LAS VEGAS — The biggest spectacle in drag racing is set to return to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, as the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series goes four-wide drag racing at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals on April 14-16.
With four 11,000-horsepower nitro-burning machines powering down the dragstrip simultaneously in Las Vegas, it serves as drag racing’s ultimate thrill ride and a scene unlike anything else in motorsports. This year’s NHRA Four-Wide Nationals marks the fourth of 21 races during the 2023 season, giving fans a can’t-miss opportunity to take in the out-of-this-world sights and sounds when drag racing goes to four lanes.
A year ago, the first of two annual stops in Las Vegas served as a huge precursor to overall success, as all three winners at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals – Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) – ended the season as world champions.
All the NHRA stars will look to pick up an early-season victory in Vegas this year and fans will be treated to a weekend filled with action and excitement, including two qualifying sessions on both Friday and Saturday, jet cars and eliminations on Sunday. The race will again be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 (FS1), showcasing all the must-see, memorable action that’s certain to take place at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Force’s dream season in Top Fuel got rolling at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas, as she picked up the first of her five wins on the season, knocking off a final quad that featured four drivers with 17 career world titles. She ended the year with a second Vegas win and her second world title. Force is again after her first win of the year, but she’ll have to do against a loaded field that includes points leader Justin Ashley, who has won back-to-back races this year, Pomona runner-up Austin Prock, Gainesville winner Mike Salinas, Doug Kalitta, Antron Brown, Shawn Langdon, Leah Pruett, Steve Torrence and Tony Schumacher.
In Funny Car, Capps’ victory last year marked a huge moment in his career, as it clinched his first win as a team owner. It also propelled Capps to his second straight world title and third overall championship, and the veteran has been solid to open 2023, advancing to back-to-back final rounds. But everyone is chasing Tony Stewart Racing’s Matt Hagan, who has won two of the first three races to open 2023, including last weekend in Pomona. He also won the fall race in Las Vegas last year, but Hagan will have to contend with the likes of Robert Hight, who won eight times in 2022 and in Phoenix this year, J.R. Todd, Alexis DeJoria, Tim Wilkerson, Cruz Pedregon, Bob Tasca III, 16-time world champ John Force and Chad Green.
Enders has simply dominated The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway during her stellar career, sweeping both races in 2022. That gave her nine wins in Vegas, the most of any driver in NHRA history. She’s swept both races in Las Vegas three different times, but the defending world champ is looking for her first win of 2023. Enders hopes it will come at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, but she’ll have to get past Pomona winner Dallas Glenn, Troy Coughlin Jr., who won in Gainesville, Greg Anderson, Phoenix winner Camrie Caruso, Kyle Koretsky, Cristian Cuadra, Matt Hartford, Bo Butner, Aaron Stanfield and Mason McGaha.
The NHRA Four-Wide Nationals also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, featuring some of the top racers in the country. A special jet car exhibition featuring the “Muy Caliente” jet dragsters will follow the conclusion of nitro qualifying each day as well.
Keyword: NHRA Four-Wide Nationals Next In Las Vegas