JOSH HART WRAPS UP THREE IN A ROW WITH EARLY ST. LOUIS EXIT

ST. LOUIS – Josh Hart and the R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster team wrapped up three races in three weeks today at the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals with a tough first round race at World Wide Technology Raceway. Through two days of qualifying Hart and his R+L Carriers Top Fuel team opened the first round as the No. 11 qualifier. Hart’s quickest time of 3.746 seconds on Friday night positioned him for a first round match-up with Kyle Wurtzel. Yesterday during the final round of qualifying Hart posted one of the quickest runs in the heat, an impressive 3.854 seconds at 327.74 mph.

“We were just trying to get consistent and quick times in qualifying,” said Hart, at the end of qualifying. “I felt good after that final qualifying run in the heat. That was a good race day run. It is always tough to race from the bottom half of the field but really anyone in this class can win. I think the lanes are pretty balanced so we will just have to see what can happen.”

Hart and the R+L Carriers team pulled to the front of the tower immediately after the opening ceremonies joining Wurtzel as the first 12,000-horsepower land rockets down the track at World Wide Technology Raceway. Hart was first off the starting line, a consistent trend for the driver and team owner, posting a .061 second reaction time. The R+L Carriers dragster held the lead as the race cars approached half-track but as the finish line closed in Wurtzel was able to pull ahead by a few inches at over 320 mph. Hart could not duplicate his best qualifying effort in the first round.
“I felt good when I came off the starting line,” said Hart, a multi-time Top Fuel national event winner. “I could hear him beside me. That was a close race, and we just came up short. I have to stay positive for these last three races. I want to carry as much momentum into the end of the Countdown as possible. R+L Carriers has been a great supporter, and we want to get back into the winner’s circle with them before the end of the year.”

The team will be back on track for the Stampede of Speed and NHRA Texas Fall Nationals at Texas Motorplex, October 8-12. The race will feature four qualifying sessions highlighted by the JEGS Friday Night Live qualifying session with $15,000 on the line for the quickest Top Fuel team in the second qualifying session.

Qualifying Results
Q1: 3.775 sec, 329.26 mph; Qual. 9
Q2: 3.746 sec; 336.07 mph; Qual. 11
Q3: 8.376 sec; 82.64 mph; Qual. 11
Q4: 3.854 sec; 327.74 mph; Qual. 11
Bonus points: 0

Race Results

First Round
Kyle Wurtzel, Warsaw, Ind., Heartwood Planning Group dragster, (.072), 3.789 sec, 320.58 mph def. Josh Hart, Ocala, Fla., R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster, (.061), 3.809 sec, 330.96 mph

Josh Hart made a solid run on Friday night at the Midwest Nationals under the lights in St. Louis, photo credit KZ Photography