NHRA
AFTER FANTASTIC 2022, FUNNY CAR’S RON CAPPS NOT BACKING DOWN HEADING TO AMALIE MOTOR OIL NHRA GATORNATIONALS
GAINESVILLE, FL – It was a historic season in many respects for Ron Capps last year, as the veteran Funny Car standout won his second straight world championship in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Season.
But it was also his first as a team owner, becoming the first back-to-back world champ in Funny Car in 20 years. It gives Capps plenty of momentum going into 2023 in his 11,000-horsepower NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra, where he remains as motivated as ever to succeed at the legendary Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.
Fresh off a season that included five wins, six No. 1 qualifiers and nine final rounds, there were plenty of incredible moments for Capps, a three-time world champ, to enjoy in 2022. But in kicking off the new year, Capps remains driven to succeed, in part because of the stellar competition around him in Funny Car.
FUELTECH CONTINUES AS TITLE SPONSOR, TYPE A MOTORSPORTS NAMED PRESENTING SPONSOR FOR NHRA PRO MOD SERIES
INDIANAPOLIS – The NHRA announced today that FuelTech, an industry leader in performance engine management systems, will continue as the title series sponsor of the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series for the 2023 season. In addition, Type A Motorsports has been named the presenting sponsor for the category this year.
The FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports opens its season this weekend as part of the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at historic Gainesville Raceway. The series features 10 races in 2023 and the category will be featured on the NHRA on FOX broadcast at each of its events. The class will also make regular-season stops at the four-wide event in Charlotte, Route 66 Raceway in Chicago, New England Dragway, Bristol Dragway and Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio.
This leads into the new Road to the Championship, which will consist of the final four races in a playoff format for the first time in NHRA Pro Mod history. That includes events at Brainerd International Raceway, the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indy, World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis and the finale at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
TOP FUEL WORLD CHAMP BRITTANY FORCE LOOKS TO OPEN 2023 IN A BIG WAY AT AMALIE MOTOR OIL NHRA GATORNATIONALS
GAINESVILLE, FL – Fresh off a record-breaking season and her second world championship in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Season, Top Fuel star Brittany Force has no plans of letting up – or slowing down.
The fastest female in sports, Force broke numerous track records and made the fastest run in Top Fuel history (338.94 mph) during the 2022 season en route to the world title. She hopes to kick off the 2023 campaign on a big note, too, including picking up her second career win at the legendary Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.
Force is also competing in the eight-car Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout on Saturday, which is a specialty race with big money on the line, putting a premium on a great start in her 11,000-horsepower Monster Energy dragster – especially as the reigning world champ.
SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CONTINUES TITLE SPONSORSHIP OF NHRA JR. DRAG RACING LEAGUE, SPECIAL EIGHT-CAR SHOOTOUTS RETURN IN 2023
INDIANAPOLIS — Summit Racing Equipment will again be the title sponsor of the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League, a popular racing league for kids ages 5-17, for the upcoming 2023 season, NHRA officials announced today.
A longtime supporter of the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League, Summit Racing Equipment continues to be a standout partner of NHRA. The NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League will celebrate its 31st season in 2023 and young racers will again have the opportunity to compete in exciting eight-car shootouts that will be held at seven different NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series national events.
“The level of competition in the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League is incredible. This is the beginning of a long career in the sport for many of the racers and we’re proud to continue our support of the program,” said Jim Greenleaf, Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports & Events Manager. “We are especially excited to see the success of the Summit Racing JDRL National Shootouts. They bring national exposure to junior drag racing and give the racers a platform to compete and be recognized during an NHRA broadcast.”
The eight-car shootouts debuted in 2022 and will continue this season at NHRA national events across all seven divisions, beginning at the NHRA New England Nationals on June 2-4 at New England Dragway. The final round will take place on Sunday and be featured on the television broadcast during eliminations on either the FOX broadcast network or Fox Sports 1 (FS1), with racers running alongside the stars in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series and Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
ROOFTEC NHRA COMPETITION ELIMINATOR CASH CLASH COMING TO INDY, NEW SPECIAL BONUS AWARD ALSO ADDED
INDIANAPOLIS – NHRA and Rooftec, owned by veteran NHRA sportsman and Pro Stock competitor Rodger Brogdon, have partnered for a unique bonus program set to take place at the prestigious Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
The Rooftec NHRA Competition Eliminator Cash Clash will be a specialty race at the Big Go where the top 16 drivers from the Rooftec Comp Eliminator Bonus Fund face off for a total purse of $50,000. The winner of the specialty event will earn $30,000 and the Rooftec NHRA Competition Eliminator Cash Clash will also be featured in a special 30-minute broadcast airing after the U.S. Nationals.
The specialty race is all part of Brogdon’s vision to help create a bigger spotlight for the category, going along the new Rooftec NHRA Competition Class Bonus Award that will debut in 2023 and the popular Rooftec Comp Eliminator Bonus Fund.
“There’s no bigger show than Indy. It’s the biggest show of the year and to have something like this at Indy is going to be great,” Brogdon said. We’ve had great support for this special event and I’m just excited to be in the position to help keep the class going and get it the attention it deserves. I just love the creativity involved in the class. There’s so many great racers and so many cool cars and I’m excited that everyone going to get more exposure through programs like this.”
