After three days on the track at Firebird Motorsports Park the R+L Carriers Top Fuel team and owner/driver Josh Hart feels like they are moving in the right direction. After four qualifying runs and the first round of the 40th NHRA Arizona Nationals today, Hart has seen flashes of success that should provide direction for the championship-contending team. With two national events in the books and the historic NHRA Winternationals on the horizon, Hart is looking to turn on win lights soon.
“We tested three different combinations at this event and we found one that we like for the long season ahead,” said Hart, a multi-time Top Fuel national event winner. “The R+L Carriers team is prepared for the endurance NHRA challenge of 2025 and we feel that we will be a real contender by Vegas.”
Hart and the R+L Carriers team made two consistent runs on the first day of qualifying running 3.817 seconds and 3.819 seconds at well over 320 mph. On Saturday when the conditions headed up the crew made some adjustments in preparations for race day and a first round match up with reigning Top Fuel champion Antron Brown. Hart entered race day as the No. 10 qualifier with Brown sliding in at the No. 4 qualifier with a 3.710 second qualifying effort.
Hart and Brown were the sixth pair of Top Fuel dragsters to hit the track in a first round that featured some tire smoke and smooth passes. Hart was first off the line with a .061 second reaction time but by halftrack Brown was side by side with Hart as the finish line closed in. Hart and the R+L Carriers made their quickest run of the event, a 3.810 second pass at 322.27 mph but it wasn’t enough for the win light against Brown’s 3.770 second pass, which was the second quickest run of the first round.
Hart and the R+L Carriers Top Fuel team will be back on track for the NHRA Winternationals, March 27-30, at In-N-Out Drag Strip at Pomona in Pomona, California. For more information on that race, visit www.nhra.com.
This story was originally published on March 24, 2025. 
