Photos by Rhonda McCole, Ron Lewis, Adam Dobbs, Chris Haverly
SUNDAY NOTEBOOK – LANGDON WINS THE NO. 1000, A STRANGE FIRST ROUND
1 – MR. 1,000 – Shawn Langdon made history Sunday by winning the 1,000th Top Fuel race in NHRA history at zMAX Dragway. He was triumphant in a thrilling quad that included Tony Stewart, Justin Ashley, and reigning champion Antron Brown.
Langdon powered his Future Energy Solutions dragster to a time of 3.714 seconds at 330.63 mph to narrowly defeat Ashley at the finish line of the 15th annual American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals. This victory marked Langdon’s second win of the season and the 21st of the former NHRA champion’s career and solidified his position as the points leader.
The iconic Don “Big Daddy” Garlits, who won the first Top Fuel race at the 1963 NHRA Winternationals, presented Langdon with the commemorative 1,000th Top Fuel race trophy. Langdon’s performance throughout the event was impressive. He qualified second with a time of 3.665 seconds, reaching over 300 mph at the eighth-mile, and advanced through two quads before the final showdown.
“To be honest with you, coming into the weekend, I thought I’d treat it like any other event,” Langdon said of the race’s historic significance. “But I’m not going to lie, rolling around the corner and seeing ‘Big Daddy’ there made me realize what transpired, and it’s a great feeling. I know years down the road, I’ll be very proud of this.”
Langdon acknowledged the fierce competition he faced in the final round.
“Tony’s having a great year, and Antron and Justin are tough competitors,” he said. “In that situation, I had to step it up. I felt like I tried a little too hard at times, but the great thing about being on a strong team is they carry you when you miss the tree a little bit.”
Ashley finished as the runner-up for the first time this season, while Stewart retained his second place in the points standings after his win two weeks ago at the Las Vegas four-wide event.
2 – HE’S GETTING BACK ON A ROLL AGAIN – Austin Prock continued his impressive run in the four-wide ranks, securing the Funny Car victory Sunday. He recorded a 3.870 second at 332.92 mph in the final round, defeating opponents Ron Capps, Matt Hagan, and Alexis DeJoria.
The victory marked Prock’s second consecutive win in four-wide races, and showcased his championship form from last season.
Prock kicked off the weekend by winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday. His momentum carried into Sunday as he consistently posted the fastest times in each round and won the first two quads. In the final, he quickly overtook defending event champion Hagan and Capps, delivering the quickest run of the eliminations.
“It’s a great day. Anytime you’re holding one of these Wallys, it’s a great day,” Prock said. “The Prock Rocket bailed me out there in the finals. I had my worst light of the weekend, but it was great to be driving this Cornwell Chevrolet SS. We had a lot of challenges with this race car, but my dad and brother, along with Nate Hildahl and the whole Cornwell Tools team, really did their homework and got everything dialed in for a killer run in the final. That was a jaw dropper.”
In a touching moment, Prock noted the presence of NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick – a sponsor of John Force Racing – at the top end after his victory. “That was the last thing I expected,” Prock remarked. “When I saw him, I just lit up. It was a cool celebration down there with him, and then to get a photo with him and the Wally, followed by another with Don Garlits, was really special. Those are pictures you dream of.”
Capps finished as the runner-up for the second time this season.
3 – DALLAS DOES CONCORD – Greg Anderson made a mistake in the clandestine world of Pro Stock secrets. Unfortunately, he left himself open to an assassin in his camp.
Dallas Glenn and Anderson might be teammates, and while the latter, the winningest driver in Pro Stock, had his sponsor Rick Hendrick at the race, there was no way Glenn was going to lay down.
Similarly, there was no way Glenn wasn’t going to take a look at Anderson’s computer screen in the trailer when he had the chance.
“Fortunately for him I caught a glimpse of his run that he made second round, and I knew there was a little bit more left in it, so I knew I was going to have to be extra good there in the final,” Glenn admitted. “Greg and I have managed to be on opposite sides of the ladder for six or seven races in a row, which does not happen very often. So, thankfully I haven’t had to race ’em until the final round.
“But when you know that you’re against a guy who is consistently outrunning you and is very, very hungry for blood, anytime he races against me, it always brings out the best in it somehow. So you definitely have to go up there and bring your A game. If you don’t bring your A game, you’re not walking away with a trophy.”
One can best believe that Anderson wanted this win.
“Greg, he came over and punched me in the shoulder again because I know he really wanted to win with Rick Hendrick here, and (Hendrick) doesn’t make it out to too many of our races here,” Glenn said. “It was pretty special to get out of the car and have him come and congratulate me. He’s such a big figure in motorsports, but that was really cool down there, and for it to be the 200th KB Titan win kind of really shows how amazing this team really is.”
Oh, and that 200-win milestone.
“I think (Greg’s) got like 108 of those 200,” Glenn admitted. “So I don’t feel like I’ve a hundred percent contributed as much as he has, but he’s been doing it a lot longer than me and he’s very tough. It’s not easy getting these wins and you have to do everything right a lot in order. There’s way more ways to do it wrong than there are to do it right.”
4 – MATT SMITH WINS THE HOME RACE – Matt Smith scored another win at the closest track to his King, North Carolina, home, taking the win on his Denso Auto Parts Buell. Smith posted a strong run of 6.736 seconds, 202.91 mph, to hold off rivals Gaige Herrera, Richard Gadson, and Steve Johnson to secure the win at zMAX Dragway, his home track.
