Legends Return, New Stars Rise: The Race for Glory at the 2025 Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – August 11, 2025 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – The Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals is undoubtedly the most prestigious race on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tour. Legends are made at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park every year during Labor Day Weekend, making a victory and a Wally at The Big Go so coveted.

Some drivers have multiple Indianapolis wins, while others work their whole careers to secure the coveted Wally at The Big Go. Regardless, a first victory at Indy is always special and what dreams are made of.

Last year saw a unique winner’s circle with four first-time Indy winners, as Clay Millican (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) forged their Indy legacy with victories.

Heading into 2025’s Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals on Aug. 27-Sept. 1 and with several big names still without their trademark moment in Indy, will we see a new group of first-time winners at the world’s biggest drag race?

Top Fuel

Among the Top Fuel stars who have yet to claim an Indianapolis win is two-time world champion and national record-holder Brittany Force. The Force name has been synonymous with Indianapolis for years, with John Force winning five times and Ashley Force Hood, Brittany’s sister, earning two Indy wins. But Brittany has yet to add her name to the list of Force family members who have conquered Indianapolis. The John Force Racing team has also won at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park several times, including Prock last year.

Other major names looking to win the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals for the first time include Justin Ashley and racing legend Tony Stewart, who makes his second career Top Fuel start at the Big Go this year.

Funny Car

Funny Car veteran Bob Tasca III has seen a lot of success in the sport, but a Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals title is not yet on his win list. He has struggled in 2025, but an Indy win would certainly turn everything around.

Paul Lee won last year’s specialty NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout but has yet to nab a win on Labor Day. Lee won his first career Funny Car race earlier this season in Phoenix. Could Indy be the home of his next win or will a young standout like Daniel Wilkerson or Spencer Hyde come up with a career-defining first-ever Funny Car victory?

Pro Stock

Undoubtedly, this year’s Pro Stock class has been dominated by the KB Titan Racing powerhouse, with reigning world champion Greg Anderson and Pro Stock standout Dallas Glenn winning eight of the 10 Pro Stock races so far this season. While Anderson has seven Indy race wins, Glenn is after his first at the prestigious race.

Glenn currently leads the points standings and will battle for the NHRA regular season championship with his teammate. An Indy win would clinch that and hand the former Rookie of the Year the biggest win in what has already been an impressive career.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

Reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Gaige Herrera won his first Indy last season and once again leads the points this season.

But second place belongs to his Vance & Hines teammate Richard Gadson, who has won a pair of races in his second year in the category. It’s been a breakout year for Gadson and an Indy victory would be another major accomplishment for the championship contender.

Other riders looking for a first-time Indy win include standouts Angie Smith, Jianna Evaristo and Chase Van Sant.

This year’s race will once again be broadcast on FS1 and FOX, with Monday’s eliminations broadcast on FOX beginning at 2 p.m. ET.

For more than 70 years, the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals has been the focal point of the NHRA season. Racers flock to Indy for their chance at drag racing glory, and NHRA greats, including Tony Schumacher, Bob Glidden, Don Garlits, Greg Anderson, Dave Shultz, and John Force have solidified themselves as Indianapolis royalty with multiple wins on drag racing’s grandest stage.

Top Fuel’s Schumacher has an amazing 10 victories at The Big Go, the most of any driver in NHRA history, while Force’s five Funny Car wins are tied with Ed “The Ace” McCulloch for the most in class history. Reigning Pro Stock world champion Greg Anderson won his seventh Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals in 2022, giving him his 100th career win. Reigning Top Fuel champ Antron Brown has five career wins across two classes at The Big Go in Top Fuel as well as Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Indy offers something for every racing fan, including:

• Fans at the event who renew their tickets for the 2026 race will be given a special 75th anniversary replica championship ring. They will also be given the option to buy a commemorative ticket featuring several NHRA legends as NHRA looks to celebrate its diamond anniversary next season.
• The Deecell NHRA Competition Eliminator Cash Clash is back at Indy, giving Comp Eliminator drivers a shot at a big payout on drag racing’s biggest stage.
• The Sox & Martin Hemi Challenge returns as the longest-running continuous specialty race in NHRA history, and features exciting heads-up, wheelstanding, side-by-side racing of Hemi-powered ’68 Super Stock Dodge Darts and Plymouth Barracudas competing in the NHRA SS/AH class.
• Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park will see more than 800 race cars competing for U.S. Nationals glory. From Top Fuel to Super Stock, there is a race car on track for any racing fanatic.
• An unforgettable Top Eliminator Club experience, including NHRA driver appearances, food and drink, TEC gift bag, starting line seats and much more.
• Free parking for all fans in attendance for the entire weekend.
• SealMaster Track Walk before Monday’s eliminations.
• Autograph sessions throughout the weekend and a can’t-miss Hot Rod Junction.
• Children 12-and-under get in free to an event offering all-day entertainment for the entire family.

Also on the schedule is the final Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge race of the season, as drivers look to earn a bonus purse and bonus points for the upcoming Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Indy also features the world’s best in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown and NHRA Holley EFI Factory X.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature one round at 6:15 p.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 29, two rounds at 12:30 and 3:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 30 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Sunday, Aug. 31 at 12 and 2:45 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. ET on Monday, Sept 1.

Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, and eliminations at 12 p.m. on FS1 on Monday, shifting to FOX at 2 p.m.

The first round of the Funny Car All-Star Callout takes place at 12:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 31, with the semifinals at 2:15 p.m. and the final round at 4 p.m. A special broadcast of the Callout takes place on FS1 at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday.

To purchase tickets to the 71st annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult. For more information about NHRA, 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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