NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Speed lives here.

It lives here in these hills. It loves the sound of its own echoes, the way horsepower reverberates off the mountainsides and rolls back across the valley. It lives in the thunder of nitro engines and the cheers from packed grandstands. This track is important. This track is true.

For more than 60 years, Bristol Dragway has been one of drag racing's most distinctive stages, and on Sunday morning the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals reaches its crescendo as eliminations begin in one of the sport's most celebrated venues. The newly resurfaced racing surface has steadily come to life throughout the weekend, rewarding teams with quicker elapsed times, faster speeds, and the promise of even more performance as race day arrives.

Top Fuel enters eliminations with Leah Pruett holding the No. 1 qualifying position after her Friday-night blast remained untouched through Saturday's final sessions. Pruett will lead a loaded field that includes Doug Kalitta, Shawn Langdon, Tony Stewart, Justin Ashley, Antron Brown, and the rest of the 12,000-horsepower stars chasing a Thunder Valley trophy. Kalitta also carries momentum into race day after claiming the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory on Saturday afternoon. 

In Funny Car, Matt Hagan protected the top spot throughout qualifying, giving the racer and his Tony Stewart Racing team the prime position heading into eliminations. Hagan's quest for a Bristol victory will be challenged by a stacked field featuring Jack Beckman, Ron Capps, J.R. Todd, Alexis DeJoria, Chad Green, and rookie standout Jordan Vandergriff. Beckman added extra hardware to his weekend by capturing Saturday's Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge crown. 

Pro Stock once again finds itself in the capable hands of Greg Anderson, whose long love affair with Bristol Dragway continued as he secured the No. 1 qualifying position. The six-time world champion has enjoyed some of the most memorable moments of his career in Thunder Valley and will have to fend off championship contenders Dallas Glenn, Matt Hartford, Erica Enders, Aaron Stanfield, and a deep field of 500-cid big-block-powered rivals if he hopes to add another Bristol trophy to his collection.

Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Gaige Herrera delivered one of the weekend's most impressive performances, improving throughout qualifying before sealing his first No. 1 qualifier of the season run aboard his RevZilla/Vance & Hines Suzuki. Herrera will begin eliminations as the favorite, but Richard Gadson, Angie Smith, Matt Smith, Jianna Evaristo, and the rest of the motorcycle field are all within striking distance.

The action extends well beyond the four professional categories.

The JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports returns to Thunder Valley with one of the quickest and most unpredictable fields in motorsports, while the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown competitors continue their battle in some of the most recognizable factory-bodied race cars in the sport.

Meanwhile, the backbone of NHRA competition—the sportsman racers—have spent the weekend battling through some of the toughest competition on the East Coast. Racers from across the Eastern Seaboard have converged on Bristol in Stock, Super Stock, Competition Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas, Top Dragster, and Top Sportsman, all chasing one of the most coveted Wally trophies on the NHRA schedule.

Sunday Schedule — June 14

• 7:30 a.m. — Parking Lots Open
• 8:00 a.m. — Spectator Gates Open
• 10:00 a.m. — Professional Eliminations Begin
• Sportsman eliminations continue throughout the day
• Factory Stock Showdown eliminations continue
• Pro Mod eliminations continue
• Final rounds in all categories to follow

Fans unable to make it to Bristol can catch every round live on NHRA.tv, with comprehensive streaming coverage from first round through the final nitro pair. Television coverage of eliminations will also air nationally on FS1. 

For those who want to experience Thunder Valley in person, tickets remain available through the event page at the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.

The mountains are waiting.

The echoes are ready.

And on Sunday in Thunder Valley, speed comes home.