The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is a drag racing series that is organized by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). It is the top competition series of the NHRA, comprising competition with four different classes, which includes Top Fuel Dragster, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle.
The champion of each category is determined by a point system where points are given according to finishing placement and qualifying effort. The season is divided into two segments. After the first part of the season, then in each pro category drivers & riders get locked in to compete in the last six races with the difference in points greatly minimized.
History The series has four main professional classes: Top Fuel Dragster, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Top Fuel was the first category introduced in 1965, with Funny Cars being added in 1966, Pro Stock in 1970 and Pro Stock Motorcycles in 1987. Both Top Fuel and Funny Cars regularly see top speeds in excess of today, and one thousand foot times anywhere from 3.70 to 4 seconds. Both these cars burn fuel consisting of 90% nitromethane and 10% methanol. The Pro Stock record is , with times often in the 6.4-6.7 second range and the Pro Stock Motorcycles usually run at 190+ mph (), with times in the low 7- to high 6-second range. Top Fuel (class designation: AA/D top fuel dragster) and Fuel Funny Car (class designation: AA/FC top fuel coupe) have recently been limited to a track, instead of the historic 1/4 mile [], as a means to limit top speeds and increase safety (there had been a number of engine explosions at or near 300 mph resulting in driver injuries and death). Currently, driver and spectator safety has been enhanced even while top speeds often approach and exceed 300 mph.
Some of the popular racers to come through the series include "Big Daddy" Don Garlits, Don "The Snake" Prudhomme, and Shirley Muldowney. Those three gained much attention from the 1960s through 1970s with their speed and personalities, a combination rarely achieved today through the political correctness of sponsorship in today's drivers. Nonetheless, there are still colorful characters today, such as 16-time Funny Car world champion John Force. His daughter, 2007 Rookie of the Year Ashley Force Hood has made appearances on Good Morning America and The Tonight Show and was voted AOL's Hottest Female Athlete in 2007..
On July 2, 2008, following the death of Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta, the NHRA announced that race distances for Top Fuel and Funny Car classes would temporarily be reduced to 1,000 ft from the traditional 1/4 mile (1320 ft).NHRA News: In interim measure, Top Fuel, Funny Car to race 1,000 feet The measure was intended to be temporary while safety solutions were explored; however, the races have remained at 1000 feet since Kalitta's death. Although unpopular with the fans, the distance remains at 1,000 feet today at the request of the teams as a cost-saving measure, with no indication by NHRA officials of any intent of returning to the full quarter-mile format any time soon. By late 2012, 1,000 foot racing became globally recognized as the 2012 FIA European title in Top Fuel became 1,000-foot championships, as Santa Pod and Hockenheim (the last two quarter-mile nitro strips) made the switch, and Australian nitro racing switched to the 1,000-foot distance only for selected tracks in the world.
The Countdown Since 2007, the NHRA implements a playoff system to determine the champion in each class, billed as the Countdown to The Championship. Each season is divided into two segments of races, with the bulk of the races making up the first segment, and the final events making up the second segment. After the first segment is complete, the drivers in each class at or above the cutoff point in the standings (8th place up to 2007 and 10th place thereafter) become eligible for the championship, while the drivers below the cutoff point are eliminated from championship contention, though they still participate in the remaining race events. The points for the advancing drivers are readjusted so that they are separated by a fixed margin, with first place receiving bonus points. The drivers then compete for the championship over the final races of the season.
The NHRA suspended the format for the 2020 season after originally rewarding all teams that attempted to make two qualifying passes per race during the regular season a bonus of automatic qualification as a reward for making all races when the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in five races being removed from the schedule. The format returned for the following season.
Title sponsors
Winston cigarettes was the title sponsor of the series from 1975 until 2001, when a condition of the Master Settlement Agreement required Winston to drop either its sponsorship of the NHRA, or the NASCAR Winston Cup Series; Winston chose to retain its NASCAR sponsorship. Winston ended their sponsorship with NASCAR two years later.
The Coca-Cola Company took over title sponsorship in 2002. Until 2008, the series was branded with the company's Powerade sports drink brand. In 2009, the company changed the branding to promote its Full Throttle energy drink brand. In 2013, following Coca-Cola's most recent extension of its sponsorship, the title sponsor was changed to its citrus soda brand Mello Yello. With Mello Yello having introduced a new logo, the NHRA unveiled a new logo for the series in January 2016, as well as a new "My NHRA" marketing campaign that plays upon the logo to feature drivers and other personalities discussing what the NHRA means to them.
On September 20, 2020, Coca-Cola announced that, even though their most recent agreement with the NHRA was in effect until 2023, they would be immediately pulling their sponsorship from the sport. The NHRA responded by filing a lawsuit as it looked for a new title sponsor for its premier series.
On October 4, 2020, the NHRA announced a new sponsorship deal with Camping World. In early 2023, an NHRA representative confirmed that Camping World would not be renewing their agreement with the NHRA after the conclusion of the 2024 season, and that the NHRA was seeking a new title sponsor for the series.