Despite facing tough competition in Herrera, the No. 1 qualifier and two-time reigning NHRA champion, and Gadson, who won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday, it was Smith’s experience and skill that ultimately prevailed. He left the starting line with an impressive .014-second reaction time, and continued to deliver the quickest run in the final quad, successfully fending off Gadson’s time of 6.738 seconds and Herrera’s 6.747 seconds.
“This has been a long weekend. We had a lot of gremlins in our pits,” Smith said after the race. “This morning, we cranked my bike up and it started squeaking. We have another engine called ‘Old Faithful,’ so we put in a new engine, and it went smoothly after that.”
Smith’s victory marked the 42nd of his career, pushing him into the points lead over Herrera. He expressed gratitude to his team, highlighting the effort that goes into managing multiple bikes.
“Hats off to my crew guys. I can’t say enough about them. It’s a lot of work to run four bikes with three mechanics. I do the fuel maps and clutches and I also get to ride, but it’s a lot of work,” Smith noted, reflecting on the demands of the competition.
With this win, Smith found himself on the positive side of his record in final-round runs. He went into Sunday’s final with a 41-win, 41-runner-up slate. “Now, I’m 42 and 41, so at least I’m on the positive side now,” he said.
Gadson finished as the runner-up.
5 – J.R. GRAY WINS PRO MOD – J.R. Gray capped off an impressive weekend at zMAX Dragway by clinching the victory in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series. He was tops in a competitive final-round quad that included Billy Banaka, Alex Laughlin, and Mike Janis.
The Charlotte event marked the third of 10 races in the Pro Mod category for the 2025 season and was sponsored by Culp Lumber. Gray showcased dominance throughout the weekend in his Al-Anabi Performance Camaro, finishing the final round with an outstanding run of 5.656 seconds at 255.73 mph – his best run of the day.
Gray advanced confidently through the eliminations, starting with a solid 5.667-second pass at 256.65 in his opening quad. He improved in the second round, securing his spot in the final with an impressive 5.659 seconds at 256.31 mph. In the final round, he delivered a stellar reaction time of .025, quickly chasing down Banaka to secure victory.
The win marked Gray’s first victory of the season and the second of his career, and he climbed to second in the points standings. Gray also qualified No. 1 with a strong time of 5.680 seconds at 254.76 mph, demonstrating consistent improvement in each round of eliminations.
“We’ve been cutting good lights all day long, and we were just going up to do the same thing again in the final round,” Gray said. “I’m happy with the light and happy with the performance. This team, these guys have made this thing a bullet.”
Banaka finished as the runner-up with a run of 5.705 seconds at 249.26 mph, while Laughlin took third place.
Pro Mod competitors return to action May 15-18 at Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK at Route 66 Raceway near Chicago.
6 – MR. HENDRICK’S DRAG RACING PASSION – A 14-year-old Rick Hendrick couldn’t get to the drag strip quick enough to watch his motorsports heroes Ronnie Sox and Don Garlits make runs down the quarter-mile. All these years later, holding iconic NASCAR status as a team owner, Hendrick chose to visit zMAX Dragway. As he sees it, the straight-line sport still lights his fire.
Hendrick sponsored three John Force Racing entries this weekend in Top Fuel racer Brittany Force, Funny Car driver Jack Beckman, and Pro Stock runner-up Greg Anderson.
“I’ve just always been a fan,” Hendrick said. “I raced and drag raced boats and then ended up in NASCAR. But I’ve always loved drag racing.”
It was as if Hendrick were at home while riding on the golf cart at zMAX Dragway, and the facility is, indeed, a home away from home. Hendrick has raced from time to time at the track’s NASCAR night, where members of the roundy-round fraternity come out to unleash their straight-line needs.
Hendrick was running at the NASCAR Night in a B&B Race Cars, back-half chassis Camaro that looked like a precursor to the Factory Stock Showdown division.
“A lot of fans of NASCAR and drag racing here are like me who love drag racing,” Hendrick said. “I’ve had a ’31 Chevrolet I ran in C/Gas when I was 14 years old and still have that car today. I love to smell the fuel. I love to smell the tires, and the fans and the history of drag racing. Just being able to talk to Jack about old days when I had Tommy Grove and Richard Broome and we ran the Top Fuel boat.
“Drag racing is part of my DNA, and to be involved with these champions has been a lot of fun for me.”
7 – ERICA GETS HER FIRST ROUND WIN OF 2025 – Erica Enders finished with a semifinals showing, leading the Elite Motorsports team’s efforts.
Enders qualified on the bubble of the 16-car Pro Stock field with a 6.574 seconds at 209.30 mph. She faced off in a challenging first quad match against top qualifier Dallas Glenn, along with competitors Matt Latino and Mason McGaha. Her day came to an end one round later when she finished behind finalists Eric Latino and Cory Reed.
“Leading up to the first round, I would summarize things the same as I have the last few races: we’ve struggled,” Enders said. “But I think we really hit on something in the first round that seemed to make the car happy. We’ll keep picking away at it. I feel optimistic because I feel like there’s a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel now.”
The one round win has instilled a measure of confidence in Enders.
“It definitely gives us collectively a pep in our step. We’ll take that into testing. We’re going to test until we figure it out because sucking sucks.”
