91°µÍø

The NHRA Nevada Nationals, the penultimate event of the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series and the Countdown to the Championship, comes to life today with the first two of four professional qualifying sessions.

Weather conditions for the weekend are expected to provide the prime atmosphere for performance, giving an edge to those with the most horsepower.

Pro Stock Motorcycle dominator Gaige Herrera is an almost sure bet to lock up his first season championship as he holds a nearly insurmountable 156-point lead over teammate Eddie Krawiec. With a maximum of 191 points available at the season-ending In-N-Out Burger 91°µÍø Finals, Herrera could certainly wrap up the title on Sunday, especially if he does well in session and position bonus points throughout qualifying.

The battles in the other three classes are much tighter. Dallas winner Leah Pruett leads Top Fuel by just four points over Doug Kalitta and 13 over four-time world champ Steve Torrence, with Justin Ashley, Antron Brown, Mike Salinas, and Brittany Force all with range with a good Sunday showing and early losses by the top three.

Funny Car seems certain to be a fight to the finish among the top four, which includes three-time world champs Matt Hagan (the current points leader), Robert Hight (third), and Ron Capps (fourth) with second-ranked Bob Tasca III in there gunning for a first world championship.

Six drivers in Pro Stock are within 145 points of one another, with past world champions Erica Enders and Greg Anderson at the front of the pack, with Enders holding an enviable 85-point edge on Anderson. Behind them are four talented drivers each looking for a first Pro Stock championship in Dallas Glenn, Matt Hartford, Aaron Stanfield, and Troy Coughlin Jr.

2022 EVENT WINNERS

Brittany Force, Top Fuel; Matt Hagan, Funny Car; Erica Enders, Pro Stock and Hector Arana Jr., Pro Stock Motorcycle.

MOST EVENT VICTORIES

Tony Schumacher, 4, TF; John Force, 4, FC; Ron Capps, 4, FC; Matt Hagan, 4, FC; Greg Anderson, 5, PS; Andrew Hines, 5, PSM.

TRACK RECORDS

Top Fuel - 3.652 sec. by Brittany Force, Nov. ’19; 338.17 mph by B. Force, Nov. ’19.
Funny Car - 3.835 sec. by Jack Beckman, Nov. ’19; 335.90 mph by Beckman, Nov. ’19.
Pro Stock - 6.559 seconds by Erica Enders, Oct. '15; 210.28 mph by Enders, Oct. '15.
Pro Stock Motorcycle – 6.785 seconds by Matt Smith, Oct. '22; 202.27 mph by Matt Smith, Nov. '23

NATIONAL RECORDS

Top Fuel - 3.623 sec. by Brittany Force, Sept. ‘19, Reading, Pa.; 338.43 mph by Brittany Force, Oct. ‘22, St. Louis.
Funny Car - 3.793 sec. by Robert Hight, Aug. '17, Brainerd, Minn.; 339.87 mph by Robert Hight, July ’17, Sonoma, Calif.
Pro Stock - 6.455 sec. by Jason Line, March ’15, Charlotte, N.C.; 215.55 mph by Erica Enders, May ’14, Englishtown N.J.
Pro Stock Motorcycle – 6.627 sec. by Gaige Herrera, Oct. ’23, Ennis, Texas; 205.04 mph by Matt Smith, July ’21, Sonoma, Calif.

SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, Oct. 26:Ìý Lucas Oil Series qualifying and time trials at 9 a.m.
FRIDAY, Oct. 27:Ìý Lucas Oil Series eliminations at 8 a.m.; Summit ET time trial at 2:45 p.m.; Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying at noon and 3 p.m.; Top Fuel and Funny Car qualifying at 1 and 4 p.m.
SATURDAY, Oct. 28:ÌýLucas Oil Series eliminations at 8 a.m; Summit ET time trial at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying at noon and 3 p.m.; Top Fuel and Funny Car qualifying at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
SUNDAY, Oct. 29: Pre-race ceremony, 10 a.m.; Eliminations begin at 11 a.m.

TELEVISION

FRIDAY, Oct. 27, FS1 will televise one hour of qualifying show 1 at 7 a.m. (ET)
SUNDAY, Oct. 29, FS1 will televise two hours of qualifying show 2 at 3 p.m. (ET)
SUNDAY, Oct. 29, FS1 will televise three hours of finals coverage at 5 p.m. (ET)

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