Fields set for Countdown To The Championship in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – September 6, 2023 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series regular season came to a thrilling conclusion on Monday at the world’s biggest drag race, the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals, setting the stage for an epic Countdown to the Championship.

The six-race playoffs open next weekend with the 38th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway and also includes races in Charlotte, St. Louis, Dallas, Las Vegas and Pomona. The points reset for the Countdown to the Championship includes an added wrinkle in 2023 with the addition of bonus points earned during the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge.

The specialty race took place on Saturdays at 12 races this season, adding a bonus purse and bonus points to the equation for the first time. Nobody took advantage more than Top Fuel points leader Justin Ashley, who won the bonus race six times. In all, he earned 21 bonus points – 10 more than second-place Steve Torrence – and Ashley will open the playoffs with a 30-point advantage over the four-time world champ (2,121 to 2,091), looking to win his first world title.

“We accomplished our goal. We’re going into the Countdown as the number one seed and we feel good about that,” Ashley said. “There are no easy draws when it comes to the Countdown. Our team is really running well right now and everyone’s hitting their groove. We’re happy that we finished number one, it’s going to give us the best advantage that we could possibly ask for. However, it’s going to be tough out there. It’s going to be a grind. It’s going to be an absolute fight.”

Indy winner Antron Brown is 44 points behind Ashley in third, while Leah Pruett and defending world champ Brittany Force round out the top five at 58 and 68 points behind Ashley, respectively. Doug Kalitta (2,046), Mike Salinas (2,033), Austin Prock (2,025), Clay Millican (2,013), Josh Hart (2,000), Shawn Langdon (1,992) and Tony Schumacher (1,982) round out the loaded Top Fuel playoff field.

In Funny Car, Ron Capps finished the regular season on a huge high, winning the last two events to take the points lead into the Countdown to the Championship. That includes an incredible win on Monday at the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals and Capps also gets a boost by earning a class-best 14 points in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge during the regular season.

Going for a third straight Funny Car title – something that hasn’t been done since John Force wrapped up 10 straight championships in 2002 – Capps will open the playoffs with a 24-point lead over Hagan (2,114 to 2,090), earning four more Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge points. Robert Hight will start 38 points behind Capps, with Bob Tasca III 48 points back in fourth and J.R. Todd 56 points from the lead in fifth. Alexis DeJoria (2,047), Chad Green (2,036), Tim Wilkerson (2,020), John Force (2,015), Cruz Pedregon (2,000) and Alex Laughlin (1,990) round out the field, and Capps knows the challenge ahead.

“There’s so many good cars right now,” Capps said. “We know the hitters, but you go down the list of everyone in the Countdown and it’s a car that can win on any Sunday. Funny Car is unbelievable right now and we just hope to keep the momentum with our hot rod. It’s going to be a throw down.”

Dallas Glenn enjoyed a dominant regular season in Pro Stock, winning four times, a career-best for the former NHRA Rookie of the Year. He earned eight bonus points in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge – five more than second-place Matt Hartford – giving Glenn a 25-point lead (2,108 to 2,083) heading into the Countdown to the Championship.

Hartford, meanwhile, has plenty of momentum after winning the U.S. Nationals and is confident he can compete for a championship.

“Everyone says that Dallas Glenn has had the best car this year but that’s not true. He’s been the best driver, but I’ve got the best car,” Hartford said. “I just need to continue to focus and not make mistakes and you’ll see that in the Countdown.”

Reigning world champion Erica Enders will start her quest for a sixth world championship 32 points behind Glenn, while Troy Coughlin Jr. is 41 points out of first. Deric Kramer rounds out of the top five, trailing Glenn by 52 points, and the rest of the playoff field includes Aaron Stanfield (2,048), Greg Anderson (2,035), Kyle Koretsky (2,024), Camrie Caruso (2,011), Cristian Cuadra (2,000), Bo Butner (1,990), Fernando Cuadra Jr. (1,980), Jerry Tucker (1,970), Mason McGaha (1,960), Chris McGaha (1,950) and Fernando Cuadra (1,940).

