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Here is a banger edit I made from footage I shot at the Gatornationals this year

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Las Vegas 4-Wide Nationals Recap

For the first time this season, the NHRA has back-to-back race weekends as the NHRA heads to Las Vegas for the first of two 4-Wide Nationals. These races are different that your standard 2-Wide race at every other National Event as instead of two cars race and one advance, four cars will stage side by side by side by side and the first two to cross the line will move on to the next round, one other thing is that you earn 20 points for advancing a round and while tow wides have up to 80 points to earn 4-Wides can only add up to 60 points in round wins. With the format explanation out of the way, here are some highlights from the Las Vegas 4-Wide Nationals

First up is Pro-Stock Car the final round saw the #1 qualifier of Jerry Tucker, Brandon Foster, The natural Jeg Couglin Jr. in his first final since returning to the sport, and reigning champion Erica Enders. All four cars staged and left but Foster went red and Enders had issues early on so it was a race between Tucker and five-time champ Jeg Coughlin and at the stripe, Coughlin earned his first victory since leaving the sport in 2020.

Next up was Nitro Funny Car and this final on paper was unpredictable. You have the faster car on the planet in Bob Tasca III, you have the reigning champ in Matt Hagen, the former back-to-back champ with Ron Capps, and the Funny Car phenom in Austin Prock. The four best cars over the last few years are staged and gone with Bob Tasca getting a large starting line advantage but with Hagen and the others gaining it's gonna go all the way to the stripe and it's a triple holeshot for Bob Tasca, a 3.915 beats a 3.904 which beats a 3.902 which beats a 3.895. Matt Hagen goes low ET of the meet and comes in last in this incredible drag race.

Finally, its time for Top Fuel, and this final is also packed with some real star power. The reigning champion of Doug Kalitta faces the four-time champion of Steve Torrence who faces the hot shot Justin Ashley who faces the rookie Tony Stewart in his first ever Nitro final round. The four cars are staged and gone with the champ earning his first win of the season. Interesting note here, out of four races Kalitta Motorsports has won 3 of the top fuel races.

Overall this was a shockingly good race, the first one of the season without any rain delays so hopefully that trend continues in Charlotte where the NHRA goes 4-Wide for the final time this year and where Pro-Stock motorcycle will make its grand return.

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NHRA Arizona Nationals Recap

A feeling of victory surges through every competitor at these 2024 NHRA Arizona Nationals as the legendary Firebird Motorsports park was saved from destruction at the end of last season, after losing so many tracks in the last few years like Huston, Atlanta, and most recently Denver, fans and drivers alike were glad to save one from the brink. The 39th running of the NHRA Arizona Nationals brings with it lots of excitement since the Winternationals finals were moved to the second qualifying session on Saturday which meant many racers had a jam-packed three straight days of racing with the Mission Foods 2Fast2Tasty starting on Friday, continuing into Saturday, and then the Panona finals also being run on Saturday, then the normal race day Sunday, it was sure to be a hectic one for the drivers and an action-packed one for the fans.

Starting off the action with Pro-Stock Car as teammates Dallas Glenn and Greg Anderson were set to meet in the final, Dallas coming straight off a win at yesterday's delayed Winternationals was certainly a favorite but you can never count out Greg Anderson as the old man of the class shows how to get it done by having a reaction time of 0.022 and having the faster ET at a 6.582 to Dallas's 6.618.

Up next was Nitro Funny Car which saw an unlikely pair of class newcomer Austin Prock vurses class veteran Alexix Dejoria. While Prock has looked like a runaway freight train coming into this season Dejoria's team has struggled these last few races, not even qualifying for the final race of 2023. But even this resurgence in strength cannot stop Austin Prock from obtaining his first Funny Car win in only his third race as his 3.952 beats out her 4.049.

Finally up to bat is the king of NHRA Drag Racing, Top-Fuel eliminator. This electric final saw the Gatornationals winner of Shawn Langdon stage against the Winternationals winner of Justin Ashley. Mathematically these are the two best cars at this point in the season. Ashley has an uncharacteristically slow (for him) light at 0.055 letting Shawn leave first with a 0.050 light, But a better light was unnecessary as Langdon ran a 3.760 to Ashley's 3.849. Shawn Langdon picked up his second wally of the season, don't look now but the 2013 Tpo Fuel champion suddenly has a very competitive car and shows no signs of slowing down.

Overall these 2024 Arizona Nationals were amazing, the fact that cars are going down this track at all is a real treat after the track nearly met its end at the close of last year. The Circus now heads to Las Vegas for the first of two 4-Wide Nationals, Vegas then Charlotte where Pro-Stock Motorcycle will make its long-awaited return.

