There was a time – not long ago – that Matt Hagan’s chances of winning an NHRA nitro Funny Car Mello Yello Series world championship seemed dead.

That’s not the case anymore.

Erica Enders has been to the top of NHRA’s Pro Stock Mello Yello Series mountain, winning back-to-back world championships in 2014-15.

Now, Enders is on the cusp of winning her third world title after her memorable performance at the NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sunday.

When Matt Smith nailed his Pro Stock Motorcycle No. 1 qualifying position Saturday for the NHRA Dodge Nationals, he said his Denso-sponsored motorcycle “is running on mean right now.”

And he wasn’t kidding.

A record-setting weekend for Brittany Force ended with a victory, as she won in Top Fuel on Sunday during the 19th annual Dodge NHRA Nationals Presented by Pennzoil at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It also served as the 151st overall win for females in NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series racing history, coming just moments after Pro Stock’s Erica Enders claimed the 150th female victory on Sunday.

Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Enders (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all also won in their respective categories at the fifth of six races in the 2019 NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship playoffs. The race also serves as the penultimate event of the 24-race 2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.

Point standings (top 10) following the 19th annual Dodge NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the 23rd of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series -

Final round-by-round results from the 19th annual Dodge NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the 23rd of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

Leah Pritchett has seemingly been on a roller-coaster ride this season with highs and lows of emotion.

Nonetheless, with two races remaining Pritchett arrived in Las Vegas for the NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway fifth in the points standings – 104 behind leader and reigning world champion Steve Torrence.

Veteran nitro Funny Car driver Jack Beckman has given himself a legitimate chance to win his second career world championship.

With two races remaining in the NHRA Mello Yello Series season, Beckman knows there’s no time to waste.

Greg Anderson knows it’s a long shot for him to win his fifth NHRA Mello Yello Series Pro Stock world championship, but he’s not going down without a fight.

With two races left in the 2019 season, Anderson is 99 points behind leader Erica Enders.