INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 30, 2024) – When six-time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Matt Smith returns this weekend’s 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, he brings with him not only his success from last season, but also his last race.
Smith, rider of the DENSO Auto Parts Buell, made a statement in Sonoma when he swept the weekend by winning the GETTRX Pro Stock Motorcycle NHRA All-Star Callout specialty event and earning the No. 1 qualifier position before going on to win the event on Sunday.
“We finally broke through for the win in Sonoma and that was the first time since Reading of last year,” said Smith. “Our DENSO Auto Parts Buell team has been working hard over the last year and I want to think we’re peaking at the right time and Indy is the perfect place to keep the momentum going.”
Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all claimed Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals victories in 2023 and this year’s race will again be broadcast on FOX and FS1, including a special Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout broadcast on FOX at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday and eliminations coverage on FOX beginning at 2 p.m. on Monday.
It is the 14th of 20 races during the 2024 campaign and the final race in the regular season, and plenty is on the line at the prestigious race.
Last year in Indy, Smith advanced to the final round where he faced Hector Arana Jr. Arana went red, giving Smith his two consecutive Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals title.
In 2024, the class has seen the same dominance from reigning class champion Gaige Herrera, with only Smith and Chase Van Sant as other winners in the field. With sights set on the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, Smith is second in points and knows a seventh championship is still within reach.
“I’m getting older and there’s a lot of young guns shooting for us, but I can still do this. I can still win a championship, and I would love to get seven and that’s my goal right now,” Smith said.
In the Top Fuel ranks, Brown is aiming for his third straight Indianapolis win. With three wins so far this season, he is aiming for his fourth NHRA world title. Leading the points is reigning champion Doug Kalitta following by his Kalitta Motorsports teammate Shawn Langdon. Also in the hunt is Brainerd winner Justin Ashley and four-time champ Steve Torrence.
The stars of the Funny Car class will have an added layer of competition in Indy with the addition of the Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout on Sunday. Bob Tasca III will have his pick of the star-studded field of Ron Capps, Matt Hagan, Chad Green, J.R. Todd, Cruz Pedregon, Alexis DeJoria and Paul Lee.
Hartford earned his 2023 Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals win when he defeated Fernando Cuadra Jr. in the final round. After a tough season in 2024, Hartford will be looking for a strong finish in Indy to make up for his early season struggles. Dallas Glenn leads the points and is the most recent winner on the circuit. Multi-time champs Greg Anderson and Erica Enders are in second and third with Aaron Stanfield and Jeg Coughlin Jr. round out the top five.
The 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals promises to be one of the biggest in the illustrious history of The Big Go. It features the final Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge of the year and the Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout, as well as the special Sox & Martin Hemi Challenge presented by the McCandless Collection and the Rooftec Comp Cash Clash, along with racing in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ and NHRA Holley EFI Factory X, plus:
- A special 70th anniversary NHRA U.S. Nationals pennant for the first 8,000 fans in attendance for eliminations on Monday, Sept. 2.
- Free parking for all fans and children 12-under admitted free.
- An unforgettable Top Eliminator Club experience, including NHRA driver appearances, food and drink, TEC gift bag, starting line seats and much more.
- The biggest field in drag racing featuring more than 900 cars.
Fans will be invited all weekend long to the Nitro Alley Stage, which is the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets, music and much more. Race fans at Indy can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Monday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Monday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners.
As always, fans get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet in Indy. Fans get a unique chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. They can also visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature one round at 6:45 p.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 30, two rounds at 12 and 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 31 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 12 and 3:00 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. ET on Monday, Sept 2.
The first round of the Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout takes place at 1:05 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 1, with the semifinals at 2:40 p.m. and the final round at 4:30 p.m. A special broadcast of the Callout takes place on FOX at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 1 p.m. ET on Friday and 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, and eliminations beginning at 12 p.m. on FS1 on Monday, shifting to FOX at 2 p.m.
To purchase tickets to the 70th annual Toyota 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 Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM), creator of the Prius hybrid and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota and Lexus brands, and directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America (more than 49,000 in the U.S.).
Over the past 65 years, Toyota has assembled nearly 47 million cars and trucks in North America at the company’s 12 manufacturing plants. By 2025, the company’s 13th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.
Through our more than 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.), Toyota sold more than 2.6 million cars and trucks (more than 2.2 million in the U.S.) in 2023, of which more than one quarter were electrified vehicles (full battery, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell).
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 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.
