NHRA
FRESHLY GROUND, POLISHED AND PREPPED RACING SURFACE AT AUTO CLUB RACEWAY AT POMONA FOR LUCAS OIL NHRA WINTERNATIONALS
POMONA, CA – Racers attending the 62nd Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com at Auto Club Raceway at 
Pomona will be able to enjoy a freshly ground, polished, and prepped racing surface at the first race of the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. The Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com takes place Feb. 17-20 in Pomona.
The track grinding and polishing was performed in early January by Kurt Johnson of Total Venue Concepts and figures to help racers achieve both improved performances and consistent side-by-side racing at the opening race of the 2022 campaign.
“The racing surface in Pomona has served us well for over 20 years but we felt it was time to grind and polish it as we prepare to kick off the 2022 season,” said Kasey Coler, NHRA Vice president, track management and operations. “We have worked with Kurt Johnson at Total Venue Concepts on a variety of track-related projects, and this should greatly enhance the experience for the racers and the fans.”
SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS NAMED PRESENTING SPONSOR OF NHRA SAFETY SAFARI
SAN DIMAS, CA – The NHRA announced today a multi-year partnership with Simpson Performance Products, which will become the presenting sponsor of the NHRA Safety Safari for the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series.
Known as NHRA’s first responders, the NHRA Safety Safari presented by Simpson, the first full-time team devoted to safety in North American motorsports, has been a staple at events for more than 60 years, performing some of the toughest and most important jobs at each NHRA national event. They are quick to respond to any on-track emergency and also help provide a competition-ready track at every stop on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series circuit.
Simpson Performance Products are also a trusted name when it comes to safety in motorsports. For more than six decades, Simpson has provided helmets, head and neck restraints, harnesses, racing suits, gloves, shoes and more to provide an impressive level of protection to racers.
“We are proud to be supporting the members of the NHRA Safety Safari,” said Holley Performance Products Vice President of Business Development Jason Bruce. “Simpson has been keeping racers safe for decades and we want to make sure this message extends to the NHRA first responders as well. Members of the Safety Safari are the first ones to jump in and help a racer. These men and women will be fully protected with Simpson equipment so that everyone can continue to race safely.”
ADDITIONAL NITRO TEAMS JOIN 2022 NITRO SPRING TRAINING
PHOENIX, AZ – Since the initial announcement of nearly 30 nitro and Pro Stock teams participating in the PRO Nitro Spring Training 
several additional teams have joined the list of Top Fuel dragsters, Funny Cars and Pro Stock competitors who will be at Wild Horse Motorsports Park during the PRO pre-season test session slated for February 10-12. The testing sessions hosted by the Professional Racing Organization will be closed to the public except for Saturday, February 12, when fans who have purchased tickets to the NHRA Arizona Nationals will have the opportunity to purchase tickets for the on-track testing action. Fans may add on test session tickets to their Arizona Nationals ticket order online or they may call the NHRA Ticket Sales Center at 800-884-6472 if Nationals tickets have been previously purchased.
Newly added teams include Funny Car drivers Alexis DeJoria, Chad Green, Alex Miladinovich and Gary Densham along with Top Fuel pilots 4-time Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence, Josh Hart, Clay Millican, Buddy Hull and Tripp Tatum. Reigning Pro Stock world champion Greg Anderson will be onsite joined by Matt Hartford and Kyle Koretsky. The new total of participants is over 30 of the top drivers in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, including nearly a dozen current or former world champions, will be testing many with brand new race cars and new sponsors.
NHRA TEAMS HEAD TO PHOENIX FOR 2022 PRESEASON TESTING
PHOENIX, AZ – The stars of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series will begin preparing for their pursuits of Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock world championships from Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park outside of Phoenix, Arizona, during the PRO Nitro Spring Training test session slated for February 10-12. The testing sessions hosted by the Professional Racing Organization will be closed to the public except for Saturday, February 12, when fans who have purchased tickets to the NHRA Arizona Nationals will have the opportunity to purchase tickets for the on-track testing action. Fans may add on test session tickets to their Arizona Nationals ticket order online or they may call the NHRA Ticket Sales Center at 800-884-6472 if Nationals tickets have been previously purchased.
Almost 30 drivers from more than a dozen of the top professional NHRA teams, including nine current or former world champions, will be testing many with brand new race cars and new sponsors.
“We are glad to bring the Nitro Spring Training event to Phoenix and Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park,” said Alan Johnson, the president of PRO. “This is an exciting time of the year when teams are getting ready for a new season. There were a lot of changes to many teams this off-season so getting drivers and cars as many passes as possible will be critical. We are looking forward to a great 2022 NHRA season and this pre-season testing session is the first chance for us to show off for our fans.”
NHRA NAMES DENSO AS TITLE SPONSOR OF 2022 DENSO NHRA SONOMA NATIONALS
SAN DIMAS, CA – NHRA officials announced today DENSO as the title rights sponsor of the 2022 DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals, July 22-24.
The DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals, the second stop of the annual NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Western Swing, is a highlight for racers and fans alike. Seeded in the heart of wine country, Sonoma Raceway is one of the most scenic facilities on the NHRA circuit.
As a long partner of NHRA and several race teams, including five-time and reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Matt Smith as well as his wife and teammate Angie Smith, DENSO has been amongst the NHRA family of partners since 2016.
