Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson is hopeful for more success at NHRA Midwest Nationals

ST. LOUIS – For the first time in the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season, the Pro Stock Motorcycle class has a new points leader. That rider is none other than six-time champion Matt Smith and as the series heads to St. Louis for this weekend’s 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway, Smith will look to extend that points lead in hopes of earning his seventh world title.

Smith, rider of the Denso Auto Parts Buell, took over the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle points lead from reigning champion Gaige Herrera following his win last weekend at the NHRA Carolina Nationals. As Smith and the rest of the riders set their sights on the halfway mark of the playoffs in St. Louis, he’ll be ready to carry his momentum into the third race of the NHRA Countdown to the Championship.

“I feel good about St. Louis,” Smith said. “I’ve won that race a lot and I think we have good momentum. We have to get a couple of our other bikes running better in our camp, to help out and get up here in the points, too. I think St. Louis is going to be hard. We’re in a dog fight. We all know that the Vance & Hines group is tough. I think you’ll see them step their stuff up a little bit more come St. Louis.” Continue reading →

ST. LOUIS – Due to weather, NHRA and World Wide Technology Raceway officials announced a schedule change for Friday qualifying in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series at the NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway.

The opening round of qualifying will now begin at 12 p.m. CT on Friday, starting with Pro Stock Motorcycle and Pro Stock, and Funny Car and Top Fuel set for 1 p.m. CT. The second round of qualifying is now scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. CT in PSM and PS, with the nitro categories to follow at 3:30 p.m. CT.

Tickets may be purchased at the WWTR ticket office, by phone at (618) 215-8888, or online at www.wwtraceway.com. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult. For more information on NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.

ST. LOUIS – It’s been a great return to the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series for Funny Car fan-favorite Jack Beckman, who took over driving duties for legendary driver John Force in Brainerd following Force’s June crash.

He’ll head to World Wide Technology Raceway for the first time in four years, full of excitement to race at this weekend’s 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals. Beckman has enjoyed a strong playoff run thus far, advancing to the finals in Reading and the semifinals in Charlotte, sitting third in points as he tries to win a 17th championship for the iconic Force.

In fact, the only thing left for Beckman to do is to win a race in the 11,000-horsepower PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS – well, and beat points leader and John Force Racing teammate Austin Prock, too.

Prock has continued his dominant 2024 season in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs, winning the first two playoff races and stretching his winning streak to three races. He’s knocked off Beckman in the finals and semifinals at the playoff stops, but the good news for both is JFR continues to impress at the most important time of the year. Continue reading →

ST. LOUIS – Even before last year’s victory, Clay Millican had always enjoyed racing at World Wide Technology Raceway, the site of this weekend’s 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals. It’s the closest race to home for the Top Fuel veteran, which means a huge turnout of friends and family for the longtime fan-favorite.

But he also enters this weekend as the defending St. Louis winner for the first time in his standout career, adding even more excitement to what is shaping up to be a huge weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway.

The race holds it traditional spot as the third of six races in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs and Millican, still feeling the momentum of his massive U.S. Nationals victory, is right in the thick of the championship hunt.

He’s currently fifth in points and a huge weekend in St. Louis – with perhaps a second straight win at the event in his 11,000-horsepower Parts Plus/Comp Cams dragster – could continue to propel him up the standings. Millican is just over three rounds out of second place and he continues to be encouraged by what his team is accomplishing at an ideal time. Continue reading →

CONCORD, NC – Three-time Top Fuel world champion Antron Brown moved into the points lead for the first time since 2017, winning his second straight playoff race on Sunday at zMAX Dragway after defeating Doug Foley in the final round of the 16th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals.

Austin Prock (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the 16th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

In the final round, Brown went 3.848-seconds at 319.90 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Matco Tools/Toyota dragster to beat Foley’s 3.862 at 316.08, powering to his fifth victory this season and 79th in his career. It was also his 63rd Top Fuel win, as Brown passed Larry Dixon for the second-most Top Fuel wins in NHRA history.

After qualifying 10th, Brown put together a workmanlike Sunday, defeating Steve Torrence, Billy Torrence and reigning world champion Doug Kalitta to reach the final round. He then led wire-to-wire against Foley, taking over the points lead for the first time in more than seven years. His points lead stands at 53 and 62 points over Justin Ashley and Shawn Langdon, respectively. Kalitta is 67 points behind. Continue reading →

CONCORD, NC – Reigning Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan picked up his first No. 1 qualifier since March for Tony Stewart Racing, clinching the top position on Saturday at zMAX Dragway to close out qualifying at the 16th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals.

Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the 16th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Hagan’s Friday run of 3.832-seconds at 333.25 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Dodge//SRT Hellcat stood up through Saturday’s two sessions, as the four-time world champ raced to his second No. 1 position of the year and the 52nd in his career. Hagan, who opened the weekend 137 points out of first, also has a chance to sweep both Charlotte races this season and a win on Sunday would certainly be ideal for his title chances.

“We feel like we found some stuff, working hard behind the scenes,” Hagan said. “My guys have obviously been scratching their head a little bit all year and have just not had the performance that we really wanted or hoped to, but knowing that we can run with these guys, and I think that we showed that Friday, that’s real. We can do this still, so that was a great shot in the arm for us. Continue reading →

CONCORD, NC – Two-time Top Fuel world champion Brittany Force made the quickest runs in both qualifying sessions on Friday at zMAX Dragway, powering to the provisional No. 1 position at the 16th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals.

Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 16th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Force went 3.690-seconds at 334.24 mph in her 11,000-horsepower HendrickCars.com Chevrolet dragster to close out the night session, putting Force on track for her third No. 1 qualifier of the year and the 49th in her career. Currently ninth in points after the opening race in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs – and 133 points out of first entering the weekend – Force is after a big weekend as she seeks her first victory since her record-breaking 2022 championship season. Continue reading →

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Hector Arana Jr. aims to make late-season charge

CONCORD, NC – Following the first race of the 2024 NHRA Countdown to the Championship, the Pro Stock division has a new points leader in Aaron Stanfield. As teams head south to zMAX Dragway for this weekend’s 16th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals, Stanfield will look to increase his lead as he continues to enjoy a career-best season.

Stanfield, driver of the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance /Janac Brothers Racing Pro Stock car, is the most recent winner on the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tour after his win in Reading, continuing what was a red-hot summer.

He has collected five wins for Elite Motorsports so far during the NHRA season – with all five victories coming in the last seven races – and as the series returns to Charlotte, Stanfield is aiming for his second career win at zMAX Dragway. Stanfield previously won the fall race in 2022 and was also the runner-up at the 4-Wide race in Charlotte in April. Continue reading →