Formula 2 and World Endurance Championship racing driver, Juan Manuel “JM” Correa, recently announced a partnership with Box Box, the go-to app for Formula 1 fans. In exchange for equity in the company, Correa will become a brand ambassador to expand awareness among motorsport fans and join its board of directors as a strategic advisor across product development and optimization.  

Launched in May 2022 and already boasting over 800,000 active users, Box Box was founded by Chief Design Officer Ranjith Ramanan and Chief Technology Officer Kamal Kumar Lakshmanan. The app provides Formula 1 fans with real-time news updates, exclusive content, in-depth analysis and statistics, and is one of the only sports apps that offers customizable widgets for iOS and Android. Available in 176 countries, it’s accessible in a variety of languages, including English, Spanish, French, Italian and German. 

“With plans to expand beyond F1 content to include other motorsport championships, JM was the ideal partner to help guide us as we take Box Box to that next level,” said Ramanan. “Not only does he help us reach the F2 fanbase, but his multicultural background will be crucial in ensuring we reach U.S. and South American motorsport fans.” 

A member of Van Amersfoort Racing, an auto racing team based in the Netherlands, Correa is an Ecuadorian-American Formula 2 racing driver with aspirations of becoming the next F1 driver to represent the United States. He also competes in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) with Prema Racing in a partial campaign that saw him make his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut in June 2023.

The news surrounding Correa’s partnership with Box Box comes ahead of the F2 Belgian Grand Prix on July 28-30, which marks the first time Correa will compete in an F2 race at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, the track where he suffered the tragic accident that left him in a two-week coma and claimed the life of fellow racing driver, Anthoine Hubert, in 2019. 

“I’m huge a fan of what the Box Box team has built, and I’m confident they’ll develop this into something big – something the entire motorsport community will love,” said Correa. “As for this weekend at Spa, coming back is always emotional, but I look forward to creating new memories here alongside our new partners.”   

The Box Box logo will be displayed across Correa’s helmet and car starting this weekend’s Belgian GP this weekend. Correa is also coming into the race on the back of his five-point finish this season with ninth place in the Feature Race at the recent F2 race in Hungary.

You can almost hear the roar of the Corvettes that are racing in the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion Aug. 16-19, which are expertly illustrated in the official artwork revealed today. WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca hosts the 49th year of this historic event that this year celebrates the 70th anniversary of the American performance icon, Chevrolet Corvette.

Artist Bill Patterson skillfully captures the speed, history and craft of an American performance  icon – Corvette – in this year’s featured poster art, which has become synonymous with the renowned event.

“Corvette is a marque that is not only a great American icon, but it has built an international following as well,” says artist Bill Patterson who has been associated with WeatherTech Raceway for more than 18 years. He explains that it’s both exciting and formidable to tackle such an important art piece that is seen around the world.

“The challenge to tell the incredible story of Corvette in a single painting is daunting and, in fact, impossible. With this in mind, I can focus on creating an image satisfying to me, and, hopefully, to every participant and fan at this year’s Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. I’m grateful to be a motorsports artist, and am thrilled to have the passion of Corvette and its fans to inspire me! I look forward to seeing you all!”

In addition to the art being available as a collectible 24” x 36” poster to purchase, which has long been a fan favorite among true fans and collectors, the art will be used on select merchandise in the Official Raceway Store. Patterson will also be present in the paddock during the weekend to autograph posters, meet guests and conduct live art demonstrations.

General admission and the esteemed Legends Club tickets are still available for the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. For tickets visit WeatherTechRaceway.com or call 831-242-8200.

(Courtesy of WeatherTech Raceway Communications)

Trading two wheels for four, legendary motorcycle racer, Marc Márquez, has listed his team’s motorhome on Airbnb for a stay during the Catalan Grand Prix. The 8-time world champion is the Host of his team motorhome in the heart of the GP action, offering motor racing fans ‘pole position’ in the paddock area of the legendary event.

Márquez #93 is one of the most talented motorcycle racers, with a spectacular style loved by millions around the world. Now he’s revved up and ready to add Airbnb Host to his repertoire, offering fans the unprecedented opportunity to live like a MotoGP™ racer for a day: trackside access to the paddock – MotoGP™’s backstage area, where guests will see racing champions and witness the most adrenaline-fuelled moments before the race with their own eyes.

