INDIANAPOLIS (June 12, 2026) – NHRA officials announced today a series of strategic leadership promotions and changes within its Technical and Racing Administration departments, positioning the organization for continued success in the years ahead.
As part of the changes, Ned Walliser will transition from his role as Vice President of Competition to serve as an NHRA consultant and key advisor for NHRA’s racing-related programs. Josh Peterson has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Competition and Tech, and Rob Park has been elevated to Vice President of National and Field Operations.
In his new consulting role, Walliser will continue to provide guidance and support on key technical and competition-related matters. Walliser was named NHRA Vice President of Competition in 2018, overseeing competition and operations for all NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing events. He also led the NHRA Technical Department.
“Ned’s knowledge, passion and dedication to NHRA Drag Racing has been invaluable and he’s played a vital role in our competition leadership,” NHRA President Glen Cromwell said. “We’re grateful for his years of leadership and guiding our organization’s racing operations and technical programs. His commitment has made a lasting impact in the NHRA community and we’re thrilled to have him continue to support NHRA.”
“I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish as a team and the relationships I’ve been fortunate enough to build throughout my career,” Walliser said. “I look forward to being able to continue to assist NHRA in this new role.”
Peterson, a veteran of more than 20 years with NHRA, will oversee the vast responsibilities of maintaining the fair and safe competition that has helped build NHRA over the past 75 years in his new role of Senior Vice President of Competition and Tech, leading both departments.
Peterson joined NHRA’s Competition Department in 2007 as Director of Racing Administration before being named Vice President of Racing Administration in 2011. In this new role, Peterson will be positioned to strategically align the interjoined responsibilities and goals of NHRA’s Competition and Technical Departments.
“By bringing Racing Administration, Competition, Tech, and National and Field Operations under one centralized group, it will not only help communications and efficiency, but allow us to guide the sport and create universal policies that cover rules, safety and parity,” Peterson said. “I have a great team working with me to ensure the high standards of NHRA Drag Racing will continue to be upheld well into the future, while still being able to lean on Ned’s expertise as well.”
Park will move into the role of NHRA Vice President of National and Field Operations, reporting to Peterson. He will oversee event scheduling, the Simpson NHRA Safety Safari and also head up NHRA’s Field Operations, managing NHRA’s seven Division Directors.
Park, who joined NHRA in 1996, was recently named Senior Director of Field Operations in 2025 and was previously NHRA Division 5 Director for 25 years.
“Rob has a wealth of experience and has played an important role in the growth of NHRA on many levels for more than 25 years,” Peterson said. “He has an incredible knowledge of our tracks, teams and partners, which will be pivotal in this role, and he will also continue to be a great resource for our terrific team of NHRA Division Directors.”
For more information on NHRA, including the full 2026 75th anniversary schedule, 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 JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports and NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ 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.
