NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

The origination of the Top Fuel “mud flap”

28 Mar 2025
Phil Burgess, NHRA National Dragster Editor
Feature
The colloquially-named "mud flaps" on today's Top Fuelers, more correctly defined as side air deflectors, have a history dating back to 1990. The late Dana Kimmel, who was a crewmember on Don "the Snake" Prudhomme's Skoal Bandit Top Fueler in the…
View More

After first Funny Car win, Paul Lee looks for another at Winternationals

After earning his first career NHRA Funny Car win on Sunday in Phoenix, Funny Car driver Paul Lee heads to the 65th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip for the third race of the 2025 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
28 Mar 2025
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Paul Lee
After earning his first career NHRA Funny Car win on Sunday in Phoenix, Funny Car driver Paul Lee heads to the 65th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip for the third race of the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag…
View More

Aaron Stanfield looks for first Pro Stock win of 2025 at Winternationals

Pro Stock standout Aaron Stanfield had an exceptional season in 2024 and is hoping to continue his momentum this weekend at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.
28 Mar 2025
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Aaron Stanfield
Pro Stock standout Aaron Stanfield had an exceptional season in 2024, and with the 65th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip this weekend, the young standout is hoping to continue his momentum in Pomona during…
View More

Top Fuel air deflectors: What they do and why some teams aren't running them

Five Top Fuel teams at the NHRA Arizona Nationals chose to take advantage of the new rule that makes the side air deflectors (often referred to as "mud flaps") optional for the next four national events. Here's what's going on behind the scenes.
27 Mar 2025
Phil Burgess, NHRA National Dragster Editor
Feature
Shawn Langdon
Shortly after the season-opening Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, NHRA officials announced that for the next four events – in Phoenix, Pomona, Las Vegas, and Charlotte – Top Fuel teams had the option to remove the side deflector panels — often…
View More

Top Fuel’s Justin Ashley looks for historic fourth straight Winternationals win

Top Fuel's Justin Ashley has a chance to add his name to the history books at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals if he can win the Pomona classic for the fourth straight year. Only Don Prudhomme in Funny Car has won the race four years in a row (1975-1978).
26 Mar 2025
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Justin Ashley
Justin Ashley has a chance to do something special this weekend at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, as the Top Fuel star enters the historic 65th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals with three straight wins at the legendary race.   A…
View More

Weekend Rewind: NHRA Arizona Nationals

The NHRA Arizona Nationals, race 2 of the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, raced to a wild conclusion at Firebird Motorsports Park. Enjoy our video recap of a fast Phoenix weekend.
25 Mar 2025
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Weekend Rewind: NHRA Arizona Nationals
View More

Patience proving to be a virtue for J.R. Todd, DHL team as new combo progresses

Sometimes, being patient is not easy, but it’s what’s required at the moment for J.R. Todd and his DHL GR Supra team. Todd and team are in the process of refining the new tune-up first-year crew chief Dickie Venables is implementing.
25 Mar 2025
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
J.R. Todd
Sometimes, being patient is not easy, but it’s what’s required at the moment for J.R. Todd and his DHL GR Supra team.  Todd and team are in the process of refining the new tune-up first-year crew chief Dickie Venables is implementing.…
View More

Five things we learned in Phoenix

It's still early into the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season, but we're still learning a lot from the year's first two events. Here's our five big takeaways from the NHRA Arizona Nationals.
24 Mar 2025
Phil Burgess, NHRA National Dragster Editor
Feature
Five things we learned in Phoenix
It's still early into the 2025 NHRA Mission  Foods Drag Racing Series season, but we're still learning a lot from the year's first two events. Here's our five big takeaways from the NHRA Arizona Nationals. Final-Lee It's been a long…
View More

It's a whole new Diehl as 'Nitro Surfer' paddles into new partnerships

Jeff Diehl and new partner Kevin Moore have been tuning up their sponsorship game as they try to wade into the high surf of the Funny Car wars.
22 Mar 2025
Phil Burgess, NHRA National Dragster Editor
Feature
Jeff Diehl
It wasn’t so long ago that Jeff Diehl’s idea of a meeting was sitting on his surfboard with some friends waiting for some tasty waves to roll in, but the privateer Funny Car driver/owner finds himself now networking for sponsorships to keep his…
View More

Worsham and Bode have emerged as an early threat to surprise in Funny Car

World champion driver/tuner/car owner Del Worsham has a new driver this year in second-generation racer Bobby Bode, and the two have big plans for however long they stay together.
22 Mar 2025
Phil Burgess, NHRA National Dragster Editor
Feature
Del Worsham
Del Worsham wasn’t sure what was wrong, but when he woke up one December day this winter and, unlike his normal Energizer Bunny self who couldn’t wait to get to the shot, he didn’t want to get up. After decades of grinding away on the NHRA tour…
View More