“The motorhomes space during a Grand Prix is exclusively reserved for riders and their teams. Guests will live a once-in-a-lifetime experience, not available to anyone else. This is the most exciting motorsport championship in the world and hosting in my home city really raises the stakes for me”, says Márquez. “Guests are in for the ride of their lives – this is a rare peek behind the scenes at the world of professional racing.”

About the Stay

Márquez will host a one-night stay for up to two people in his team’s motorhome occurring September 2, 2023 for only 93 euros per night*, a nod to Márquez’s racing number. Highlights include:

• A night in the Márquez team’s motorhome, located next to Márquez’s private trailer in a trackside area that is only accessible to the riders.
• A closer look at some of the rider’s memorabilia, including his most iconic (and beloved) helmets and race suits – and even a selection of his most treasured championship trophies!
• The perfect VIP village seats to view the race in addition to pit lane access to witness the start of the Grand Prix. 
• Entry to the circuit and VIP passes for exclusive amenities and services on Sunday and Saturday.
• The opportunity to feel like a pro with a ride on the MotoGP™ simulator.
• A personal guided tour of the paddock area including the pit boxes: the ‘backstage’ of the MotoGP™ reserved for racers and their team.

How to Book

Motorheads can request to book this stay beginning July 19, 2023 at 19:00 PM CEST at airbnb.com/motogp. Guests are responsible for their own travel to and from Montmeló, just outside of Barcelona (Spain).

# # #

Interested in becoming an Airbnb Host like Márquez? Learn more at airbnb.com/host.

Mobil 1™, the world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand, invites consumers nationwide to step away from their devices and celebrate the love of driving together with the launch of its new brand campaign, “Breaking Free.”

“Breaking Free” is not just a campaign; it represents a philosophy rooted in freedom, appreciation of the journey, and the transformative power of the open road to make your worries melt away. And it’s a shared philosophy; over half of Americans identify that some of life’s most cherished moments happen in the car* – from the excitement of getting your driver’s license, family road trips, to singing to music as the miles pass by.

“We dedicate this campaign to our most loyal Mobil 1 consumers,” explains Bryce Huschka, Consumer Marketing Manager, on behalf of Mobil 1. “For nearly 50 years, we’ve been talking about our incredible technology advancements, such as longer drain intervals and fuel economy savings. But we were reminded in our research that the consumers we want to reach are very different – they’re not all obsessed with the latest engine wear protection. What ties them together is their inspirational stories of what driving means to them.”

The goal is to launch a multi-year brand platform that broadens the appeal of the category and opens the door for more people to find their joy in driving – spotlighting human stories instead of technical specifications. The centerpiece of the launch is a film that makes visible the invisible threads that keep us all overconnected.

"As we sat down together to create the campaign, we each shared our version of the story – explaining how technology had crept further into our lives, and the rejuvenation that even a quick drive can bring to the soul,” shares Matt Pruett, Group Creative Director at advertising agency Martin Williams. "In one example, a father shared the story of his three-year-old coming home with a crayon family portrait showing him in front of a computer and smartphone. Developing this work caused a lot of us to examine our own relationships with technology and the impacts of being constantly connected.”

The campaign will run across television, print, digital, video and out-of-home executions. It was produced by Stink Films and directed by the Fridman Sisters – a directing duo made up of Lina and Maira Fridman, who have a talent for telling cinematic visual stories in ways that captivate viewers. They have worked with several top brands across industries and have gained global recognition for their award-winning commercials. Advertising agency Martin Williams led the creative for the brand.

“Our new brand platform will be an umbrella for everything we do going forward with our products, partners and driving experiences for consumers,” adds Huschka. “We have a few exciting surprises up our sleeves as we embark on our 50^th anniversary next year as well as an open invitation to others that share our passion to collaborate – for the love of driving.”

To learn more about the campaign, please visit loveofdriving.us, which features the full film as well as branded content, and follow along on social media via @mobil1.

* per survey commissioned by Metromile, a digital insurer, and conducted by OnePoll

Despite high temperatures, sweltering humidity, a Friday night thunderstorm and Saturday rain storm, the packed grandstands enjoyed extremely close competition at the Formula DRIFT PRO Championship Round 5: Crossroads and Round 3 of the Link ECU PROSPEC Championship at World Wide Technology Raceway near St Louis. 

To help the drivers achieve fluid runs through the course, track officials had significantly widened the paved surface in Outside Zone 3 (OZ3) and repositioned OZ4. They also added raised curbs in OZ4 to help the drivers find the edge of the course and avoid putting their rear tires in the dirt.

The track improvements helped reduce the number of incidents but St Louis remains a challenging weekend for FD teams. The 2023 Rounds would witness big names retired early, multiple collisions, a driver protest, multiple One More Time decisions, a failed bye run for the first time in 20 years, the first all-female tandem run, both PRO and PROSPEC Championships would get first-time season winners and new Championship leaders. With the PROSPEC Top 16 postponed by the thunderstorm, the action began at 9:30AM on Saturday and finished at 12:30AM after the PRO Championship schedule was frequently delayed by mechanical issues and collisions. It was just another extraordinary Formula DRIFT Round in St Louis.

PRO QUALIFYING

Three different names appeared at the top of the results sheets from the K&N PRO Qualifying session on Thursday evening. Leading the charge was Kazuya Taguchi (Japan) who won the St Louis Round in 2022. His 94-point qualifying run suggested the Upgarage / ISR Performance / GT Radial / Jerry Yang Racing Toyota 86 was still direct-dialed into the track.

As an added bonus, both Taguchi and second place Nick Noback (USA) would receive bye runs through the Top 32 heats, reducing the potential battle damage each might receive. 

For Noback in the Noback Racing Co E46 BMW by Jerry Yang Racing, his 89-point qualifying score gave him a narrow advantage over third place Dean Kearney (Ireland) who socred 88.6 points in the HyperNFT Dodge Viper. However, races are won by fractions and Noback was delighted with the result.

Formula DRIFT PRO Championship points leader Matt Field (USA) scored 78.6 points in the Borla Performance / GT Radial Corvette. It placed him in a lowly 21st position and meant he’d compete against the winner of Round 4, Adam LZ (USA) in the Top 32 heats.

LZ’s teammate, Chelsea DeNofa (USA), who sat second in the FD PRO title race coming into St Louis, lost power in his Pennzoil / BC Racing Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD on his first qualifying run. Just like the New Jersey Round, DeNofa was demoted to the Knockout Qualifying Format (KQF) reserved for drivers who qualified below 24th place. He salvaged 25th place and would undoubtedly be a major force once competition began.

With several teams absent, 31 drivers qualified for the Top 32 competition places until a technical problem sidelined Diego Higa (Brazil) who failed to complete his KQF run. Therefore, 30 drivers qualified, handing Taguchi and Noback their bye runs.

PRO COMPETITION

After RTR Motorsports had dominated three of the previous four FD PRO Rounds this season, there were whispers of rising domination among the teams and fans. And yet it’s the unpredictability of the sport that makes each Round utterly addictive. And as Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis raised the winner’s trophy for the first time since 2021, there was a collective celebration for one of the most popular figures in the sport. In that moment, we also witnessed the rise of a new dynasty as Odi’s Feal Race Team had dominated the weekend, claiming first and third in PRO and a win in PROSPEC!

Having qualified fifth at the wheel of his Feal Suspension / GT Radial Nissan S15, Odi’s first competition heat was against Mike Power (USA) driving the Power Racing Type Nissan S15. And while they shared the same chassis, it was 1000hp supercharged Texas Speed LSR V8 against 1000hp Toyota 2JZ power and both drivers weren’t sparing the horses!

It was close combat that saw Bakchis draw blood with a superior chase lead in a car that seemed to draw an almost perfect line around the course. 

