Temperatures may not be the only thing to fall during this weekend's 11th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway. With cooler, clear weather expected for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, track speed and time records stand a strong chance of being shattered when race fans from 45 states and eight countries converge on the Bellagio of drag strips for a high-octane weekend of drag racing.
The stars of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series will engage in full-throttle battles to determine the fastest drivers in four categories: Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Having the NHRA Carolina Nationals in October as opposed to September leaves the door open for a slew of new milestones to be set.
"It's going to be a Triple-A throwdown with the cool temperatures," said Antron Brown, winningest Top Fuel driver in zMAX Dragway history. "I'm very excited to go after it at the stadium built for gladiators and 11,000-horsepower, fire-breathing dragons that are going to go 330 miles per hour."
Heading into race weekend, here's a look at the active track records at zMAX Dragway:
Top Fuel - 3.689 seconds by Brittany Force, April 2018; 332.18 mph by Spencer Massey, April 2012.
Funny Car - 3.851 seconds by Courtney Force, April 2017; 333.91 mph by Robert Hight, April 2017.
Pro Stock - 6.455 seconds by Jason Line, March 2015; 215.48 mph by Greg Anderson, March 2015.
Pro Stock Motorcycle - 6.792 seconds by Eddie Krawiec, April 2017; 199.88 mph by Hector Arana Jr., March 2015.
With forecasts featuring plenty of sunshine this weekend, fans are encouraged to take in the unparalleled excitement that comes with two days of high-speed qualifying followed by high-energy eliminations on Sunday.
