NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Off to a solid start to open her 2023 season in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, Top Fuel star Leah Pruett is ready to take the next step this year at this weekend’s NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Pruett has raced to a pair of semifinal berths over the first three races this season, making strong progress and seeing plenty of improvement from her Tony Stewart Racing Top Fuel team. An early-season victory would do even more for the group’s momentum, especially in the challenging – and thrilling – four-wide setting in Las Vegas.

Pruett, who won last year in Denver to give Tony Stewart Racing its first Top Fuel win, is after her first victory at the facility. She qualified well at the four-wide race last spring, taking the third spot and just missing out on advancing to the final quad. With the team showing early promise, Pruett likes her chances this weekend in her 11,000-horsepower Code 3 Associates dragster.

“I think the four-wide event comes at an appropriate time in the season,” Pruett said. “The offseason rust is kicked off, and everyone is moving and grooving in working order. We shook off all the single passes of the offseason, gathered a couple dozen side-by-side hits, and now turn it up with the focus of four-wide.
 
“I am working to get a lower median reaction time and garnish a string of validation that the moves we are making with our hot rod are in the right direction. We made wholesale changes earlier and are now in more of the fine-tuning realm, so responsiveness and validation are what I’m looking for. Those two elements are the yellow brick road that will lead us to Wally contention this weekend.”
 
Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) were last year’s winners of a race that will again be broadcast on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) this season, including eliminations action beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 16. It’s the fourth of 21 races during the 2023 season, and Pruett is currently sixth in points in a loaded field, looking to make a move at the first of two four-wide events this year.

The first four-wide race of the 2022 campaign predicted later success a year ago, as Force, Capps, and Enders all won world titles to finish the season, which Pruett would love to see repeat if she can pick up a victory this weekend in Las Vegas. But it won’t be easy in a star-studded field that includes points leader Justin Ashley, who has two straight wins this year, Force, Steve Torrence, Antron Brown, Tony Schumacher, Gainesville winner Mike Salinas, Doug Kalitta, and Austin Prock.
 
Plus, there’s all of the unique challenges of a four-wide race, which Pruett is focused on as the 10-time event winner heads into what she hopes is a successful weekend.

“Ultimately, crews, crew chiefs, and drivers need to exercise maximum situational awareness on the line,” Pruett said. “We have to pay attention to what all of the communication signs mean because so much can change so fast. Someone can break, so drivers have to know what bulbs we expect to be lit or not and therefore not get timed-out.
 
“Basically, you want to get staged as soon as possible because the alignment of four cars to get to the stage beams eats up 5-10 seconds on average, so you’re already burning more fuel than normal. Balancing your cadence is key for consistency.”

NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. PT on Friday, April 14, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, April 15 at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Eliminations will begin at noon PT on Sunday, April 16. Television coverage includes qualifying action at 9:30 p.m. ET on both Friday and Saturday on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), leading into eliminations coverage at 9:30 p.m. ET on Sunday at FS1.
 
To purchase tickets to the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general-admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket.