TSR Nitro Looking Forward To This Weekend’s NHRA Arizona Nationals

The NHRA Arizona Nationals are set to take place at the Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona this weekend. It will be the second event on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series’ 21-race calendar in 2023. Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) is bringing its two full-time entries, one in Top Fuel for 10-time Top Fuel winner Leah Pruett and one in Funny Car for three-time Funny Car champion Matt Hagan.

The Direct Connection Top Fuel Dragster and Charger SRT HELLCAT Funny Car will once again be featured in Sublime green. The Dodge Charger and Challenger, in their current form, are coming to an end after this year. Dodge has brought back the iconic color for consumers to bring nostalgia to the highways and purchase their own commemorative “Last Call” vehicle.

Leah Pruett is set to make her 195th career Top Fuel start and her 10th at Phoenix. She has had more success at Phoenix than any other venue, with three final rounds, one No. 1 start, and two wins. Pruett’s first career victory came at Phoenix in 2016 when her 3.775 ET, 323.12 mph run defeated Brittany Force’s 3.774 ET, 321.35 mph run. The second victory occurred in 2017 when Pruett’s 3.705 ET, 328.22 mph run defeated Brittany Force’s 3.704 ET, 330.39 mph run. Pruett earned the No. 1 qualifier in 2017 with a run of 3.672 seconds @ 327.90 mph.

In no event has Pruett won more rounds than she has at Phoenix, where she has posted a 14-7 record in nine starts. Her career-best speed of 334.15 mph came at Phoenix in 2018. She is set to participate in the new Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge after advancing to the Semifinals at the Gatornationals, pitting semifinalists from the previous race against each other in a pair of rematches.

Matt Hagan is set to make his 317th career Funny Car start and his 14th at Phoenix. He has recorded three career wins at Phoenix in 2015, 2017, and 2019. He has competed in the final round at Phoenix five times in his last nine starts (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022). Hagan has three No. 1 qualifiers at Phoenix, which came in 2015 (3.978 ET @ 320.28 mph), 2020 (3.859 ET @ 331.61 mph), and 2022 (3.823 ET @ 333.41 mph). He is also the track record holder for the time at Phoenix @ 3.823 seconds, a mark he established last year while qualifying No. 1.

Sunday, March 26 (Nitro Eliminations, streamed live on NHRA.TV)
• Round 1: 11 a.m. MST/2 p.m. EDT
• Round 2: 1 p.m. MST/4 p.m. EDT
• Semi-Finals: 2:35 p.m. MST/5:35 p.m. EDT
• Finals: 4:05 p.m. MST/7:05 p.m. EDT

TV coverage on FS1
• Friday, March 24: Qualifying show, recapping all of Friday’s action (7:30 p.m. MST/10:30 p.m. EDT)
• Sunday, March 26: Qualifying show, recapping all of Saturday’s action (9 a.m. MST/12 p.m. EDT)
• Sunday, March 26: Finals show (4 p.m. MST/7 p.m. EDT)

Source: TSR Nitro