Tony Stewart Racing earned its first Number One Qualifier when Funny Car driver Matt Hagan set a new track with 3.832 ET at 333.41 mph in his Dodge Power Brokers / Direct Connection Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. It was the first time this season that Hagan earned the top qualifying spot and the 44th time in his storied career.
Not to be outdone, driver of the 11,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster, Doug Kalitta, posted a career-best run with a 3.656 ET at 329.58 mph in Friday qualifying. It was Kalitta’s 51st Number One Qualifier in Top Fuel and his first since the 2019 season. It also secured Kalitta’s spot in the Pep Boys Top Fuel All-Star Callout, which is a NHRA specialty race that pits the top eight drivers against each other at the Gatornationals.
In NHRA Pro Stock competition, Kyle Koretsky had an impressive run with a 6.520-second elapsed time at 210.21 mph to earn his second Number One Qualifier of his young career. The driver of the Lucas Oil Chevrolet Camaro was able to outlast Aaron Stanfield with a 6.521 ET and Pomona winner Erica Enders who posted a 6.526 elapse time at 210.24 mph.
Robert Hight Wins Funny Car at NHRA Arizona Nationals
A red-hot Robert Hight remained perfect on the season with his second straight victory in Funny Car at the 37th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. The race was the second event of the 22 race NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series as drivers competed in front of another huge crowd of avid race fans. Hight was in the 3.80s in all four elimination rounds, defeating Paul Lee, Bob Tasca III, and teammate John Force.
In a matchup of three-time world champions, Hight went 3.837-seconds at 330.39 mph in his Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS, outrunning No. 1 qualifier Matt Hagan and denying Tony Stewart his first win as a NHRA team owner. Hagan wrapped up a solid weekend with his new team, setting the track record in qualifying, and advancing to the final round for the first time this season and the 72nd time in his career
Mike Salinas Continues Hot Streak with Top Fuel in Arizona
Mike Salinas picked up where he left off after his hot finish last year, knocking off Jim Maroney, Shawn Langdon, and four-time defending world champ Steve Torrence to reach the final round. With an ultra-low relative humidity of six percent and cool 92 degree track temperature, Salinas was paired for the first time in a Top Fuel final round against Clay Millican. Millican had a slight advantage off the tree with a .057 RT to Salinas with a .063 reaction time.
Clay Millican had a great weekend at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, as well. After round wins against Tripp Tatum, eight-time world champ Tony Schumacher and Josh Hart, Millican advanced to his nineteenth national final and posted a faster speed at 322.73 mph but lost by approximately six feet at the finish line to the quicker Salinas with a 3.751 elapsed time. It was the fourth career Top Fuel Wally for a red-hot Mike Salinas.
Elite Motorsports Final Goes to Aaron Stanfield
After losing to teammate Erica Enders at Pomona, Aaron Stanfield was red-hot at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. In his Janac Brothers Camaro, Stanfield advanced to the final round in Pro Stock competition by eliminating Alan Prusiensky, reigning world champ Greg Anderson, and Mason McGaha. Moreover, he posted the quickest Pro Stock run in two years with a 6.503 ET in the quarter final run against Anderson
Troy Coughlin Jr. was making his first appearance at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park and worked his way to his third final-round appearance with victories over Matt Hartford, Deric Kramer, and Number One Qualifier Kyle Koretsky. It was Stanfield’s first win at the Arizona Nationals and the fifth career Pro Stock Wally. Stanfield’s win was his first since becoming a father just last week.
UP NEXT:
NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway
The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series returns to action March 10-13 with the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway as well as the Pep Boys Top Fuel All-Star Callout specialty race.
