CONCORD, NC – September 17, 2025 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – One of the most unique spectacles in motorsports, this weekend’s NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals at spectacular zMAX Dragway, will featuring one of the most remarkable stories in recent NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series history as Shawn Reed looks to stay perfect in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
The veteran won his first career NHRA Top Fuel race last weekend in Reading, Pa., completing an awe-inspiring comeback after his July crash in Seattle. The crash resulted in the amputation of Reed’s left index finger, but he was determined to return to the driver’s seat.
Jordan Vandergriff drove for Reed in Brainerd and Indianapolis, helping keep Reed alive for playoff contention. He entered the Countdown to the Championship opener 10th in points, but delivered an epic performance last weekend, moving all the way to fifth with his incredible victory.
Feeling plenty of momentum in his 12,000-horsepower Reed Trucking & Excavating dragster, a whole new set of challenges arrives in Charlotte at the first-ever four-wide race in the playoffs. Reed ran well at the Charlotte fall race a year ago, qualifying second, but the thrilling four-wide format adds another massive dynamic to the mix. Still, Reed is riding high after last weekend and believes nothing is out of the question now.
“I’m tied for fifth and my team is pumped,” Reed said. “It’s a long, long road to win one of these things. It takes a lot of luck. But if I could move up four or five spots right here and we can go to the four-wide in Charlotte and maybe go to the finals or the semifinals, we just have to get round wins. We don’t have to be a hero at every event. It’s tough to win one of these things, trust me.
“You don’t have to go light the world on fire. We went eight laps down the track every time, man. That just builds momentum and it builds confidence. It’s just a testament to what these guys do for a living. My team are the ones who got me here.”
Last year’s NHRA Carolina Nationals saw Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) each claiming wins. This season’s race will again be broadcast on FS1, including live coverage of eliminations beginning at 12 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 21.
It is the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship – and the 16th of 20 races in 2025 – and Reed is right in the mix in a loaded Top Fuel category. Doug Kalitta took over the points lead in Reading, leading racing legend and regular-season world champion Tony Stewart by 18 points (less than one round).
Shawn Langdon, who won the spring four-wide race in Charlotte during the 1,000th Top Fuel race, is right behind at 33 points back and Justin Ashley is 50 points behind Kalitta. The championship contenders also include Clay Millican, record-holder Brittany Force, who announced her retirement from full-time racing at the end of 2025, Steve Torrence, reigning world champ Antron Brown and Josh Hart, meaning an event win at zMAX Dragway won’t come easy.
The added element of four-wide racing makes for a thrilling dynamic – along with the rush of nearly 50,000-horsepower – and Sunday’s will be historic for someone, and Reed hopes it will be him. After last year’s Countdown to the Championship, Reed has this year’s postseason goal list mapped out and it starts with a strong performance this weekend at the Bellagio of drag strips.
“After last year, I said I’m going to do everything I can to be considered in the conversation in Vegas,” Reed said. “My goal was to get to Vegas and be, you know, Shawn Reed is an outsider but maybe he can get this thing. That’s my goal.
“We’re going to Charlotte and I’m not stopping, man. This crew is wound up and I’m just proud of these guys who put this car together. So many things can go wrong, but these guys have stepped up and they’ve done a really great job.”
Prock won last year’s Carolina Nationals when he defeated Matt Hagan. The John Force Racing standout remains in the points lead, but the reigning champ is just 25 points ahead of teammate Jack Beckman. Ron Capps is only 29 points behind, while other stars include Reading winner Cruz Pedregon, Matt Hagan and Paul Lee.
Glenn, an area resident, won last year over Aaron Stanfield. He also won in the spring as the points leader looks for three in a row at his home track. Glenn is off to a stellar start in the playoffs, winning the opener. His challengers include teammate and reigning world champion Greg Anderson, Matt Hartford, Cory Reed and Erica Enders.
Six-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Smith calls zMAX Dragway home and he’s also looking for three straight at zMAX. He moved into the points lead in Reading, leading event winner and back-to-back world champ Gaige Herrera by just six points and Richard Gadson by only nine points.
The NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, which includes some of the sport’s top drivers, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock and the Pingel NHRA Top Fuel Motorcycle Series.
Fans will be invited to the Nitro Alley Stage all weekend, as the entertainment hub hosts Nitro School, meet and greets, music and much more. Race fans at zMAX Dragway 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, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners.
As always, fans get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction in Charlotte. This opportunity gives fans a 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, which includes interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food, and fun for the entire family.
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will feature two qualifying rounds at 4 and 6:15 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 19, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 12:30 and 3:00 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 21. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 10 a.m. ET and then live coverage eliminations at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday.
To purchase tickets to the NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway, please visit www.zmaxdragway.com or call 800-455-FANS (3267). For more information about NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.
About Mission Foods
MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/
About NHRA
NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Source: National Hot Rod Association
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