News Summary
This weekend’s Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway featured Tony Stewart achieving his first No. 1 qualifying position in Top Fuel. Stewart continues to lead the points standings after winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. The event showcased intense races, including Austin Prock dominating the Funny Car category and Greg Anderson reaching a milestone with 1,000 career round wins. As eliminations begin, fans can anticipate thrilling matchups leading to the finals.
Bristol, TN – The Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, the eighth event in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, showcased thrilling performances at Bristol Dragway this weekend. Highlighting the event was Tony Stewart, who achieved his first-ever No. 1 qualifying position in Top Fuel with an impressive time of 3.755 seconds. Stewart is currently leading the points standings in Top Fuel and has garnered two wins this season.
Stewart also triumphed in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, where he defeated Doug Kalitta in the final. In the opening round, Stewart will face Cameron Ferre, who qualified at No. 14. Fans can expect an exciting matchup between Justin Ashley, who qualified at No. 5, and Antron Brown, who landed at No. 13, a rare position below his usual performance. Another notable first-round battle features Brittany Force, a recent winner in Epping, who will square off against Ida Zetterström.
In Funny Car, Austin Prock secured the No. 1 qualifying spot with a stellar run of 3.931 seconds in his Cornwell Tools Camaro. Prock is closely followed in qualifying by Alexis DeJoria with a time of 3.946 seconds and Ron Capps, who clocked in at 3.960 seconds. Capps, who competes in Funny Car, made headlines by becoming the all-time wins leader at Bristol Dragway, marking his eighth victory at this venue and ending a long 33-race winless streak. He secured the milestone by defeating Paul Lee in the final round with a time of 3.957 seconds at 328.06 mph.
The Pro Stock category was equally competitive, featuring Dallas Glenn as the lowest qualifier with a time of 6.645 seconds. High-stakes matchups included Erica Enders competing against Cory Reed and Cody Coughlin squaring off against Greg Stanfield. Brayden Davis emerged at the top of the Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying, clocking in at 6.834 seconds in just his second event competing in the NHRA. The opening round will see Dallas Glenn taking on Fernando Cuadra Jr. while Richard Gadson showed strong performance by placing second in the Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifiers.
Eliminations are set to take place on Sunday, beginning at noon following pre-race ceremonies scheduled for 11 a.m. The standout performances continued with Steve Torrence capturing the Top Fuel final by defeating Justin Ashley with a time of 4.022 seconds at 325.37 mph. This victory marks Torrence’s first since July, underscoring his competitive return to form.
Adding to the excitement of the event, Greg Anderson achieved a significant milestone by claiming his fourth win of the Pro Stock season and reaching 1,000 career round wins in the NHRA. Anderson won the final round against Dallas Glenn with a time of 6.623 seconds at 205.91 mph, making him only the second driver in NHRA history to reach this remarkable accomplishment.
In a historic moment for the Pro Stock Motorcycle division, Richard Gadson earned his first career victory by defeating Gaige Herrera, showcasing a strong reaction time that sealed the win. The results from the Thunder Valley Nationals emphasize not only the rising competitiveness in NHRA racing but also the significance of key milestones achieved by various drivers, marking a memorable season.
The Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals reinforced Bristol Dragway’s reputation as a premier venue for drag racing, drawing in fans and competitors eager to witness high-speed action and exhilarating performances.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
Ron Capps Achieves Milestone Victory at Bristol Dragway
Tony Stewart Achieves First No. 1 Qualifier at Bristol Dragway
Greg Anderson Achieves Milestone with 1,000th Round Win
Ron Capps Wins at Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals
Shawn Langdon Leads Provisional Qualifiers at Thunder Valley Nationals
Andy Ross to Perform Live at Thunder Valley Nationals
NHRA Adjusts Schedule for Thunder Valley Nationals
American Rebel CEO to Perform at Thunder Valley Nationals
NHRA Adjusts Super Grip Thunder Valley Nationals Schedule
Thrilling Races Set for NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals
Additional Resources
- Autoweek: NHRA Bristol Final Qualifying
- Wikipedia: NHRA
- NHRA: Capps, Torrence, Anderson, and Gadson Score Big Wins in Bristol
- Google Search: NHRA Drag Racing
- NHRA: Thunder Valley Nationals Sunday News
- Google Scholar: NHRA Racing 2025
- NHRA: Thunder Valley Nationals Saturday News
- Encyclopedia Britannica: NHRA
- MSN: NHRA Bristol Results
- Google News: NHRA Bristol Results
