ST. LOUIS, MO – September 14, 2022 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – With a special fireworks show and a concert by country music star Tim Dugger helping kick off the weekend, the upcoming 11th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals on Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis will be loaded with special events, adding to the memorable three days of racing action in the middle of the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series event marks the halfway point of the six-race postseason as title contenders across all four professional categories will look to strengthen their championship resumé in St. Louis.
Dugger’s performance is slated to take place directly after the thrilling, must-see racing action under the lights at World Wide Technology Raceway on Friday. The 11,000-horsepower, 330-mph Top Fuel and Funny Cars will run a special 7 p.m. CT night qualifying session that will kick off the racing weekend, leading into a special fireworks show and the concert. That leads into final qualifying on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday, where the stakes will be high as the stars look to leave their mark in the Gateway City.
Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) won last year’s race, while this year’s playoff event will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 (FS1), with live action from eliminations set to air on Sunday, Oct. 2.
Torrence won for the third time in St. Louis last year, with all of those victories coming since 2017. Two of those wins have led to world titles and the Texan is seeking his fifth straight world title in the loaded Top Fuel ranks. To get there, Torrence may have his toughest road yet going against a top-tier lineup that includes points leader Brittany Force, who has four wins this year, Mike Salinas, another four-time winner in 2022, Tony Schumacher, Antron Brown, who won four straight times in St. Louis from 2012-2015, Leah Pruett, Justin Ashley, Josh Hart, and veteran Doug Kalitta.
Funny Car’s Matt Hagan edged out Bob Tasca III in last year’s final round and both drivers are in the thick of championship contention this year. Hagan won three races early in the season, while Tasca has been red-hot leading into the playoffs. He won three races this summer, while Robert Hight remains the points leader on the strength of six wins in 2022. Others to watch in the class include defending world champ and Indy winner Ron Capps, who also has a…
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