IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS: Six-Race NHRA Countdown to the Championship Set to Begin

NHRA playoffs set to feature stops in Reading, Charlotte, St. Louis, Dallas,
Las Vegas and Pomona

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – September 5, 2024 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – After an incredible regular season in the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, the Countdown to the Championship playoffs is officially here.

Over the next six races, dreams will be realized, history will be made and excitement will be at a fever pitch as drivers across Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle will be focused on nothing but NHRA championship glory.

After the points reset, the championship journey starts at the 39th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals on Sept. 12-15 at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa., kicking off an edge-of-your-seat Countdown to the Championship sure to be filled with unforgettable moments and electric atmospheres across the country.

The first stretch of the Countdown to the Championship opens with three straight race weekends, with drivers going from Reading to the NHRA Carolina Nationals on Sept. 20-22 at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte to the NHRA Midwest Nationals on Sept. 27-29 at World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis.

From there, the NHRA grabs the spotlight as the main event at the famed Texas Motorplex’s “Stampede of Speed” with the 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals on Oct. 10-13 in Dallas. That opens the second half of the six-race playoffs, with the annual fall stop at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway coming Oct. 31-Nov. 3 as the penultimate race in the 2024 season.

Then, all eyes will shift to historic In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, as dreams will come to fruition and celebrations will ensue at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals on Nov. 14-17 to finish off an epic 73rd season of NHRA racing.

Last year, Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) ended the season as world champions and this season’s championship chase will again be featured on FOX and FS1.

Championship battles are just getting started, but Kalitta has visions of a second straight world title. He got hot in the playoffs last year, winning three races, including the finale at Pomona to take the championship, but after not qualifying in Indy – the first time that happened to Kalitta in nearly 14 years – he’s ready for a quick rebound in Reading.

“It was unfortunate for sure, but my team is very resilient,” Kalitta said in a video on Wednesday. “We’re still…