INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 02, 2024) – The three car SCAG Racing factory team ended their regular 2024 Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series season Monday at the 70th running of the Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals. Justin Ashley took the SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel dragster to the quarterfinals while Daniel Wilkerson and the SCAG Power Equipment Ford Mustang had an eventful first-round exit and Dave Richards and the Bluebird Turf / Versatran team battled to qualify No. 17.
Coming into Raceday after winning the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge and qualified in the No. 7 position, Ashley and his SCAG Toyota had a first-round matchup against Dan Mercier. Ashley would handle his dragster to a 3.735-second pass at 330.23 mph to defeat Mercier’s 3.759 at 321.58. In the second round against motorsports legend Tony Stewart, the SCAG Toyota would drive into tire smoke almost immediately coasting to a 7.881 at 90.17. Stewart would get the win with a clean 3.747 at 330.88.
“I thought this was a productive U.S. Nationals. Winning the Mission Foods #2Fasty2Tasty Challenge Championship is a testament to the team’s hard work and dedication to success,” said Ashley who leaves the U.S. Nationals second in the Top Fuel points standings. “Of course, we would’ve loved to put our SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Phillips Top Fuel Dragster into the winners circle on Raceday. But it’s a long season and each race is another opportunity to learn. I am so proud of our team and look forward to beginning the Countdown in Reading.”
Wilkerson and the SCAG Ford Mustang team earned their No. 5 qualifying position off their impressive 3.896-second pass at 331.28 mph Sunday afternoon in their last qualifying try. On Raceday, Wilkerson lined up with Bobby Bode in the first round. While Bode would make it down the track in 3.934 seconds at 323.58 mph, the SCAG Mustang would have an engine explosion that split the body in half for Wilkerson to navigate crossing the finish line at only 4.959 at 142.66.
“I hate tearing stuff up and we tore a lot of stuff up this weekend. We had such a good car last night; I don’t know what happened to the thing. It just kind of gave up on me. Then, because I’m stubborn and it’s Raceday, I just held my foot to the floor. So, I feel pretty personally responsible for the ton of work we have to do now,” said Wilkerson who sits eighth in points. “And I feel bad for my family, because when you’re in there, it’s not as scary because I knew I was fine. Then I get up here to top end with them in the tow car and they’re crying and that makes me sad. But this SCAG Ford Mustang team, we’ll get to work, and we’ll fix it and we’ll be badass in Reading.”
Richards and the BlueBird Turf team brought out a new-to-them car for the U.S. Nationals weekend. The car they were running got a new front half and designated as their back-up car, the first time all season the team has had one. In their new car, given to them from their teammates the Wilkerson’s, Richards battled through five qualifying sessions working out the nuances. They were unable to qualify with their best time of 4.105-seconds and 297.94 mph.
“Our whole team really busted our butts and tried our best to make the show here. You know, we’ll be back. We’re going to test on Tuesday, we’re going to get better. This team has a no quit attitude, so we’re going to get there,” said Richards who is 13th in the Funny Car points standings. “I messed up a little bit in qualifying driving, so I need to do better, too. On that last qualifying try, it felt like it was moving pretty good and then all of a sudden it felt like it got loose out there around half-track or so and it just didn’t seem right, so I had to get out of it.”
SCAG Racing returns to Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing action at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pennsylvania Sept. 12-15. The Pep Boys Nationals kicks off the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s six race playoffs.
