PHOENIX — The Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge returns to the NHRA season and the first matchups in the Saturday specialty event are set for March 22 as part of the 40th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals, which takes place March 21-23 at Firebird Motorsports Park in Phoenix.
The unique challenge, which offers a bonus purse and bonus championship points, enters its third year in 2025, bringing competitive racing to the qualifying schedule during the next 13 regular-season events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. The Challenge pits semifinalists from the previous race against each other, with the two winners matching up as part of Saturday’s final qualifying session, offering added drama and excitement for fans in attendance the rest of the regular season.
Top Fuel
Reigning world champion Antron Brown is off to a red-hot start after winning in Gainesville. With Steve Torrence not racing in Phoenix, that means a matchup with racing legend Tony Stewart in the opening round of the Challenge. The other Top Fuel matchup features defending Phoenix winner Shawn Langdon meeting Jasmine Salinas. She scored her first semifinal appearance in Top Fuel in Gainesville, meaning Salinas will also make her Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge debut in Phoenix.
“I’m so excited to compete in my first Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge! We showed a lot of consistency in Gainesville and I think it’s going to help us when we line up against Langdon for the rematch,” Salinas said. “He’s a former world champ with killer reaction times. There’s definitely an intimidation factor that I’ll need to overcome mentally, but that’s what I love about this sport. It’s called a challenge for a reason and we are doing everything we can to be ready for it.”
She is one of the 12 drivers competing across three categories (Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock) in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge at Firebird Motorsports Park, which celebrates 40 years of NHRA action at this year’s national event.
Funny Car
In the Funny Car ranks, Chad Green, who won his second career race last weekend in Gainesville, beat four-time champ Matt Hagan in the semifinals, setting up a marquee rematch in Phoenix. The other semifinal matchup features three-time world champ and Gainesville runner-up Ron Capps and Alexis DeJoria, who won the first-ever Funny Car Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in 2023.
Pro Stock
The Pro Stock Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge features one of the longest rivalries in category history, as defending world champion Greg Anderson meets Jeg Coughlin Jr. The other semifinal features a pair of KB Titan Racing teammates in Gainesville winner Dallas Glenn and rising Pro Stock star Cory Reed.
Last year in Pomona, Langdon (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car) and Anderson (Pro Stock) grabbed wins in Phoenix, while Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel), J.R. Todd (Funny Car) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge.
Langdon, a former Top Fuel champion, earned his first win last season, while contenders to watch include former champ Doug Kalitta, reigning world champ Brown, Clay Millican, Brittany Force and Justin Ashley, as well as Stewart.
Prock’s Phoenix triumph marked his first career Funny Car win. The defending champ struggled in Gainesville, but he’ll look to get on track in Phoenix against John Force Racing teammate Jack Beckman, Hagan and Capps, Green, Todd and Bob Tasca III.
Anderson earned his sixth world title at the NHRA Finals in a winner-take-all final over Glenn. Last year’s race featured that same matchup, with Anderson earning the win. Other Pro Stock stars include Aaron Stanfield and Erica Enders.
