Competition Plus’ Water-Cooler Topics From The NHRA Vegas 4-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas

“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!”

This line from the famous movie The Godfather was spoken by Michael Corleone, the fictional character played by Al Pacino.

It would surprise few if those words came out of Jeg Coughlin Jr.’s mouth. After all, he was enjoying a life of racing and retirement on his terms when last October at The Strip in Las Vegas, Elite Motorsports pulled him back into full-time Pro Stock competition. 

When Alan Johnson is your crew chief and you’re Doug Kalitta, the reigning NHRA Top Fuel champion, it is not if you will win a race in 2024, but when.

"When" happened Sunday when Kalitta captured the victory at the 4-Wide Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

In the final quad, Kalitta clocked the quickest elapsed time of the event at 3.715 seconds at 333.58 to defeat Justin Ashley (3.745), Steve Torrence (3.745) and NASCAR legend Tony Stewart (3.769), who was in his first career final round.

Reaction time was everything in the final-round of the 4-Wide Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday.

Bob Tasca III cut a .034-second light that, coupled with a 3.915-second, 329-mph blast, propelled him to victory over Austin Prock (3.904), Ron Capps (3.902), and Matt Hagan (3.895).

Prock and Capps had .054 and .056 reaction times, and Hagan was at .066.

The third became the third in Las Vegas.

Bob Tasca III not only holeshot runner-up Austin Prock but also got the jump on reigning world champ Matt Hagan and Ron Capps to score his second four-wide victory during the 24th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals. It was only the third time in four-wide drag racing history that a driver has recorded a triple holeshot victory. 

Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) also won at the fourth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Tasca’s 3.915-second run at 329.75 mph was the slowest in his quad and resulted in his first win of the season and his 16th career win. He needed every bit of his starting-line advantage to pick up a memorable victory in an incredible final round, undoubtedly one of the most thrilling in four-wide history.

Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the 24th annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the fourth of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series - 

Final round-by-round results from the 24th annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the fourth of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

The Prock Rocket shows no signs of slowing down.

After winning the Lucas Oil Nationals a week ago from the No. 1 qualifying spot in Phoenix, nitro Funny Car driver Austin Prock is well on his way to replicating the feat at the 4-Wide Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Prock, piloting a John Force Racing Camaro, clocked a 3.904-second elapsed time at 321.42 mph in Q3 on Saturday and held on through Q4 to snare the No. 1 qualifying position at The Strip.

During Q4, he also won the Misson#2Fast2Tasty Challenge for the first time in his career, with his 3.915-second run at 326.95 mph. He defeated Paul Lee (3.939), Blake Alexander (3.963) and Daniel Wilkerson (4.359).

Having Pro Stock drivers from the Elite Motorsports camp capture a No. 1 qualifying position is not uncommon.

After all, the stout team includes multiple time world champions Erica Enders and Jeg Coughlin Jr. in its ever growing stable.

Well, Saturday it was Jerry Tucker’s time to step into the spotlight for Elite at the 4-Wide Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Grandpa did it, Dad did it, and now the third generation of the Hord drag racing family has their own claim to fame.

Ricky Hord, the newest generation of the Maximum Effort racing team, scored his first pole position and did so in the Factory Stock Showdown competition at the Las Vegas NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. Hord powered his Chevrolet COPO Camaro to No. 1 qualifier on the strength of his third-round pass of 7.939 seconds at 172.54 mph. The run moved the driver from Orlando, Fla., into the top spot around provisional No. 1 David Janac. Hord will lead a tough Factory Stock field into eliminations in front of No. 2 qualifier Mark Pawuk and his Dodge Drag Pak, the Gatornationals winner and Winternationals runner-up. After he had secured the quickest run of the weekend Hord was all smiles talking about the accomplishment.