Advancing into the Top 16, Bakchis met the first of three drift titans he’d need to vanquish on his path to the podium, beginning with Championship leader Matt Field. Both drivers exemplify the type of fast, aggressive, close driving needed to succeed in Formula DRIFT. And after their first runs, the judges couldn’t pick a winner, so requested so requested One More Time (OMT) where the drivers repeat both runs. As in the previous heat, it was Odi’s proximity and angle in the chase position that finally gave him the nod, while Field would watch the remainder of the event from a comfy chair. Field placed 14th on the night, which dropped him to second in the title chase. But we all know that’s not where his story will end!

Moving into the Great 8 heats, Bakchis was awarded a bye run directly into the Final 4. The unusual situation arose after Ryan Tuerck (USA) was himself given a bye run in his Top 16 heat against Ken Gushi (Japan). Unable to make the starting line in the Three's Racing Toyota GR86, Gushi withdrew and Tuerck simply needed to make a single run to prove his car was fit for duty. Except it wasn’t. 

For the first time in 20 years, a car was unable to start its bye run. Tuerck withdrew his Rain-X / Nitto Tire / Rockstar Energy GR Corolla. Leaving no competitor for his Great 8 heat, Bakchis completed his bye run and waited patiently for the Final 4.

His next opponent would be triple Formula DRIFT PRO Champion Chris Forsberg (USA) in the NOS Energy Drink / GT Radial Nissan Z. But their meeting would be somewhat controversial. 

It began on the first run where Forsberg collided with Bakchis in OZ1 shortly after initiation. The impact spun Bakchis and fault was laid at Forsberg’s feet, allowing Team Feal a 10min window to check and repair the S15. After a short delay, the pair completed their second run and Bakchis was duly awarded the win. He then proceeded to watch the second all-Norwegian Final 4 heat between teammate Simen Olsen (Norway) in the Feal Suspension Nissan S14.9 and defending Champion Fredric Aasbo (Norway) in Rockstar Energy Toyota GR Supra. The prospect of two Feal Race Team Nissans in the Final was tantalizingly close. 

That was until Forsberg Racing lodged a protest with the stewards. They argued that Bakchis had slowed momentarily at OZ1, ultimately causing the collision. Visible from lights fitted to every car to indicate momentum, the judges had originally assessed it was inconsequential to the impact. However, Forsberg Racing made a compelling argument, won the appeal, and the drivers repeated the two runs.

In the event, the result was the same. Forsberg dropped two tires into the dirt at OZ4 in the lead and hadn’t maintained proximity in the chase position, so normal service was resumed.

A monumental battle had already taken place between Olsen and Aasbo. Requiring two OMT, Aasbo was awarded the win after a light touch by Olsen during the transition into OZ4 required a small adjustment from the Nissan driver. Olsen would finish the night in third and claim his second podium of the season.

In the Final, Bakchis returned to his winning formula; a fast, precise lead run and an aggressive chase that put him in constant proximity to the Toyota’s paintwork. Despite Aasbo’s best efforts, he again failed to win his first Round of the season by a whisker. But it was vindication after New Jersey, where Aasbo was expelled from the Top 32 and lost a pile of points. Instead, with his closest rivals knocked out early, Aasbo returned to the Championship lead, turning a 41-point deficit into a 15-point advantage.

“What a crazy event! Winning was no easy feat but it feels very special because it represents the tenth win in my Formula DRIFT PRO career,” an excited Odi told us after the trophy ceremony. “Simen and I put my team through a lot today but we both got on the podium. And to do that against a field of crazy drivers means you have to beat on the cars super-hard, and we did that. We laid it all on the line and the cars got beaten up. They constantly needed attention from the crew but they kept them together for us and we kept on going. We definitely owe it to them and I’m thrilled with Feal Race Team – we took first place in PROSPEC as well as first and third in PRO, so we’re carrying a lot of momentum going into the PRO Round in Seattle. Simen and I have to keep charging hard but the cars and team are working well, so we’re confident for the next Round.”

With Field knocked down to second, Chelsea DeNofa (USA) fought his way to the Great 8 but lost a physical battle with Forsberg that saw the Nissan Z punted into the track signage. Finishing 15th, the driver of the Pennzoil / BC Racing Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD dropped from third to fourth in the Championship while Bakchis leapt from sixth to third and Olsen remained fifth.

