NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

It’s crunch time at the 71st Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals with two Professional qualifying sessions remaining, along with final eliminations in the PlayNHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout as well as the continuation of eliminations in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown, and Congruity Pro Mod series.
 

After three sessions, Brittany Force remains the leader in Top Fuel qualifying. Her 3.66 pole position run was strong, and is likley safe, although Jordan Vandergriff, T.J. Zizzo and Doug Kalitta have also run in the 3.60s and will be looking to improve. Cool weather continues to be the theme of the weekend so teams will make the choice to simulate race day runs or get aggressive today.

Qualifying continues to be interesting with Tony Stewart, Clay Millican, Justin Ashley and the returning 8-time champion Tony Schumacher sitting in the bottom half of the field. European champion Ida Zetterstrom currently sits on the bump with a 4.16. If she or Lex Joon (who sits 17^th) can muster a three-second run, it would make for an all-three-second field for Monday’s eliminations.

Highlighting Sunday’s action will be the PlayNHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout. Drivers have been earning points during qualifying for the last year to set the eight contestants for the $120,000 bonus event.

The matchups will feature reigning world champ Austin Prock who selected Cruz Pedregon in a Cornwell Tools vs Snap-on battle. Prock’s teammate, Jack Beckman, selected last year’s Callout runner-up, Bob Tasca III. Meanwhile, 2022 Callout winner Ron Capps chose SCAG Racing's Daniel Wilkerson. That left Matt Hagan, a two-time callout runner-up, to face J.R. Todd, who was not high on anyone's list of Callout targets due to his strong performances of late.

The first round of the PlayNHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout taking place at 12:45 p.m. ET. The driver who makes the quickest winning run in the opening round gets to select their semifinal opponent, with that round taking place at 2:15 p.m. The final round is at 4 p.m. and a special broadcast of the Callout takes place at 5 p.m. ET on FS1 on Sunday.

After three rounds of qualifying, Jack Beckman leads the field of 19 entrants in Funny Car. Beckman’s 3.86 gives him a slight edge over Ron Capps (3.877); Alexis DeJoria (3.891); Matt Hagan (3.893) and Chad Green who ran a 3.900.

The depth of the Funny Car field is incredible with nine cars in the 3.90s. Dave Richards is the first driver in the 4s (4.055) and the bump is held by Justin Schriefer who ran 4.10. Chris King, Julie Naatass and Alex Laughlin will have two opportunities to make the show today, and there remains the possibility that the U.S. Nationals could produce the sport's first all three second field.

On Saturday, Greg Anderson won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge with a 6.52 to defeat Erica Enders in a final between the rival Elite and KB Titan camps. Despite winning, Anderson mentioned in a post-race interview that he underestimated the track, but he wouldn’t make that mistake on Sunday or Monday. The final round gives Enders some much-needed confidence, as she will be looking to capture her 50^th NHRA Pro Stock race win this weekend.

Along with the win, Anderson holds the provisional pole at 6.49, which on paper, looks miles ahead of his teammate Dallas Glenn, Erica Enders and Cristian Cuadra, who all ran 6.52. Sunday’s final qualifying sessions will give racers a chance to push the limits of traction, which may shake things up. Mason McGaha’s 6.591 is the bump spot, his father Chris will be looking to get in, along with Kenny Delco, Derrick Reese and Troy Coughlin Jr.

Pro Stock Motorcycle points leader Gaige Herrera nudged his Vance & Hines Suzuki to a 6.739 to edge past teammate Richard Gadson (6.744) for provisional pole. Brayden Davis sits third at 6.762 with John Hall (6.775) and Matt Smith (6.779) rounding out the top five bikes.

Sunday will provide two chances for racers to make moves, and we expect that a few racers will climb the ladder. One such is Hector Arana Jr., who currently occupies the bump spot with a 6.970. Every other rider in the field has a 6.8-second time slip to his or her credit.

2024 EVENT WINNERS

Clay Millican, Top Fuel; Austin Prock, Funny Car; Aaron Stanfield, Pro Stock; Gaige Herrera, Pro Stock Motorcycle.

MOST VICTORIES

Tony Schumacher, 10, TF; John Force and Ed McCulloch, 5, FC; Ron Capps, Matt Hagan; Bob Glidden, 9, PS; Greg Anderson; Dave Schultz, 6, PSM.

TRACK RECORDS

Top Fuel - 3.640 seconds by Brittany Force, Sept. '22; 339.79 mph by B. Force, Aug. '25.

Funny Car - 3.799 seconds by Matt Hagan, Sept. '17; 338.77 mph by Hagan, Sept. '17.

Pro Stock - 6.491 seconds by Greg Anderson, Aug. '25; 211.26 mph by Erica Enders, Aug. '25.

Pro Stock Motorcycle - 6.739 seconds by Gaige Herrera, Aug. '25; 201.16 mph by Matt Smith, Sept. '22.

NATIONAL RECORDS

Top Fuel - 3.623 sec. by Brittany Force, Sept. ‘19, Reading; 343.16 mph by Brittany Force, July ‘25, Sonoma

Funny Car - 3.793 sec. by Robert Hight, Aug. '17, Brainerd; 341.68 mph by Austin Prock, Nov. ’24, Pomona

Pro Stock – 6.443 sec. by Greg Anderson, March ’25, Gainesville, Fla.; 215.55 mph by Erica Enders, May ’14 Englishtown, N.J.

Pro Stock Motorcycle - 6.627 sec. by Gaige Herrera, Oct. ’23, Dallas; 205.04 mph by Matt Smith, July ‘22, Sonoma.

EVENT SCHEDULE

SUNDAY, August 31

NHRA Lucas Oil Series Drag Racing Series eliminations at 8:00 a.m. and 5:45 p.m.

Play NHRA All-Star Funny Car Callout eliminations at 12:45, 2:15 and 3:55 p.m.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying at 12:00 p.m. and 2:45 p.m.

MONDAY, September 1

Pre-race Ceremonies at 9:00 a.m.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series eliminations begin at 10:00 a.m.

TELEVISION SCHEDULE

SUNDAY, August 31 FS1 will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 9:30 a.m. (ET)

SUNDAY, August 31 Fox will televise one and half hours of the Play NHRA All-Star Funny Car Callout at 5:00 p.m.

SUNDAY, August 31 FS1 will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 6:30 p.m. (ET)

MONDAY, September 1 FS1 will televise two hours of round 1 finals coverage at 12:00 p.m. (ET)

MONDAY, September 1 Fox will televise three hours of finals coverage at 2:00 p.m. (ET)