PHOENIX — The NHRA announced details for the racing action at the 39th NHRA Arizona Nationals on April 5-7 at Firebird Motorsports Park, including the final rounds of the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, as well as the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge.
In what promises to be an epic weekend with two race finishes and a specialty event in Phoenix, fans can expect non-stop action during the return to Firebird Motorsports Park. The opening round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge will take place during Friday’s qualifying session that begins at 4 p.m. PT. The finals of the bonus event follows during the second round of qualifying at 11:30 a.m. PT on Saturday.
That sets up a marquee finish to the day on Saturday, with the final rounds in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock for the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals taking place as part of final qualifying, which begins at 2 p.m. The final rounds from Pomona, which were postponed on Sunday due to inclement weather, will be the final pair in each category.
It adds up to an incredible, can’t-miss weekend at the “Duel in the Desert” in Phoenix, with final eliminations of the NHRA Arizona Nationals to follow at 11 a.m. PT on Sunday, April 7.
A handful of drivers will also have the opportunity to win three times in one weekend, including Top Fuel standout Justin Ashley. He accomplished that feat last year in Bristol, winning the delayed NHRA New England Nationals and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday at Bristol Dragway, and taking the victory the next day at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.
To do that in Phoenix, he’ll have to get past the winningest driver in Top Fuel history, Tony Schumacher, who advanced to his first final round of the year in Pomona. That makes for an epic Winternationals final round in Phoenix, with Ashley also looking for his third straight victory at the historic race. The young standout is also the defending event winner of the NHRA Arizona Nationals.
In Funny Car, the final run of the day on Saturday in Phoenix will be a spectacular one, as the legendary John Force will face off with reigning world champion Matt Hagan with a victory at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals on the line. Force, a 16-time world champion and the winningest driver in NHRA history, will aim for his first victory since 2022, while Hagan is after a repeat Winternationals triumph and his 50th career win.
The Pro Stock final round from Pomona includes defending and six-time world champion Erica Enders, who will try for back-to-back wins to open her 2024 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. The winningest female in motorsports can also pick up her 50th career national event victory with a win in Phoenix on Saturday. She takes on Dallas Glenn, who qualified No. 1 and is also the defending Winternationals winner.
#2Fast2Tasty Challenge
The Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge features a wealth of intriguing matchups, too, as a full slate of stars look to win the bonus event that provides a bonus purse and bonus championship points, bringing competitive racing to both Friday and Saturday qualifying in Phoenix. In Top Fuel, Ashley will take on two-time world champion Brittany Force, while Schumacher will meet up with Billy Torrence.
In Funny Car, Force and Ron Capps will continue their storied rivalry in the opening round, while Hagan takes on Gainesville winner J.R. Todd. Enders and longtime rival Greg Anderson meet in one of the Pro Stock matchups, while the other pairing in the opening round of the specialty race features Glenn and Mason McGaha.
Ashley (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Camrie Caruso (Pro Stock) all won at Phoenix in 2023.