Event champions will be crowned today at the FMP NHRA Arizona Nationals presented by NGK Spark Plugs, Race 2 of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series at Firebird Motorsports Park.
After two days of relentless sun pounding down on the dragstrip, sending track temps to scorching levels nearing 150 degrees, racers and fans will get a little relief today with partly cloudy skies, but the air temperature is still expected to hit triple digits later in the afternoon.
The first round will kick off at 10 a.m. local time, with the expected temp in the mid-80s, then progressively warm up before hitting 100 right around the time we should be running the final rounds, but the cloud cover is a relief to the crew chiefs who hadn’t run past 1:30 in two days of qualifying and had been fretting and planning for hot track temps beginning in the semifinals.
Top Fuel low qualifier Shawn Langdon has been a final-round fixture here, having reached the money round in four of the last five years. including the last three, and he’ll open round one with a bye due to the 15-car field. His Brian Husen-tuned Kalitta Air car made it down the track on all its final three qualifying passes, so he’s definitely a favorite.
No. 2 qualifier Leah Pruett, who got her first career Top Fuel win here in 2016 and then won it again in 2017, also looks sporty in the Rayce Rudeen Foundation colors that her husband, Tony, carried to victory last year in Las Vegas.
Reigning Rookie of the Year Spencer Hyde doesn’t appear to be suffering from a sophomore slump as he’s put the Head Inc. Ford on the pole with an impressive hot-weather tune-up that Jim Head developed at the season opener. He’ll face Blake Alexander in the first round,
No. 2 qualifier Jack Beckman, who won this event three of four years 2008-11, also looks good with a three-second pass and a pair of 4.0s to his credit.
Defending event champ Greg Aderson was the star of Pro Stock qualifying with the quickest run in all four sessions. KB Titan teammate Dallas Glenn was the No. 2 qualifier, but they’re trailed by a trio of Elite drivers in Greg Stanfield, Erica Enders, and Jeg Coughlin Jr., then hometown favorite, Gainesville winner, and points leader Matt Hartford.
2025 EVENT WINNERS: Shawn Langdon, Top Fuel; Paul Lee, Funny Car; Greg Anderson, Pro Stock
MOST EVENT VICTORIES: Tony Schumacher, 5, TF; John Force, 8, FC; Bob Glidden, 5, PS.
TELEVISION
SUNDAY, March 22, FS1 will televise one and half hours of qualifying highlights at 12:00 p.m. (ET)
SUNDAY, March 22, FS1 will televise three hours of finals coverage at 6:30 p.m. (ET)
TRACK RECORDS
Top Fuel
3.643 seconds by Brittany Force, Feb. ’20; 337.92 mph by B. Force, Feb., ‘20.
Funny Car
3.823 seconds by Matt Hagan, Feb. ’22; 337.16 mph by Courtney Force, Feb. ’18.
Pro Stock
6.498 seconds by Mike Edwards, Feb. ’13; 213.77 mph by Mike Edwards, Feb. ’13.
NATIONAL RECORDS
Top Fuel
3.623 sec. by Brittany Force, Sept. ‘19, Reading, Pa.; 343.51 mph by B. Force, Sept. ‘25, Indy
Funny Car
3.793 sec. by Robert Hight, Aug. ’17, Brainerd, Minn.; 341.68 mph by Austin Prock, Nov. ’24, Pomona
Pro Stock
6.443 sec. by Greg Anderson, Mar. ’25, Gainesville, Fla.; 215.55 mph by Enders, May ’14,
Englishtown
