Courtesy NHRA Communications (Photo Courtesy NHRA)
INDIANAPOLIS (March 6, 2024) – Top Fuel driver and reality television star Jordan Vandergriff will be part of the NHRA on FOX team as a reporter for select events during the upcoming 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
The season opens at this weekend’s 55th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at legendary Gainesville Raceway and Vandergriff will be in attendance, engaging the audience during the FS1 broadcast and on the NHRA social media pages.
Qualifying coverage begins Saturday at 12 p.m. and FS1 coverage kicks off the season that night with a special Pep Boys Top Fuel All-Star Callout broadcast at 7 p.m. ET. Qualifying coverage continues Sunday with a recap show on FS1 from 8:30-10:30 a.m. ET, followed by live eliminations coverage of the first two rounds from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. ET. Final round coverage will conclude on FS1 Sunday night from 9-10:30 p.m. ET with semifinal and final round coverage.
Vandergriff made his Top Fuel debut in 2019, racing at 11 events and advancing to one final round in Dallas. The young standout also participated in a pair of popular television reality shows, and was a star of season 19 of The Bachelorette and season 9 of Bachelor in Paradise.
“This is a great opportunity for me to stay involved in the sport and I’m looking forward to working with NHRA on FOX and NHRA social media teams,” Vandergriff said. “The television side of things has always been a passion of mine, and this is a fantastic chance to learn that side of the sport and be a part of a great team, both on the television and social media side. Hopefully, it can help create some added exposure for our sport and keep me close to the action on the racing side as well.”
Vandergriff has a strong following on social media extending beyond drag racing, with 80 percent of his followers under the age of 34. As a NHRA on FOX reporter, Vandergriff will be in the middle of the action on the starting line and in the pits, delivering unique aspects of the race weekend, while also providing content on NHRA’s standout social media channels.
“Having active racers who can draw on their experience in the car is an important aspect of our broadcast and we’re thrilled to welcome Jordan to our team,” said Steve Reintjes, NHRA Vice President of Broadcasting. “We’ve got a tremendous NHRA on FOX team and it will be great to integrate Jordan into our current group of standout talents. He’s had on-track success and his visibility and following outside the racing universe adds another exciting aspect to having him on the team.”
In Gainesville, Mike Salinas (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Troy Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won the Gatornationals in 2023, while Josh Hart is the defending winner of the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout. This weekend, fans will also see action in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ and Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown.
To purchase tickets to the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. Get your tickets now for the Top Eliminator Club before they sell out. For more info on NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.
For more info on NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.
