NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

After two raucous days of qualifying at Bristol Dragway, the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series competitors in all four professional classes are gearing up for a barnburner in the hills of Tennessee as raceday at the Thunder Valley Nationals dawns. Two drivers already have trophies in hand – earned on Saturday in Bristol at the conclusion of the rain-delayed New England Nationals – and they'll be looking for the rare and treasured double. 

After qualifying on the pole, Leah Pruett and her Rush Truck Centers dragster will come to the starting line for a first-round meeting with Spencer Massey. Both drivers started in the Jr. dragster ranks and worked their way up to the upper echelon of drag racing, and they're each hoping to etch a new line in their history books with first-time wins in Thunder  Valley. =

After being inducted into Bristol Dragway's Legends of Thunder Valley on Sunday morning, six-time Bristol winner Tony Schumacher is looking to continue a surge of momentum that kicked into effect this weekend. He came up one win light short in the previous day's rain-delayed New England Nationals. After claiming a lone win light so far this season, Schumacher's three round wins in the Epping event could be a signal that the tides have turned. SCAG Power Equipment-backed Schumacher will race Dan Mercier in round one. 

Justin Ashley's New England Nationals win – complemented by the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge victory – marked his third of the season and eighth of his career. Ashley will be looking for the double and will start with a first-round meeting with Doug Foley.

Points leader Steve Torrence is eager to build on a semifinals appearance in the Epping race, and he'll begin with a first-round meeting with Shawn Langdon, who's just as eager to get into recovery mode after two first-round losses. 

Other first-round pairings: Austin Prock and Cameron Ferre; Mike Salinas and Josh Hart; Brittany Force and Antron Brown; and Doug Kalitta and Clay Millican. 

Robert Hight and his AAA/Cornwell Tools Chevrolet won this race in 2011, and after qualifying No. 1 here, he's shown he has the capability of repeating. He was deeply disappointed by a second-round loss in the Epping event, and one would expect he'll charge into raceday with a little extra fire in his belly. He'll race Alex Laughlin in the first round.

Incoming points leader Matt Hagan was off-course in Charlotte and Chicago with first-round losses after winning three of the first four events, and a second-loss in the New England Nationals competition did little to increase his level of satisfaction. He'll be starting from the No. 8 spot and square off with Mike McIntire Jr. in round one. 

One of the great stories of the weekend so far is Bob Tasca III's long-awaited New England Nationals win – the New England native has never won his home event, and although one might consider closing the deal at Bristol a bittersweet win, it wasn't for Tasca. He grew up racing at Bristol Dragway, and a photo of his grandfather even hangs in the tower. It's a second-home for Tasca, and bringing two trophies back to New England would not only please the fine folks at PPG, it would also be meaningful a meaningful pin in a season that is on track to be one of Tasca's finest. He entered his weekend No. 7 in the Funny Car points, and with the Epping win, he's already moved up to No. 5. He'll race Bobby Bode in round one. 

Alexis DeJoria will race Cruz Pedregon; Ron Capps and Dave Richards will square off; J.R. Todd and John Force will go to battle; Chad Green will take on Terry Haddock; and Tim Wilkerson will have a first-round meeting with Dale Creasy Jr.

After earning the 30th low qualifier award of her career in a season that has so far included not a whole lot of reasons to celebrate, five-time champion Erica Enders, driving the Johnson's Horsepowered Garage Chevrolet, appears to be back on track and a threat for the Bristol Dragway trophy. Enders has won here twice – back-to-back in 2014 and 2015 – and she is looking for the 44th win of her career. She'll have to get past Mason McGaha in the first round, a driver she has raced four times in the first round with tied results. McGaha's two first-round wins over the reigning champ came by way of a holeshot, but overall, Enders has an 8-2 advantage over young McGaha in elimination rounds. 

Defending event champion Aaron Stanfield, wheeling the Janac Bros. Pro Stocker out of the Elite Motorsports stable, won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday, so he's got a little momentum going towards his first national event win of the year. He'll race Fernando Cuadra Jr. in round one. 

Incoming points leader Dallas Glenn and his RAD Torque Systems Camaro will start the day with a round-one meeting with KB Titan Racing teammate Matt Hartford. Glenn, with three wins on the season, qualified in the No. 5 position. The KB Titan Racing clan is a tick behind the Elite Motorsports group this weekend – Elite occupies the top three qualifying positions – and conditions have shifted on Sunday at Bristol Dragway. It's a whole new day for the battling houses of horsepower. 

Kyle Koretsky will race Shane Tucker; Greg Anderson will take on Jerry Tucker; and it'll be Deric Kramer vs. Troy Couglin Jr.; Cristian Cuadra vs. David Cuadra; and Camrie Caruso vs; Bo Butner. 

Pro Stock Motorcycle's Gaige Herrera is the talk of the town – heck, he's the talk of every town, right now – but Herrera himself said he knows he cannot stay on top forever. Will Bristol Dragway be his downfall? His competition certainly hopes so, as he's swept the table at every event so far in 2023, his debut season with the Vance & Hines Mission Foods team. Herrera and his Suzuki will be targeting Ron Tornow in round one. 

The Pro Stock Motorcycle racers have only ever competed at Bristol Dragway two times before, and neither Angelle Sampey, the 2021 winner, nor Jerry Savoie, the defending event champion, are here to repeat. Bristol is guaranteed a first-time winner, and after a runner-up in Chicago, veteran racer Chip Ellis would appreciate the honor. He'll race John Hall in round one.

Hector Arana Jr. is on a heck of a bike, though, with his GETTRX Buell, and starting from the No. 2 spot with top speed of the event, he'll be charged up to get past fresh-faced Marcus Hylton, who made his debut at the Charlotte Four-Wide Nationals. 

Never, ever count out six-time champion Matt Smith, though. He's No. 3 in the points with his DENSO machine – behind Herrera's Vance & Hines Mission teammate Eddie Krawiec – and he'll be racing Chase Van Sant in round one. Rookie rider Van Sant, too, is in the thick of things aboard the White Alligator Racing Trick Tools Suzuki. He's No. 4 in the points entering the event. 

Angie Smith will race Jianna Evaristo; Marc Ingwersen and Ryan Oehler will go head-to-head; Krawiec will race Kelly Clontz; and Steve Johnson is paired with Joey Gladstone.

2022 EVENT WINNERS

Justin Ashley, Top Fuel; Ron Capps, Funny Car; Aaron Stanfield, Pro Stock; Jerry Savoie, Pro Stock Motorcycle

MOST VICTORIES

Tony Schumacher, 6, TF; Ron Capps, 6, FC; Mike Edwards, 2, Pro Stock; Angelle Sampey and Jerry Savoie, 1 each, Pro Stock Motorcycle

TRACK RECORDS

Top Fuel - 3.667 seconds by Steve Torrence, Oct. '21; 334.48 mph by Justin Ashley, Oct. '21

Funny Car - 3.884 seconds by Ron Capps, June '16; 330.31 mph by Matt hagan, Oct. '21

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. 

EVENT SCHEDULE

SUNDAY, June 11 

NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series eliminations begin at noon 

TELEVISION SCHEDULE

SUNDAY, June 11, FS1 will televise one and a half hours of Bristol qualifying at 12:30 p.m. ET 

SUNDAY, June 11, FS1 will televise three hours of Bristol finals coverage at 7:00 p.m. ET

Or watch all day on NHRA.tv