NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Historic Bristol Dragway first opened in 1965 and hosted the Spring Nationals from 1965-1967. The track returned to the NHRA tour in 1999 with the Winston No Bull Showdown, a unique event that pitted Top Fuel dragster and Funny Car against each other. Since the 2000 season, it has been a mainstay of the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series schedule. 

Tony Schumacher and Ron Capps are arguably the most successful nitro racers in the history of the Bristol track with seven wins each in Top Fuel and Funny Car, respectively.

The defending event winners are Austin Prock, Jeg Coughlin Jr., and Gaige Herrera in Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Schumacher won the 2024 event in Top Fuel, but is not competing at this event, although he’s expected to make his return soon.

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Prior to the start of Friday’s professional qualifying, Del Worsham was honored as one of the Legends of Thunder Valley, and his name was added to the maquee that hangs over the pit side grandstands. Worsham won Bristol Funny Car titles in 2003 and 2009 and also has a victory during the track’s IHRA days. 

Although he grew up in Southern California, Worsham was well aware of Bristol’s reputation as one of the sport’s crown jewels, and unique challenge the track presents with its elevation and surrounding mountains.

Worsham returns to Thunder Valley this season as a team owner with 2023 NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster world champion Julie Nataas making her nitro Funny Car debut. 

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PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE Q1

In a move that should come as a bit of a surprise, neither Gaige Herrera nor Matt Smith was the low qualifier after the opening run qualifying session in Pro Stock Motorcycle. 

Instead, that honor, and the three bonus points that accompany it, went to Richard Gadson, who rode the RevZilla/Vance & Hines Suzuki to a 6.894 to take the provisional pole in Bristol. 

Smith and Herrera did not finish second or third, either. That went to rookie Brayden Davis and Angie Smith. Davis, who is riding a lease bike from the Vance & Hines team. Davis, who made his NHRA debut earlier this year in Gainesville, was impressive with a 6.899 to take the second spot. Angie Smith rode to a 6.907 for the third spot.

Herrera, the winner of the most recent event in Chicago and the defending event winner, is fourth at 6.915 while Smith finished No. 5 with a 6.924 on his Denso Buell.

PRO STOCK Q1

With just one session in the books the Bristol Pro Stock field is already shaping up to be historic. While the combination of high altitude and humid weather figured to keep performances in check, the field is already close, and with three runs remaining, it’s only going to get closer.

Matt Hartford, fresh off a trip to the Monaco Grand Prix, put his Total Seal Camaro into the top spot with a 6.682, but he’s got plenty of company. 

Hartford noted that he “could have driven a little bit better,” but was otherwise happy with the run.

The top eight drivers are qualified at 6.703 or quicker including Cory Reed at 6.692 and Cristian Cuadra, who leads the Elite fleet at 6.693. David Cuadra, Greg Stanfield, Erica Enders, and Aaron Stanfield also ran 6.69 elapsed times.

Dallas Glenn is eighth-quickest at 6.703 while current championship leader Greg Anderson shook the tires in his HendrickCars.com Camaro and slipped to a 6.721 for the No. 15 spot. The current bump is  Chris McGaha at 6.731 in the Harlow Sammons Camaro.  There are 19 cars competing for just 16 spots in Sunday’s final eliminations.

FUNNY CAR Q1

Racing in Bristol is a difficult for most teams and crew chiefs and that challenge was on full display in round one of Funny Car qualifying where most of the teams were not able to make a full run to the finish line. 

After the first six cars either smoked or shook the tires, Daniel Wilkerson led the way with a 4.095, 3.09.42 in the SCAG Power Equipment entry. 

J.R. Todd, fresh off his win last week in Epping, was on his way to what appeared to be a competitive run before his DHL Toyota knocked the tires loose at half track. Todd and opponent Ron Capps gfot a surprise in the shutdown area when a brief thunderstorm popped up just as they were in the shutdown area. 

Following a 20-minute delay, Matt Hagan took over the top spot briefly with a 4.060, much to the delight of the many supporters on hand from sponsor Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage.

The final pair featured championship leaders Austin Prock and Jack Beckman and they gave the fans what they were looking for with side-by-side three-second runs. Beckman took the top spot at 3.971 while Prock was close behind at 3.995 in his Cornwell Tools Camaro. 

“I liked this better than the last run,” said Beckman, referring to his run in with the guardwall last weekend in Epping. Beckman added that the JFR team made few adjustments during the brief rain delay, but also acknowledged the team benefited from improved conditions. 

TOP FUEL Q1

It took a couple of pairs for Top Fuel dragsters to find their footing but there were plenty of solid runs to behind to shape the Bristol field. Josh Hart made the first “full pull” with a 3.860 at over 324-mph.

Clay Millican and Justin Ashley challenged Hart with runs of 3.889 and 3.886 respectively, while Epping winner Brittany Force chimed in with a 3.899 at an early shut off 288.95 in her Monster Energy dragster.

Doug Kalitta debuted his new Aflic colors with a 3.909 and then Shawn Langdon closed out the round with the best run of he session at 3.800, 328.54 while points leader Tony Stewart smoked the tires and shut off early.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE Q2

As expected there was significant improvement during Friday’s second session, and a big surprise as rookie Brayden Davis went to the top spot with a 6.870 aboard the Vance & Hines rental bike. Davis held off his new teammate, Richard Gadson, who improved slightly to a 6.879.

Matt Smith did not challenge for the top spot, but he did make a sizable improvement going from 6.963 to 6.921 on his Denso Buell. 

Gaige Herrera also did not make the move many had expected, but he did go from a 6.924 to a 6.916 to remain in the top half of the field. 

Steve Johnson was also noteworthy as he moved up the ladder thanks to a 6.967.

PRO STOCK Q2

The Pro Stock field got quicker and tighter as the Factory Hot Rods took center stage under the lights in Bristol. Greg Anderson ran early in the session, and as many had expected, took over the top spot at 6.655. 

Anderson wasn’t the only driver to improve, but he remained atop the quick field until teammate Dallas Glenn knocked him off with a 6.645 in his RAD Torque Systems Camaro.

 Matt Latino also made an impressive pass with a 6.677 in his GESi Camaro while David Cuadra also ran 6.687 to maintain a top half qualifying spot.

Erica Enders picked up a couple of hundredths with a 6.670 and her teammate, Aaron Stanfield, was also very impressive at 6.666.

The final pair featured Q1 leaders Matt Hartford and Cory Reed, who both improved, but did not run quick enough to unseat Glenn and Anderson.

FUNNY CAR Q2

The Funny Car session was rolling along with numerous three second runs until a thunderstorm ended racing for the evening. Before the rains hit, Alexis DeJoria took over the top spot in her Bandero Toyota with a 3.948 while Ron Capps also made a solid run with a 3.960.

Cruz Pedregon continued to build on his recent string of solid runs with a 4.018 while Julie Nataas was inpressive in her Funny Car debut thanks to a 4.037 in Del Worsham's Airmine Toyota.

Early leaders Jack Beckman and Austin Prock did not get to run as they were in the water box when the rain hit.