking for his sixth win of the season. He comes in on a good note after winning the U.S. Nationals in Indy and put on a spectacular show on Friday at Maple Grove Raceway. Continue reading →

Annual race at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is the fifth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs

LAS VEGAS – NHRA officials announced today that Ford Performance has been named the title sponsor of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series fall race in Las Vegas.

The 24th annual Ford Performance NHRA Nationals, which takes place Oct. 31-Nov. 3 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, serves as the penultimate event of the 20-race 2024 season and also the fifth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs, meaning plenty will be on the line in Las Vegas.

For nearly 25 years, the fall race in Las Vegas has provided spectacular action and an incredible atmosphere as the championship picture comes into view. Fans can expect more of the same at the impressive facility in 2024 as all the stars in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle will head to the Ford Performance NHRA Nationals with big goals and big performances on their minds. Continue reading →

READING, PA – In only his third season in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, Gaige Herrera is just one win away from winning at all the tracks on the Pro Stock Motorcycle circuit. If he would win this weekend at the 39th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway to open the Countdown to the Championship playoffs, he would have race wins at all Pro Stock Motorcycle facilities.

Herrera, the reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle champion and rider of the RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki, has won seven of the nine motorcycle races this season, including most recently at the prestigious Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals.

He currently leads the points heading into the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs and is on a hunt for his second consecutive world title.

“Going up to Reading, that’s the one place I haven’t won yet, so I’m really determined to try to win this weekend,” said Herrera. “We just have to not take anything for granted. Last year, we obviously had the faster motorcycle out there and I think we relaxed a little bit maybe and it bit us in Reading. This year we’re going to go in focused on the main prize and that’s to be consistent each lap and do the best we can to have the best machine possible.” Continue reading →

READING, PA – Austin Prock has enjoyed a terrific 2024 regular season in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, racking up five victories and advancing to eight final rounds in his first year in the Funny Car ranks.

Heading into this weekend’s 39th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, Prock doesn’t plan on adjusting his mindset or his approach as the Countdown to the Championship playoffs open. It’s a new position for Prock this time of year, but it would be hard to argue switching something up that has worked so well this season for the John Force Racing team.

Prock and his team, led by his father, crew chief Jimmy Prock, have been stellar in all conditions in their 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS and that aggressive style won’t change with everyone now chasing him in the postseason. His points lead now stands at 39 over Bob Tasca III heading to Maple Grove Raceway and with a flurry of standouts right behind him, Prock knows it’s a great challenge in front of him.

“I don’t think we need to race any different. We need to have the same mindset and fight our way through it,” Prock said. “Our lead isn’t much and you’re going to have to be on kill every single round. It’s going to be a dogfight to the finish, for sure. I’m trying to make the most of this opportunity. We’ve got a fast hot rod and I’m enjoying driving it, and I’m looking forward to trying to finish this out strong.” Continue reading →