NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

In addition to the Camping World Drag Racing Series action taking place at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, eight champions were also crowned in Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competition at the NHRA Nevada Nationals, led by Jeff Taylor, who collected his milestone 50th career win.

Jeff Taylor became the 22nd driver in NHRA history to reach the 50-win plateau when he defeated Jarrod Granier in the Comp final in Las Vegas. Taylor, whose 49th win came in Stock almost a year ago at the NHRA Finals, ran a (-.51) 7.08 to defeat Granier’s (-.46) 8.57. It was Taylor’s 11th career win in Comp but his first since the Finals in 2006. Taylor is now an impressive 50-21 in final rounds. [video]

Two weeks after reaching her first career national event final round in Dallas, third-generation alcohol racer Madison Payne collected her first Top Alcohol Dragster win, defeating motorsports superstar Tony Stewart, who reached the final round in his first start in the Rich McPhillips-tuned Mobil 1 entry. Payne joined her father Jay, mother Shelly, grandfather Brad Anderson, and uncle Randy Anderson as a national event winner when she wheeled Duane Shields’ Muscle Milk dragster to a razor-thin .0002-second victory over Stewart. [video]

2020 world champ Doug Gordon’s milestone 20th win was a big one as it kept alive his hopes for a second Top Alcohol Funny Car world championship. Gordon, who also won the spring event in Las Vegas, defeated Annie Whiteley to clinch the win, his fourth of the season and his first national event score since a nasty wreck in Brainerd in August. [video]

Tyler Wudarczyk claimed the fifth win of his career and second of the 2022 season when he took out five-time world champ Greg Stanfield in the Super Stock final. Wudarczyk won the double-breakout battle with a 10.688 on his 10.69 dial. As for Stanfield, he took over the championship lead with his runner-up finish. [video]

Leo Glasbrenner completed a perfect score of three wins in 2022 by topping Steve Wann in the double-breakout Stock final. Glasbrenner, who kicked off the season with wins in Pomona and Phoenix, has now moved to fifth in the Stock standings. [video]

Ken Mostowich broke a six-year national event dry spell with his Super Comp victory, his second in the class. Mostowich, whose most recent win came in Super Gas at the spring Las Vegas event, was .008 on the Tree and ran 9.079 on the 9.05 index to push out Gabriel Torres, who broke out by 002-second with a 9.048. Mostowich’s win in a doorslammer in Super Comp is only the second such occurrence in the last dozen years. [video]

Chris Lewis collected his second Super Gas Wally of the season, following up on his win earlier this year in Bristol with a narrow final-round victory over Dave Holmes. Lewis, who was forced to change engines during time trials, adjusted well as he was just .004-second off the 10.05 index to overcome Holmes’ better light for the victory. [video]

Driving a borrowed car, Aaron Steinkey won his first national event in Top Dragster presented by Vortech Superchargers when he defeated Jeff Korn in the final. Steinkey quickly adapted to his new ride with a .009 light in the final coupled with a 6.850 on his 6.84 dial. [video]