The heat is on with record-breaking temperature in The Valley and the stars of the NHRA ripping down Firebird Motorsports Park at 330 mph. The 41st Annual NHRA Arizona Nationals could be one of the wildest in history as drivers try to handle high-speed bombs on a slick and hot drag strip with track temperatures reaching 150 degrees.
Part of NHRA’s 75th Anniversary celebration, this diamond in the desert has racers all chasing a special diamond “Wally” trophy. Defending Top Fuel winner Shawn Langdon returns after back-to-back Phoenix victories, but he’ll have plenty of company from names like Tony Schumacher and Antron Brown. In Funny Car, reigning champ Austin Prock looks to rebound after a rough season opener, with heavy hitters like Matt Hagan and Ron Capps ready to pounce. Pro Stock brings its own rivalry, with Greg Anderson and Dallas Glenn continuing their battle, while Erica Enders eyes double duty Wallys in Pro Stock and Pro Mod.
Meanwhile, Arizonans search for victories at their home track during the NHRA 75th Anniversary celebration. Travis Shumake takes the track in Retro Funny Car ahead of the NHRA honoring his Hall of Fame father and Arizona drag racing legend, the late Tripp Shumake, at their next event in Pomona. Matt Hartford opened the season two weeks ago with a win in Gainesville, and now the Scottsdale transplant looks to maintain a perfect record in Pro Stock with a win on Sunday. Meanwhile, El Mirage’s Dylan Winefsky, is racing to qualify into his first career professional race at his home track of Firebird.
After the first day of high-temperature racing, second-year Funny Car driver, Spencer Hyde, held the provisional top qualifying spot. The Canadian native is racing pretty far out of his comfort zone in 100+ degree heat, but is on the verge of his first career professional victory.
The race weekend is happening alongside 410 sprint cars powering into Casa Grande as High Limit Racing visits Central Arizona Raceway. The stars of drag racing witnessed the high-intensity action in Casa Grande on Thursday as drivers made their way out to the dirt track to support the sprint car drivers. Members of High Limit Racing took to the drag strip on Wednesday with drivers from NHRA teaching them how to race on Arizona’s legendary drag strip, filled with laughs, burnouts, and some heavy competition between the dirt racers.
Gates open at 7:00 am, Sunday, for the 41st Annual Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park with the first round of Nitro eliminations ripping the strip at 10:00 am. NHRA will stay west for their next event on April 9-12 in Pomona, CA.
Related posts:
Devon Henry
Arizona native, Devon Henry, joined the Sports360AZ crew in 2018 after graduating from Arizona State's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Communication. Devon has avidly partaken in coverage of the Arizona high school sports scene since 2013 and has covered NASCAR and INDYCAR at Phoenix Raceway since 2017. Devon is also a play-by-play announcer, calling over a dozen different sports and hundreds of events.