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NHRA Winternationals Recap

Welcome to race two of the 2024 Mission Foods Drag Racing Season, this race recap has been a bit delayed as the race began in Pamona California but as the final rounds were set to start hail began to fall from the sky and so the PRO final rounds were put on hold for two weeks until Saturday at the Arizona Nationals. Here are the highlights of the 2024 Winternationals.

Pro-Stock Motorcycle is on hiatus until race five at Charlotte for the 2nd 4-Wide Nationals of the season so the final rounds begin with Pro-Stock Car. This race saw the rivalry of Elite Motorsports and KB Titan come to a head as Erica Enders and Dallas Glenn staged up. In Pamona Erica seemed a bit off, not putting done a full powered race day run until the semi-finals while on the other side of the fence, Dallas Glenn had put down quick runs all day and seemed to be the car to beat, but now in Arizona, all of that data went out the window. They staged and went and Dallas Glenn beat the Gatornationals winner on a holeshot, his 6.537 beat her 6.531.

After some track-prep Nitro Funny Car was up to bat and the final between 16-time champ John Force and the 4-time and reigning champion Matt Hagen was sure to be a great race. The icon, John Force went winless in 2023 while Hagen made it to eight finals and won six of them. John Force left first but Hagen's horsepower seemed unmatched until about the 800-foot mark when the Dodge Direct Connection car broke the tires loose where in the last 200 feet John Force powered forward to his 156th career win.

After an intense final in Funny Car, Top Fuel had an insane matchup between the winningest driver in Top Fuel Tony Schumacher, and the winningest driver of 2023 with six wins, Justin Ashley. This matchup has always been one to watch in years past as Tony has not had a good car for some years and Justin is a new talent and has upset Schumacher a few times. But now there is extra drama, in 2023 Tony Schumacher brought SCAG power equipment as a sponsor to NHRA but in the off-season, they left Schumacher and bought Justin Ashley's operation giving him the sponsor. Both cars pre-staged, thoughts of victory to prove to their sponsors that they had made the right choice or wrong choice, they fully staged, when the ambers flashed Justin Ashley had an incredible reaction time of 0.023 seconds while Tony Schumacher had a shockingly late 0.081 light, Schumacher ran a 3.772 to Ashleys 3.802. The Sarge loses on a mega holeshot.

And that's the end of the 2024 Lucas Oil Winternationals. A bit of an odd race being mostly run in Pamona and finished up in Arizona potentially changing some outcomes with the radically different conditions but in any case an absolutely amazing race. Thank you for reading this post and look out for my upcoming Arizona Nationals Recap.

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NHRA Gatornationals Recap

The start of the 2024 NHRA Drag Racing Season is here, and with that, it's also the start of the Mission Foods era of professional drag racing. This 2024 season has kicked off the same way as the last few seasons, pushing the traditional opener of the Pomona Winternationals back a few weeks in favor of starting in the Sunshine State of Florida. It was not all sunshine however as rain delays and oil down became the theme of the weekend leading to the appearance of the elusive Top Fuel night run which is not too common here in Florida. But enough intro, let's look at the results of the historic 55th Annual Gatornationals:

In Pro-Stock Motorcycle the #1 Qualifier of Gaige Herrera took on the #2 qualifier and multi-time champion rival Matt Smith. Gaige and Matt had dominated all weekend however, none were surprised when Gaige Herrera turned on his fourth win light on during Sunday earning him his 12th National Event win in only his second full-time season.

Pro-Stock car saw a race between teammates and once again the number 1 and 2 qualifiers stage up being Erica Enders and Cristan Cuadra respectively. There was a lot on the line as despite being one of the most successful active Pro-Stock drivers Erica had never hoisted a wally at the Gators and after several heartbreaking losses here in years past Enders knew she had to lock in and win the round. However, the burning desire was also there for Christan Cuadra who was in his first ever 2-wide final round and had his first opportunity at an NHRA race victory. They staged and went but early tire shake for Cuadra signaled that yes indeed, Erica Enders would host her first-ever Gatornationals Wally.

Nitro Funny Car saw one of the best drivers in the class win in the strangest ways possible. #1 Qualifier Austin Prock was making his first official start in the Mission NHRA Drag Racing series and was on a tear. Just a few weeks before in Bradenton he won 250,000 in dominating fashion beating the reigning champion Matt Hegan in the final round. Now in Gainsville, Prock looks poised for an easy victory against JR. Todd in the DHL Kalitta Funny Car. Todd hadn't run in the three-second range or anywhere near 300 mph all weekend, he spun and smoked the tires every round before this and yet somehow continued to turn on win light after win light. The Yellow Fellas knew that to beat the best and most consistent car on the property this weekend they would have to put in not a blazingly fast tune-up, but one that could get them safely down track under power and hope that the John Force Racing Funny Car of Austin Prock had issues. Prock Prestages, then Todd, they both full stage, the lights flash yellow then green, Todd is first off the line by 0.004 seconds and by the 60-foot mark Austin Prock goes into tire shake. Making his best run of the weekend JR. Todd goes 3.889 at 329 MPH making the unlikeliest win of his NHRA Drag Racing Career.