The Pro Stock class returns to action at New England Dragway on May 30-June 1.
8 – ETERNAL FIRST ROUND – The first round of the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series was expensive. It was also detrimental to the schedule as it took 1 hour, 45 minutes to complete.
The unfortunate action began when Doug Foley won his quad, but not before an engine exploded and decapitated the injector hat. Debris knocked over one of the timing blocks, causing Clay Millican’s win light to come on when Antron Brown was actually second.
In Funny Car, Cruz Pedregon also blew the engine and lost in the first round.
There were three timing snafus this weekend. In Troy Coughlin’s case, it was likely something was hanging low under the car.
9 – TOP NITRO RUNNERS GONE EARLY – Nitro low qualifiers Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Paul Lee (Funny Car) were eliminated early.
Kalitta lost on a holeshot to Steve Torrence and Tony Stewart, and finished third ahead of Lex Joon.
Lee lost to Matt Hagan and David Richards, who, after smoking the tires, managed to drive around the Lee, the No. 1 seed, by .007.
10 – RACERS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS – “I gotta get my head together. We gotta turn this thing around. I’m letting my reputation down as the king of the four-wide.” – Steve Torrence, after winning in the first round.
“When I was younger, I thought (drag racing) was boring. You just went straight. Now that I am older, I’ve learned to appreciate the details and skillset that goes into this. I’d love to try it sometime.” – Jade Avedisian, Toyota NASCAR Development Driver and 2023 Extreme Outlaw Midget dirt national champion.
“See! With drag racing comes maturity.” – NHRA announcer Joe Castello responded.
“Tony Stewart loves this four-wide s***, so we are gonna keep doing it.” – TSR Racing crew chief Neil Strausbaugh after his driver advanced to the semifinals.
“I don’t do the same thing every time. They think they have me figured out. But they don’t.” – Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Matt Smith on changing his staging routine in the second round.
SATURDAY NOTEBOOK – DRAG RACING IN NASCAR COUNTRY, AN ODD #2FAST2TASTY DAY
1 – #2FAST2KALITTA DOMINATES CHALLENGE – Doug Kalitta won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in Top Fuel on Saturday at zMAX Dragway, and also secured the No. 1 qualifier position for the 15th annual American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals.
Kalitta defeated Antron Brown, Steve Torrence, and Josh Hart with a run of 4.661 seconds at 237.92 mph.
“About half-track, the thing obviously decided it wasn’t going to make it without smoking the tires,” Kalitta explained. “Our guys can pedal very well, so you have to do what you can to get it to the finish without blowing the thing up.” This victory marked Kalitta’s second consecutive win in the specialty event this season and came during the historic 1,000th race in NHRA Top Fuel history.
In the Funny Car division, reigning NHRA champion Austin Prock sprinted off the line to win his Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge with a time of 3.949, 322.50 mph. He narrowly edged out Spencer Hyde, who also recorded a 3.949, but with a slower reaction time.
“Last year we figured out how important these Mission Challenge points are,” Prock stated. “Both runs today were nice, clean runs in hotter conditions, which we’re probably going to see more of tomorrow.”
Matt Hartford claimed his second Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory of the year in Pro Stock, pairing a .021 reaction time to finish with a run of 6.567, 210.37 mph. Hartford held off teammate Greg Anderson, who clocked in at 6.540, 210.24 mph.
“Last year was a rough year, but we turned it around during the Countdown,” Hartford remarked. “To come out here and run well on Saturday gives you positive energy for Sunday.”
Richard Gadson captured his first Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win of the year on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki in the Pro Stock Motorcycle division, defeating teammate Gaige Herrera, with Matt Smith also in the final.
2 – HYDE REACHES ANOTHER #2FAST2TASTY FINAL, WOUNDS ANOTHER BODY – Two weeks ago Spencer Hyde won his first career #2Fast2Tasty Funny Car Challenge in Las Vegas, but the win came at a cost when a wounded engine resulted in a hole in the body. But at least he didn’t hit a cone.
In the final round of the Charlotte 4-Wide, Hyde thundered to a runner-up finish where he neither crossed the centerline nor hit the wall.
For the record, when Hyde came to drive for Jim Head, he was given three firm instructions. Do not hit the wall. Do not hit a cone. Don’t cross the centerline.
Head might want to amend his edict to include letting another race car’s parachute rip the front end off of his Funny Car.
“The car made a good run, I pulled the parachutes and the guys waved me around the corner,” Hyde explained. “No fault of Paul Lee’s, because I think they told him to go, too. It came around and his parachute caught my front end. These guys gotta learn how to lose their flags and tell us where to go.”
The Head Inc., team has a spare body that will be pressed into action Sunday, when Hyde will start from the No. 4 seed after running a 3.863 in qualifying.
“The guys at the top end were waving me by,” Lee said, who was in Lane 1. “That’s when you make the turn off. It’s pretty sketchy and that’s why we depend on these top-end guys. I did come to an abrupt stop and I didn’t know why. I thought maybe the clutch locked up. Then I saw Spencer Hyde’s car, and I asked, ‘What happened?’”
Lee believes there needs to be more clearance on the top end, and even more on windy days.
“Sorry to hear that for him,” Lee said.
3 – GADSON’S ‘HOLD YOUR HORSES’ VICTORY – The thrill of victory came a little late for Richard Gadson on Saturday.