Funny Car’s Chad Green aims to carry early 2025 success into Phoenix

After picking up his second career Funny Car win, Chad Green is anxious to return to the track as soon as possible. He’ll get his chance at the second event of the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season at this weekend’s NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park.
21 Mar 2025
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Chad Green
After picking up his second career Funny Car win, Chad Green is anxious to return to the track as soon as possible. He’ll get his chance at the second event of the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season at this weekend’s 40th annual NHRA…
View More

Doug Kalitta and SealMaster team want some more southwest success in Phoenix

Doug Kalitta has some good memories from racing in Phoenix — two years ago, he was the No. 1 qualifier at the NHRA Arizona Nationals, and he won the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge — with the same SealMaster livery that will be on his car this weekend.
18 Mar 2025
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Doug Kalitta
Doug Kalitta has some good memories from racing in Phoenix, some of them with SealMaster on the side of his car. Two years ago, Kalitta was the No. 1 qualifier at the NHRA Arizona Nationals, and he won the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge…
View More

Top Fuel’s Shawn Langdon looks to stay red-hot in the desert in Phoenix

Fresh off another great start to open the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season, Shawn Langdon is going to a track that has served him well in recent years.
18 Mar 2025
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Shawn Langdon
Fresh off another great start to open the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season, Shawn Langdon is going to a track that has served him well in recent years.   The former Top Fuel world champion heads to this weekend’s 40th annual…
View More

Behind the Scenes with the winners of the 2025 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals

Go behind the scenes with the winners of the 2025 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals as they celebrate with their teams and accept congratulations from their defeated final-round opponents.
13 Mar 2025
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Behind the Scenes with the winners of the 2025 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
View More

Weekend Rewind: 2025 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals

The 2025 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals kicked off the new season at Gainesville Raceway with an event full of upsets, wild rides, and big wins. Relive the magic now in the first Weekend Rewind video of the year.
13 Mar 2025
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Weekend Rewind
View More

Gatornationals winners Chad Green, Dallas Glenn, and Gaige Herrera join WFO Radio

WFO Radio TV host Joe Castello sat down with the 2025 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals champions, Chad Green (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle), who break down their winning weekends.
13 Mar 2025
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
WFO
  WFO Radio TV host Joe Castello sat down with the 2025 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals champions, Chad Green (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle), who break down their winning runs, share…
View More

Kenny Delco celebrates 40th anniversary with dedication wrap

Kenny Delco the 1990s Gatornationals champion is still racing in Pro Stock after 40 years. He celebrates the milestone with a beautiful anniversary wrap on his Chevrolet Camaro.
08 Mar 2025
Evan J. Smith, National Dragster Contributor
Feature
Kenny Delco
When Pro Stock racer Kenny Delco staged his KD Racing Camaro at the 2025 Amalie Gatornationals, he entered his fourth decade in what is arguably the most competitive class in NHRA competition. The Gatornationals is a special race for the KD team…
View More

New parents Stewart and Pruett again navigating new roles as season starts

Last year’s Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals was a whole new experience for drag racing’s power couple, Tony Stewart and Leah Pruett. Stewart was making his Top Fuel debut, and Pruett was on the sidelines — firsts for both — and both return to Gainesville Raceway now as new parents, with more new experiences.
08 Mar 2025
Phil Burgess, NHRA National Dragster Editor
Feature
Tony Stewart and Leah Pruett
Last year’s Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals was a whole new experience for drag racing’s power couple, Tony Stewart and Leah Pruett. Stewart was making his Top Fuel debut, and Pruett was on the sidelines — firsts for both — as the couple…
View More

Reigning world champs Greg Anderson, Gaige Herrera strive for hot start

As the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series starts its 74th season in Gainesville, reigning Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle champions Greg Anderson and Gaige Herrera will be ready to defend their world championships against a pair of highly competitive fields at this weekend’s Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.
07 Mar 2025
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Grre Anderson
As the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series starts its 74th season in Gainesville, reigning Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle champions Greg Anderson and Gaige Herrera will be ready to defend their world championships against a pair of highly…
View More

Funny Car champ Austin Prock plenty motivated to begin title defense

A dominant, record-setting season made for an incredible debut in the Funny Car ranks for Austin Prock, who rolled to his first career NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series world championship, and the team is going full speed ahead in trying to make their Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS even better.
04 Mar 2025
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Austin Prock
A dominant, record-setting season made for an incredible debut in the Funny Car ranks for Austin Prock, who rolled to his first career NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series world championship. The John Force Racing team is hardly standing pat,…
View More

