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Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals Saturday/Mission Challenge preview

Saturday has dawned bright and beautiful again at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park as the world's biggest drag race kicks into another gear with an action-packed day of more Sportsman eliminations and two more rounds of qualifying in the Camping World classes.
02 Sep 2023
NHRA National Dragster staff
Race coverage
Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals

Saturday has dawned bright and beautiful again at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park as the world's biggest drag race kicks into another gear with an action-packed day of more Sportsman eliminations and two more rounds of qualifying in the Camping World classes. Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are the incoming leaders after last night's lone get-acquainted sessions.

Teams will run in at least four different types of weather using the five qualifying sessions, which will test each team's tune-up depth and ability to adapt to ever-shifting weather conditions because this is, after all, the Midwest,

Today will also feature official callouts for Sunday's Pep Boys NHRA Allstar Funny Car Callout, featuring eight supoerstras of the class -- Robert Hight, defending Callout winner Ron Capps, Bob Tasca III, Matt Hagan, John Force, Alexis DeJoria, Cruz Pedregon, and Tim Wilkerson -- in a three-round shootout for big bucks.

Today will also host the final Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge of the season, featuring the semifinalists in TOp Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro stock from the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and the Pro Stock Motorcycle semifinals from the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals. here's a look at those fields:

The final issio Challenge will also determine the mini-series' four champions and drivers will get the chance to earn their final bonus points that will be awarded after the Countdown to the Championship points reset.

But back to the U.S. nationals. Here's you're official cheat sheet for the event:

2022 EVENT WINNERS

Antron Brown, Top Fuel; Ron Capps, Funny Car; Greg Anderson, Pro Stock; Matt Smith, Pro Stock Motorcycle

 MOST VICTORIES

Tony Schumacher, 10, TF; John Force, Ed McCulloch, 5, FC; Bob Glidden, 9, Pro Stock, Dave Schultz, 6, Pro Stock Motorcycle.

TRACK RECORDS

Top Fuel - 3.640 seconds by Brittany Force, Sept. '22; 337.75 mph by Brittany Force, Sept. ‘22

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

Pro Stock - 6.538 seconds by Jason Line, Sept. '11; 211.13 mph by Mike Edwards, Sept. '12

Pro Stock Motorcycle – 6.746 seconds by Gaige Herrera, Sept. 23; 201.16 mph by Matt Smith, Sept. 22.

NATIONAL RECORDS

Top Fuel - 3.623 sec. by Brittany Force, Sept. '19, Reading, Pa.; 338.94 mph by Brittany Force, Nov. ‘22, Pomona, Calif.

Funny Car - 3.793 sec. by Robert Hight, Aug. '17, Brainerd; 339.87 mph by Robert Hight, July ’17, Sonoma, Calif.

Pro Stock - 6.450 sec. by Erica Enders, March '22, Gainesville, Fla.; 215.55 mph by Erica Enders, May '14, Englishtown, N.J.

Pro Stock Motorcycle - 6.665 sec. by Karen Stoffer, March 22, Gainesville, Fla.; 205.04 mph by Matt Smith, Sonoma, Calif., July 21.


EVENT SCHEDULE (Eastern Time)

SATURDAY, September 2

Lucas Oil Series Drag Racing Series eliminations at 8 a.m.
NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series qualifying at 2:15 p.m. and 5:45 p.m.

SUNDAY, September 3

Lucas Oil Series eliminations at 8 a.m.

NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series qualifying at 2:15 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.

MONDAY, September 4

Pre-Race ceremonies begin at 9 a.m.

NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series eliminations begin at 10:00 a.m.

TELEVISION SCHEDULE

SUNDAY, Sept. 3, FOX TV will televise 90 minutes of Funny Car Allstar Callout coverage at 4:00 p.m. ET

MONDAY, Sept. 4, FS1 will televise two hours of finals coverage at noon.

Monday, Sept. 4, FOX TV will televise three hours of finals coverage at 2 p.m.

Watch all day on NHRA.tv