In the final round of the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Pro Stock Motorcycle race, the win light showed Gaige Herrera as the winner – only he wasn’t. Hererra admitted the light came on as he left the starting line.
Race officials accurately handed Gadson his first #2Fast2Tasty win of the year in a final round that saw him grouped with Herrera and Matt Smith.
“It was crazy but I’ll take it,” Gadson said. “It’s not often you get there in front of Gaige and Matt. It’s big for our team to know we have a second (Vance & Hines) bike that can get the job done. Today was the first day I felt like I had a bike that could run with them.
“I didn’t see Gaige and I saw his win light came on. It was all a bit confusing until they came over and told me I’d won. Whatever the case may be, I’ll take it. To be honest, I didn’t really think about winning till 30 minutes before we ran.”
4 – TOP OF QUALIFYING REMAINS UNCHANGED – The NHRA 4-Wide Nationals saw the leaderboard remain unchanged after the second day of qualifications, with Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Paul Lee (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all securing their positions as the biennial race enters its elimination rounds.
Kalitta qualified No. 1 for the third time this year, setting a track record with a solid run of 3.646, 333.74. He aims for a historic win Sunday, having previously celebrated victory in the 500th Top Fuel race back in 2002. Kalitta’s opening-round quad features Las Vegas winner Tony Stewart, Steve Torrence, and Lex Joon.
“I’m very fortunate with this opportunity with this group of guys,” Kalitta said. “It’s a heck of an opportunity, and we’ll see what tomorrow brings. We want to win that special trophy.”
Shawn Langdon qualified second with a time of 3.665, 333.33, while Brittany Force secured the third spot with a record-setting 3.667, 341.58.
In the Funny Car category, Paul Lee achieved his second consecutive No. 1 qualifier with a strong run of 3.829, 328.54, in his 12,000-horsepower SRI Performance/Daido Metal Dodge Charger SRT.
Lee’s first round will see him face off against Matt Hagan, Bobby Bode, and Dave Richards, as he looks for his second win of the season.
“The Funny Car class is tough,” Lee remarked. “We’ve got 14 cars quicker than 3.93. It’s the most competitive field that I’ve ever seen. I race for competition; I love to beat them.”
Dallas Glenn recorded his first top qualifier of the year with a solid 6.502, 211.10, in his RAD Torque Systems Camaro, earning the $2,000 GESi Pro Stock No. 1 Qualifier Award. Glenn’s opening quad includes Matt Latino, Mason McGaha, and Erica Enders, positioning him well for a potential third win this season.
“Greg had been hogging them all, but we got the No. 1 qualifier and we’re excited,” Glenn said. “We’ve got a good hot rod for tomorrow.”
Gaige Herrera notched his 25th career No. 1 qualifier with an impressive 6.680, 201.64, while Gadson and Smith qualified second and third, with runs of 6.759 and 6.773 seconds, respectively.
“I’m happy to see Richard get the win. All the hard work he’s put in after Gainesville is paying off,” Herrera noted. “We shot for a 6.74 or 6.75, but we gathered good data for tomorrow, so we’ll be just fine.”
Eliminations for the American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals are set to begin at 12 p.m. EDT on Sunday at zMAX Dragway.
5 – INGERSOLL IS BACK – On October 7, 2024, championship Pro Stock tuner Mark Ingersoll underwent a double lung transplant. Ingersoll suffered from the same hereditary lung disease that took the life of his father, Buddy, and he was put on a transplant list and was matched with a donor within 48 hours.
A testament to his dedication to drag racing, Ingersoll returned to the strip two weeks ago in Las Vegas. He’s back again this weekend with the mission of helping Elite Performance rekindle the mojo that propelled the team to many championships.
“It feels good to be back out here,” Ingersoll said. “I wish we were running better, but we’re not, so we’ll see what we can do about it. I probably shouldn’t be right now, but I am, and I feel good enough to be here.”
Ingersoll said the doctors aren’t keen on him being back at the strip, but as he sees it, drag racing provides the best medicine right now. Plus, there’s only so much cabin fever a man can take.
“When I’m at home, I’m supposed to be by myself and just on and on.” Ingersoll explained. “It’s been going on over seven months now, so it gets old. I do a lot of looking on the phone and watch (the races), but you can only do so much? So I come here and try to make it better, but not yet. So we’ll get it. We’ll get it. I’m not worried about that.”
Ingersoll, a veteran of over 30 years, said he intends to continue racing “‘til I can’t do it anymore. I feel better when I’m here, honestly, than when I’m home. I get better exercise. You’re up and you’re doing something, and I feel good when I’m here. I went testing a couple of times with them and this is the first race, so we’ll see how it goes.”
6 – WHEN MR. H CALLS – When Mr. H calls, you answer the phone. Even if you think it might be a spam caller or a prankster, you still answer because it could be a phone call you never want to miss.
Jack Beckman, driver of the HendrickCars.com Camaro Funny Car, recently shared a memorable moment from his career following his victory at the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona. The call came from legendary NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick, a figure known not only for his success in stock car racing, but also his roots in drag racing.
Beckman recalled the surprise of receiving the call while back at work fixing elevators the day after his win.
“I don’t usually answer calls from unknown numbers, but I picked it up, and a soft-spoken voice said, ‘Jack, this is Rick Hendrick.’ For a moment, I thought someone was playing a prank on me,” Beckman said. “He was so pleasant and genuinely excited for what we did. It was surreal to think this legendary figure would reach out.”
