The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season has quickly dwindled down to the homestretch. Only eight races remain before the series goes on winter break — crazy, right?
However, there’s still plenty of high-powered nitro moments to be had, continuing this weekend at Minnesota’s Brainerd Int’l Raceway.
Brainerd presents a sense of urgency, as it gives drivers and teams one last race before the historic 70th U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park along with two more races before the Countdown to the Championship begins.
Thus, storylines are aplenty this weekend. Take a look at what we’re watching:
Time For Force To Make A Stand?
It’s undoubtedly been a struggle for Brittany Force this season . The two-time Top Fuel champion heads to Brainerd 10th in the standings — the final spot in NHRA’s version of the playoffs.
While a win has eluded her through 11 races (missed Norwalk due to her father, John Force, being in the hospital following a wreck in Virginia), Brittany and her John Force Racing team may have found something in the series’ last race in Sonoma, Calif.
She made the semifinals before losing to eventual winner Antron Brown. During the NHRA’s time off, Force scored a victory during an exhibition race at Norwalk (Ohio), which may be a sign of things to come.
“Tenth is a risky position this late in the regular season and we need to move up to a safer spot before the points are reset for the Countdown,” Force said.
“I’m very confident in this David Grubnic and John Collins-run team. We have a lot of work to do, but we have momentum coming off a big win in the Night Under Fire two weeks ago at Norwalk and a semifinal finish at Sonoma the last time we raced for points.”
Beckman’s Return
2012 Funny Car champion Jack Beckman is returning to the series in a major way — taking over driving duties of 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force’s race car for the remainder of the season.
Since his last NHRA event in 2020, Beckman’s full-time job has been an elevator serviceman.
With that in mind, while he may not be accustomed to handling an 11,000-horsepower Funny Car like he used to be, he’ll be fairly up to speed following his return at Norwalk’s Night Under Fire.
“Brainerd will mark a literal ‘second chance’ in many ways,” Beckman said. “I am thrilled to be a part of the return of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS back to NHRA competition.
“It has been nearly four years since I made a run that earned championship points, and more than 16 years since driving a Funny Car while also working a full-time job.”
Zetterström’s Long-Awaited Debut
Last year’s FIA Top Fuel champion Ida Zetterström makes her long-awaited debut in NHRA this weekend at “The Zoo.”
She’ll contest the final eight races of the season after having a watchful eye on her teammate, eight-time Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher and his team, for the first six months of the year.
“I’m really excited to get out on the track in Brainerd, especially with all of the hard work we’ve put into getting this team together,” Zetterström said. “I’m excited as a driver to jump into the seat, but I’m also excited for us as a team to come out with two cars, and for our JCM/VP Racing Fuels/Edelbrock/Comp Cams/Dodge team to hit the track in competition for the first time.
“It seems like this is a track where we can get some quick and fast times if the weather is correct, so I’m definitely hoping for a little cooler weather this weekend.”
The Swedish driver may be in for a homecoming of sorts, which makes Brainerd perhaps the perfect place to begin her career on American soil.
“I’ve also heard that there are a lot of Scandinavians in the area, so I’m looking forward to seeing how many Nordic people come by the pit this weekend to say hi. But, overall, just very excited to get out there,” Zetterström said.
“I have a tremendous amount of confidence in my team and what we have built, and the time has come for us to show what we’ve been working on for so many months.”
Lucky No. 600 For Kalitta
Reigning Top Fuel champion Doug Kalitta is set to become the first driver in division history to reach 600 starts when he takes lift off at the starting line this weekend in Brainerd.
Following a successful qualifying, Kalitta will join an exclusive list with three other drivers (John Force, 681, Cruz Pedregon, 678 and Ron Capps, 641) to reach that milestone.
“I have to admit, I don’t really watch a lot of the statistics stuff,” Kalitta said. “So that kind of was a reminder, obviously, that I’ve been at this for quite a while and it’s a very cool milestone for me. It’s been, obviously, an interesting ride, and I didn’t realize nobody else (in Top Fuel) had made it to 600, but it’s been a cool ride.
“It’s been a great opportunity for me out there running with the NHRA and competing for as long as I have, and I certainly still enjoy driving the cars and surrounding myself with great people and great teams. We’re hoping to have a great event up there at Brainerd this weekend. It’s always a great place to go – I look forward to it every year. Hopefully, it’ll be a great weekend for us.”
The current Top Fuel points leader is coming off a surprise first round loss to Ron August Jr. in Sonoma. Kalitta, however, leads the division with three victories.