After a successful two-day professional event last season, that format will return to Virginia Motorsports Park in 2025 for the fifth annual Virginia NHRA Nationals, which takes place June 20-22 at the standout facility.
A year ago, competitors in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series made three qualifying sessions on Saturday as part of the two-day professional race, with eliminations following on Sunday. That format was a hit with both the race teams and fans, and will return for the highly-anticipated 2025 event. Tickets are currently on sale for the Virginia NHRA Nationals, which is the ninth of 20 races this season.
The two-day format gives fans the chance to see three qualifying sessions in one day, giving them a memorable chance to see a full day of 330-mph, 11,000-horsepower action, plus the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge bonus race during the last two sessions of the day.
That leads into eliminations, where drivers in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock Motorcycle will attempt to win a mid-season Wally at one of the quickest tracks on the NHRA tour. Competitors in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series will race on Friday, June 20 at VMP, leading into the two-day extravaganza in the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
Last season, Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won in Richmond. This year’s event will again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations coverage beginning at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 22.
Prock’s Richmond win is one the John Force Racing camp will soon not forget. John Force, the legendary 16-time champ and NHRA all-time wins leader, suffered a season-ending crash on race day in Richmond. Prock, who was leading the points, went on to win the event over Bob Tasca III and then claimed his first NHRA Funny Car world championship to end the year. This season the Funny Car field hopes to end Prock’s dominance in category. Tasca, along with former champs Matt Hagan, Ron Capps, J.R. Todd and Jack Beckman, who is driving for Force, have their sights set on a win at Virginia Motorsports Park.
Kalitta earned his second Virginia NHRA Nationals win last season when he defeated his teammate Shawn Langdon in an all-Kalitta Motorsports final round. Kalitta earned three event wins last season and went onto finish runner-up in the final points standings, a year after winning his first career world title in 2023. Claiming the world championship was Antron Brown, thanks to his six wins in 2024. Other Top Fuel drivers to watch this season will be Justin Ashley, Brittany Force, Steve Torrence, motorsports legend Tony Stewart and Clay Millican.
Last season was another banner year for Pro Stock Motorcycle standout Herrera. With his race win over his Vance & Hines teammate Richard Gadson in Virginia, Herrera broke a 45-year record for most consecutive race wins. His 10th straight race win surpassed the record previously held by NHRA legend Bob Glidden. Herrera continued his dominance through the rest of the season, earning 10 race wins and his second consecutive world championship. Other standouts in the two-wheeled category include Matt and Angie Smith, Chase Van Sant, Hector Arana Jr. and Jianna Evaristo.
Along with action in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, fans can also enjoy racing in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Pingel Top Fuel Motorcycle, providing a full weekend of non-stop entertainment. A full event schedule will be released in the coming weeks.
To purchase tickets to the Virginia NHRA Nationals, visit nhra.evenue.net/events/RV1T. For more information about the NHRA, including the 2025 schedule, visit www.nhra.com.
This story was originally published on February 7, 2025. 