Hendrick, who has a rich history in motorsports, including drag racing and boat racing, connected with Beckman via a shared passion for automobiles.
“He’s been there and done that, and he’s a success story because he puts everything into what he does,” Beckman remarked. “Having him on our car is incredible, and I can’t wait for him to get here tomorrow to share some stories.”
As more NASCAR figures transition to drag racing, Beckman sees the relationship between the two forms of racing being mutually beneficial.
“The crossover is enormous, and drag racing is a fraction of the cost compared to fielding a competitive NASCAR, Indy, or F1 team,” he explained. “It’s almost a grassroots scene. Many Hendrick employees drag race on weekends. We’re all car guys at heart.”
7 – THE NASCAR-TO-DRAG RACING DYNAMIC – The NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway has drawn the attention of two prominent companies traditionally associated with NASCAR as they team up with Funny Car point leader Paul Lee. The trend of NASCAR entities transitioning into drag racing is becoming increasingly common, with team owners like Tony Stewart and Rick Ware joining the ranks and Rick Hendrick emerging as a major sponsor.
Greg Fornelli, owner and president of Stock Car Steel and SRI Performance, shared his enthusiasm for drag racing, highlighting the team’s growth and recent expansion into this new market.
“We opened a shop in Indianapolis six years ago to get into this market,” Fornelli said. “Our Mooresville shop has been around for 30 years in NASCAR, and we’ve since expanded into dirt racing as well. Drag racing has been amazing for us, especially with our strong nitro program.”
Ron Brock, the strategic business manager for Daido Metal USA, explained how the company’s involvement in various racing formats, including IndyCar and Formula One, led them to drag racing.
“NHRA is a huge part of the racing culture in North America,” Brock noted. “It’s a completely different world, and the engineering challenge of supporting the performance demands of an 11,000-horsepower nitro Funny Car is intriguing for us.”
Dusty Cole, who works with Daido Metal USA on performance racing, emphasized the importance of addressing the needs of the drag racing community.
“We aim to improve reliability and performance for our engine customers by solving any issues they face with bearings and the oiling system,” he explained.
Kashiyama Motoro, an application engineer at Daido Metal, explained the challenges of designing parts capable of withstanding the extreme conditions in drag racing.
“When we first started designing for 11,000-horsepower engines, I thought, ‘Are you crazy?’” Motoro recalled. His experience has shown that while drag racing presents unique challenges, it is also a thrilling market ripe for innovation.
As these companies transition from NASCAR to drag racing, they bring a wealth of engineering expertise and a commitment to excellence in motorsports.
As Fornelli put it, the collaboration embodies the spirit of racing: “We’re all about teamwork and innovation, and that’s what keeps us moving forward in every racing discipline.”
8 – CAPPS’ COOL CAR – The Ron Capps Motorsports team debuted a new look at this weekend’s race as NAPA Auto Parts celebrates its upcoming 100th anniversary. Founded in 1925, NAPA has been pivotal in shaping the automotive aftermarket industry, and will celebrate its centennial May 4.
To mark this milestone, all NAPA-backed motorsports teams are showcasing special one-off liveries that highlight a unified centennial theme. This coordinated effort spans across various racing disciplines, including the NASCAR Cup Series (featuring Chase Elliott), NASCAR Truck Series (Daniel Hemric), High Limit Sprint Car Series (Brad Sweet), and Capps, who drives the NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra Funny Car in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Capps is the first to unveil the celebratory paint scheme.
“I don’t think very many people have the opportunity to celebrate 100 years of anything, especially an organization that means so much to them,” said Capps, who has represented NAPA since 2007 and has had it as his primary partner since 2008. “I’ve been fortunate enough to represent NAPA Auto Parts and NAPA Auto Care for over 18 years. They’ve supported me through all three of our world championships and more than 50 race wins.”
Emily Schneider, Senior Director of Marketing, highlighted the importance of this celebration: “Rolling out the NAPA 100 scheme across all our race teams is the perfect way to honor NAPA’s rich history in the automotive industry. For the past century, NAPA has been dedicated to keeping customers on the road, and we plan to continue this commitment for the next 100 years.”
9 – UNCHARTED WATERS FOR RICHARDS – Dave Richards experienced a first-time feeling Friday, knowing that when he rolled into the track Saturday he would be a participant in the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. He earned the spot with a semifinal finish at the NHRA Vegas 4-Wide Nationals two weeks ago in Las Vegas.
“It was really cool, just a great weekend,” Richards said. “And then I just remember even going into the final round as we’re in the car pulling around the corner to go up there, I’m like, ‘Holy crap, we’re really in the finals.’
“And then as we’re getting ready to start the car, I’m like, ‘What if I win this thing? How cool would that be?’ It was like a weird day where I was just super calm and it was cool, but it was definitely the momentum that we really needed and I kind of like winning. It’s kind of fun.”
The ace in the hole for Richards – and every other second-half-of-the-field car – was a reported track prep snafu earlier in the week, combined with high temperatures that gave the Bluebird Turf an advantage.
“It was a tricky track” in Vegas, Richards said. “You just got to get down. Whoever could get down, even if it’s three-quarters of the way down before you spun the tires, you were doing better than most. So, yeah, we had a pretty good setup for the day and along with a little bit of luck went our way.