Taguchi, whose qualifying performance suggested a repeat of his 2022 win, was eliminated from the Top 16 by Forsberg, placing 11th on the night.

Thanks to the success enjoyed by Feal Race Team and Forsberg, GT Radial reclaimed the lead of the 2023 Formula DRIFT PRO Tire Cup, while Ford maintained its lead the Auto Cup. 

For the final words, we turn to Formula DRIFT President, Ryan Sage: “Round 5 of the Formula DRIFT PRO Championship was another crazy event! Once again we saw a brand new winner – the fifth in five rounds – and this time it was Odi Bakchis who fought through some epic battles and overcame a protest to grab the trophy. However, we also saw Fredric Aasbo capture the points lead after Matt Field went out early. And with just three rounds to go, it remains an incredibly tight battle at the top. Anybody could still take the Championship title.”

PROSPEC QUALIFYING

As the most successful qualifier in the 2023 Link ECU PROSPEC Championship, Ben Hobson (USA) put his Pedal Commander / Feal Suspension / Koruworks / Motegi Racing Nissan S14 in first position for the third time in three rounds. Sitting second in the title race, he’d yet to reach the top step of the podium, so all eyes were on Hobson to see if St Louis would see his breakthrough.

Certainly Hobson’s ambitions received a boost when Championship leader Rudy Hansen (USA) was relegated to KQF where his second qualifying run could only place him 25th.

With Hobson’s 88.6-point qualifying run claiming the top spot, second place fell to Amanda Sorensen (USA) in the United States Air Force / Sorensen Motorsports BMW M4. Not only was the 85.3-point run her best qualifying result to date, but it comes during a season where she’s also competing in the ExtremeE racing series and had missed the opening PROSPEC Round.

Third-place Derek Madison (USA) narrowly missed second place with an 85-point run in his­ Fuelab Fuel Systems / IG Motorsports Nissan S14. Despite some strong runs, Madison sat 14th overall in the PROSPEC title race and would be hoping to convert his qualifying performance into Championship points. 

The winner of Round 2, Rookie Cole Richards (USA) was unable to complete his first and second qualifying runs in his Richards Racing / Koruworks Scion FRS. Consequently, the driver who sat third in the points table coming into St Louis went home early. 

Top Rookie qualifier, Zandara Kennedy (Canada), put her ZeeDrives Nissan 240SX in ninth position with a 79.3-point run.

A packed field of 39 drivers battled for the 32 PROSPEC competition places, with the bottom seven qualifiers being excluded from the event. And after completing their second run in KQF we waved goodbye to Justin Chesnutt (USA), Zach Farrar (USA), Margaritis Katsanidis (Greece), Alex Lichliter (USA), Erick Medici (Brazil), Cole Richards (USA) and Cory Talaska (USA).

PROSPEC COMPETITION

Proving dreams do come true, Ben Hobson (USA) successfully converted his qualifying form into victory, claiming his first Link ECU PROSPEC win since joining the Championship in 2021. And with his closest rivals out of contention, Hobson took a commanding 65-point lead in the title race heading to the Final Round in Utah on September 14-16.

Hobson’s advantage was doubled by the early demise of Rudy Hansen (USA), the PROSPEC Championship leader coming into St Louis. Hansen was eliminated from the Top 32 heats by Austin Matta (USA) and finished the day in 27th, dropping to third overall with an 81-point deficit. And with a maximum of 103 points available in the Final Round, Hansen needs Hobson and Hateley to experience some major malfunctions to claim the title. 

Double PROSPEC Champion, Dmitriy Brutskiy was knocked out of the Top 16 by Geoff Donati (USA) on his way to third place in the Freedom Builders / Tuner Tools-powered E46 BMW. Finishing 14th in St Louis, Brutskiy is 108 points behind Hobson, making him mathematically incapable of clinching a third title.

Hobson's march to victory began with a Top 32 win over Matthew Bystrak (USA) driving the Gas Factory Nissan S13. Unfortunately, Bystrak slid into Hobson’s Pedal Commander / Feal Suspension / Koruworks / Motegi Racing Nissan S14 in OZ1 on their first run. The mistake proved fatal and Hobson moved onto the Top 16 where he had an epic battle against Trevor Root (USA) in the Peak Performance Fab E36 BMW. 

