NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Following the final Pacific Division NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event of the season at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Joe Sorensen and Colby Fuller have officially clinched world titles in Stock and Super Comp, respectively.

Sorensen, of Woodburn, Ore., has been racing in Stock for decades, along with his brother, Hal, but he has never had a season like the one he’s having in 2024. After three wins in six final rounds, including the recent Ford Performance NHRA Nationals, Sorensen posted a robust score of 712 points. Despite his success, Sorensen still had to fend off a challenge from Division 4 ace Jimmy Hidalgo Jr. Hidalgo needed to reach the semifinals in order to pass Sorensen but came up one round short when he lost to Parker Theobald by just .006-second.

No NHRA Sportsman racer has ever scored 700 points and not won a championship, until now. Hidalgo’s loss left him at 711 points, just one behind Sorensen. For Hidalgo, the news isn’t all bad as he heads to the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals in Pomona with a 21-point lead in the Super Stock standings.

In Super Comp, Fuller lost in the final round of the Division 7 event in Las Vegas but scored enough points to officially clinch the world title. Fuller, of Savannah, Ga., opened the season with a win at the first divisional event in Orlando, Fla., and added a national event victory at the four-wide event in Charlotte. He ventured to the West Coast late in the season and won the Division 7 race in Bakersfield before sealing the title in Las Vegas with a solid 635-point score.

Sorensen and Fuller have joined Sean Bellemeur, who locked up his fourth Top Alcohol Funny Car championship last month in Dallas. The rest of the titles will be decided at the season’s final event in Pomona.

In Top Alcohol Dragster, the battle has been narrowed to incoming leader Shawn Cowie and Jackie Fricke, who needs to make up a 53-point deficit. Cowie can clinch the title by winning the first round of eliminations, while Fricke needs to win the event and hope that Cowie does not make it past the first round.

There are four drivers still running for the Comp title, including incoming leader Cody Lane, Rodger Brodgon, Ryan Warter, and Don Thomas. Lane leads Brogdon by just five points and is just 11 points ahead of Warter. Brogdon may have the best shot as he’s improving upon a round-one finish, while Warter can only improve his score by winning three or more rounds.

In order to win his second world title, Hidalgo needs to fend off a challenge from fellow world champ Ryan McClanahan in Super Stock. Hidalgo comes to Pomona with a completed scorecard and 655 points. In order to pass him, McClanahan needs to reach the final round.

The fight for the title in Super Gas is also wide open with multitime champ Luke Bogacki as the incoming leader with Evan Kowalski, Keith Mayers, and Val Torres all in contention. Bogacki is improving on a 50-point score, which means he can add to his total by winning three elimination rounds.

There are three drivers in the running for the title in Right Trailers Top Sportsman, including Allen Firestone, David Cook, and Bill Yates. Firestone leads at 569 points, while Cook has 558 and Yates has 555. Cook is bettering a round-one finish, while Firestone can improve on a round-two score and Yates must win three rounds to improve.

The race for the title in Right Trailers Top Dragster has come down to two drivers, Cody Webber and Mark Grame. Webber is the incoming leader with a 585-point score, while Grame has 545. Both drivers are improving upon 54-point finishes, which means Grame needs to win the race and hope that Webber does not improve his score.