NHRA is making a return to Virginia after a year off, and so is the world’s quickest and fastest motorcycle drag racer.
Hometown hero Larry “Spiderman” McBride captivated fans in Virginia in 2022 in Top Fuel Motorcycle, going 268.38 mph and making the fastest motorcycle pass in drag racing history.
McBride will again be joined by the second-quickest active rider, rising star Dave Vantine, as well as other top-notch competitors taking part in the brand new NHRA Top Fuel Motorcycle Series.
The race will be the ninth of 21 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and will feature racing in all four professional classes (Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle) at one of the quickest and fastest tracks on the NHRA circuit.
It will be NHRA’s first race at the track since 2022 and fans will again see a weekend filled with incredible 330-mph action, starting with qualifying on Friday, the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday, as all the stars of the NHRA will look for a win as the 2024 campaign nears the midway point.
Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won during NHRA’s last appearance at Virginia Motorsports Park, capping off a record-setting weekend at the facility and giving fans a glimpse at what could happen at the race in 2024. Racing on one of the smoothest surfaces on the NHRA tour, Force shattered the track record with a run of 3.654-seconds, also going a track-best 335.82 mph.
Reigning Funny Car world champion and Virginia native Matt Hagan of Tony Stewart Racing set both ends of the track record with an impressive blast of 3.853, also going 335.82, while Angie Smith broke track records in Pro Stock Motorcycle with a run of 6.756 at 201.37.
Fans will also get a chance to see Pro Stock and defending world champion Erica Enders at VMP for the first time since 2019, as well as racing legend Tony Stewart, who is set to make his Top Fuel debut as part of his NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series rookie season in 2024.
NHRA returned to Virginia Motorsports Park in 2018, racing in consecutive years and also again in 2022. The standout facility has made continuous upgrades in recent seasons, making it a top choice among racers and fans. Top Fuel’s Steve Torrence won in both 2018 and 2019, while the legendary John Force has four wins in Virginia, with the last coming in 2000. Bo Butner won the most recent Pro Stock race in 2019, while M. Smith is the only active rider in Pro Stock Motorcycle with a win at the track.
Next year’s event includes the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, a unique bonus event that brings competitive racing to Saturday and offers a bonus purse and bonus championship points. With qualifying on Friday, final qualifying and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday, fans can experience a weekend loaded excitement in 2024.
Tickets are now on sale for the 2024 Virginia NHRA Nationals, which takes place June 21-23 at Virginia Motorsports Park and marks the NHRA’s return to the fan-favorite facility.
