NHRA
B. FORCE, TODD AND COUGHLIN JR. TAKE NO. 1 SPOTS AT MENARDS NHRA NATIONALS
TOPEKA, KS. – With another dominant run to close out qualifying action, Brittany Force continued her qualifying magic in Top Fuel, taking 
the No. 1 spot for the fourth straight race on Saturday at the Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor at Heartland Motorsports Park.
J.R. Todd (Funny Car) and Troy Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) also qualified No. 1 in their respective categories at the 11th race of the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.
Force put down a stellar blast of 3.716-seconds at 329.02 seconds in her 11,000-horsepower Monster Energy dragster, recording her sixth No. 1 qualifier of the year and the 26th in her career. It’s the fourth straight No. 1 qualifier for Force, who has qualified at the top at every race for the past month. She’ll open eliminations against Scott Palmer, hopeful her strong performance so far in qualifying will lead to her first victory of the season.
“That’s going to be the tough part. We’ve had some luck on Friday and Saturday in qualifying, running well and getting the No. 1 qualifying hat, but raceday is where we need to turn our luck around,” Force said. “ (Crew chief) David Grubnic, Mac Savage and these Monster Energy boys, we’re working hard and we’re ready for that win.”
TODD, B. TORRENCE, AND KORETSKY EARN PROVISIONAL NO. 1 SPOTS AT MENARDS NHRA NATIONALS
TOPEKA, KS – J.R. Todd made his quickest pass of the season on Friday, as the former Funny Car world champ powered to the provisional No. 1 spot in qualifying at the Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor at Heartland Motorsports Park.
Billy Torrence (Top Fuel) and Kyle Koretsky (Pro Stock) are also provisional No. 1 qualifiers in their respective categories at the 11th race of the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.
Todd went 3.884-seconds at 332.67 mph in his 11,000-horsepower DHL Toyota Camry, putting him in line to pick up his second No. 1 qualifier in 2021 and 20th in his career. Along with his quickest pass of the season, it was also the first time Todd made a run in the 3.80s in 2021, giving him plenty of momentum for the weekend. Todd is seeking his second win of the season and his first victory at Heartland Motorsports Park.
PRO STOCK’S DERIC KRAMER HOPES TO RECREATE PAST TOPEKA MAGIC TO GET SEASON ROLLING AT MENARDS NHRA NATIONALS PRESENTED BY PETARMOR
TOPEKA, KS – Returning to the site of his first career Pro Stock win, Deric Kramer hopes it’s precisely the spark he’s been looking for to get his 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season back on track. Kramer’s 2018 win at Heartland Motorsports Park wrapped up a memorable weekend for the standout driver and he’s remained the defending Pro Stock champ at the race, as the class returns to the track for first time since that event for this weekend’s 32nd annual Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor.
For Kramer, it’s a chance to grab some much-needed momentum after his season started with plenty of progress. He was second in points in his Get BioFuel Chevrolet Camaro after a final round appearance in Houston, but Kramer has fallen on tough times, losing in the first round at the past four races to drop to ninth in points. With the Countdown to the Championship closing in, Kramer looks to find success at a track that already holds plenty of special memories for him.
“It was an awesome weekend (in 2018), qualifying No. 1 and capping it off with a race win,” Kramer said. “It’s nice being the reigning champ the past three years, but it’s good to go back to Topeka. You never forget that first win. We’re struggling right now and that’s not hard to see, but we’re going to keep on trying. It’s nice going someplace where you at least have some expectations of what you should be doing. We did it right once before (in Topeka), so we should be able to do it again. That’s what we’re shooting for.”
AFTER MAKING THRILLING TOP FUEL DEBUT ALEX LAUGHLIN LOOKING FOR MORE PROGRESS AT MENARDS NHRA NATIONALS PRESENTED BY PETARMOR
TOPEKA, KS – Alex Laughlin fulfilled a lifelong dream last month, making his Top Fuel debut in Denver. It was the latest class for the Pro Stock and Pro Mod veteran, and Laughlin won’t have to wait long to get his second crack at a 11,000-horsepower, 330-mph nitro breathing machine in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. He’ll make his second start in the class with Scott Palmer Racing at this weekend’s 32nd annual Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor at Heartland Motorsports Park.
It’s close to home for Palmer, who has been vital in Laughlin’s quick progress. The fan-favorite driver made a strong first impression in Denver, furthering the notion the former U.S. Nationals winner and four-time event champ is capable of driving just about anything. Handling the 11,000-horsepower Powerbuilt Tools dragster remains a huge challenge this early in Laughlin’s Top Fuel career, but he’s looking forward to getting back behind the wheel.
“The goal for this weekend is to make this feel more normal,” Laughlin said. “This came together really fast, but now we’ve been to a race and made some good runs. I’ve driven just about everything, but this is just so far beyond anything I’ve ever done. I’m really looking forward to this weekend, being able to get more laps and keep learning. That’s the first goal and the second goal is, I want to turn on a win light. I’d love to be able to get that first round win in Top Fuel.”
CAPPS, PRUETT, STANFIELD AND M. SMITH CLOSE WESTERN SWING WITH WINS AT LUCAS OIL NHRA WINTERNATIONALS
POMONA, CA – Don Schumacher Racing swept the nitro categories for the first time in the 2021 NHRA season on Sunday, as Leah Pruett 
and Ron Capps won in Top Fuel and Funny Car, respectively, at the 61st annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won their respective categories at the 10th race of the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the final event of the famed three-race NHRA Western Swing.
