Along with the NHRA Arizona Nationals, the finals of the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge also takes place in Phoenix
PHOENIX, AZ – April 5, 2024 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – In short, six NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series drivers have a chance for an epic weekend at Firebird Motorsports Park. Along with the 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals, the final round of the postponed Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals happens during final qualifying on Saturday, while the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge takes place on Friday and Saturday.
Top Fuel’s Tony Schumacher and Justin Ashley, Funny Car’s Matt Hagan and John Force, and Pro Stock’s Erica Enders and Dallas Glenn all have a chance for something special this weekend in Phoenix. The six Winternationals finalists spoke about the chance for a spectacular, “triple-up” weekend.
TOP FUEL
TONY SCHUMACHER VS. JUSTIN ASHLEY
- This is a rematch of a final round last year in Bristol, where Ashley swept the weekend, winning the New England Nationals against Schumacher, the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and then the Thunder Valley Nationals the next day.
- Schumacher is currently 5-3 against Ashley in eliminations.
- Schumacher, an eight-time world champ, is after his first win since 2022. Ashley will attempt to win the Winternationals for the third straight year.
Schumacher: “I’m the most jacked I’ve been in a long, long time. The car is running right, the team is in a great mood. We earned our way into the finals. I’ve done this before, finishing a race during a race weekend. I’ve finished the Charlotte race in Dallas, and last year I raced the Epping finals in Bristol. It doesn’t happen very often, but it’s so exciting when it does. Phoenix is a track that has been good to me in the past so hopefully we’ll have some more of that Firebird success this weekend. There is so much potential at this race and we’re pumped up and ready to go.”
Ashley: “It really is a great opportunity, a unique opportunity and we’ve got a lot on the line. I don’t know that we’ve ever gone into a national event and had every run, starting with Q1, be so meaningful. It’s exciting and all we have to do is turn on seven win lights this weekend. It’s such a difficult thing to do with the depth of this class and you’ve already seen that this year. It’s going to take a lot of toughness from this team to capitalize on this and we’re really looking forward…
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