“I do feel like our car really is so close to turning the corner and being a mid-3.90, even high .80 car.”
10 – THREE OUT OF FOUR AIN’T BAD – Three of the four Mission Foods Drag Racing professional categories have full fields. Of the four, Pro Stock, a class that bordered on extinction a little over a decade ago, has 25 entries this weekend.
FRIDAY NOTEBOOK – IT’S A RECORD-SETTING NIGHT UNDER THE LIGHTS AT ZMAX DRAGWAY
1 – THE QUEEN OF SPEED IN THE QUEEN CITY – Brittany Force pulled off a feat no Top Fuel driver has accomplished at zMAX Dragway, the palatial dragstrip adjacent to Charlotte Motor Speedway. In fact, what she achieved Friday evening in the Q2 session had never been accomplished.
Force now holds the honor of being the fastest Top Fuel driver, wowing the crowd with a record-setting run of 341.58 miles per hour. It was the first 340-mph run in class history, and well past her established record of 338.94. Force was on a roll from the get-go, clocking in at 301.00 to the eighth-mile.
“We upped our own Top Fuel mile per hour speed record – that’s very exciting,” Force said. “I didn’t know until I was mid-interview at the top end. It’s just something really exciting for every single one of these guys. This HendrickCars.com team, they work so hard. David Grubnic, John Collins – every single one of them – and to be able to accomplish that together and hold on to that, I hope we hold it for a long time. It’s pretty special.”
2 – THE KALITTA ONE-TWO PUNCH – Speed might be impressive in the headlines but it is elapsed time that gets the No. 1 qualifying position. Former Top Fuel champ Doug Kalitta secured the top qualifying position in the class, establishing a track elapsed-time record of 3.646 seconds at 333.74.
“Having the night session here, the track is in incredible shape,” Kalitta said. “Definitely some good ETs. That was the opportunity of the weekend, really, for all of us. With the 1,000th race, and it’s definitely a cool trophy, it would be just really cool to win it. It’s the history of everything that’s been going on, and I’ve been out here for a number of years supporting, battling these guys. But right now my car’s running incredibly well.”
Kalitta’s teammate Shawn Langdon was second with a 3.665 elapsed time.
“Both of our cars are running real good, so Alan and Brian and all our guys are doing great,” Kalitta said. “Connie’s definitely given us everything we need and we’ve got some momentum going on our side here right now.
3 – BETTER GET USED TO IT — Paul Lee captured the provisional No. 1 qualifier spot in Funny Car, running 3.829 seconds at 328.54 mph. This came after a swing and a miss in the first qualifying session.
“We smoked the tires,” Lee explained. “We just tried to go a little too fast for the track conditions. The night session was great, and Jonnie (Lindberg) said we were going to try to run 3.82. I knew it was going to be a good run once it got past the shake zone at 300 feet, and it just pulled hard all the way down. We ran 3.09 mph at half-track, which is a great ET for these conditions and this track.”
Lee, who has consistently qualified in the top five this year, credited his team’s hard work in achieving these results.
“It took us a long time to get here, and it’s all about consistency,” he said. “You don’t necessarily have to be the fastest car, making good runs each time is what wins drag races.”
Looking ahead to Saturday’s scheduled two qualifying sessions and Sunday’s eliminations, Lee remains cautious. “I’m not overly confident,” he said. “Others like Jimmy Prock, Jack Beckman, Bob Tasca, and J.R. Todd can easily run faster. If conditions stay the same, you might see an 80-flat or even a 79 from them.”
Lee’s journey has been a long one, having obtained his alcohol funny car license back in 1988. Reflecting on his decades in the sport, he noted the importance of building a cohesive team.
“It’s a lifelong pursuit for me. This is my life,” he said. “You have to have the right people, and it can’t be overstated how crucial teamwork is. The car doesn’t know who’s driving it, but NHRA should be proud of its diversity. Whether female or male, young or old, anyone can win.”
4 – THE TIE GOES TO THE GLENN – Dallas Glenn drove to the provisional No. 1 qualifier in Pro Stock, running a 6.502 seconds elapsed time at 211.10 mph at zMAX. This performance places him ahead of teammate Greg Anderson, who matched Glenn’s elapsed time but fell short on speed.
Reflecting on the team’s efforts, Glenn attributes their success to a rigorous off-season dedicated to optimizing the power of their KB Racing engines.
“They burned several drums of fuel on the dyno,” Glenn said. “It takes a lot of pulls to achieve that, and it’s clear that all the hard work is paying off.”
Glenn praised his crew for its exceptional teamwork.
“We’re making good, solid runs. The first run today was shaky, but I reeled it back in to improve for the second run,” he explained.
Looking ahead to Saturday qualifying, Glenn acknowledged a minor misstep during his run.
“I was a little surprised by the red light,” he said. “I’ll make a small clutch pedal adjustment, aiming to replicate my previous run. The conditions (Saturday) may be slightly less favorable, but I hope Greg doesn’t make significant adjustments to his car in the third qualifying session.”
Glenn is also eager to participate in the ##2Fast2Tasty Challenge. He finds the Saturday competitions not only enjoyable, but crucial for getting into the right mindset for Sunday’s eliminations.
“The Four-Wide #2Fast2Tasty Challenge is unique because you only need to win the first round from the previous races to qualify,” he noted, adding that the championship points earned in these challenges could prove to be valuable at season’s end.
