The NHRA FanFest presented by Explore Auburn is back for a third consecutive year on Thursday, July 17, bringing an impressive NHRA driver lineup to officially kick off the race weekend for the 36th annual Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways.
The event takes place from 5-7 p.m. PT on Thursday, July 17 in front of Dave & Buster’s at The Outlet Collection (1101 Outlet Collection Dr. SW, Auburn, WA 98001), with autographs and a meet and greet with NHRA standouts taking place from 6-7 p.m.
Scheduled to appear is an impressive list of drivers in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, including Top Fuel stars Ida Zetterstrom and Jasmine Salinas, Funny Car standouts Chad Green, Hunter Green, Alexis DeJoria, Buddy Hull, rookie Dylan Winefsky, Pro Stock’s Cory Reed, Mason McGaha and Chris McGaha, as well as Pro Stock Motorcycle points leader Gaige Herrera, Richard Gadson, defending event winner Chase Van Sant and Chris Bostick.
The NHRA FanFest also includes a Drag & Drive Hot Rod Show, car displays, live music and door prizes. It leads into the weekend’s Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways, which kicks off with nitro under the lights on Friday, continues with three nitro qualifying sessions and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday.
Preceding that, the weekend kicks off with $15,000 Mission Foods Machine Tournament at Muckleshoot Casino Resort at 1 p.m. on Thursday, where fans can register for free. On Saturday following qualifying, race fans can visit Muckleshoot Casino Resort for the official NHRA after-party with live music from 7 p.m.-1 a.m. PT.
The Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals will again be broadcast on FOX with elimination coverage on Sunday at 4:30 ET p.m. Last year, Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) and Chase Van Sant (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all picked up victories, while Justin Ashley, Prock, Aaron Stanfield and Gaige Herrera won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge bonus race.
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds of qualifying on Friday, July 18 for the Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle classes at 6:40 and 8:15 p.m. PT, with Top Fuel and Funny Car taking to the track at 9:15 p.m. PT. On Saturday, July 19, nitro teams will qualify three times at 12:30 p.m., 2:45 p.m. and 5 p.m. Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle will qualify at 3:45 p.m. and 6:05. Race day will kick off with nitro eliminations on Sunday, July 20 at 10:30 a.m.
Television coverage includes qualifying action at 10 p.m. ET on Saturday and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday on FS1, leading into eliminations on FOX at 4:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
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