NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

NHRA fans participating in gaming as part of the PlayNHRA initiative continue to have the opportunity to place wagers on the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series champions in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Following the completion of the Texas NHRA FallNationals, the Countdown to the Championship has two events remaining, and the experts at Alt Sports Data have provided updated odds for season champions in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle.

The Funny Car battle is nearly a lock because season-long leader Austin Prock currently holds a massive 147-point lead over his teammate, John Force, who is using Jack Beckman as his replacement driver for the balance of the season. Prock will enter the final race of the season in first place, no matter what happens at the penultimate event in Las Vegas, so it’s no surprise the oddsmakers have him listed at a staggering -9,900, which means a $10 wager would return a profit of just 10 cents. Every other Funny Car driver in the field is listed at +4,900, which means the same $10 wager would return a $490 profit with a total payout of $500 should someone be able to pull off a miraculous late-season rally.

The other three Professional classes are quite a bit more competitive, including Top Fuel, where the top five drivers are separated by just 105 points. Dallas winner Justin Ashley has assumed the favorite’s role at -121, followed by three-time world champion Antron Brown at +201. Brown is just 44 points behind, and with points and a half available at the season-ending In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals, that’s a manageable number. Steve Torrence, who is seeking his fifth world title, can be had for a price of +601, while Shawn Langdon represents a value pick at +1,079.

 The Pro Stock field is wide open with 13 drivers officially in contention for the title, including incoming leader Dallas Glenn, who has odds of +194, while four-time champ Greg Anderson is a close second at +211. Erica Enders and Aaron Stanfield, who both race under the Elite Motorsports/Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage banner, are also considered favorites with odds of +358 and +565, respectively. Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin Jr., who returned to the Elite team on a full-time basis this year, is priced at +1,166 to win a sixth Pro Stock championship this season.

The situation in Pro Stock Motorcycle isn’t quite as dire as in Funny Car, but it’s close. Gaige Herrera has a solid  62-point lead over six-time champion Matt Smith, and that is reflected in his odds. Herrera’s current price is -2,199, while Smith is at +414. Realistically, the battle for the title is a two-horse race as Herrera’s teammate Richard Gadson sits third, but he is 166 points out of the lead with just eight rounds of racing left in the season.

Wagering on season champions is a part of the PlayNHRA initiative, NHRA’s partnerships with leading sports books and fantasy sports providers, which enables fans to sign up for free and legally wager on national events and other outcomes in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.