A definite highlight for every NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series driver and fan is the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas, which returns to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway April 12-14 for the unique 4-wide drag racing spectacular.
As an added bonus, the event will host the first-ever 4-wide Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, which brings competitive racing to the Saturday schedule. Introduced last year, the Saturday specialty event puts a bonus purse and bonus championship points on the line. It will debut at the 4-Wide race in Las Vegas for the first time in 2024, with four standouts aiming for the Challenge victory to close out qualifying on Saturday in each professional category (Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock).
That leads directly into Sunday eliminations, giving fans non-stop action all weekend in Las Vegas as NHRA’s fiercest competitors prepare for the ultimate test of skill and performance at the 24th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas. The race is the fourth race on the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series circuit and promises to deliver all the wild, incredible action only a 4-wide race can deliver.
The 2023 event saw Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) take home the coveted NHRA Wally trophies and this season’s race will again be broadcasted on FS1, including eliminations coverage at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 14, showcasing all the entertainment from Las Vegas.
Brown, a three-time NHRA world champion, took home his sixth Las Vegas victory last season when he bested a quad of Steve Torrence, Brittany Force and Josh Hart in the final round. To repeat his win, he’ll need to past the field of Top Fuel competitors including Shawn Langdon, who kicked off the season with a win in Gainesville, reigning champion Doug Kalitta, Billy Torrence and Mike Salinas. Also joining the Top Fuel ranks this season is motorsports legend and NHRA team owner Tony Stewart, who won the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals last season in the Top Alcohol Dragster division.
In the Funny Car category, Hagan picked up his fifth Las Vegas win when he took out Tim Wilkerson, John Force and Chad Green. Hagan went on to claim the Funny Car championship last season – the first title for Tony Stewart Racing – giving him four NHRA world titles. This season he’ll be up against the likes of Gainesville winner J.R. Todd, Austin Prock, who moved over to the Funny Car ranks this season, Bob Tasca III, Daniel Wilkerson, Cruz Pedregon and three-time world champ Ron Capps.
Pro Stock standout Glenn took home his second Las Vegas win last season after defeating a foursome that also included Troy Coughlin Jr., Cristian Cuadra and Deric Kramer in the finals. In the fight at this season’s race will be reigning champion Erica Enders, who is the winningest NHRA racer at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with 10 wins to her credit. Also in the mix will be multi-time champs Greg Anderson and Jeg Coughlin Jr., who returned to full-time racing this season.
The NHRA 4-Wide Nationals also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, featuring some of the top racers in the country. Also on deck will be Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown, while a special jet car exhibition featuring the “Muy Caliente” and the “Iceman” jet dragsters will follow the conclusion of nitro qualifying each day as well.
Fans will also be invited all weekend long to the Nitro Alley Stage, which will help create a festive atmosphere leading into the nitro pits. The Nitro Alley Stage will be the main entertainment hub in the pits when the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series competitors are not on the track, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets, music and much more.
Race fans at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners of the first 4-wide race of the season.
As always, fans also get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet in Las Vegas. This opportunity gives fans a unique chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. Fans can also visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food, and fun for the entire family.
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. PT on Friday, April 12, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, April 13 at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Eliminations will begin at 12 p.m. PT on Sunday, April 14. Television coverage includes qualifying action at 11:00 p.m. ET on both Friday and Saturday on Fox Sports 1 (FS1), leading into eliminations coverage at 7:00 p.m. ET on Sunday at FS1.
To purchase tickets to the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. For more information on NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.
