NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

The abbreviated two-race Western Swing will wrap up today as the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to scenic California Wine Country for the final day of the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals, the 12th of 20 events this season.

After two days of intense qualifying, champions will be crowned today at the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals at picturesque Sonoma Raceway.

Doug Kalitta, Bob Tasca III, Greg Anderson, and Matt Smith will lead their respective Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle fields as the low qualifiers, but the outcome of all four pro classes is far from certain as there are numerous drivers who could be considered favorites.

Kalitta has not slowed a bit since winning the 2023 Top Fuel world title as he’s already won three races in five final rounds and he comes into the Sonoma event as the championship leader. In qualifying, Kalitta also set a blistering pace with a 3.649 second run in his Mac Tools dragster. Kalitta races Ron August in round one and the winner of that race will have a bye run.

Clay Millican made several strong runs to secure the No. 2 spot while Brittany Force is third and Shawn Langdon is fourth. Perhaps the most intriguing battle of the opening round features Tony Schumacher and Justin Ashley. The duo have raced four times this season with Ashley winning all of them.

Tasca came up shot in his quest to top 340 mph in Sonoma with a 338.43 run but he did secure the top spot and a round one match against Buddy Hull. Tasca ran a 3.839, the same as No. 2 qualifier Matt Hagan, but Tasca’s faster speed got the top spot.

The best race of the opening round might just feature Chad Green and Blake Alexander. Green ran a 3.908 in his Bond Coat Ford for the No. 7 spot while Alexander, who blew the body off of Jim Head’s Mustang on Friday, recovered to qualify No. 10 at 3.936.

The Pro Stock field is a crapshoot with less than a tenth of a second separating the entire 16-car field. Anderson is first with a strong 6.491 run but his advantage over No. 16 qualifier and round one opponent Derrick Reese isn’t as large as one might think.

Troy Coughlin Jr. defeated his uncle Jeg Coughlin Jr., in the final round of Saturday's Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and Jeg won’t have to wait long for payback as they’ll race again in today’s opening round. Six time world champ Erica Enders also faces a tough task in past Sonoma winner Chris McGaha, who has recently made big improvements with his Harlow Sammons Camaro.

On Saturday, Matt Smith made the quickest Pro Stock Motorcycle run of the weekend with a 6.655 on his Denso Buell, and he also scored a $25,000 check for winning the GETTRX Pro Stock Motorcycle Allstar NHRA Callout. Now, Smith is looking for his first Sunday win of the season and his quest to make that happen will begin with a race against Japan’s Eiji Kawakami.

Gaige Herrera, who watched his 11-race win streak end last week in Seattle, qualified in the No. 3 spot and races Steve Johnson, who is making his record 500th start this weekend.

In addition to the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series pros, Lucas Oil Series winners will also be crowned in Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Right Trailers Top Dragster and Right Trailers Top Sportsman.

2023 EVENT WINNERS: Justin Ashley, Top Fuel; J.R. Todd, Funny Car; Gaige Herrera, Pro Stock Motorcycle. (Pro Stock was not contested)

MOST VICTORIES: Doug Kalitta, 5, TF; John Force, 8, FC; Greg Anderson, 6, PS; LE Tonglet, 4, PSM.

TRACK RECORDS

    Top Fuel - 3.649 sec. by Doug Kalitta, July, ’24; 337.75 mph by Brittany Force, July ‘22.
    Funny Car – 3.807 sec. by Robert Hight, July, ’17; 339.87 mph by Hight, July ‘17.
    Pro Stock – 6.499 sec. by Chris McGaha July ’15; 213.00 mph by Shane Gray, July ’15.
    Pro Stock Motorcycle – 6.692 sec. by Angelle Sampey, July ’22; 205.04 mph by Matt Smith, July ‘21.

SCHEDULE

SUNDAY, July 28
Pre-race ceremonies, 9 a.m.
NHRA MISSION FOODS SERIES eliminations begin at 10:30 a.m.

TELEVISION
Sunday, July 28 FS1 will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 2 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 28, FOX will televise three hours of live finals coverage at 4 p.m. (ET).