- NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart's expanded NHRA schedule is helping to bring some new eyeballs to NHRA.
- Drivers from NHRA and NASCAR were scheduled to participate in NASCAR Night Thursday at zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C., but it was postponed until the dragway’s September NHRA event.
- NHRA Top Fuel driver Justin Ashley doesn’t want to see the “cross-pollination” limited to the racing industry, but would like to see motorsports do it with other professional sports.
Top Fuel competitor Justin Ashley believes any time NHRA and NASCAR drivers can conduct a joint event it’s healthy for the industry and benefits drag racing.
“(It’s) … getting this out more into the mainstream media,” said Ashley, who’s second in the Top Fuel standings, just 13 points behind leader four-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence.
During NASCAR’s Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway last weekend, the upcoming zMAX Dragway event was mentioned by NHRA team owner and three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart. When FOX Sports’ veteran motorsports anchor Mike Joy told Stewart he would talk with him the following week about NASCAR’s Dover race, motorsports analyst Stewart told him he wouldn’t because he would be drag racing.
“Doing some cross-pollination stuff … with NASCAR is really helpful for our sport,” said Ashley, winner of two races this season. “I think it’s helpful for the NASCAR side, too.”
Ashley doesn’t want to see the “cross-pollination” limited to the racing industry but would like to see motorsports do it with other professional sports, including football, baseball, and basketball.
“All that stuff can be really helpful and help our sport grow,” Ashley said. “I’d certainly like to see some cross-pollination in those areas that are more prevalent in terms of mainstream media.”
Recently, it became known the NHRA wouldn’t return to two venues in 2024 – Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Ariz., and Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colo. Ashley believes the cross-pollination could help the NHRA acquire new venues for its professional racing classes.
“It only helps to increase the value of NHRA racing,” Ashley explained. “When that happens, more tracks want to get involved because it really is a sport of entertainment. It’s a sensory experience. When you’re able to do cross-pollination, it helps build a brand and helps improve from a marketing perspective. I think when that happens more tracks want to get involved and the fan base grows.
“It’s difficult to see those tracks go away. It’s not something that any of us in the NHRA community want to see, but I have a sneaky suspicion that more and more will pop up across the country as we continue to move forward.”
Drivers from NHRA and NASCAR were scheduled to participate in NASCAR Night Thursday at zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C., but it was postponed until the dragway’s September NHRA event. A spokesperson for the event said the decision was made due to the rain forecast for the rest of the week. That made prepping the track for the weekend NHRA event dragway officials’ priority, she said.
The postponed event has NHRA and NASCAR drivers drag racing each other in specially prepared passenger vehicles. Ashley was scheduled to face 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick in the event which was to raise money for Speedway Children’s Charities.
