BRISTOL, TN – May 6, 2025 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – As one of the highlights on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tour, teams and fans are thrilled to return to Thunder Valley and famed Bristol Dragway for the 24th annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals on June 6-8.
Scenic Bristol Dragway has served as a must-see facility for NHRA fans for more than two decades and serves as the eighth of 20 events during the 2025 season. The Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals will once again deliver an incredible sensory overload with 12,000-horsepower nitro burning machines blazing down the track – and through the mountains – at more than 330 mph.
The weekend is filled with nonstop action, too, starting with a pair of qualifying sessions on Friday. That includes nitro at night, as fans can see the massive nitro header flames under the lights to close out the day. Saturday continues with the final two rounds of qualifying and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, which brings competitive racing to the qualifying schedule. It leads to Sunday eliminations, as all the stars in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle look to pick up wins at one of the most memorable events of the year.
Add in autograph sessions, fireworks, unparalleled fan access and much more, and the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals is one race fans can’t miss.
In 2024, Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won in Bristol. Clay Millican, Prock, Erica Enders and Matt Smith each won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, while semifinalists from the NHRA New England Nationals will rematch in Bristol in 2025. This season’s Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals will be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations starting at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 8.
The Top Fuel ranks continue to be an ultra-competitive class, with former champion Shawn Langdon leading the points after collecting wins Phoenix and Charlotte. Motorsports legend and 2024 Rookie of the Year Tony Stewart is second after he won his first career Top Fuel race in Las Vegas. The racing legend is no stranger to Bristol success, but the star-studded class also includes reigning Top Fuel champion Antron Brown, Brittany Force and Clay Millican.
Austin Prock has dominated since moving to Funny Car class in 2024. He won eight events last year, including the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, en route to his first Funny Car world title. Prock again leads the points after picking up back-to-back wins. Others in the mix are Phoenix winner Paul Lee, as well as former champs Matt Hagan, Jack Beckman, who took over driving duties for John Force, and Ron Capps.
Jeg Coughlin, a five-time Pro Stock champ, earned his third Bristol win over reigning champion Greg Anderson. But this year has belonged to KB Titan Racing, with Anderson and points leader Dallas Glenn meeting in every final so far. Glenn has won three times and Anderson twice, as others like Erica Enders and Aaron Stanfield look to stop their streak in Bristol.
Pro Stock Motorcycle first appeared at Bristol Dragway in 2021 and each year has seen a new winner. Two-time reigning champion Gaige Herrera won last year, while six-time champ Matt Smith took over the points lead in Charlotte. Other standouts include Jianna Evaristo, 2023 event winner Steve Johnson, Chase Van Sant and Angie Smith.
The event will also feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock. After final qualifying on Saturday, fans will also be treated to a special autograph session and fanfest at the Bristol Dragway Welcome Tent in the midway.
All weekend, fans will be invited to the Nitro Alley Stage, which is the main entertainment hub in the pits. The stage hosts Nitro School, meet and greets, autograph sessions and more. Bristol race fans can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce each driver and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. Fans are also invited to congratulate the winners at the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday.
As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their cars, get autographs and more. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and vendors create an exciting atmosphere.
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 5 and 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, June 6, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, June 7 at 12:30 and 3 p.m. Eliminations will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 8. Television coverage includes qualifying action at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday and 8 p.m. on Sunday on FS1, leading into eliminations at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday.
To purchase tickets to the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. For more information on 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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