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NHRA 4-Wide Nationals Friday News and Notes

News, notes, quotes, and photos from the first day of Pro qualifying at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
11 Apr 2025
NHRA National Dragster staff
Race coverage


Pro Stock Q1

Greg Anderson

Rolling into Las Vegas the Pro Stock cars fired off in Q1 and the KB Titan Racing team impressed, grabbing the top seven positions. It wasn’t a surprise to see Greg Anderson claim the top spot, delivering a 6.637 at 205.32 mph.

Anderson has qualified no worse than second after three events. Following the HendrickCars.com Chevy of Anderson is Matt Hartford who ran 6.652 at 206.16 mph and Cory Reed at 6.655 at 205.32 mph.

A total of 21 cars attempted runs; Kenny Delco ran 8.77 to hold the provisional bump spot.

***

Funny Car Q1

Spencer Hyde

One race after qualifying for the first time in his three-race-old nitro Funny Car career at the Winternationals, Spencer Hyde finds himself leading the field after one session in Las Vegas. The driver of the Head Inc. Ford rolled to a 3.965 to front a five-car pack that ran in the threes despite warm weather and a hot track.

J.R. Todd put the DHL Toyota No. 2 with a 3.970, followed by world champ Austin Prock at 3.972 and another rookie, Hunter Green, who powered to an impressive 3.980 in his class debut. Winternationals champ Jack Beckman rounded out the threes with a 3.988 for fifth,

The bump is a casual 7.243 as several top cars, including those of Ron Capps and Matt Hagan, couldn’t negotiate the track.

Dylan Winfesky, also making his nitro Funny Car debut this weekend, disappointingly had to be shut off on the starting line due to an engine-idle issue.

***

Top Fuel Q1

Steve Torrence

The Top Fuelers as a whole struggled more than the Funny Cars with only three representative runs, with four-time world champ Steve Torrence leading the way with a 3.840.

Behind Steve-o are Shawn Reed at 3..953 and Justin Ashley at 3.985, with Doug Kalitta's 4.084 a solid drop to No. 4.

Only two drivers — Shawn Langdon and Brittany Force — ran without the aero-aiding side deflectors. Langdon clocked a 4.846 and Force just a 6.725.

***

Pro Stock Q2

Matt Hartford

Pro Stock Q2 was tricky, as racers worked hard to get the 1,500 horsepower door cars smoothly down the quarter-mile.

Greg Anderson uncharacteristically shook the tires and shut off but maintained his hold on the field. Matt Hartford made the best pass of the round, a strong 6.646 at 204.08 mph, to remain in the number two slot. He was followed by KB team members Cory Reed (6.65/205.32 mph), Dallas Glenn (6.659/204.85 mph), Matt Latino (6.671/205.35 mph) and Deric Kramer (6.671/203 mph).

Brandon Foster (6.671/203.31) and Mason McGaha (6.696/205.44 mph) rounded out the top half of the field, while Chris McGaha ran 6.726 at 204.32 mph, and he sits on the bump. Former Pro Stock champion Erica Enders, with a best of 6.736 at 205.88 mph, is currently 18th and not qualified.

***

Funny Car Q2

Paul Lee

NHRA Arizona Nationals champ Paul Lee jumped to the top of the field with a 3.940. one of just two three-second passes recorded in the heat, the other belonging to “Fast Jack” Beckman in the Graham Rahal Performance-backed John Force Racing Camaro. Beckman is the only driver to make two three-second runs today, continuing the team’s incredible ratio of complete runs, which stood at 16 of 18 entering the event.

J.R. Todd got close, banking a 4.01 to follow his earlier 3.970 for the session’s third-best pass.

Class rookie Dylan Winefsky and the “Nitro Moose” team rebounded with a 4.27 that has the homebuilt car currently in the field.

The “Nitro Surfer,” Jeff Diehl, rides the bump spot with a 4.620 with Jason Rupert and perennial qualifiers Alexis DeJoria and Ron Capps outside the field. Capps has made two seven-second attempts and sits 19th out of 19 cars.

***

Top Fuel Q2

Justin Ashley

Justin Ashley and the Scag Power Equipment team, who have just one round win through the season’s first three events, are turning the corner after switching back to their 2024 chassis at the Winternationals.

Ashley’s 3.895 was the best run of Q2, just ahead of Tony Stewart’s 3.904 in the Rayce Rudeen Foundation entry. Ashley had the third-best pass of Q1 with a 3.985, meaning he’s banked bonus points in both sessions, the only Top Fuel driver to do so,

Antron Brown’s 3.916 was the session’s third-best pass, a nice rebound after an earlier 4.62.

Only six Top Fuel drivers have run three-second passes through the first two sessions. There are 15 drivers entered, including two — Steve Chrisman and Terry Totten — who have not made a run yet.

Of those who have made two passes, Brittany Force, who won the fall race here last November, is 13th after a pair of tire smokers in the Graham Rahal Performance entry.

Steve Torrence stayed atop the field with his 3.84 from Q1.