Tickets are going fast for the 23rd annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at historic Bristol Dragway, June 7-9. The race is the 8th of 21 events in the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
During the event fans can look forward to witnessing jaw-dropping performances by Top Fuel Dragsters and Funny Cars as they post speeds at more than 330 mph. For those who love the precision-tuned factory doorslammers in the ultra-competitive Pro Stock class you can count on these sleek 210-mph sedans to also put on quite a show. Meanwhile the Pro Stock Motorcycles will continue to search for a track record speed in the 200-mph zone at the high-altitude quarter-mile.
Highly-decorated racing superstar Tony Stewart, who has won NASCAR and IndyCar championships will begin his official quest to earn an NHRA Top Fuel crown in 2024. He will have to work hard however to dethrone current champ Doug Kalitta. A stout contingent of Top Fuel stars, including last year's Bristol winner Justin Ashley, Antron Brown, Brittany Force, Clay Millican, six-time Bristol winner Tony Schumacher, multi-time Bristol winner Mike Salinas and multi-time series champ Steve Torrence will all be looking for victory at the picturesque dragstrip situated in the mountains of Northeast Tennessee.
Seven-time Bristol Funny Car winner Ron Capps leads the way in that class and will try to add to his impressive Tennessee trophy list. Meanwhile category legend John Force will return to help put on a major show in his 10,000-horsepower Chevy. Austin Prock, Alexis DeJoria, rookie Daniel Wilkerson, defending world champ Matt Hagan, from nearby Christiansburg, Va., and New Englander Bob Tasca III are also among those to watch.
Six-time NHRA world champ Erica Enders will lead the Pro Stock class into battle and will have a face a foe and multi-time champ from the past in Jeg Coughlin Jr., who is returning to the series full-time in 2024. Defending Bristol Pro Stock Motorcycle winner Steve Johnson will have his Suzuki tuned for maximum performance when he tries to defend his Thunder Valley Nationals crown against series champ Gaige Herrera and hungry past champs Matt Smith and Eddie Krawiek, among others.
Bristol fans can also look forward to enjoying thrilling competition with the wild and unpredictable Pro Modifieds and the high-horsepower Mountain Motor Pro Stock division, two popular classes that can trace their origin roots to Bristol Dragway.
The race weekend will include two pro qualifying sessions each on both Friday and Saturday with the quickest 16 machines in each pro class filling the brackets for final eliminations on Sunday. As always, every ticket is a pit pass, as fans are invited into the NHRA pro pits to watch the teams service their race cars between rounds. After the race fans are also encouraged to celebrate with the winners at the NHRA Winner's Circle.
Tickets are available by calling Bristol Motor Speedway at 866-415-4158 or click here to purchase your tickets online. For more information, please visit the NHRA website by clicking here.
