NHRA
CONGRUITY NHRA PRO MOD SERIES GOES FOUR-WIDE RACING IN CHARLOTTE AT EVENT POWERED BY CULP LUMBER
Host of special events on tap at zMAX Dragway, including Modern Racing Showdown and KTR Racing No. 1 qualifier award
CONCORD, NC – The Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series has been dominated by one driver through the first two events in 2025, but plenty of standouts will be looking to change that during the wild and unpredictable four-wide setting as part of this weekend’s American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway.
The state-of-the-art facility hosts the third of 10 events during the NHRA Pro Mod season and this weekend’s event is powered by Culp Lumber.
The goal for Mike Stavrinos is to keep his unbelievable weekend from Phoenix going, as the rising star savored all the success last month, winning both the postponed Gainesville race and the Phoenix event, as well as qualifying No. 1.
It was the perfect weekend for Stavrinos, but the loaded Congruity NHRA Pro Mod class would like nothing more than to end that streak in Charlotte. The four-wide aspect adds another unique layer to the weekend, and with 24 talented drivers competing in Pro Mod country, it should make for another memorable race at zMAX Dragway. Continue reading
JHG MOUNTAIN MOTOR PRO STOCK SERIES OPENS 2025 SEASON AT ZMAX DRAGWAY
CONCORD, NC – The Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage (JHG) Mountain Motor Pro Stock Series launches its 2025 season this weekend at the American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway. The event just outside of Charlotte is the first of eight on the JHG Mountain Motor Pro Stock schedule.
“We’re looking forward to another season sponsoring the Mountain Motor Por Stock Series in the NHRA,” said Jason Johnson, owner of JHG. “Last year was a lot of fun, it was great to be involved, and we’re excited to expand the series from six to eight races this year. Charlotte and zMAX Dragway is the perfect spot to kick off the season, it’s a great facility and a great racetrack.”
The 2024 JHG Mountain Motor Pro Stock Series saw fierce competition across six races, with Johnny Pluchino emerging as the inaugural champion. Driving his Feather-Lite Batteries Ford Mustang, Pluchino clinched the title by just qualifying for the Ford Performance NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas. He secured wins in Richmond, Virginia and Reading, Pennsylvania along with a runner-up finish in the spring at zMAX Dragway before capping off the season with a win at the Las Vegas finale. Continue reading
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE RETURNS AT ZMAX AS MATT SMITH LOOKS FOR HOMETOWN SUCCESS AT AMERICAN REBEL LIGHT 4-WIDE NATIONALS
CONCORD, NC – The Pro Stock Motorcycle class is back this weekend at the 15th annual American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway and former champion Matt Smith is looking to nab his fourth career win at his home track in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
Smith, a six-time world champion, hails from nearby King, N.C. and rides the DENSO Spark Plugs Buell to lead a strong team effort at Matt Smith Racing. Nearly two months after starting the season in Gainesville, Charlotte marks the second event for the two-wheeled category in 2025. After finishing runner-up at the season opener in Gainesville in March, Smith and his team are ready to get back to racing and show the improvements the team has made since the Gatornationals.
“Since Gainesville, the Matt Smith Racing team has been really hard at work on our engines,” Smith said. “We had a few engines we had to fix up after Gainesville, so it was nice to have a little bit of a break to take those slow and make sure we weren’t making any mistakes.” Continue reading
BUFFALO TURBINE SET TO CONTINUE AS OFFICIAL TRACK BLOWER OF NHRA WITH LONG-TERM EXTENSION
INDIANAPOLIS – NHRA and Buffalo Turbine officials announced today that Buffalo Turbine will continue as the “Official Track Blower of NHRA” as part of a long-term extension.
The partnership between NHRA and Buffalo Turbine dates back to 2010, as the two companies continue to work closely together. As part of the long-term extension, the Simpson NHRA Safety Safari will continue using a dedicated fleet of 13 Buffalo Turbine debris blowers at all NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series national events.
The high-quality equipment plays a critical role in track preparation and safety, helping remove track debris and moisture with the company’s legendary turbine force air power. Continue reading
FORMER CHAMP MATT HAGAN PREPARES FOR SECOND FOUR-WIDE OF 2025 AT AMERICAN REBEL LIGHT NHRA 4-WIDE NATIONALS IN CHARLOTTE
CONCORD, NC – Racing less than three hours from his home in Christiansburg, Va., four-time Funny Car champion Matt Hagan heads to zMAX Dragway with hopes of earning another win at the Bellagio of Dragstrips during this weekend’s American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals.
Hagan will be flying the colors of American Rebel Beer this weekend in his 12,000-horsepower Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car, adding even bigger stakes to the event for the popular veteran.
With four wins from Charlotte to his credit, including last year’s American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals when he picked up his milestone 50th career victory, Hagan is looking for his first win of the year as the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season continues at the wildest spectacle in motorsports.
