Story By: NHRA – INDIANAPOLIS, IN – The event drag racing fans and drivers have waited for all season, the prestigious 68th annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals, is set to take place on Aug. 31-Sept. 5 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, and there’s plenty in store on the sport’s grandest stage.
The biggest, longest, and most historic event in drag racing is set to be one to remember with action across several categories, the specialty Pep Boys NHRA All-Star Callout in both Top Fuel and Funny Car, special concerts throughout the weekend and thrilling bonus events like the Dodge HEMI Challenge and JEGS Allstars for sportsman racers. Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park is also welcoming fans to the Big Go with free parking throughout the entire race weekend.
It is the 16th of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, as well as the final race before the Countdown to the Championship, and there’s nothing like winning a Wally on Labor Day Monday at the Big Go.
A victory on drag racing’s biggest stage ensures a place in the record books, and several top drivers have a chance to add to their legacies in new ways. The Pep Boys NHRA All-Star Top Fuel Callout started in Gainesville in March and now Brittany Force, Steve Torrence, Mike Salinas, and Justin Ashley are the final four in the specialty race, which will conclude on Saturday, Sept. 3. In the Pep Boys All-Star Funny Car Callout, eight drivers will vie for the win on Sunday, Sept. 4 during the special race-within-a-race, with the top three competitors getting a chance to call out their first-round opponent. In all, the specialty events in the thrilling, must-see 11,000-horsepower nitro categories will award an additional $260,000 in prize money during an already massive weekend at the prestigious Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals.
Torrence (Top Fuel), Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all picked up wins a year ago at the Big Go. This year’s race will be broadcast on both the FOX broadcast network and Fox Sports 1 (FS1), including live eliminations coverage starting at 12 p.m. ET on Monday, Sept. 5 on FS1 and continuing at 2 p.m. on FOX.
Top Fuel’s Torrence picked up his second U.S. Nationals win last year, parlaying that success to his fourth straight world championship. Torrence has been on a dominant tear in recent seasons, but he’ll look to pick up his first victory of 2022 at the biggest race of the year. Looking to stop him is a star-studded group of drivers, including points leader Brittany Force, who has four wins this season, four-time 2022 winner Mike Salinas, Tony Schumacher, who leads all NHRA drivers with 10 Indy wins, Justin Ashley, 2019 winner Doug Kalitta, Leah Pruett, Josh Hart, Clay Millican, Antron Brown, and Shawn Langdon, who has a pair of U.S. Nationals wins.
In Funny Car, Wilkerson played the underdog role perfectly a year ago, winning at the Big Go for the second time in his career. This one came 18 years after his first, defeating Ron Capps in the final round and denying the eventual world champ his first U.S. Nationals victory. Capps, a two-time world champ, will try to change that this year and finally crack through at the world’s biggest drag race against a multitude of stars in the class, including points leader Robert Hight, five-time race winner John Force, Dodge drivers Matt Hagan and Cruz Pedregon, Sonoma winner Bob Tasca III, J.R. Todd, who won the race in 2017 and 2018, and 2014 winner Alexis DeJoria,
Enders has reigned supreme in Pro Stock at the prestigious U.S. Nationals the past two seasons and the four-time world champion has been dominant thus far this year, winning six times and taking a commanding lead in the points standings. A third straight win – and her fourth overall at the track – would put her in elite territory, but it won’t be easy in a class loaded with talent. That includes reigning world champ Greg Anderson, who has six Indy wins and 99 career victories, Aaron Stanfield, 2016 winner Chris McGaha, reigning NHRA Rookie of the Year Dallas Glenn, Kyle Koretsky, Troy Coughlin Jr., Matt Hartford, Deric Kramer, Bo Butner, and rookie Camrie Caruso.
Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Angelle Sampey has enjoyed a terrific 2022 season as she aims for her fourth world championship. She is also after her fourth Indy win, as is Krawiec, who is the reigning event winner. That would be the most among active riders, but the competition is stiff as both Vance & Hines riders have to face off with defending world champ Matt Smith, who won the race in 2006, Sonoma winner Joey Gladstone, Steve Johnson, who has a pair of Indy wins, Angie Smith, Ryan Oehler, Jimmy Underdahl and Jerry Savoie.
NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series qualifying for the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals will feature one round at 6:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 2, two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 1:15 and 5:00 p.m. and the final two rounds on Sunday, Sept. 4 at 12:00 and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. ET on Monday, Sept. 5.
The semifinals of the Pep Boys NHRA All-Star Top Fuel Callout take place on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 2:40 p.m., with the final round to follow at 6:25 p.m. The next day, the Pep Boys NHRA All-Star Funny Car Callout will begin with the opening round at 1:20 p.m., the semifinals at 2:45 p.m. and the final round at 4:55 p.m.
Television coverage of the prestigious Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals includes racing action on Fox Sports 1 (FS1) from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 3 and coverage of the Pep Boys NHRA All-Star Funny Car Callout from 4-5:30 p.m. Qualifying action will continue from 5:30-7 p.m. on Sunday on FS1. On Monday, live coverage from eliminations will begin at 12 p.m. on FS1 and continue on FOX from 2-5 p.m.
