JOSH HART READY TO ADD TO US NATIONALS WIN TOTAL

OCALA, FL – Josh Hart will have a number of goals lined up for this weekend’s NHRA U. S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway when professional qualifying gets underway on Friday night. First and foremost, Hart, a second year Top Fuel team owner and driver, will be looking to take advantage of all five qualifying runs with his new look Brakes for Breasts TechNet Top Fuel dragster.  For the second year in a row Hart will be racing pink to support breast cancer research and working with primary sponsor TechNet and their over 15,000 repair shops to drive donations for this worthy cause.

“I am very proud to be associated with TechNet and the Brakes for Breasts program,” said Hart, a two-time U.S. Nationals winner in Top Alcohol Dragster category. “This program does an amazing job of raising donations for breast cancer research and engaging the thousands of TechNet retailers and their customers. I can’t wait to get this pink TechNet Brakes for Breast Top Fuel dragster on the track and into the winner’s circle.”

Hart will also be racing to hold onto his position in fifth place in the Top Fuel point standings as the regular season ends in Indianapolis. For the first time in his young career Hart will qualify for the Countdown and its six-race playoff format. He will race for his first Top Fuel world championship beginning two weeks after the U.S. Nationals. Last year as a part-time competitor Hart won the Carolina Nationals playoff race beating three Countdown contenders in the process.

“I am out here racing the very best of the best and I truly feel like I belong at this level,” said Hart, who was a finalist for 2021 NHRA Rookie of the Year. “Last year we only raced half of the season and won twice. This year we brought out a new car and now we are hitting our stride at the perfect time in my opinion.”

To date this season Hart has raced to a runner-up finish in Norwalk along with three semifinal and six quarterfinal finishes. All season long his Ron Douglas tuned 11,000-horsepower Brakes for Breasts TechNet dragster which also received primary sponsorship support from R+L Carriers has been a contender in qualifying and on race day. With points and a half on the line Hart can hold over his closest competitors and head into the Countdown in the No. 5 position. Once the points reset and he stays in fifth place he would be sixty points out of first place which is equal to three rounds of racing. The driver from Ocala, Florida, could reap the benefit of an over 300-point jump on the top four drivers.

“The Countdown sets up an end of the season playoff format that gives all the top ten race teams a chance to get the championship. You still have to perform when the pressure is intense over those last six races,” said Hart. “Last year we had some really good races over the end of the season, so I am not intimidated. My team is young and hungry. We feel like we can race with anyone.”

During the 2021 U.S. Nationals Hart qualified No. 4 and raced to a semifinal finish before bowing out to Brittany Force. This season Hart has attended every NHRA national event taking in new venues and experiences along the way. Over the next seven races Hart and his team will return to tracks where he has won rounds and held his own.

“Going to so many new facilities was an awesome experience for me and also for all our sponsors to promote their businesses,” said Hart. “Now we are getting down to serious business. I’ll be promoting Brakes for Breasts and the great work all the TechNet repair shops are doing to raise donations $40 at a time for breast cancer research and talking with people about career opportunities with R+L Carriers. Without TechNet and R+L Carriers there is no way I could pursue my dream. I am excited to get back to Indy. I have won this race a couple times in Top Alcohol Dragster and would love to add a Top Fuel trophy to my record.”

For Hart to achieve this goal he will need to string together five solid qualifying runs over Friday through Sunday and then take on one of the quickest and fastest Top Fuel fields in history. There are six former U.S. Nationals Top Fuel winners in the field of 25 drivers racing for one of the top 16 qualifier spots.

“You want to race against the best drivers to see how you stack up and this weekend’s U.S. Nationals will be a stacked field,” said Hart. “I will be ready starting on Friday to make my mark.”

Throughout the weekend FOX and FS1 will be broadcasting multiple qualifying shows and then Monday’s elimination rounds will be shown on FS1 and FOX national broadcasts. Fans can check their local listings for show times.

To find your local TechNet Professional Automotive Service Center, click here and help us put the brakes on breast cancer! Or donate directly to TechNet Nation’s team donation page here.

photo by Auto Imagery