Thunder Valley Dragway has a habit of rewarding racers who know how to finish a weekend.
Leah Pruett, Matt Hagan, Greg Anderson, and Gaige Herrera put themselves in position to do exactly that Saturday, locking down No. 1 qualifying positions and taking control of the fields before eliminations begin Sunday morning.
For Pruett, the accomplishment capped one of the strongest stretches of her return season.
Less than 24 hours after winning the delayed New England Nationals final, Pruett backed it up by securing the Top Fuel pole position with Friday’s 3.794-second run at 332.43 mph in her Rush Truck Centers dragster. The performance delivered her second No. 1 qualifier of the season, and reinforced what has become increasingly apparent over the last month; i.e., she and crew chief Neal Strausbaugh have found a rhythm.
The speed has been there for much of the season. The consistency is starting to catch up.
“This is probably the No. 1 qualifier we’re most proud of all season,” Pruett said. “We raced for a final-round win Friday night, took everything the track had to give us, and still put up the number.
“The momentum is tangible right now. Winning races and proving you can beat the points leader reinforces what we already believed about this team. We’ve got a hot rod, a first-round bye, and in my opinion, one of the most consistent race cars out here. That’s a great place to be heading into race day.”
Antron Brown qualified second with a 3.801 at 329.50 mph, while Tony Schumacher’s 3.803 at 326.16 placed him third.
If Pruett carried the momentum, Matt Hagan carried the gratitude.
The four-time Funny Car champion locked down his first No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 55th of his career with Friday’s 4.009-second run at 319.60 mph in his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Dodge. The result completed a nitro qualifying sweep for Tony Stewart Racing and provided validation for a team that has spent much of the season searching for consistency.
Hagan directed the attention away from the cockpit and toward the crew members working behind it.
“These No. 1 qualifiers mean a lot because they’re really for the crew guys,” Hagan said. “They’re the ones working over a 3,000-degree race car in brutal heat and putting a great machine underneath us.
“When you can hand those guys a yellow hat and a little bonus money, it goes a long way because they’re the true workhorses of this sport.”
Alexis DeJoria qualified second with a 4.010 at 326.00 mph, while Jack Beckman’s 4.017 at 318.54 secured the third position after a weekend in which he already collected victories in both Epping (New England Nationals) and Bristol (#2Fast#2Tasty).
The story in Pro Stock looked familiar. The racetrack changed but Anderson didn’t.
One day after discussing how Bristol’s rebuilt racing surface removed many of the challenges veteran racers once used to their advantage, Anderson climbed back to the top of the qualifying sheet. His 6.651-second run at 206.86 mph in the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro delivered his sixth No. 1 qualifier in nine races this season.
The run came after a frustrating start to Saturday.
“I’ve had a good run here,” Anderson said. “I messed up this morning, made a bad run, but we dug deep and got her back on the last run.
“These weren’t quite as good of conditions and we got her back so I know the car is fast. HendrickCars.com is looking good and I’ve got a great shot tomorrow.”
Matt Hartford stayed close with a 6.658 at 206.95 mph, while points leader Dallas Glenn qualified third at 6.661 and is positioned for another deep Sunday run.
Herrera rounded out the No. 1 qualifiers by finally checking off a box that had remained empty through the first half of the season.
The two-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champion entered Bristol without a single No. 1 qualifier in 2026. He left qualifying with one after improving to a 6.831 at 197.88 mph aboard his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki.
The run pushed Herrera to the top spot ahead of teammate Richard Gadson and gave the Vance & Hines organization the top two positions on the ladder.
Gadson qualified second with a 6.839, 197.74, while Angie Smith’s 6.858, 198.17 placed her third heading into eliminations.
Eliminations for the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals begin at 10 a.m. EDT on Sunday at Bristol Dragway.
SATURDAY #2FAST2TASTY – KALITTA KEEPS CASHING SATURDAY CHECKS AS BECKMAN, HARTFORD AND GADSON SCORE BRISTOL #2FAST2TASTY WINS
At some point, Doug Kalitta may need to stop calling it a bonus race.
The reigning Top Fuel champion continued his stranglehold on the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday. He added another victory at Bristol Dragway in a season where Saturday has become almost as important as Sunday.
Kalitta defeated Leah Pruett in the Top Fuel final of the specialty event during the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. He led a group of winners that also included Jack Beckman in Funny Car, Matt Hartford in Pro Stock, and Richard Gadson in Pro Stock Motorcycle.
The victory continued what has become one of the quiet storylines of the season. While everyone focuses on Sunday trophies, Kalitta keeps stacking Mission Challenge points and paychecks.
Kalitta covered the distance in 3.922 seconds at 314.90 mph. Pruett ran a competitive 3.918-second pass at 325.45, but Kalitta’s .065 reaction time allowed him to hold the advantage from start to finish.
“Whatever we’ve got going on for Saturdays, we’ve just got to keep it going,” Kalitta said. “The Mission Challenge points are important, and we’re going to keep collecting as many of them as we can.
“It’s just so competitive out here. Some days you need a little luck, but mostly it’s about assembling a great team and continuing to do what we’re doing. This place has been good to me, and I’m definitely looking forward to tomorrow.”
Funny Car once again belonged to Jack Beckman.
Less than 24 hours after completing his delayed New England Nationals victory over Jordan Vandergriff, Beckman beat the John Force Racing rookie – his teammate – again when Vandergriff crossed the centerline and struck a timing block in the final round.
The win leaves Beckman in position to accomplish something rarely seen in the sport — three victories in one weekend. He already owns the completed New England Nationals title, added the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge trophy Saturday, and entered Sunday eliminations with a chance to win the Thunder Valley Nationals as well.
“Sometimes these cars are amazing to drive, and sometimes they’ll do anything except what you ask them to do. I think both of us experienced that in the final,” Beckman said.
“To close out the Epping race, win the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, and still have a shot at the Bristol trophy tomorrow — it’s an unbelievable opportunity. I’ve never been in a position where I could win three trophies in one weekend.”
In Pro Stock, Matt Hartford found a measure of payback.
One week after Dallas Glenn beat him in the New England Nationals final round with a nearly perfect .002-second reaction time, Hartford watched the points leader leave too soon and turn on the red light. Hartford responded with a 6.671-second run at 206.95 mph in his Total Seal Chevrolet Camaro and collected his first Mission Challenge victory of the season.
“The Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge is one of the best things NHRA has done,” Hartford said. “The drivers love it, the fans love it, and it adds a whole new level of adrenaline on Saturday.
“It’s really hard to win a round in Pro Stock. To win this race and beat the world champion in the final round makes me incredibly proud of our team.”
Richard Gadson rounded out the winners by returning to the racetrack where his professional career changed direction a year ago.
The reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle champion defeated Jianna Evaristo with a 6.855 at 197.65 mph aboard his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki, earning his first Mission Challenge victory of the season and reinforcing his status as the rider everyone continues to chase. Evaristo was the No. 1 qualifier for Sunday’s race.
“This Challenge is a favorite among the racers because you go to sleep Saturday night feeling really good, and you wake up Sunday feeling really good,” Gadson said.
“When your bike is running this well and you’re solid on the tree, this Challenge gives you a real boost of confidence heading into race day. This place is special to me because everything changed here.”
