Langdon and Torrence both within striking distance of points leader Justin Ashley with two races remaining in the Countdown to the Championship
In a Top Fuel championship race that could be one for the ages in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, what happens at this weekend’s 24th annual Ford Performance NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway could loom large in the title chase.
That’s especially true for those needing a big weekend to draw closer to points leader Justin Ashley, who took over the top spot following his Dallas win. Three-time world champion Antron Brown trails Ashley but just 44 points, but he’s not the only one still looking to make a championship push at the final two races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
Former champ Shawn Langdon is only 76 points out of first in his 11,000-horsepower Kalitta Air Careers dragster, while four-time champion Steve Torrence sits just 88 points behind in his Capco Contractors dragster. Tony Schumacher is 105 points out of first, as the four drivers directly behind Ashley have a combined 16 championships between them.
Langdon, though, knows his Kalitta Motorsports team needs to make up ground quickly and he’ll need a big weekend in Vegas to stay in viable contention at the finale in Pomona.
“In a perfect world, the Kalitta Air Careers team wins the race this weekend and takes the points lead,” Langdon said. “We just need to keep doing what we’ve been doing all season but turn a couple of those runner-up finishes into race wins. Where it ends up, it ends up. Our goal is to win the last two races – we’re not focused on anything else.”
Last season, Mike Salinas (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock) all won the late-season race in Las Vegas. This year’s race will again be broadcast on FS1, with elimination coverage at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 3. It is the fifth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship and the 19th of 20 races in the 2024 season, and the action will undoubtedly be intense in Las Vegas.
Langdon won two of the first three races this year, but hasn’t been back to the winner’s circle, falling in the final round five other times. That includes in Reading to open the postseason, while Torrence is also looking to finish the deal in Las Vegas. He’s had big moments this year and has been consistent, but Torrence, who won in Seattle, knows he’ll need victories to claim a fifth world title.
He was the runner-up in St. Louis and advanced to the semifinals in Dallas during the playoffs, but will need more than that in Las Vegas. The good news is Torrence has enjoyed plenty of success at The Strip, winning five times, though the challenge is getting past a loaded field that also includes Clay Millican, Brittany Force and Tony Stewart.
Torrence is plenty battle-tested, which he hopes plays into his favor this weekend, where intensity will be at a fever pitch with the championship still up for grabs.
“I still feel good about the championship,” Torrence said. “We’ve shot ourselves in the foot a couple times, but I don’t think we’ve shot it smooth off. The thing is, we just can’t make any more mistakes. We’re down 88 points and, going into Pomona, we need to at least be within two rounds (60 points). So, we’ve got some work to do.
“We have an opportunity. Vegas has been good to us. We’ve won a lot of rounds (46, more than at any other venue) and a lot of races but, to be honest, that’s old news. It’s all about what we can do this weekend and I can’t think of anybody I’d rather go into a battle like this with than these CAPCO boys. They’ve been here. They know the pressure. They know what needs to be done.”
In Funny Car, Austin Prock has a chance to clinch his first world championship with a big weekend in Las Vegas. He currently leads John Force Racing teammate Jack Beckman, who is driving for Force, by 147 points, and could cement his first world title with a memorable Las Vegas event. Others to watch include Bob Tasca III, reigning world champ Matt Hagan and three-time champ Ron Capps.
Dallas Glenn currently leads the way in Pro Stock, as the 2021 NHRA Rookie of the Year holds a 53-point advantage over another young standout, Aaron Stanfield. Greg Anderson is 90 points back, while reigning Pro Stock champion Enders, whose 10 wins are the most in NHRA history at The Strip, is 111 points out of first.
Gaige Herrera is after a second straight title in Pro Stock Motorcycle, with the defending event winner ahead of six-time champ Matt Smith by 62 points. Other standouts include Hector Arana Jr., Jianna Evaristo, Chase Van Sant and Richard Gadson.
The Ford Performance NHRA Nationals also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the Summit Racing Series E.T. Finals. The weekend will also include action in Legends Nitro Funny Car class and a spectacular jet dragster exhibition after nitro qualifying on Friday and Saturday.
It’s also the final race of the 2024 season in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, Johnson’s Horsepowered Mountain Motor Pro Stock and the new Holley EFI Factory X category.
Fans are invited to the Nitro Alley Stage in the pits, where they can take part in Nitro School, meet and greets, influencer interviews and much more. Vegas race fans can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday, where fans are invited to congratulate the Ford Performance NHRA Nationals event winners.
As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. They can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers and more. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting atmosphere that includes displays, merchandise, food, and fun.
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 12:00 and 2:30 p.m. PT on Friday, Nov. 1, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 12:00 and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. PT on Nov. 3. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday with eliminations at 5:00 p.m. ET.
To purchase tickets to the Ford Performance NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, call 800-644-4444 or visit www.lvms.com. Children 12 and under are admitted free in general admissions areas with a paid adult. For more information about NHRA, visit www.nhra.com