Top Fuel Had a bit more of a straightforward narrative, the #1 Qualifier of Shawn Langdon raced the #6 Qualifier of Billy Torrence. Don't let those numbers have you make up your mind about this final, Billy Torrences teammate and son Steve Torrence was the number two qualifier, and with Steve out both crews were working in tandem to give Billy the best possible car. However, in the other land was Shawn Langdon in the second Kalitta Motorsports top fuel dragster, having seen his teammate JR, win his final, there was immense pressure to deliver the first-ever Kalitta motorsports double up 17 times it had been tried but never to be as both cars would make it to the finals only for one or both of them to lose. Billy reacts quicker on the tree by 6 one thasounths of a second however not to be denied was Shawn Langdon who surged ahead and completed the illustrious Kalitta Motorsports double up having a car of the same team win in both nitro categories.

Overall the 55th Annual NHRA Gatornationals was worth the wait and despite a huge amount of tire spin from all the rain reducing the grip of the track, it was an amazing event with some crazy storylines. Thanks for reading and I'lll see you in Pamona for the NHRA Winternationals.

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NHRA Charlotte 2 Recap

With only six races in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship every round win is crucial

Top Fuel saw Doug Kalitta hoist his second Wally in a row after an okay season. With Steve Torrence, Justin Ashley, and Leah Pruitt all losing early Kailiia continued to pull away in the points standings.

Funny Car saw Bob Tasca III claim his third win of the season against points leader Robert Hight. The win put Tasca in second place with Matt Hagen and reigning champ Ron Capps in hot pursuit.

Pro Stock saw five-time Champion Greg Anderson power to his first victory of the season against regular season points leader and teammate Dallas Glenn. Anderson also defeated the reigning champion and rival Erica Enders in the Semi-Final round.

Pro Stock Motorcycle saw Gaige Herrera return to the mountaintop as a National event winner. Due to him defeating Matt Smith in round two, he made up considerable ground in the chance for his first PSM Championship.

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Welcome To My Blog

Hello everybody, welcome to my NHRA Fan Blog. My name is Dylan, I am 20 and I have been going to these races yearly since I was a kid. If you have just stumbled upon this blog than I am honored to introduce you to the world of NHRA Drag Racing.

Here are some amazing videos for someone who has never seen the sport:

That last video was filmed and edited by me

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Here are some pictures I took while at the NHRA ThunderValley Nationals in Bristol Tennessee

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Reading NHRA Pep Boy Nationals Recap

After the hugeness of the NHRA U.S Nationals, It was time to begin the countdown to the championship. Here is the pro recap from Redding Pennsylvania Pep Boys Nationals.

Top Fuel saw Veteran driver Doug Kalitta clench his first victory since St. Louis of 2021 against Steve Torrence. This much-needed victory gave Kalitta the points lead over Steve Torrence and Justin Ashley who had been leading the points all season.

Funny Car saw Robert Hight win his second race of the season and assume the points leader in the Nitro Funny Car category.

Pro Stock was unusual as Indy winner Matt Hartford needed to take his Pro Stock car to a parking lot off-track to test the day before the race as his car repeatedly shut off during the burnouts. After a harrowing day, Hartford was victorious as he defeated track owner and teammate Kyle Koretsky in the final round.

Pro Stock Motorcycle saw Gaige Herrera once again being upset, this time he was defeated by Jianna Evaristo, daughter of Top Fuel driver Mike Salinas, in the second round. The race was eventually won by a very happy Matt Smith.

Something worth noting is that During Sunday's top fuel Semi-Finals a rain delay occurred and the race was not to be resumed until Monday morning.

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NHRA U.S. Nationals Recap

The NHRA U.S. Nationals is widely regarded as the biggest drag race of the season and with over 900 entries from all of the pro and sportsman categories combined, it's not hard to see why.

In Top Fuel, the final round saw #15 Qualifier Antron Brown Defeat, Steve Torrence for his second win of the season and earning him a back-to-back U.S Nationals Wally.

Funny Car had some similarities in top fuel where both Nitro winners from the 2022 U.S Nationals came back to win in 2023, Ron Capps went from not having any wins at "the big go" to having two in a row.

Pro Stock was also quite the spectacular show, seeing Matt Heartford for the first time win not only Indy, but his first time winning more than one National event in a year.

Pro Stock Motorcycle was thought to be all but gone as Gaige Herrera had been on rails all season winning nearly every event But engine trouble in the Semi-Final led to reigning champion Matt Smith not only winning the round but the entire race as he defeated Hector Arana Jr. in the final round.