“Last year, those points helped me secure the No. 2 spot instead of the three. I’ve participated in many of these challenges, but my win-loss record could be better,” he admitted. “I think I’m about 22 wins and four losses, and I’m aiming to improve that ratio.”
5 – REMEMBER ME? – Gaige Herrera, the Pro Stock Motorcycle champion in each of his first two seasons, holds the provisional No. 1 qualifier after Friday. He recorded an impressive run of 6.680 seconds at 201.64 mph during the second qualifying session at zMAX.
The bikes haven’t raced in six weeks, and Herrera noted that the Vance & Hines team stayed busy, particularly with adjustments after the switch from Sunoco to VP gasoline.
“Andrew still had to learn the fuel a little bit, and it’s definitely showing on the track and the dyno,” he said.
While he continued his day job as an ironworker, Herrera also participated in several grudge races in South Carolina in the weeks leading up to this event. He expressed relief to get back into the racing routine, especially at a favorite venue like zMAX Dragway.
During his qualifying run, Herrera said he felt a strong connection to his bike, likening it to his record-setting ride in Dallas. “I was really shocked that the bike just stuck and went,” he explained. “It didn’t spin the tire or rattle, it was a picture-perfect run.”
Herrera knows the importance of maintaining focus, especially in the four-wide format. “You just have to pay attention,” he emphasized. “It’s crucial to not lose track of the three other competitors. With bikes, it might be a little easier than in cars to see when others are ready.”
This weekend also marks Herrera’s first participation in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty challenge of the season, which features additional competitors in the four-wide format. “I’m excited about that,” he said. “It’s cool to have that little extra race to get you in the groove for Sunday.”
Despite the jitters that come with the competition, Herrera claimed to manage his nerves effectively.
“I try not to think about them,” he noted. “I’m not really one to overthink things, and I feel like that helps me.”
6 – REMEMBER US? – In the grand scheme of time, 45 days isn’t a long time. But if you’re an NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer it seems like eternity since the class was last in action.
Home-state favorite Matt Smith used the downtime to work on finding an edge over Herrera.
“Since Gainesville, the … team has been really hard at work on our engines,” Smith said. “We had a few engines we had to fix up after Gainesville, so it was nice to have a little bit of a break to take those slow and make sure we weren’t making any mistakes.”
With his runner-up finish in Gainesville, Smith is also in this weekend’s Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge. He’ll meet up with teammates Angie Smith, John Hall and Jianna Evaristo. The other side of the ladder will be reigning NHRA champion and Gainesville winner Gaige Herrera, as well as Richard Gadson, Chase Van Sant and Kelly Clontz.
“The six-week break gave us some time to repair those engines, but we’re ready to be back for sure,” Smith said. “Gainesville was really good for us after a long winter and trying to adapt to this new fuel. The first race of the year is good to see where everyone else is at after the winter, especially with this new fuel. After that first race, we’re able to have a baseline and then figure out how we can improve this weekend in Charlotte.”
Smith was victorious at Charlotte last fall, and is confident about his return to zMAX.
“I know it wasn’t the four-wide at Charlotte (in the fall), but knowing we won the race last time we were on property at zMAX Dragway boosts my confidence. I’m one of the racers that likes the four-wide race,” Smith said. “I love the challenge of it all. I won the very first four-wide ever and it was in Charlotte, so my confidence is high.”
7 – ABOUT THAT TORNADO THAT HIT JFR – On April 2, 2025, an EF-2 tornado hit the Brownsburg, Indiana, shop of John Force Racing, causing damage that included a couple of blown-in garage doors and a hole in the roof. The shop also incurred water damage.
Some three weeks later, JFR assistant crew chief Tim Fabrisi said the team is picking up the pieces in the bid to return to normalcy.
“The shop’s actually coming along really good,” Fabrisi said. “The garage doors were actually just delivered today, so we got the new panels in. They’re supposed to go up starting next Monday. Sheetrock is up, mudded, so it’s going together well. We’re still waiting on the roof repair.
“The date … to replace the whole roof (is) coming down the road. We don’t know the date. But overall it’s come along well. This obviously is a time process, but we got one team in the building.”
Fabrisi said the team was only set back a minimal amount.
“Probably a couple days just to regroup and get things organized and just come up with a game plan,” Fabrisi said. “Getting back to the shop is just organizing the power with the power companies, make sure everything’s online and not going to short something out or burn a trailer down. I really wouldn’t say it backed us up too much, because, fortunately, we’re all out of town. Everyone was safe.”
8 – GUESS WHO TURNS 1000 THIS WEEKEND? – This weekend’s event will celebrate a historic milestone: the 1,000th Top Fuel race. The NHRA is rolling out the red carpet to make this event a celebration of the sport, featuring a gathering of Top Fuel legends who have made history, including winners of the first, 100th, 200th, 300th, 400th, 500th, 600th, 700th, 800th, and 900th races.
A special autograph session is scheduled for Saturday at 9:30 a.m., featuring an exclusive hero card to commemorate the occasion. In addition, fans can enjoy a demonstration of one of Don Garlits’ Top Fuel cars, which will cackle before the first nitro qualifying session Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Garlits and the car will lead the SealMaster Track Walk on Sunday at 10:50 a.m.