“DENSO is proud to continue our partnership with NHRA as the primary sponsor of the 2022 Sonoma Nationals,” said Fran Labun, vice president of DENSO’s Aftermarket Sales Group. “Sonoma Raceway is a legendary motorsports venue — what could be better than a weekend of competition with the fans and our customers in beautiful wine country!”
CANADA’S CAPE BRETON DRAGWAY JOINS NHRA MEMBER TRACK LINEUP
SAN DIMAS, CA – Cape Breton Dragway, seeded in Sydney, Nova Scotia, joins NHRA’s extensive roster of member tracks. A group of 
Canadian drag racing enthusiasts formed the Cape Breton Drag Racing Association and began the search for a location to host drag racing events in the region. They found the J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport and later the Cape Breton Dragway was born.
Gary Pozzebon, Gerard Bryden and Tom Aucoin oversee the Cape Breton Drag Racing Association and the events at the racetrack. The team hosts events featuring competition in Super Pro, Street and Jr. Dragster racing.
“Our goal is to keep drag racing safely within the walls of a controlled environment and our partnership as an NHRA Member Track will provide us the guidance and support,” said Pozzebon, Cape Breton Drag Racing Association President.
NHRA ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE FOR ALL CATEGORIES DURING 2022 SEASON
San Dimas, CA – The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) today released the category schedule for all classes of racing at NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series events in 2022.
The 2022 season opens on Feb. 17-20 with the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com. Both Top Fuel and Funny Car will race at all 22 events at standout facilities across the country during the 2022 season, with fans able to experience the thrills and incredible action of the 11,000-horsepower nitro categories.
The highly-competitive Pro Stock category will have 18 races during the 2022 season, including the first five events of the year. Pro Stock will race in Epping at New England Dragway for a second straight year and will follow that with its first appearance at Bristol Dragway since 2018 for the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals on June 17-19. The class will also race at all three stops on NHRA’s famed Western Swing that takes place in July and includes races in Denver, Sonoma and Seattle. Pacific Raceways will be hosting its first NHRA event since 2019 when the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals take place on July 29-31. Pro Stock will close its 2022 campaign by appearing at the final five races of the year.
FREE 24/7 NHRA CHANNEL NOW AVAILABLE ON 10 STREAMING PLATFORMS, INCLUDING TUBI AND THE ROKU CHANNEL (U.S.)
POMONA, CA — NHRA championship drag racing fans now have access to exclusive NHRA programming for free on a dedicated 24/7 
channel.
Available now on 10 streaming platforms and services, the NHRA channel launched Monday, November 15 on Tubi, FOX Entertainment’s free streaming service, and Tuesday, November 16 on The Roku Channel (channel 249) in the U.S.
The channel is also available now on Plex, LocalNow, Rad TV, The Roku Channel (Canada), Zeasn, SelectTV, Sports.TV and SportsTribal (international territories). The NHRA channel is expected to launch on additional platforms in the coming months.
The NHRA channel will feature an extensive dive into the history of the sport with more than 60 years of programming on display, including the best from the Diamond P Sports archive that dates back to 1983. In addition, newly digitized content that hasn’t been viewed in decades will roll out very soon.
PRO STOCK’S DALLAS GLENN WINS 2021 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD
POMONA, CA — On the strength of three wins and five final round appearances in a fantastic debut season, Pro Stock’s Dallas Glenn was 
named the 2021 NHRA Rookie of the Year on Sunday, edging out a talented list of first-year competitors in the NHRA Camping World Racing Series.
The award recognizes the top rookie competitor in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. The nation’s leading auto racing journalists select the winner through a voting system based on the following criteria: number of events competed in, performance on and off the racetrack, participation in NHRA promotions, and relationships with fans, sponsors, and media.
Glenn was named the top rookie at Sunday’s NHRA banquet at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, culminating a dream season for the rising star that also saw him finish third in points.
Glenn was named the top rookie in a loaded class that also featured Top Fuel standout Josh Hart, who picked up two wins during his stellar rookie campaign, Top Fuel’s Krista Baldwin, Artie Allen, Joe Morrison and Buddy Hull, Funny Car drivers Bobby Bode and Chad Green, and Pro Stock drivers Mike Callahan, Rob Tucker and Marty Robertson.
S. TORRENCE, CAPPS, ANDERSON AND M. SMITH CLAIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AT AUTO CLUB NHRA FINALS
POMONA, CA – Steve Torrence, Greg Anderson and Matt Smith all wrapped up their championship seasons in impressive fashion, racing to 
a world title and the event victory on Sunday at the season finale, the Auto Club NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
All four points leaders entering the race also claimed world titles, as Torrence clinched his fourth straight world title in Top Fuel, Anderson and Smith each won their fifth championship in Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle, respectively, and Ron Capps picked up his second career world title in Funny Car.
Bob Tasca III (Funny Car) also picked up a win at the final race of the Countdown to the Championship and the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.
Torrence continued his incredible reign of dominance and secured the world title for a fourth consecutive year with a win in the first round in his 11,000-horsepower Capco Contractors dragster. He wasn’t done there, either, and powered to the victory, going 3.759-seconds at 317.12 in the final round against Antron Brown. It capped off another dominant season, as he picked up his 11th victory of the season and 51st in his career.
