Along with Hall of Fame NASCAR stock car driver Curtis Turner, North Carolina auto dealer Bruton Smith (who is also a NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee) designed and built the 1.5 mile track at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1959. After the track fell into Chapter 11 reorganization in the 60s, Smith succeeded in repurchasing shares of stock and became the majority stockholder. He hired Humpy Wheeler as General Manager and two began to implement new plans.
Plans for an NHRA facility saw zMAX Dragway was completed in 2008 on 46.5 acres of land adjacent to The Dirt Track. Known as the Bellagio of drag strips, the fan-centric track boasts 30,000 grandstand seats and 40 luxury suites. It's also an innovative facility, as the first drag strip in the world to feature the world's first purpose-built four-lane drag racing surface. The Smith family also built The Strip at Las Vegas Motorsports as the second NHRA-sanctioned 4-wide track.
The Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals hosted the second of six Countdown to the Championship rounds that offered plenty of excitement both on and off the dragstrip. The midway that was filled with fans from Friday’s early round of qualifying to the final elimination on Sunday and also featured competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series with some of the sport’s top drivers, as well as the new NHRA Factory X, the Mountain Motor Pro Stock, and Top Fuel Motorcycle categories.
Greg Anderson Wins 102nd Funny Car Wally at Carolina
Defending Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders started her weekend by winning her second consecutive Number One qualifier with a run of 6.509-second elapsed time at 210.18 mph. Five-time NHRA Pro Stock world champion Greg Anderson hasn’t had the season he was hoping for behind the wheel of his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. After qualifying fifth, Anderson eliminated Jerry Tucker in round one followed by Cristian Cuadra to advance to a semifinal matchup with Enders.
Enders was quicker off the tree but Anderson hooked up for 6.546-second elapsed time at 209.30 mph to advance to the final. After a disappointing opening round elimination at the Pep Boys Nationals, Dallas Glenn wasn’t happy with 11th place in qualifying but eliminated Troy Coughlin Jr, Aaron Stanfield and Deric Kramer to advance to the final. But, it was Anderson’s day to win his 102nd Pro Stock Wally with .018 reaction time and a 6.554 ET at 206.73 mph to defeat his KB Titan Racing teammate.
Rookie Gaige Herrera Wins Pro Stock Motorcycle
After an early exit in the opening round of the Countdown to the Championship for the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, rookie pro stock motorcycle rider Gaige Herrera took the first step to get back on track by qualifying Number One. Herrera backed it up by setting a track record elapsed time at 6.706 seconds in round one to eliminate Jerry Savoie. A round two victory over six-time NHRA world champion and Maple Grove winner Matt Smith and a Chase Van Sant redlight advanced Herrera to the PSM final.
After making the most of sponsorship for a limited pro stock motorcycle schedule last year, Hector Arana Jr. has been red-hot aboard the GETTRX Buell bike for the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Arana Jr. advanced to the final round with wins over Steve Johnson, Angie Smith and Eddie Krawiec. But, when you lined up next to the Vance & Hines Mission Suzuki of Gaige Herrera you know you’ve got to get out of the gate first. Unfortunately, Arana Jr. left early handing Herrera his seventh win of his rookie season and the Countdown points lead.
Artwork courtesy of NHRA
UP COMING:
NHRA Midwest Nationals
The Countdown to the Championship continues as NHRA teams head to Madison, IL for NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway on September 29 through October 1. The FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod series will rejoin the nitro and stock classes at the next round outside St. Louis.
