NHRA Factory X Class To Return In 2025

The Holley EFI Factory Experimental (Factory X) category will return in 2025, NHRA officials have confirmed. The category, which debuted in an official capacity two seasons ago, endured an unexpectedly tumultuous sophomore campaign in 2024 highlighted by  controversial rules infractions, a series of up-and-down parity adjustments and performance outputs, and the loss of Dodge and Ford entries in the latter half of the schedule.

The NHRA notes that new entries are confirmed as being constructed for debut in 2025 and that existing drivers and/or cars are set to return for a championship contest.

Greg Stanfield, a four-time sportsman-class world champion and winner of the inaugural Factory X race, was crowned the 2024 series champion at Las Vegas on the heels of four national event wins throughout the season. In early November, Stanfield announced his full-time return to Pro Stock with Elite Motorsports and backing from the Janac Brothers and the famed Rod Shop in 2025. Days later, Factory Stock Showdown and Factory X standout Stephen Bell announced the same move, also with Elite Motorsports. Neither driver has confirmed their departure from Factory X, but would represent a significant loss to the roster if they or their cars do not compete in 2025.

Rule infractions by a handful of Chevrolet entries and frustrations over perceived brand favoritism at the U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis resulted in the loss of Alex Laughlin’s Dodge Challenger Drag Pak entry and dwindling participating down the stretch; just six cars competed at St. Louis, and five apiece in Dallas and Las Vegas. The field at Dallas and Las Vegas featured one Ford each.

The class, highlighted by factory-appearing muscle car bodies with supercharged small-block production engines, manual transmissions, and 33×10.5W tires, remains a popular component of the national event tour. The NHRA is expected to release the 2025 event schedule for its specialty categories, including Factory X, in the coming weeks.