NHRA
HIGHT, B. FORCE, ANDERSON AND JOHNSON EARN NO. 1 QUALIFIERS AT TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS
ENNIS, TX – Robert Hight held onto the top spot in Funny Car, powering to the No. 1 position on Saturday at Texas Motorplex at the 36th 
annual Texas NHRA FallNationals.
Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Steve Johnson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the 17th of 20 races during the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the fourth race in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
Hight raced to the No. 1 qualifier on the strength of his run of 3.878-seconds at 331.94 mph in his 11,000-horsepower AAA Texas Chevrolet Camaro on Friday, and made a strong pass to close out qualifying on Saturday. It is his second No. 1 qualifier of the season and 70th in his career as he looks for his third win of the 2021 campaign. Hight will start eliminations against Jeff Arend knowing he needs a number of big performances over the final four races to jump back into championship contention.
B. FORCE, HIGHT, ANDERSON AND JOHNSON CLAIM PROVISIONAL NO. 1 SPOTS AT TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS
ENNIS, TX – Brittany Force rocketed to both ends of the track record on Friday at Texas Motorplex, blasting to the provisional No. 1 spot in Top Fuel at the 36th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals.
Robert Hight (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Steve Johnson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 17th of 20 races during the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the fourth race in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
Force made the fifth-quickest run in NHRA history in her 11,000-horsepower Monster Energy dragster, powering to a run of 3.637-seconds at 335.32 mph to jump to the top and collect the $15,000 bonus awarded on Friday night to the low qualifier in the final session. It was also the seventh-fastest run in Top Fuel history. If it holds, it would give Force her 11th No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 31st in her career. Her streak of eight straight No. 1 qualifiers was snapped at the most recent race in St. Louis, but Force and her team got right back on track on Friday in Dallas.
DEFENDING PRO STOCK WORLD CHAMP ERICA ENDERS LOOKS TO RISE TO THE OCCASION YET AGAIN AT TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS AT TEXAS MOTORPLEX
ENNIS, TX – The biggest moments seem to bring out the best in Erica Enders and the two-time defending Pro Stock world champ is gearing up for what she hopes is another big finish. Enders won at the most recent race in St. Louis, pulling to within 17 points of longtime rival Greg Anderson, which means there’s plenty on the line for the Texas native heading to this weekend’s Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex.
Both Enders and Anderson are racing for their fifth NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series world title and it’s expected to be a battle for the ages to finish off the 2021 season. Anderson has enjoyed a stellar season and has been the points leader for the first 14 races this year, but Enders has always been special in the Countdown to the Championship and appears locked in once again. She’s advanced to three finals in the past four events in her Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro, won two of them and is eager to add a Dallas victory to her championship journey.
“This means the world to me and I’m thankful for all of this, and I’m going to continue to have fun doing it,” Enders said. “It’s a true challenge to drive one of these cars and I love it, and I love those pressure-packed situations. We knew it could come down to the two of us. I think it’s great for the class we have so much fresh blood out here and it speaks volumes for how much passion we all have for the class, but it’s going to be a dogfight. I’m up for the challenge and I know Greg is up for the challenge as well.”
TEXAN TOP FUEL STAR STEVE TORRENCE LOOKS TO KEEP ROLLING AT HOME TRACK DURING TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS AT TEXAS MOTORPLEX
ENNIS, TX – Winning at his home track has always been special for Steve Torrence, who has picked up two victories at Texas Motorplex over the past three years. But getting a second straight win at the Dallas-area track and third in four years would be extra meaningful for the defending three-time Top Fuel world champ. The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series star is a victory away from his 50th Top Fuel win and it’s a feat he could accomplish at this weekend’s Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex.
Doing it at his home track in his 11,000-horsepower Capco Contractors dragsters and in front of his family and friends would add to the moment, and it would also put Torrence a step closer to his fourth straight world championship. He won his ninth race of the 2021 season at the most recent event in St. Louis, sending him back into the points lead with four races remaining in the Countdown to the Championship. That means a 50th Top Fuel win is on his mind, but Torrence also remains focused on the task at hand.
“We’re just trying to win the FallNationals,” Torrence said. “These Capco Boys are the best in the business and if I win one or 50 or 100 races, it’s not because of anything I’ve done. I just drive the best race car out there. That’s it. To me, 49 wins means that’s 49 times I didn’t screw up because a lot of times I do. We just have to go out and do what we’ve been doing. It’s worked pretty well so far.”
S. TORRENCE, HAGAN, AND ENDERS POWER TO WINS AT NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS
MADISON, IL – It was a day for defending world champions in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series on Sunday at World Wide 
Technology Raceway, as Steve Torrence, Matt Hagan and Erica Enders all raced to playoff victories at the NHRA Midwest Nationals.