BETWAY NAMED SPONSOR OF NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS AT ZMAX DRAGWAY
CONCORD, NC – As the NHRA’s best drivers prepare for a pivotal Countdown to the Championship showdown at zMAX Dragway on Sept. 23-25, officials have announced that the event will have a new name. Betway, a global betting and gaming brand, has signed on as the entitlement sponsor for the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals.
The second race in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series’ six-event Countdown to the Championship brings cooler fall temperatures to the lightning-fast drag strip – providing the potential for track-record speeds when nitro-powered Top Fuel and Funny Car machines scorch zMAX Dragway’s pavement in search of a coveted Countdown triumph.
“When you can parlay the visceral on-track NHRA experience and unparalleled access to the drivers, cars and teams, the payout is a great weekend for the fans,” said Charlotte Motor Speedway executive vice president and general manager Greg Walter. “Bringing on board a global partner like Betway, which shares our focus on putting fans first and providing a best-in-class experience, everyone wins big.”
With the entitlement partnership, the first for Betway in motorsports, the company adds the NHRA to a growing list of more than 60 brand partnerships across the globe, ranging from the NBA, NHL and English Premier League to horse racing, cricket and esports, among other properties. In addition to naming rights, Betway will receive an extensive signage package, with visibility both at zMAX Dragway and Charlotte Motor Speedway during its upcoming NASCAR events to help raise awareness of the company, which was founded in 2006.
“The Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals are a huge fixture in the local calendar so it’s exciting for us to partner with Charlotte Motor Speedway, for what will no doubt be another weekend of fun and entertainment at the Concord racetrack,” said Anthony Werkman, CEO of Betway.
The Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals roars to life with back-to-back days of qualifying Friday and Saturday, Sept. 23-24, followed by an action-packed elimination day on Sunday, Sept. 25 that could set drivers up for a final run to the championship. Every ticket is a pit pass, giving fans unmatched access to the drivers and crews who tame the 11,000-horsepower machines and push them to their limits.
STAMPEDE OF SPEED RETURNS OCT. 7-16, ENHANCES FAN EXPERIENCE AROUND NHRA TEXAS FALLNATIONALS AT TEXAS MOTORPLEX
ENNIS, TX – The Stampede of Speed, a 10-day festival of music, drag racing and amazing fan experiences in advance of the NHRA Texas FallNationals, will return in 2022. Hosted once again at the historic Texas Motorplex, the multi-use facility located just 35 minutes from Dallas and Fort Worth, as well as in downtown Waxahachie the Stampede of Speed will feature non-racing activities, concerts, educational and business events for fans from across the country.
“Last year we took a leap of faith with the Stampede of Speed and it paid off with thousands of fans coming to Texas Motorplex, Waxahachie and Ellis County for 10 days of racing and entertainment,” said Christie Meyer Johnson, Texas Motorplex co-owner. “Over the next two weeks we will be unveiling new events, a major country concert line-up, fan contests and additional elements making the second annual Stampede of Speed even bigger than last year. Our goal is to welcome visitors to the great state of Texas and introduce them to our facility, the NHRA playoffs and high quality family-friendly events.”
The second annual Stampede of Speed will once again feature an amazing stable of country music artists headlined by multi-platinum country music star Brett Young during the Stars Over Texas Festival, Sunday, Oct. 9, at Texas Motorplex. In addition to Young, Wade Bowen, Shane Smith and the Saints, Elvie Shane, and Kylie Frey will take the stage to entertain country music and racing fans throughout the afternoon and evening. The Stars Over Texas Festival will also feature the return of the Jambo sponsored BBQ contest, bull riding, beer expo and racing from the Funny Car Chaos champions. Additionally, the track has partnered with Night Lights to provide a once in a lifetime lantern release experience as part of the Stars Over Texas Festival.
“We are thrilled to bring Brett Young to the Stars Over Texas Festival as well as a host of talented country music stars,” said Meyer. “Sunday will be a jam-packed day of everything Texas from bull riding to BBQ capped off with a beautiful lantern release to light up the Texas sky. We’ll have some racing action between the artists to show off what Texas Motorplex has been known for over three decades. I can’t think of a better way to wrap up the opening weekend of the Stampede of Speed.”
The Stampede of Speed, October 7-16, will once again be a ten-day Texas themed motorsports entertainment extravaganza. Highlights of the event include an opening day cattle drive through historic downtown Waxahachie (October 7, noon), Funny Car Chaos Series finale (October 7-8, all-day), Stars Over Texas Festival (October 9, noon-10pm), Scott Palmer Nitro Circus (October 10, 7-9 pm), Pro Mod Shootout (October 11, 7-10 pm), NHRA Fall Nationals professional testing (October 12, 10am-6pm), Champions’ Dinner (October 12, 6pm), NHRA FanFest downtown Waxahachie (October 13, 6 pm), and NHRA Texas FallNationals (October 14-16).
“Fans from all over the country are excited about the return of the Stampede of Speed and ticket sales for the NHRA Fall Nationals are on a record pace,” said Johnson. “Hosting concerts, racing events, fan events and the new addition of the Champions’ Dinner will only continue to make the Stampede of Speed one of the ‘can’t miss’ sporting events of the year.”
The Stampede of Speed event calendar will feature ticketed and non-ticketed events leading up to the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals.
