POMONA, Calif. (March 29, 2023) – Following a thrilling opening weekend of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, the special challenge returns as part of this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.
The Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge brings competitive racing to the qualifying schedule at 12 regular-season events during the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series campaign, pitting semifinalists from the previous race against each other in a pair of rematches, with the two winners then matching up in the final qualifying session.
It opened last weekend in Phoenix, with Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Alexis DeJoria (Funny Car) and Troy Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) taking the wins and, along with it, the bonus purse and bonus points for the Countdown to the Championship. This weekend in Pomona, the action promises to be just as exciting, with 12 racers getting their chance for a bonus payout and points on Saturday, leading into eliminations at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals.
Two Top Fuel drivers will race in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge for the second straight week, with both looking to pick up a challenge and event win. Four-time defending world champ and points leader Steve Torrence will take on Justin Ashley, who got the best of Torrence in Phoenix and picked up the overall race win. The other matchup features Leah Pruett, who competed in the first challenge, as well as Phoenix runner-up Shawn Langdon. He’ll try to follow in the footsteps of his Kalitta Motorsports teammate and keep the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge victory in-house.
In Funny Car, two standout drivers will be competing in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge for the first time, including Phoenix race winner Robert Hight. He knocked off Chad Green in the semifinals last weekend, setting up that marquee rematch for Pomona. The other must-see matchup will include race runner-up Ron Capps, who takes on DeJoria. She became the first winner of the challenge last weekend and will look to repeat that success at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.
Pro Stock will feature four new faces in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, including Phoenix event winner Camrie Caruso, who won her first career race and became just the second female in NHRA Pro Stock history to win an event. She’ll take on Matt Hartford in a can’t-miss matchup, as Caruso beat Hartford on a holeshot during eliminations in Phoenix. The other matchup in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge features event runner-up Bo Butner and Kyle Koretsky, with Koretsky looking to gain some revenge this weekend.
Winners in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge in Top Fuel and Funny Car will earn $10,000 in Pomona, while the Pro Stock winner will net $7,500. There’s also bonus points on the line, as each challenge winner will earn three bonus points that will be added to their point total to begin the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. The runner-up will get two points and the quickest losing semifinalist earns a point, adding another major incentive for race teams to chase a Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge victory.
NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature one round at 3 p.m. PT on Friday, March 31, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, April 1 at 12 and 3 p.m. The finals of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge take place at the end of final qualifying in each category. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday, April 2.
Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 7:00 p.m. ET. on Saturday and 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, leading into eliminations at 7 p.m. ET.
To purchase tickets to the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. For more information on NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.
Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge Matchups at Lucas Oil NHRA
Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip:
TOP FUEL
Shawn Langdon vs. Leah Pruett (Langdon won in Phoenix)
Justin Ashley vs. Steve Torrence (Ashley won in Phoenix)
FUNNY CAR
Ron Capps vs. Alexis DeJoria (Capps won in Phoenix)
Robert Hight vs. Chad Green (Hight won in Phoenix)
PRO STOCK
Camrie Caruso vs. Matt Hartford (Caruso won in Phoenix)
Bo Butner vs. Kyle Koretsky (Butner won in Phoenix)
Courtesy NHRA Communications
