NHRA
TORRENCE AND HAGAN GRAB VICTORIES AT LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS
BRAINERD, MN – Steve Torrence has now won at every track on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series circuit, finally solving 
Brainerd International Raceway on Sunday and picking up a memorable Top Fuel victory at the 39th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals.
Matt Hagan (Funny Car) also won at the 12th race of the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season
Torrence, the Top Fuel points leader and three-time defending world champ drove to his seventh victory in 2021 and 47th in his career, going 3.712-seconds at 323.74 mph in the final round in his 11,000-horsepower Capco Contractors dragster to beat Clay Millican, who went 3.729 at 320.05. Torrence had won at every stop on the NHRA series but Brainerd before the weekend, but impressed throughout eliminations on Sunday, beating Terry Totten and Justin Ashley to reach the final round.
B. FORCE AND TASCA III RACE TO NO. 1 QUALIFIERS AT LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS
BRAINERD, MN– A week after winning her first race of the 2021 season, Top Fuel star Brittany Force continued to roll, qualifying No. 1 for the fifth straight event on Saturday at the 39th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.
Bob Tasca III (Funny Car) also qualified No. 1 at the 12th race of the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.
Force stayed red-hot and rocketed to the No. 1 spot for the seventh time in 12 races this year and the 27th time in her career, going 3.675-seconds at 334.98 mph in her 11,000-horsepower Monster Energy dragster during Saturday’s final qualifying session. The run sent her past Steve Torrence for the top spot and set the track speed record in the process. Force will aim for her second straight victory on Sunday and second career win in Brainerd, feeling all kinds of momentum following her victory last weekend in Topeka and standout run on Saturday at BIR.
TASCA III AND SALINAS TAKE PROVISIONAL NO. 1 SPOTS AT LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS
BRAINERD, MN – Looking to possibly jump back in the points lead on the strength of a big weekend at Brainerd International Raceway, standout Bob Tasca III started off strong on Friday, taking the provisional No. 1 spot in Funny Car at the 39th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals.
Mike Salinas (Top Fuel) is also a provisional No. 1 qualifier at the 12th race of the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.
Tasca, who was the points leader for an eight-race stretch earlier this year, powered to the No. 1 spot in his 11,000-horsepower Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang with a run of 3.941-seconds at 326.63 mph. Tasca would claim the No. 1 spot for the second time this year and the seventh time in his career if it holds up. Sitting just 50 points behind current points leader John Force, Tasca, who is currently fourth in points but just 21 out of second, has his sights on a major move this weekend. He’s picked up two victories this year and a third would be big heading into the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
E3 SPARK PLUGS NHRA PRO MOD DRAG RACING SERIES VETERAN DOUG WINTERS EAGER TO MAKE FIRST VISIT TO BRAINERD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY A GOOD ONE
BRAINERD, MN – The E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service will head to Brainerd International Raceway for the first time in class history and that makes for a special weekend for veteran Doug Winters.
It’s one of the few places Winters has never raced in his blown Stinar ’69 Chevelle, making it an exciting first for him, and it’s also an event where his race partner is also the presenting sponsor at the event. Looking for his first career victory in the NHRA Pro Mod class, now would be as good a time as any to find success as part of this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals.
“It’s going to be pretty cool,” Winters said. “It’s the first time we’ve ever been to Brainerd and it’s going to be special to go down this track. We’ll probably have 40-50 people from Stinar on Saturday, so we’ll have a big-time and hometown crowd in our pits cheering us on. We’ve thought a lot about what it would mean to do well here, and if we’re ever going to win one of these races, this would be the greatest place to do it.”
BACK IN THE POINTS LEAD, LEGENDARY FUNNY CAR DRIVER JOHN FORCE NOT SLOWING DOWN HEADING TO BRAINERD FOR LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS
BRAINERD, MN – John Force has put together an impressive 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and heading to one of the tracks where he’s had the most success, the legendary 16-time Funny Car world champion will look to keep heading in the right direction.
He will have plenty of momentum heading to Brainerd International Raceway for this weekend’s 39th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, a race he’s won an incredible 11 times, following his victory less than a week ago in Topeka. It gave Force the points lead for the first time since 2014 in the loaded Funny Car class and he’ll look to put on a show in Brainerd in his 11,000-horsepower PEAK Blue DEF Chevrolet Camaro SS. But he’s not concerned with points at the moment. Force simply wants to grab more wins and he’ll look to pick up his first victory in Brainerd since 2007.
NHRA RETURNS TO WILD HORSE PASS MOTORSPORTS PARK IN 2022
GLENDORA, CA – NHRA has teamed up with Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park and the Gila River Indian Community to announce the 
return of the NHRA Arizona Nationals, slated for Feb. 25-27, 2022.
The NHRA Arizona Nationals traditionally serves as the second event on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series tour. The facility has seen record breaking performances and is a fan-favorite of the circuit.