6 drivers whose first NHRA career victory came at the Gatornationals

The Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals has produced some of the greatest moments in the sport's history, and for many, it was the site of their first career wins. Here's a look back at six memorable first-time winners at the Gatornationals.
03 Mar 2025
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Six drivers whose first NHRA career victory came at the Gatornationals
View More

Top Fuel champ Antron Brown has chance to start 2025 in style in Gainesville

After ending his season with a fourth career world championship a year ago, Top Fuel star Antron Brown has a chance to make a resounding statement right off the bat to open the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
03 Mar 2025
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Antron Brown
After ending his season with a fourth career world championship a year ago, Top Fuel star Antron Brown has a chance to make a resounding statement right off the bat to open the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. The year kicks off…
View More

Shop tour: Take a exclusive look behind the scenes at Elite Motorsports

Join six-time NHRA Pro Stock world champ Erica Enders as she takes our cameras on a tour of the Elite Motorsports headquarters in Wynnewood, Okla., with behind-the-scenes looks at the racecar shop. engine-assembly areas, and much more.
26 Feb 2025
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Erica Enders
 
View More

$11 million is there for the taking for racers in NHRA's Contingency program

The 2025 NHRA Contingency program is here to connect you with companies ready to reward you for your success.
20 Feb 2025
David Kennedy
Feature
$11 million is yours for the taking with NHRA Contingency
A win. It's the most valuable thing we can have in life. It's motivating and rewarding — not just to the person who holds the trophy, but to everyone who was part of the success. Achieving a win takes countless components that all add up to the…
View More

Mason McGaha hopes that new look will produce new results, and first win

When Mason McGaha rolls out for the first Pro Stock qualifying session at the season-opening Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, fans will get their first look at a new paint scheme that the third-generation Texas racer hopes will look great if he can finally park it in the winner’s circle after his first career win.
19 Feb 2025
Phil Burgess, NHRA National Dragster Editor
Feature
Mason McGaha
When Mason McGaha rolls out for the first Pro Stock qualifying session at the season-opening Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, fans will get their first look at a new paint scheme that the third-generation Texas racer hopes will look great if he…
View More

Who’s next? Searching for NHRA’s next first-time Pro winner

Who is in line to become NHRA’s next first-time Professional winner? With the start of the 2025 season looming, we’ve broken down a list of likely candidates.
18 Feb 2025
Kevin McKenna, NHRA National Dragster Senior Editor
Feature
next first-time Pro winner
Last season, there were eight different winners in Top Fuel, seven in Funny Car, six in Pro Stock, and four in Pro Stock Motorcycle, yet the only first-winner was Chase Van Sant, who claimed the Pro Stock Motorcycle title in Seattle. That only…
View More

Continuity and community at Pacific Division Jr. Championship Series kickoff

The power of continuity and community was evident at the recent kickoff for the Pacific Division Jr. Championship Series presented by Ted Wiens at Famoso Dragstrip in Bakersfield, where a former competitor returned to tune and mentor his friends.
10 Feb 2025
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Gavin Pine
photos by Matt DeYoung The power of continuity and community was evident at the recent kickoff for the Pacific Division Jr. Championship Series presented by Ted Wiens at Famoso Dragstrip in Bakersfield. Longtime JDRL racer…
View More

NHRA Museum celebrates a blockbuster weekend at the 75th Grand National Roadster Show

The GNRS delivered an unforgettable weekend of hot rod excellence — and the roots of the National Hot Rod Association were on display everywhere.
03 Feb 2025
David Kennedy
Feature
Albertson Oldsmobile dragster
A staple of the hot rod world since 1950, the 75th annual Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS)  is the longest-running indoor car show in the United States, bringing together the most stunning handcrafted roadsters in pursuit of the coveted…
View More

Shawn Reed's Top Fuel team looking to pick up where they left off in 2024

After a strong finish to the 2024 season, the first full campaign of his Top Fuel career, Shawn Reed and crew chief Rob Wendland are setting their sights on a fast start to the 2025 season.
03 Feb 2025
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Shawn Reed
View More

Championship windows: Who’s in one and whose may be opening or closing

In each and every season in all sports, people talk about teams entering and exiting so-called “championship windows," a period of time when the right people, the processes, and parts are all together at once. 
29 Jan 2025
Brian Lohnes, NHRA on FOX announcer
Feature
Championship windows
In each and every season in all sports, people talk about teams entering and exiting so-called “championship windows.” What does it mean? Simply, it’s a period of time when the right people, the right processes, and the right parts are all together…
View More