Gruma S.A.B. de C.V., through their Mission Foods brand, was announced as the newest title sponsor for the 2024 season on October 25, 2023. Camping World and the NHRA renegotiated terms of their agreement which allowed Mission Foods to replace them as the title sponsor for the 2024 season, and will keep Camping World on as a "premier partner" of the NHRA through 2026.
Champions
Before 1974, the season champion was determined by the winner of the World Finals event. The Professional categories contain the divisions of Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock & Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Year Top Fuel Funny Car Pro Stock Pro Stock Motorcycle 1965 Maynard Rupp Gary Lawson Classificationintroduced in 1987 1966 Pete Robinson Ed Schartman 1967 Bennie Osborn 1968 Bennie Osborn 1969 Steve Carbone 1970 Ronnie Martin Gene Snow Ronnie Sox 1971 Gerry Glenn Phil Castronovo Mike Fons 1972 Jim Walther Larry Fullerton Bill Jenkins 1973 Jerry Ruth Frank Hall Wayne Gapp 1974 Gary Beck Shirl Greer Bob Glidden 1975 Don Garlits Don Prudhomme Bob Glidden 1976 Richard Tharp Don Prudhomme Larry Lombardo 1977 Shirley Muldowney Don Prudhomme Don Nicholson 1978 Kelly Brown Don Prudhomme Bob Glidden 1979 Rob Bruins Raymond Beadle Bob Glidden 1980 Shirley Muldowney Raymond Beadle Bob Glidden 1981 Jeb Allen Raymond Beadle Lee Shepherd 1982 Shirley Muldowney Frank Hawley Lee Shepherd 1983 Gary Beck Frank Hawley Lee Shepherd 1984 Joe Amato Mark Oswald Lee Shepherd 1985 Don Garlits Kenny Bernstein Bob Glidden 1986 Don Garlits Kenny Bernstein Bob Glidden 1987 Dick LaHaie Kenny Bernstein Bob Glidden Dave Schultz 1988 Joe Amato Kenny Bernstein Bob Glidden Dave Schultz 1989 Gary Ormsby Bruce Larson Bob Glidden John Mafaro 1990 Joe Amato John Force Darrell Alderman John Myers 1991 Joe Amato John Force Darrell Alderman Dave Schultz 1992 Joe Amato Cruz Pedregon Warren Johnson John Myers 1993 Eddie Hill John Force Warren Johnson Dave Schultz 1994 Scott Kalitta John Force Darrell Alderman Dave Schultz 1995 Scott Kalitta John Force Warren Johnson John Myers 1996 Kenny Bernstein John Force Jim Yates Dave Schultz 1997 Gary Scelzi John Force Jim Yates Matt Hines 1998 Gary Scelzi John Force Warren Johnson Matt Hines 1999 Tony Schumacher John Force Warren Johnson Matt Hines 2000 Gary Scelzi John Force Jeg Coughlin Jr. Angelle Sampey 2001 Kenny Bernstein John Force Warren Johnson Angelle Sampey 2002 Larry Dixon John Force Jeg Coughlin Jr. Angelle Sampey 2003 Larry Dixon Tony Pedregon Greg Anderson Geno Scali 2004 Tony Schumacher John Force Greg Anderson Andrew Hines 2005 Tony Schumacher Gary Scelzi Greg Anderson Andrew Hines 2006 Tony Schumacher John Force Jason Line Andrew Hines 2007 Tony Schumacher Tony Pedregon Jeg Coughlin Jr. Matt Smith 2008 Tony Schumacher Cruz Pedregon Jeg Coughlin Jr. Eddie Krawiec 2009 Tony Schumacher Robert Hight Mike Edwards Hector Arana 2010 Larry Dixon John Force Greg Anderson L.E. Tonglet 2011 Del Worsham Matt Hagan Jason Line Eddie Krawiec 2012 Antron Brown Jack Beckman Allen Johnson Eddie Krawiec 2013 Shawn Langdon John Force Jeg Coughlin Jr. Matt Smith 2014 Tony Schumacher Matt Hagan Erica Enders Andrew Hines 2015 Antron Brown Del Worsham Erica Enders Andrew Hines 2016 Antron Brown Ron Capps Jason Line Jerry Savoie 2017 Brittany Force Robert Hight Bo Butner Eddie Krawiec 2018 Steve Torrence J.R. Todd Tanner Gray Matt Smith 2019 Steve Torrence Robert Hight Erica Enders Andrew Hines 2020 Steve Torrence Matt Hagan Erica Enders Matt Smith 2021 Steve Torrence Ron Capps Greg Anderson Matt Smith 2022 Brittany Force Ron Capps Erica Enders Matt Smith 2023 Doug Kalitta Matt Hagan Erica Enders Gaige Herrera 2024 Antron Brown Austin Prock Greg Anderson Gaige Herrera 2025 Doug Kalitta Austin Prock Dallas Glenn Richard Gadson
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