“It will be a huge week for American Rebel,” said Hagan, who has 52 career Funny Car wins. “There will be a lot going on and I’m really excited about it. We’ll make it a good one knowing they’ll be out there with us. I’m ready to get going.” Continue reading
TOP FUEL TURNS 1,000: LATEST TOP FUEL WINNER TONY STEWART HAS CHANCE AT HISTORY AT AMERICAN REBEL LIGHT NHRA 4-WIDE NATIONALS
Coming off first NHRA Top Fuel win, legendary Stewart can win at zMAX Dragway in 1,000th Top Fuel race in NHRA history
CONCORD, NC – Tony Stewart, the 112th and latest winner in the NHRA’s Top Fuel ranks, now has a chance to make more history with a victory at the 1,000th Top Fuel race in NHRA history at this weekend’s American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at state-of-the-art zMAX Dragway.
Tony Stewart added to his Hall of Fame resumé with his first career Top Fuel victory at the most recent NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series event in Las Vegas. It was a noteworthy moment for the legendary racer who has won in nearly every form of racing and now Stewart will have a chance for another milestone moment in Charlotte.
The 1,000th Top Fuel race takes place in the unique four-wide style, some 62 years after the first Top Fuel race took place at the 1963 NHRA Winternationals. The legendary Don Garlits won that event and now another legend in Stewart will have the opportunity to pick up a significant and noteworthy victory in Top Fuel – all at the Bellagio of Dragstrips in Charlotte in his 12,000-horsepower Dodge//SRT Direct Connection dragster.
“To go be able to go back to Charlotte, where I’ve got a deep-rooted racing history, and as the previous race winner (in Las Vegas) is going to be a great feeling,” Stewart said. “It’s going to make going to Charlotte that much better, especially being the 1,000th Top Fuel race. Me being a part of the sport, going into their 1,000th race and knowing that NHRA’s 75th anniversary is next year and being a part of that in some capacity is really cool to be a part of and it’s awesome. I got to be a part of NASCAR’s 50th (anniversary), and I just know how important historic moments like these are.” Continue reading
A DELIGHTFUL DOZEN: NHRA MEMBER TRACK NETWORK ENJOYS STRONG RECENT GROWTH WITH ADDITION OF 12 FACILITIES
INDIANAPOLIS – A busy off-season and start to the 2025 campaign has led to tremendous recent success for NHRA and its NHRA Member Track Network, with now 12 tracks having joined the primary sanctioning body for drag racing in a matter of months.
The impressive number and growth across the NHRA’s seven divisions dates back to the end of the 2024 season in November, with a dozen race tracks joining the NHRA Member Track Network, many for the first time.
The full list of new additions includes the following facilities:
Luskville Dragway in Luskville, Quebec, Canada (Division 1)
Darlington Dragway in Hartsville, S.C. (Division 2)
Lead Foot City in Brooksville, Fla. (Division 2)
Fitzgerald Motorsports Park in Crossville, Tenn. (Division 3) Continue reading
JEGS NHRA SPORTSNATIONALS GETS EXCITING NEW LOCATION AS PART OF HUGE DOUBLEHEADER AT SOUTH GEORGIA MOTORSPORTS PARK
VALDOSTA, GA – NHRA and JEGS are thrilled to announce a multi-year extension of one of the biggest events of the year on the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series circuit, the JEGS NHRA SPORTSnationals, as well as an exciting new destination in 2025 for one of the biggest sportsman races.
The 2025 JEGS SPEEDweek doubleheader event will head to its new home at South Georgia Motorsports Park in Valdosta, Ga., as the JEGS SPORTSnationals takes place July 9-10. It is the lead-in to the adrenaline-packed JEGS SPEEDweek that also runs July 11-12 and features a Lucas Oil competition doubleheader that spans four action-packed days.
Racing at SGMP provides exciting new possibilities for the tradition-rich JEGS SPORTSnationals, which promises to deliver a spectacular drag racing spectacle and furthering the strong partnership between JEGS and NHRA. Continue reading
TOP FUEL TURNS 1,000: FULL OF HISTORIC MOMENTS, ZMAX DRAGWAY TO HOST ANOTHER AT AMERICAN REBEL LIGHT NHRA 4-WIDE NATIONALS
Weekend-long celebration will feature autograph session with milestone winners, Garlits cackle car, special trophy and much more
CONCORD, NC – As the originator of four-wide drag racing, zMAX Dragway has been synonymous with historical moments in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, dating back to the first race at the Bellagio of Dragstrips in 2008.
Four-wide racing became reality in 2010 and 15 years later, zMAX Dragway will play host to another significant moment when the 1,000th Top Fuel race in NHRA history takes place at the American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals on April 25-27.
Top Fuel first appeared at the 1963 NHRA Winternationals, with the legendary Don Garlits winning the first race. Six-plus decades and hundreds of races later, a magical moment will take place at zMAX Dragway during one of motorsports’ most unique spectacles.
Here’s a look at some memorable Top Fuel moments over the years at zMAX: Continue reading