PEP BOYS NHRA TOP FUEL ALL-STAR CALLOUT NEWCOMERS HART, PROCK AND MILLICAN READY TO MAKE NOISE IN GAINESVILLE
GAINESVILLE, FL – The Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout is back in 2023 to help kick off the season at the 54th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, and with it comes a trio of first-time competitors in the specialty race.
Austin Prock, Josh Hart and Clay Millican are in the Callout field for the first time, joining a loaded eight-car lineup that also includes reigning Top Fuel world champ Brittany Force, defending Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout winner Steve Torrence, Justin Ashley, Mike Salinas and Doug Kalitta.
It presents a golden opportunity for the first-time Callout drivers to start the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series on a strong note, but also win the big money on the line at the specialty race.
“There’s some elite drivers in here and to be in that same group in this Callout, that’s really special,” Prock said. “We worked hard to get in here and it’s going to be a blast. I’m looking forward to it and I’m excited for a little bit of the smack talk. I like that it’s at the first race of the year. It’s going to show who did their homework in the off-season.”
RIGHT TRAILERS TO SPONSOR NHRA JUNIOR DRAG RACING LEAGUE EASTERN AND WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
INDIANAPOLIS – For the second straight year, Right Trailers will be the title sponsor of the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League Western Conference Finals at Bandimere Speedway in Denver and the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League Eastern Conference Finals at Bristol Dragway.
The pair of events are two major highlights of the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League, a popular racing league for kids ages 5-17, which celebrates its 31st season in 2023. Both events draw hundreds of young drivers during the marquee weekend, helping further growth in the class and propel aspiring drivers in the sport.
“For us at Right Trailers, these two races are an important part of the sport,” Right Trailers President Michael Scott said. “We want to see that next generation succeed and the Eastern Conference Finals and Western Conference Finals gives all these young drivers a chance to be showcased. This was such a great opportunity for us last year and we’re excited to return as a sponsor and see all these young drivers in action.
STAGE IS SET FOR FINAL NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS AT WILD HORSE PASS MOTORSPORTS PARK
First Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge will also take place at last NHRA race in Phoenix.
PHOENIX – The last “Duel in the Desert” is set for Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, as the final NHRA Arizona Nationals will take place on March 24-26 at the facility just outside of Phoenix.
The 38th and final NHRA Arizona Nationals marks the second race of the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, bringing plenty of excitement and anticipation to the facility. Massive crowds are expected all weekend, as race fans will look to celebrate nearly four decades of history in Phoenix with plenty of 11,000-horsepower, 330-mph action to close out racing at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.
The final NHRA Arizona Nationals will also include the first Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, a special program that will take place on Saturday and offer bonus money and bonus points. It will feature the rematch of the semifinalists at the season-opening Gatornationals, with the winners meeting up in the finals. All the action will take place during qualifying on Saturday, adding another memorable incentive to the last NHRA appearance in Phoenix.
AMALIE MOTOR OIL NHRA GATORNATIONALS PROMISES FULL SLATE OF EVENTS TO OPEN 2023 NHRA SEASON
GAINESVILLE, FL – In less than a month, the hallowed grounds of Gainesville Raceway will come to life with the incredible sights and sounds of 11,000-horsepower, 330-mph racing action when the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series opens its 2023 season on March 9-12 at the 54th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.
Along with that comes a full slate of special events and celebration as the 72nd NHRA season kicks off in style at the legendary facility. Fans will see thrilling racing from all four professional classes (Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle) as the NHRA stars look to open the season with a victory, and there’s plenty of additional entertainment to keep fans excited all weekend long.
Leading into the race, a special Gatornationals Fan Fest will take place on Wednesday, March 8 from 6-9 p.m. at Josh Hart’s Burnyzz Speed Shop in nearby Ocala. The Top Fuel standout will host an event featuring a car show, live music and a driver autograph session from 7-8 p.m. A special championship press conference and season kick-off event follows the next day at the Hilton University of Florida in Gainesville, honoring 2022 NHRA world champs Brittany Force, Ron Capps, Erica Enders and Matt Smith, and also featuring Hart, John Force and legendary driver “Big Daddy” Don Garlits.
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE JOINS NHRA YOUTH AND EDUCATION SERVICES (YES) PROGRAM IN 2023
INDIANAPOLIS – NHRA officials are pleased to announce today the United States Air Force has been added to the team of partners for the NHRA Youth and Education Services (YES) Program for the upcoming 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.
The NHRA YES Program is the only full-time education program in motorsports providing quality educational content and activities for schools and youth organizations nationwide. The YES Program invites students to NHRA national events to see first-hand the career opportunities within the motorsports field, bringing thousands of students to the track each year. In 2023, the YES Program will take place at 15 races during the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.
“The Air Force is excited to partner with NHRA,” said Barry Dickey, Air Force Recruiting Service Strategic Marketing Division chief. “Motorsports partnerships align well with our target audience’s interests and the Air Force’s commitment to teamwork, technology, and winning.