Tue, 04 Nov 2025, 18:37 PM Josh Hart Countdown Focus Shifts to Pomona

Courtesy of Elon Werner, Werner Communications

LAS VEGAS --- Josh Hart left Las Vegas and the Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals with his focus squarely on winning the season finale in Pomona, California in two weeks. The Countdown qualified driver has battled through five playoff races since Labor Day and will be looking to win the final playoff race and carry momentum into the off-season. This weekend through two days of qualifying and the race today Hart continued to show determination and focus driving his 12,000-horsepowered Top Fuel dragster.

Through four rounds of qualifying Hart's Ron Douglas-tuned Top Fuel dragster was one of the few race cars that made four clean runs down The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway track. On Saturday in the final session Hart made his quickest run of qualifying turning on the scoreboards with a blistering 3.779 seconds at 333.16 mph, which was the third quickest run of the session. Hart collected a qualifying bonus point for his effort. On Friday he was the fourth quickest Top Fuel dragster of the first session narrowly missing more valuable bonus points.

Josh Hart gave his all at the NHRA Nevada Nationals and has shifted his focus to the final race of the season Photo credit KZ Photography

"I felt good coming out of qualifying especially with that last run on Saturday," said Hart. "We made clean runs but we weren't as quick as some of the other teams. In that last session we stepped up and jumped right into the middle of the quick cars in Las Vegas."

Sunday morning Hart was in a tough match-up with championship contender Justin Ashley. Two of the quickest drivers off the starting line would be squaring off to see who could take the first step towards the Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals' winner's circle. Both dragsters launched side by side and Hart's dragster smoked the tires as he furiously tried to pedal his race car. Ashley also went up in smoke and if Hart would have been able to regain momentum a victory was in the offing.

"Unfortunately, in round one, we had a mechanical failure," said Hart, a multi-time Top Fuel national event winner. "It was an apparent tire shake, and I hit the gas five times. I almost broke it off, trying to get that thing down, but unfortunately, I had to watch my opponent do almost verbatim the same thing, and he was just a little bit further ahead."

Hart will head to In-N-Out Dragstrip at Pomona for the final race of the season November 14-16. He is locked into the Top Ten but the opportunity to move up in the standings is on the horizon for Hart and his team.

Qualifying Results
Q1: 3.881 sec, 329.26 mph; Qual. 4
Q2: 3.815 sec; 320.58 mph; Qual. 10
Q3: 3.886 sec; 313.66 mph; Qual. 10
Q4: 3.779 sec; 333.16 mph; Qual. 9
Bonus points: +1 (3rd Quickest of Q4)

Race Results

First Round
Justin Ashley, Farmingdale, NY, SCAG Top Fuel dragster, (.042), 5.667 sec, 119.55 mph def. Josh Hart, Ocala, Fla., R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster, (.069), 6.895 sec, 94.68 mph

Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Point Standings - Top Fuel
1.  Doug Kalitta       2607
2.  Shawn Langdon      2463
3.  Justin Ashley      2444
4.  Brittany Force     2415
5.  Tony Stewart       2364
6.  Clay Millican      2335
7.  Steve Torrence     2297
8.  Shawn Reed         2290
9.  Antron Brown       2275
10. Josh Hart          2185