The judges were unable to separate their first runs, so requested One More Time. And with Root struggling to fill the zones as he chased Hobson, the win went to the Nissan driver thanks to a superior chase performance.

In the Great 8, Hobson beat Matta on a split decision by virtue of another strong chase. The judges had an easier decision in the Final 4 after Connor O’Sullivan (USA) put two wheels in the dirt in OZ1 and then hit the wall in OZ2, taking him out of contention. However, O’Sullivan would place fourth to reward his effort, finishing as the top PROSPEC Rookie in his RTS / GT Radial E46 BMW. The result catapulted him to sixth overall and the leading contender for Rookie of the year.

Hobson’s win secured his place in the Final where he faced Andy Hateley (USA) driving the Hateley Motorsports Habanero E46 BMW. The Drift Wizard had vanquished Hooman Rahimi (USA), Nate Chen (USA), Blake Olsen (USA) and Donati to earn his spot. However, concern over his lug nuts meant Hateley opted to run on the same tires he had used in the Final 4. This put him at a disadvantage, which became apparent almost immediately as he struggled to fill the zones and maintain proximity to Hobson in the lead position. With the roles reversed, Hateley made several mistakes in the lead, running off the track in OZ4 to give Hobson his first win.

Claiming his second podium of the season, Hateley climbed from ninth to second in the Link ECU PROSPEC Championship and became one of only three drivers with a chance of claiming the 2023 title in Utah. 

“It’s been a long time coming but we finally achieved a perfect event and I’m super-stoked about it,” Hobson confirmed after the podium celebrations. “My team and family are going crazy and I want to thank my sponsors as well. We’re going gung-ho into the next round where we have a chance of taking the Championship. And I’m not lifting, so we’re running into Round 4 at full tilt like we have all season!”

Among the many “firsts” in St Louis was the first ever all-female Formula DRIFT tandem battle. It took place between Zandara Kennedy (Canada) and Kelsey Rowlings (USA) in the Top 32 heats. The contest went to OMT, with Rowlings getting the close call. Rowlings would progress to the Top 16 where she was beaten by Austin Matta (USA). Meanwhile, the number two qualifier, Amanda Sorensen, also reached the Top 16 and finished ninth overall.

2023 FORMULA DRIFT CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

ROUND 5 FD PRO TOP 16 DRIVER POINTS

2023 FD PRO TOP 16 DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

2023 AUTO CUP STANDINGS

2023 TIRE CUP STANDINGS

ROUND 3 FD PROSPEC TOP 16 DRIVER POINTS

FD PROSPEC TOP 16 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

NEXT ROUND

Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, WA  will host the Formula DRIFT PRO Championship Round 6 on August 11-12. Please visit formulad.com for the competition schedule, ticket information, driver profiles, special content, and the event livestream

After getting through an unfortunate rough stretch earlier this season, things have swiftly turned around for Funny Car standout J.R. Todd. The former world champion has three semifinal appearances in the past four races, bringing plenty of much-needed momentum into this weekend’s 34th annual Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways.

Todd has run well in Seattle in recent years, too, advancing to the final round last year in his 11,000-horsepower DHL Toyota Supra GR. More than anything, though, the standout wants back in the winner’s circle.

That hasn’t happened since the first race of the 2021 campaign, but things appear to be coming together at a great juncture in the season. He’s ninth in points, but a big weekend during the second race of the NHRA’s Western Swing could continue to send Todd and his team in the right direction.

“We had a really good, consistent car that was capable of winning the race (in Denver),” Todd said. “Going to the semifinals consistently is good momentum, but at the end of the day, you want to win races, collect trophies and as many points as possible. Hopefully, it’s something to build on going into the rest of the Western Swing. When it gets hot and tricky, that’s where this DHL Toyota team tends to thrive.

“I expect it to be warm in Seattle like it usually is, and that’s usually the kind of conditions when we run well so I’m looking forward to getting there. You’re happy to go rounds, but at the end of the day, we all have the same mentality. You’re not ok going to the semifinals –you want to win. We’ll keep digging and get after it in Seattle.”

Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel) and Robert Hight (Funny Car) both won the 2022 event in Seattle, and this year’s race will be broadcast on both the FOX and Fox Sports 1 (FS1), including eliminations coverage starting at 1 p.m. PT on Sunday, July 23 on FOX. It is the 11th of 21 races during the 2023 campaign and with the second half of the season kicking off this weekend in Seattle, the time is now for Todd and his team to be hitting their stride.

The Countdown to the Championship begins in just over a month and Todd knows he has a championship-caliber team. The 19-time event winner has waited far too long for a 20th win and things have taken a dramatic turn since the beginning of the year, when Todd suffered through a handful of first-round losses.

With that behind him, Todd is focused on taking down the likes of Hight, points leader and Denver winner Matt Hagan, back-to-back world champ Ron Capps, Bob Tasca III, Cruz Pedregon, John Force, Alexis DeJoria and Tim Wilkerson in Seattle. He’s also in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge in Seattle, where he’ll get a rematch with DeJoria. The other matchup includes Capps and Hagan, with the winners facing off for bonus playoff points and a bonus purse.

“We’re getting to the point now where it’s getting later in the year, and you have to start looking towards Indy and the Countdown,” Todd said. “We’re sitting there towards the bottom of the top 10 which is not the most comfortable spot. You definitely want to put some space between yourself and the guys behind you, but you also don’t want to let the guys in front of you get too far away. I feel like we’re making hay at the right time of the year. We’re going to Seattle where we had some success last year so hopefully, we can take those notes and take it one step further and leave there with a trophy.”

Schumacher will look for a repeat and his first win of 2023 against a loaded Top Fuel lineup that includes points leader Justin Ashley, who has four wins this year, Brittany Force, Antron Brown, Denver winner Clay Millican, Austin Prock and Leah Pruett.

Fans in Seattle will get their first-ever glimpse at Pro Stock Motorcycle. Points leader Gaige Herrera has enjoyed a strong start to 2023, winning four events, but others to watch include Hector Arana Jr., defending world champ Matt Smith, Eddie Krawiec, Angie Smith, Steve Johnson and rookie Chase Van Sant.

All three professional classes will take part in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge bonus race on Saturday, which brings competitive racing – including a bonus purse and bonus points – to qualifying. Millican races Shawn Langdon, and Doug Kalitta faces off with Steve Torrence in Top Fuel. In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Herrera races Van Sant, and A. Smith takes on Arana Jr., with the winners in all classes meeting in the final round of the specialty race on Saturday.

NHRA legend Don “The Snake” Prudhomme will be the grand marshal at the event and will be in the announcer’s booth for Friday's first qualifying session. He will then take part in a Super Fan Appreciation Meet & Greet and Breakfast at the Finish Line Club Saturday at 9 a.m., followed by an autograph session at 11 a.m. at the Flav-R-Pac display and a Q&A session with fans at the Nitro Alley Stage between the second and third qualifying sessions. Prudhomme also will be part of the NHRA on FOX broadcast show that evening. Prior to eliminations, Prudhomme will lead the SealMaster NHRA Track Walk Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and will be celebrated as the event’s grand marshal during the pre-race ceremony.

The event also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, featuring some of the top drivers in the sport. The weekend includes the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League Shootout as well, along with autograph sessions at the Toyota and Mission Foods Midway Displays.

Race fans at Pacific Raceways can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday 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 Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the Seattle event winners.

Fans are invited to the Nitro Alley Stage all weekend, which will help create a festive atmosphere leading into Nitro Alley. The Nitro Alley Stage will be the main entertainment hub in the pits when the Camping World Drag Racing Series competitors are not on the track, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets and much more. As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, food, and fun.

NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature one round at 4:00 p.m. PT on Friday, July 21 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, July 22 at 1:45 and 4:15 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. PT on Sunday, July 23. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday, 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, and then eliminations on FOX at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday.

To purchase tickets to the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals, fans can visit www.nhra.com or call 800-884-6472. For more information about NHRA, visit www.nhra.com.

(Courtesy of NHRA Communications)