It was the 16th of 20 races during the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the third of seven events in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
Torrence, the three-time Top Fuel defending champ, powered back into the points lead in the class, going 3.736-seconds at 328.78 mph in the final round in his 11,000-horsepower Capco Contractors dragster to defeat Mike Salinas. After a dominant regular season, Torrence went winless in the first two playoff races as Brittany Force jumped into the points lead. But that changed on Sunday, as Torrence beat Shawn Langdon, Antron Brown and Josh Hart, who won last weekend, to advance to the final round. With Salinas slowing in the final round, Torrence drove to his ninth win in 2021 and 49th in his career.
HAGAN, SALINAS AND ANDERSON PICK UP NO. 1 QUALIFIERS AT NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS
MADISON, IL – On the final pass of the day, defending Funny Car world champ Matt Hagan and points leader Ron Capps had another thrilling side-by-side run, with Hagan taking the No. 1 position from Capps to secure the top spot on Saturday at the NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway.
Mike Salinas (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) also qualified No. 1 at the 16th of 20 races during the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the third race in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
Capps had the better run on Friday, but Hagan had the final say to finish off qualifying in another great side-by-side duel, going 3.868-seconds at 333.25 mph to Capps’ 3.876, qualifying No. 1 in his 11,000-horsepower New Holland Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye. It gives Hagan his third No. 1 qualifier this season and 43rd in his career as he aims for his second straight world title. Hagan is in his second race back after missing two events with COVID-19 and the team has impressed at every opportunity this weekend, heading into eliminations just one point back of Capps.
CAPPS, SALINAS AND ANDERSON DRIVE TO PROVISIONAL NO. 1 SPOTS AT NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS
MADISON, IL – Funny Car points leader Ron Capps powered to an impressive run on Friday, racing to the provisional No. 1 spot at the NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway.
Mike Salinas (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 16th of 20 races during the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the third race in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
Looking for his second world championship, Capps put together a pass of 3.888-seconds at 332.59-mph in his 11,000-horsepower NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, running side-by-side with Don Schumacher Racing teammate and defending world champ Matt Hagan during Friday’s lone qualifying session. It was a thrilling side-by-side run, as Hagan, who is second in points, went 3.889 at 332.75. If it holds, it would give Capps the top spot for the fifth time this year and 30th time in his career.
FUNNY CAR VETERAN TIM WILKERSON DOESN’T WANT RECENT HOT STRETCH TO STOP HEADING TO HOME TRACK FOR NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS
MADISON, IL – September has already been a great month for Tim Wilkerson and now the Funny Car veteran has a chance to cap it off in style at his home track during this weekend’s NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis. Wilkerson has picked up two victories in three weeks, including last weekend at the second race of NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series’ Countdown to the Championship, and a third this month would put the Springfield, Ill. native in a prime position.
In the process of winning at Indy and Charlotte, Wilkerson has made life miserable for other teams, which is something he has long enjoyed in his 11,000-horsepower Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Shelby Mustang. After going five years without a win, Wilkerson found the winning combination at the U.S. Nationals in Indy and he’s not slowing down. While he’s not worried about championships, Wilkerson has jumped to sixth in points and is performing just as well as anyone in Funny Car at the moment.
POINTS LEADER JOSE GONZALEZ GRABS WIN IN E3 SPARK PLUGS NHRA PRO MOD DRAG RACING SERIES ACTION AT CHARLOTTE
CONCORD, NC – Points leader Jose Gonzalez continued to roll in the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A 
Service, as he drove past Mike Castellana in the final round of the DeWalt NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway.
It was the eighth of 11 events during the 2021 E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service season.
In a thrilling final round, Gonzalez and Castellana left the starting line with identical .011 reaction times, but Gonzalez had the advantage at the finish line in his ProCharger-powered Q80 Camaro with his run of 5.792-seconds at 248.29 mph. Gonzalez picked up his fourth win in five races and his fifth victory of the year as he moves closer to clinching his first world championship in the class.
“This track owed me one after the accident in April,” said Gonzalez, who has seven career wins in the class. “I’ve just got to thank my team. I’m doing the easy job and they’re doing the rest, and they’re making me really comfortable in the car. All the credit goes to them.”
WILKERSON, HART, KORETSKY AND SAMPEY EARN WINS AT DEWALT NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS
CONCORD, NC – After going winless for five years, Funny Car veteran Tim Wilkerson now has two wins in the past three weeks, driving to the victory on Sunday at the DeWalt NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway.
Josh Hart (Top Fuel), Kyle Koretsky (Pro Stock) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also picked up wins at the 15th of 20 races during the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the second race in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
Taking on Cruz Pedregon in the final round, Wilkerson powered to a run of 3.927-seconds at 331.36 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Levin, Ray & Shoup Ford Shelby Mustang, picking up his second victory this month and the 22nd in his career. Wilkerson also moved to sixth in points, taking out three competitors in front of him in the standings en route to the win on Sunday. He knocked off Bob Tasca, No. 1 qualifier John Force and points leader Ron Capps en route to the finals, praising the work of a team that put in an impressive amount of work on a busy day.
