NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

With one get-reacquainted run down the Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park track under their belts Friday, teams will know more of what to expect for today’s final two qualifying sessions of the Arizona Nationals. 

Friday’s great conditions caught some team unprepared, especially in Top Fuel, where crew chiefs underestimated the good traction and shook the tires.

Only three Top Fuelers made it down the track Friday, but Doug Kalitta’s standout 3.65 was worth the price of admission alone. The career-best pass for Top Fuel’s most experienced pilot showed the wisdom of the Kalitta team hiring multi-time world champ tuner Alan Johnson over the winter.

Kalitta’s provisional pole run also will help him greatly in his bid to make the eight-car field for the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout event next month in Gainesville. Kalitta is currently not among the top eight, but this run went a long way towards getting him in.

Robert Hight hit it out of the park with his lone run Friday to lead the Funny car pack. His 3.838 was the best pass since the 2020 Winternationals and shows that the Winternationals champ is out for blood this year after a tough 2021.

Hight’s boss, 16-time world champ John Force also had a great run of 3.851 to sit second, a marked improvement from the Winternationals where he qualified just 16th. Behind Force is Tim Wilkerson with an impressive 3.852 and former world champ Matt Hagan at 3.859,

Enders, like Hight, carried the momentum of her Winternationals Pro Stock win into Phoenix, putting her Melling Performance Camaro into the No. 1 spot, as she did in Pomona, And again, her Elite Motorsports teammate, Aaron Stanfield, was right behind her in the No. 2 spot. Enders won the Arizona Nationals in 2020, the last time the event was contested, but she says she’s not certain that her run will hold up for the top spot with favorable conditions returning Saturday.

You can catch the action all weekend on FOX Sports 1 and NHRA.tv.

You can follow NHRA on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to get a closer look at the action.

2020 EVENT WINNERS*

Steve Torrence, Top Fuel; Tommy Johnson Jr., Funny Car; Erica Enders, Pro Stock
*: *No event in 2021 due to COVID-19

MOST EVENT VICTORIES: Tony Schumacher, 5, TF; John Force, 8, FC; Bob Glidden, 5, PS.

TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel - 3.643 seconds by Brittany Force, Feb. '20; 337.92 mph by Brittany Force, Feb., ‘20.
Funny Car - 3.826 seconds by Courtney Force, Feb. '18; 337.19 mph by Courtney Force, Feb. '18.
Pro Stock - 6.498 seconds by Mike Edwards, Feb. '13; 213.77 mph by Mike Edwards, Feb. '13.

SCHEDULE:

NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series qualifying concludes with the final two rounds, at 1 and 4 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 27. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday on FS1, and then eliminations action at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday.

TV SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, Feb. 26, FS1 will televise one hour of qualifying highlights at 11 a.m. (ET)
SATURDAY, Feb. 26, FS1 will televise one hour of qualifying highlights at 7:30 p.m. (ET)
SUNDAY, Feb.27, FS1 will televise three hours of finals coverage at 7 p.m. (ET)

TICKETS

To purchase tickets, call 800-884-NHRA (6472) or touch here. Children 12 and under are admitted free in general-admission areas with a paid adult.