Capps, who also qualified No. 1 this weekend, grabbed his first win of the year by going 4.151-seconds at 297.75 mph in the final round against J.R. Todd in his 11,000-horsepower NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. It is the 67th career win for the former Funny Car world champ and also gave him the points lead. Capps conquered the rigorous conditions at Pomona on Sunday, knocking off Bobby Bode, Bob Tasca III, who held the points lead going into Sunday, and longtime rival John Force to reach the final round. He quickly tracked down Todd in the finals, celebrating a meaningful win at his home track.
CAPPS, B. FORCE, ANDERSON AND M. SMITH ALL QUALIFY NO. 1 AT LUCAS OIL NHRA WINTERNATIONALS
POMONA, CA – Ron Capps powered to the top in Funny Car qualifying on Saturday, earning his second straight No. 1 qualifier during the 61st annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 in their respective categories at the 10th race of the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the final event of the famed three-race NHRA Western Swing.
In the final qualifying session of the day, Capps went 3.941-seconds at 321.35 mph under the lights in Pomona in his 11,000-horsepower NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, racing to his fourth No. 1 qualifier this season and 29th in his career. The former world champ is also after his first win of the 2021 campaign and he will open eliminations against Bobby Bode looking to grab some momentum to close out the Western Swing on a winning note.
PRUETT, ALEXANDER, ANDERSON AND M. SMITH RACE TO PROVISIONAL NO. 1 SPOTS AT LUCAS OIL NHRA WINTERNATIONALS
POMONA, CA – A week after advancing to her first final round of the season, Leah Pruett is on track for her first No. 1 qualifier of 2021 in Top Fuel, taking the provisional top spot in qualifying on Friday during the 61st annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
Blake Alexander (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also provisional No. 1 qualifiers in their respective categories at the 10th race of the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the final event of the famed three-race NHRA Western Swing.
Pruett impressed under the lights in Pomona, going 3.780-seconds at 321.88 mph in her 11,000-horsepower Sparkling Ice Spiked dragster. It would give Pruett her first No. 1 qualifier of the season and 13th in his career if it holds, and continue the strong showing for the Don Schumacher Racing team after advancing to the final round in Sonoma last weekend. Pruett is also seeking her second win at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona following her 2017 triumph.
2022 NHRA WINTERNATIONALS RETURNS TO TRADITIONAL FEBRUARY DATE AS SEASON OPENER
GLENDORA, CA – NHRA and Auto Club Raceway at Pomona have announced the dates of the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season opener of the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals Presented By ProtectTheHarvest.com as Feb. 17-20.
As is tradition at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, the NHRA Winternationals will kick off the year at the famed track in Southern California.
“We are thrilled to start our 2022 season at Pomona with the NHRA Winternationals,” said Kasey Coler, NHRA Vice President of Track Management and Operations. “The Pomona facility holds so much history and we’re excited to return to our traditional NHRA Winternationals dates for 2022.”
PRO STOCK RISING STAR KYLE KORETSKY LOOKS TO MAKE STRONG FIRST IMPRESSION IN POMONA DEBUT AT LUCAS OIL NHRA WINTERNATIONALS
POMONA, CA — Kyle Koretsky is looking forward to racing at historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona for the first time in his young career, which is reason enough for the rising Pro Stock star to want to do well at this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com. But the fact it’s also his sponsor’s race has Koretsky even more excited for his Pomona debut in his Lucas Oil Chevrolet Camaro.
Koretsky made his Pro Stock debut after the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series resumed racing in July last year, meaning last weekend’s race in Sonoma was a whole a new experience. That sentiment holds true for this weekend as well, and Koretsky will look to build on qualifying second in Sonoma as he tries to pick up his first career victory in the class.
“I look forward to every single race and I’m really looking forward to this one,” Koretsky said. “Racing is my life and I’m definitely there to perform. Car-wise, we’ve got a great hot rod right now. Driver-wise, I really struggled last weekend cutting a light. I’m working on that and I’ll head to Pomona with a lot of confidence in the car. I’ll go to Pomona as calm and as relaxed as I can, and with a clear head, and we’ll look forward to a good outcome.”
Stampede of Speed Events Deliver New Fan Options
ENNIS, TX – The expansion of the 37th annual NHRA Texas Fall Nationals, which includes over a week of Texas-themed events dubbed the 
Stampede of Speed, has created the opportunity for fans from across the country to descend on Texas Motorplex, October 2-10. The multi-use facility, located just 35 minutes from Dallas and Fort Worth, recently announced the Stampede of Speed and its weeklong schedule of non-racing activities, concerts, educational and business events. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available to fans and potential marketing partners from across the country.
“There are some details that are still being worked out, but there is no doubt that the Stampede of Speed will be one of the biggest multi-day events to happen in the Metroplex in years,” said Andy Carter, Texas Motorplex General Manager. “We will be hosting events for diehard motorsports fans, non-traditional motorsports fans and people that have never even heard of the Texas Motorplex. We want to introduce our facility to a new audience as well as host some exciting events that we think will draw people into Texas from all over the country.”
