NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series has returned to one of the most scenic and historic destinations on the tour, Bristol Dragway for the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. 

The event is the eighth of 20 races this year in the Mission Foods NHRA pro series, and it will include Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle along with the Congruity Pro Mod series, FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown, the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock class, and six classes in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing series.

After two days of qualifying and dodging occasional rain showers, the fields are set in Bristol and there are plenty of dramatic storylines to keep fans entertained. In Top Fuel, Tony Stewart is seeking his sixth consecutive final round and he’s going to do so from the top spot in qualifying. 

Stewart, with two wins this season, qualified No. 1 with his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage entry and also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. Stewart will be paired with No. 14 qualifier Cameron Ferre in round one and if he should win that race, he’ll get a bye run into the semifinals so he has a good chance to extend his lead in the Mission Foods Top Fuel standings.

The most intriguing battle of the day is almost certainly going to be the round one battle between Justin Ashley and Antron Brown, who qualified an uncharacteristically low No. 13. 

Brittany Force, winner of the most recent event in Epping, will also have a tough battle against Ida Zetterström in her JCM/VP Fuels dragster. 

Reigning world champ Austin Prock will lead the Funny Car field after running a 3.931 in his Cornwell Tools Camaro. Prock, coming off a rare early loss in Epping, will take on Buddy Hull in round one. 

Alexis DeJoria turned in her best qualifying performance of the season with a second-best 3.946, and will race against Dave Richards in the opening round of eliminations. 

There is also drama in Funny Car as old rivals Ron Capps and Matt Hagan are set to battle in a round one match that would normally be reserved for the late rounds. 

Epping winner J.R. Todd also has his hands full with a round one race against Rookie of the Year contender Spencer Hyde. 

The Pro Stock field is both quick and compacted with all 16 qualifiers stretching from Dallas Glenn’s 6.645 to Fernando Cuadra Jr’s 6.710. 

The top half of the field also includes Greg Anderson, Matt  Hartford, Aaron Stanfield, and Cody Coughlin, who was the low qualifier in Epping. Coughlin has a tough draw as he’ll race against Greg Stanfield, a five-time world champion in Super Stock.

Erica Enders, the No. 7 qualifier, is also paired against Cory Reed, who is one of the favorites to become NHRA’s next first-time pro winner. 

The storyline in Pro Stock Motorcycle revolves around rookie Brayden Davis, who captured the No. 1 spot aboard the Vance & Hines Suzuki rental bike. Davis, who made his debut earlier this season in Gainesville, will have a bye run in the opening round.

Reigning world champion and defending event winner Gaige Herrea will race against Chris Bostick while Matt Smith is paired with his MSR teammate John Hall. 

Richard Gadson, also a leading contender to become NHRA’s next first time pro winner, begins his day from the No. 2 spot and races Charles Poskey in round one. 

Sunday’s action will also feature the conclusion of final eliminations in the Congruity Pro Mod Series, Johnson’s Horsepower Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock, and the FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown as well as the six Lucas Oil Series Sportsman categories.

2024 EVENT WINNERS
Tony Schumacher, Top Fuel; Austin Prock, Funny Car; Jeg Coughlin Jr., Pr Stock; Gaige Herrera, Pro Stock Motorcycle.
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MOST EVENT VICTORIES
Tony Schumacher, 7 TF; Ron Capps, 6, FC; Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Erica Enders, 3 PS; Gaige Herrera, Steve Johnson, Angelle Sampey and Jerry Savoie, 1, PSM

TRACK RECORDS
Top Fuel - 3.667 sec. by Steve Torrence, October ‘21; 336.49 mph by Justin Ashley, June ’23.
Funny Car - 3.884 sec. by Ron Capps, June ’16; 330.31 mph by Matt Hagan, October ’21.
Pro Stock –  6.613 sec. by Greg Anderson, June ’22; 209.26 mph by Bo Butner, June ’16.
Pro Stock Motorcycle – 6.759 sec. by Matt Smith, June ‘24; 200.05 mph by M. Smith, June ‘24

NATIONAL RECORDS
Top Fuel - 3.623 sec. by Brittany Force, Sept. ‘19, Reading; 341.59 mph by Brittany Force, April. ‘25, Charlotte
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.

SCHEDULE
SUNDAY, June 8
Pre-race ceremonies, 11 a.m.
Mission Foods Series eliminations begin at noon. 

TELEVISION
SUNDAY, June 8, FS1 will televise three hours of finals coverage at 3 p.m. (ET)