Gaige Herrera’s 2023 regular season in Pro Stock Motorcycle included an incredible six event wins and four victories in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, handing the talented rider 13 bonus points and nine more than second-place Matt Smith. He’ll enter the postseason with 2,113 points, 29 more than Smith (2,084), who comes off a victory at the U.S. Nationals on Monday.

“The way I see it, this championship is Gaige’s to lose,” Herrera said. “The whole class gained on him (with the points reset). Now, we just need to get him out early. I wasn’t sure if a seventh (championship) was possible this year, but now I know I can do it.”

Hector Arana Jr. is 37 points back of Herrera, with Eddie Krawiec (2,062) and Angie Smith (2,056) rounding out the top five. The rest of the playoff field includes Steve Johnson (2,042), Chase Van Sant (2,032), Marc Ingwersen (2,020), Jianna Evaristo (2,010), Kelly Clontz (2,000), Ryan Oehler (1,990) and Chris Bostick (1,980).

To purchase tickets to any of the six races in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets.

COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS

(includes bonus points earned in Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge)

Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge Bonus Points

Top Fuel: Justin Ashley 21; Steve Torrence 11; Antron Brown 7; Doug Kalitta 6; Austin Prock 5; Leah Pruett 3; Mike Salinas 3; Brittany Force 3; Clay Millican 3; Shawn Langdon 2; Tony Schumacher 2.

Funny Car: Ron Capps 14; Matt Hagan 10; J.R. Todd 8; Alexis DeJoria 7; Chad Green 6; Bob Tasca III 6; Robert Hight 6; John Force 5; Blake Alexander 2; Terry Haddock 2

Pro Stock: Aaron Stanfield 8; Dallas Glenn 8; Troy Coughlin Jr. 7; Deric Kramer 6; Erica Enders 6; Greg Anderson 5; Kyle Koretsky 4; Matt Hartford 3; Camrie Caruso 1.

Pro Stock Motorcycle: Gaige Herrera 13; Angie Smith 6; Hector Arana Jr. 6; Matt Smith 4; Steve Johnson 2; Eddie Krawiec 2; Chase Van Sant 2; Chip Ellis 1.

COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

Sept. 14-17: 38th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals, Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, Pa.

Sept. 22-24: 15th annual Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals, zMAX Dragway, Charlotte.

Sept. 29-Oct. 1: 12th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals, World Wide Technology Raceway, St. Louis

Oct. 12-15: 38th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals, Texas Motorplex, Dallas

Oct. 26-29: 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas

Nov. 9-12: 58th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals, In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, Pomona, Calif.

Visit  www.nhra.com/tickets to purchase tickets to any Countdown event

About Camping World Holdings, Inc.

Camping World Holdings, Inc., headquartered in Lincolnshire, IL, (together with its subsidiaries) is America’s largest retailer of RVs and related products and services. Our vision is to build a long-term legacy business that makes RVing fun and easy, and our Camping World and Good Sam brands have been serving RV consumers since 1966. We strive to build long-term value for our customers, employees, and shareholders by combining a unique and comprehensive assortment of RV products and services with a national network of RV dealerships, service centers and customer support centers along with the industry’s most extensive online presence and a highly trained and knowledgeable team of associates serving our customers, the RV lifestyle, and the communities in which we operate. We also believe that our Good Sam organization and family of programs and services uniquely enable us to connect with our customers as stewards of the RV enthusiast community and the RV lifestyle. With RV sales and service locations in 42 states, Camping World has grown to become the prime destinations for everything RV. For more information, visit www.CampingWorld.com

About NHRA

Headquartered in San Dimas, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 21 national events featuring the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports, Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown™ and Top Fuel Harley Series. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 120 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Source: National Hot Rod Association 

####