“With over 35 years of NHRA racing history at the Motorsports Park, we are eager for the Arizona Nationals to return to Wild Horse Pass and the Gila River Indian Community,” quoted General Manager, Henry Moreno. “We are dedicated to making the event the best possible experience for the fans and racers alike.”
“We missed the NHRA Arizona Nationals in 2021,” said Glen Cromwell, NHRA President. “We are thrilled to return to Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park and put on a great show for the Phoenix fans.”
TOP FUEL POINTS LEADER AND THREE-TIME DEFENDING WORLD CHAMP STEVE TORRENCE LOOKS FOR FIRST CAREER WIN IN BRAINERD AT LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS
BRAINERD, MN – During his incredible run that started during the 2017 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, Top Fuel star Steve Torrence has won a tremendous number of races, as well as three consecutive championships. But none of the 38 victories in that span have come at Brainerd International Raceway, which is the site of this weekend’s 39th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals.
In fact, it’s the only track on the NHRA tour where Torrence doesn’t have a victory, something the current points leader will try to change at the fan-favorite facility. He’s been downright dominant in his 11,000-horsepower Capco Contractors dragster in recent seasons and that includes this year where Torrence has picked up six wins and will carry the points lead into the upcoming Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Solving Brainerd would give the team plenty of momentum heading into crunch time and Torrence is eager to try and tackle this weekend’s challenge.
STAKES ARE HIGH AT BRAINERD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY AT PENULTIMATE RACE OF NHRA CAMPING WORLD DRAG RACING SERIES REGULAR SEASON
BRAINERD, MN – As the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series regular season winds down, the 39th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals on Aug. 20-22 at Brainerd International Raceway takes place at a key point in the season. It is the 12th event of the 2021 season and with only one event following the stop in Brainerd before the before the Countdown to the Championship playoffs begin, the action promises to be intense.
For drivers with aspirations of racing for a world championship, performing well in Brainerd is critical. It’s also the first race at the facility since 2019, and the nitro stars of the NHRA will be ready to put on a show in their 11,000-horsepower machines. Brainerd International Raceway features one of the most unique and memorable atmospheres on the NHRA circuit, as the huge on-site campground known as “the Zoo” provides a festive backdrop to the incredible 330-mph action.
B. FORCE, J. FORCE AND GLENN PICK UP WINS AT MENARDS NHRA NATIONALS
TOPEKA, KS – For the first time in NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series history a father and child duo shared the winner’s circle, as 
Funny Car legend John Force and his daughter, Top Fuel star Brittany Force, picked up wins on Sunday at the Menards NHRA Nationals Presented By PetArmor at Heartland Motorsports Park.
Standout rookie Dallas Glenn also won in Pro Stock at the 11th race of the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.
The two Forces have shared No. 1 qualifying positions before but never a win, though that changed on Sunday. B. Force claimed the Top Fuel victory by capping off a standout weekend with a run of 3.783-seconds at 324.75 mph in her 11,000-horsepower Monster Energy dragster in the final round against Clay Millican. She qualified No. 1 and then beat Scott Palmer and points leader Steve Torrence to reach the final round. After qualifying No. 1 six times this year, including a current string of four straight races, B. Force earned her first win since 2019 and was thrilled to share it with her father.
“This will be one I’ll never forget. This has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember,” said B. Force, who moved to second in points. “I remember there have been so many close calls where we thought hey, this could be our day that we’re gonna double up. To win a race is hard enough and then to do it with your teammates, it’s almost impossible. So it’s like you almost put it on the backburner.
JOHN CERBONE RACES TO FIRST CAREER No. 1 AT HEARTLAND MOTORSPORTS PARK
TOPEKA, KS – John Cerbone, of Yorkton Heights, New York, blasted to the Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown No. 1 qualifier 
position today at the Menards NHRA Nationals presented by Pet Armor. Cerbone drove his 2019 Chevrolet COPO Camaro, which flies the livery of Saw Mill Auto for car owners Robert and Danielle Falcone along with Ronnie Mayo, to the top spot for the first time in his Factory Stock career with an impressive 7.909 second, 164.13 mph pass during the second qualifying session. It is Cerbone’s first No. 1 qualifier of 2021 and his previous best starting position was fifth. He will face Jesse Alexandra in the first round and he is the fourth different driver to earn a No. 1 qualifier in the Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown this season though five races.
“This is my first No. 1 in Factory Stock Showdown and I have to thank the Falcones, Ronnie Mayo and the Barton Racing team along with my wife Pattie,” said Cerbone. “I knocked the electrical out when I was crossing the finish line which is why my speed was down. I was just shoving it into neutral thank goodness so my ET was good. I have been racing the Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown class for a year and a half. I like everything about this class. I think the cars are great and the people are great. Every time you go up there you are racing someone that can beat you. You can lose to anyone in this class at any time.”
