ST. LOUIS (May 23, 2024) – Officials from NHRA and World Wide Technology Raceway announced today that the 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals, the third of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs, will feature four qualifying sessions during the event, which takes place Sept. 27-29 in St. Louis.
Fans will be able to enjoy two qualifying sessions on both Friday and Saturday during the pivotal playoff race in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, leading into eliminations on Sunday.
Friday will kick off with a special staging lane autograph session from 4-5 p.m. featuring all the top stars in Top Fuel and Funny Car, leading into the two can’t-miss qualifying sessions. The qualifying runs on Friday will take place under the lights at World Wide Technology Raceway, offering fans a special primetime dose of Friday night nitro featuring 11,000-horsepower, 330-mph Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars.
Official qualifying times for both Friday and Saturday will be announced in the coming weeks.
“We are delighted to host two rounds of NHRA professional qualifying under the lights on Friday, September 27,” said Chris Blair, World Wide Technology Executive Vice President and General Manager. “There’s nothing more electrifying than header flames and the thrill of 330 mph action. We have a great fun-filled evening the entire family will enjoy on Friday and we look forward to another spectacular weekend of NHRA racing.”
A staple in the Countdown to the Championship, the NHRA Midwest Nationals have long been a fan-favorite, drawing sellout crowds and a memorable atmosphere year after year. The 2024 race will be another weekend to remember in St. Louis, as all the stars in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle will be in action, looking to pick up a key victory in the championship hunt.
Last year, Clay Millican (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all picked up wins at World Wide Technology Raceway, with the top NHRA stars all looking forward to an extra qualifying session on Friday in 2024.
“It’s going to be great to have four qualifying sessions and to run at night,” said Hagan, the reigning Funny Car world champion for Tony Stewart Racing and current points leader. “Fans love seeing those huge header flames and to get four qualifying sessions, it really allows us to put on the best possible show. Everyone wants to see side-by-side racing in the Countdown and four sessions gives us a great opportunity to get these cars dialed in.
“It’s going to be fast, it’s going to be loud and the track conditions are going to be awesome. It’s a great facility with great fans who love drag racing, and we always look forward to coming to St. Louis. These Countdown races mean a lot and we’re excited to have a huge crowd on hand on Friday to kick off the weekend.”
In 2024, fans will get to see the biggest names under the lights on Friday and all weekend long in St. Louis, including Top Fuel’s Antron Brown, who has five wins at the facility and points leader Justin Ashley. Fans will also get an opportunity to watch Tony Stewart in action in the Top Fuel ranks for the first time. The legendary, Hall-of-Fame driver, three-time NASCAR world champ and IndyCar champion made his NHRA Top Fuel debut to start the 2024 season and Stewart will make his first St. Louis Top Fuel appearance in September, looking to add to his incredible racing resumé.
Ron Capps’ four wins leads the Funny Car category in St. Louis, while Pro Stock’s Erica Enders has an NHRA-best six victories at the track. Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Matt Smith leads in the two-wheeled category with five event victories.
“Everyone at World Wide Technology Raceway has done an incredible job making this event a great one for more than a decade and we’re excited to offer two qualifying sessions on Friday this year,” said Evan Jonat, NHRA Vice President of Live Events. “These night runs are always a huge thrill for our fans and race teams, and it’s a perfect way to kick off what will be another terrific weekend in St. Louis.”
For more information on NHRA, including the 2024 schedule, please visit www.NHRA.com.
About World Wide Technology Raceway
World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) is the home of NASCAR, INDYCAR, and NHRA racing in St. Louis’ Metro East region. Located just five minutes from downtown St. Louis and covering 700 acres, WWTR is the largest outdoor entertainment facility in the area. WWTR’s facilities include a 1.25-mile superspeedway; 1/4-mile drag strip; 2.0-mile road course; the Gateway Kartplex state-of-the-art karting facility; and the adjacent Gateway National Golf Links. WWTR and Owner & CEO Curtis Francois have been recognized with several awards, including: 2023 St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame induction; 2023 Innovation in Philanthropy Award by the St. Louis Business Journal; 2022 Explore St. Louis Hospitality Hero Recognition; 2022 Best in Show and Best Event & Festival from the Illinois Governor’s Conference on Tourism; 2021 Comcast Community Champion of the Year; 2021 Jack Buck Award; 2020 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Track Award; 2018 Innovator Award from the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission; 2017 Outstanding Facility of the Year Award from the Race Track Business Conference; and the 2017 Spirit of St. Louis Award from the St. Louis Attractions Association.
Our mission: We are committed to making a difference in our community, while providing first-class entertainment and memories that last a lifetime.
Please visit www.WWTRaceway.com or follow WWTR on social media (@wwtraceway) for additional information.
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
Headquartered in San Dimas, Calif., 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 presented by LearnEV+, 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 110 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.
