Mother Nature was the big winner on the scheduled final day of the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa. Persistent rains began to fall before the completion of the semifinal and final rounds, forcing NHRA officials to push the remaining racing over to Monday at 10 AM.

Top Fuel will kick off the delayed action with the remaining Top Fuel semifinal race between Steve Torrence and Tony Schumacher. The Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series finals will also be held on Monday. The race will be televised at 9:30 PM ET on Monday on Fox Sports 1 (FS1).

If you can read between the lines, the explanation is clear regarding Doug Kalitta’s Reading incident during Saturday’s Top Fuel qualifying at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.

“The tire did not fault – there was nothing wrong with the tire,” Kalitta Motorsports general manager Chad Head. “The car did not have any malfunctions on the run, but something caused the tire to explode; we do not know what caused the tire explosion.”

When you know, you know. And now Scott Lang knows what it takes to win a PDRA Pro Boost race.

Lang, during the Redline Oil PDRA Carolina Nationals in Darlington, SC, scored his first win, beating Jason Harris in the final round. 

Joining the first-time winner atop the headlining divisions were Tommy Franklin (Pro Nitrous) and Alan Drinkwater.

This isn’t a recording – Gaige Herrera is the No. 1 qualifier in NHRA’s Pro Stock Motorcycle class.
 
Herrera, who is in his first year piloting the Vance & Hines-powered Suzuki, was in great form at the Pep Boys Nationals in Reading, Pa.
 
Herrera clocked a 6.672-second elapsed time at 202.94 mph, both track records at Maple Grove Raceway, to grab his ninth No. 1 qualifier in 10 races this season.

 
The regular season wasn’t great for reigning and five-time NHRA Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders.
 
However, Enders and her Elite Motorsports team is right in the mix for Enders to win world title No. 6 at the first race of the six-race Countdown to the Championship – the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals in Reading, Pa.
 
Enders proved that with a blistering 6.494-second elapsed time at 211.13 mph on Friday, which held on for the No. 1 qualifying spot through Saturday’s two qualifying sessions.

Bob Tasca III picked up his fifth No. 1 qualifier of the season in front of a sellout crowd at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, located outside of Reading, Pa.

Also maintaining top spots at the opener for the NHRA’s Countdown to the Championship were Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

This event marked the 16th race of the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the first of the six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Notably, it was the seventh sellout crowd of the season. Due to the anticipated bad weather, the Sunday eliminations were moved up to 9:30 a.m. ET at Maple Grove Raceway.

Top Fuel driver Justin Ashley had a dominating regular season – but none of that mattered when the six-race Countdown to the Championship began at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals this weekend.

Ashley started on the right foot by capturing the provisional pole with a 3.687-second elapsed time at 335.57 mph in Reading, Pa.

If Ashley holds the No. 1 spot through Saturday, it would be his third of the season and fifth of his career.

Bob Tasca III is aware the stakes have changed this weekend in Reading. Pa.

He and his team are beginning the six-race Countdown to the Championship at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals.

Tasca’s team stayed calm in the moment on Friday night as he clocked a 3.874-second elapsed time at 334.90 mph in Q2 to take the provisional No. 1 spot at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals.

If Tasca keeps the No. 1 spot, it would be his fifth of the season and the 14th of his nitro Funny Car career, which began in 2008.

Jay Cox secured his third No. 1 qualifier award of the season in Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous at the PDRA Red Line Oil Carolina Nationals at Darlington Dragway with a record-tying performance. Cox matched Jim Halsey's national class E.T. record by clocking a time of 3.613 seconds at 208.72 mph on Friday night.

Also setting the pace in the respective headlining divisions were Melanie Salemi (Pro Boost) and John DeFlorian (Pro Stock).

Justin Ashley is well known for his lightning-quick reflexes, which have landed him in the winner's circle many times. Understanding the importance of supplementing his first No. 1 seed in the NHRA's Countdown to the Championship, he reacted in familiar fashion, racing his way to the No. 1 spot in Top Fuel provisional qualifying at the 38th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals.

Bob Tasca III, Erica Enders, and Gaige Herrera also showcased their skills and claimed the provisional No. 1 spots in their respective categories at Maple Grove Raceway, located outside of Reading, PA.

Ashley drove his Phillips Connect Toyota dragster to an elapsed time of 3.687 seconds at 335.57 mph. If the run holds, it will mark Ashley's third No. 1 qualifier of the season and fifth in his career. Although pleased with his accomplishments, Ashley remains focused on the ultimate goal, the championship.