“Winning the 1,000th Top Fuel race would be pretty exciting, especially with my family history,” said former NHRA champ Doug Kalitta. “With Connie (team owner Kalitta) being out here as long as he’s been, that would be really cool. We’re all trying hard and staying focused to get it done. Our Mac Tools team has a good shot at it.”
Kalitta is one of four milestone racers competing this weekend. He represents the 500th win, while Spencer Massey, who took home the 700th title, will drive Krista Baldwin’s McLeod-sponsored dragster. Defending NHRA Top Fuel champion Antron Brown is designated as Mr. 800.
“The Charlotte Four-Wide Nationals is always a big race, and this weekend’s 1,000th running makes it even more significant,” Brown noted. “I remember winning the 800th. That was a big deal, and winning the 1,000th would mean a lot.”
Brittany Force, who made history with her victory at the 900th NHRA Top Fuel race, expressed her enthusiasm about this weekend. “Winning the trophy from the 1,000th race, especially at the Bellagio of dragstrips, zMAX Dragway, would be a great milestone,” she said.
Tony Stewart, the most-recent winner on the tour, hopes to add his name to the history books. “Returning to Charlotte, where I have a deep racing history, and being part of the 1,000th Top Fuel race is incredible,” Stewart said. “It’s a significant moment, and I’m honored to be involved in NHRA’s 75th anniversary next year.”
It took 16 years to complete the first 100 races, and only 20 to reach 900.
9 – LATINO PREPARING FOR INJURED RESERVE – Eric Latino is trying to pack as much fun as he can in this weekend’s event. On Tuesday, he’s going under the knife to repair a torn meniscus on his clutch leg.
Performing his surgery will be the NHRA’s Doctor, Dr. Philip Surface, who is an orthopedic surgeon in West Virginia.
“I’ve got all the faith in Dr. Phil Surface,” Latino said. “I’ve got four to five weeks of recovery. I may miss a race, probably Epping, possibly Bristol; see how physical therapy goes. Once that knee comes back, that kid, what’s his name, Matt Latino? He’s not going to stand a chance.”
The elder Latino gets a chuckle out of their meeting back in Pomona, when his son beat him on a holeshot. Of course, he had a gimpy knee to blame. Even with a good knee, Pro Stock can be brutal.
“Pro Stock, everybody’s on their game,” said Latino, who came to the class after running Pro Modified.
Latino has nursed his way through the last year, avoiding the medical procedure as long as he could, but in February in Bradenton testing, it became evident the non-racing injury wasn’t going to heal itself.
“I went to Toronto last February, after being in the U.S. for about eight weeks, and there was a big, huge ice storm and the ice was hanging off the eavestroughs. Then it started melting, and we had basements at home, so I didn’t want to flood it out,” Latino said. “I had a pressure washer and was hitting the ice with the hot water and started melting it all up.
“Every time I hit the trigger, it wanted to thrust you back so I would hang on, hit it, and then do it. Well, I went back up and wasn’t paying attention, hit the trigger and it threw me off the ladder. My feet were about seven and a half feet off the ground. I came down on ice and snow and twisted my knee and tore the the meniscus. I’ve been nursing it and kind of hitting it with cortisone shots and all that crap, but I got to get it done.”
The silver lining, if you will, is that the injury opened the door for Matt Latino to make his way into Pro Stock. He subbed for his dad at the PRO Superstar Shootout. Matt had asked his dad for the chance to drive a Pro Stocker earlier in November 2024, and what transpired left Latino astonished.
“I had told him, ‘You don’t understand son. These things are really hard to drive,’” he said.
Matt responded, “I know, but a lot of things in life are difficult, but not for me. I’m really confident. I know I can do it.”
The second-generation driver, with limited experience in any discipline of drag racing, got his Pro Stock license in one session.
“My crew, like Dave Connelly, Rob Downey, and Greg Anderson, they’re like, ‘Are you sure he hasn’t driven?’ I go, “I’m telling you, he’s not driven before.’”
And that’s why, knowing his son will be filling his role why he recuperates, Latino is no longer putting off the knee procedure.
10 – BACK TO THE FAMILY CAR WITH BODE – Bobby Bode was on top of the world when two-time NHRA champion Del Worsham selected him to run a limited schedule earlier this season. Five races later, he’s still smiling.
This weekend, though, Bode is back in the Bode Family Mustang Funny Car. And, no, Del didn’t kick him to the curb.
“He had some stuff back home he wanted to take care of,” Bode said. “I think he really wanted to be here though, but he had some stuff going on, so we decided to bring the family car out and pretty excited about that. It’s our first race in six months.”
“It’s so different, between the tune-up stuff, putting the car together and everything,” Bode explained. “I obviously have more of a say here with our car than with Del, and it’s just the nerves are different, a lot more responsibilities, but it’s been good so far.”
Bode said he’s uncertain of his future schedule racing with Worsham, but added that the lessons learned have been priceless.
“We were pretty close on how we were doing a lot of stuff, but certain things like the clutch, how we assemble that, he taught us ways to make it the same every time,” Bode explained. “That’s a huge thing on these cars, rebuilding the same car over and over and it took a lot of stuff that he did as far as that, and implemented it here and so we’re going to find out how much it helped us.
“Just in our short period of time, we’ve had a great time together and it just seems to be getting better every race. And, yeah, it’s something I hope we can continue doing. That’s the ultimate goal, would be that. He’s so fun to race with.”
