The 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is complete, but its official calendar remains useful for fans checking past race dates, broadcast information, playoff structure, and season results. The schedule included 20 national-event weekends from March through November, although persistent rain and unsafe track conditions prevented the professional portion of the Pomona finale from being completed.
Quick Answer
The 2025 NHRA schedule listed 20 national events from March 6 through November 16. The U.S. Nationals ran August 27–September 1, and the six-race Countdown began September 11. FOX and FS1 carried national-event finals, while NHRA.tv now provides access to the complete 2025 season archive.
Note: This is an archival guide to the completed 2025 season. For live race dates and broadcast times, use the official 2026 NHRA schedule and current TV listings.
Key Takeaways
- The 2025 Mission Foods Series calendar listed 20 events, with 14 regular-season races and six Countdown playoff races.
- The Gatornationals opened the season March 6–9, and the U.S. Nationals ran August 27–September 1.
- National-event finals were scheduled on FOX or FS1; the official release included eight FOX network broadcasts.
- The Pomona finale was canceled for the professional classes because of persistent weather and unsafe track conditions.
- Doug Kalitta, Austin Prock, Dallas Glenn, and Richard Gadson finished the year as the four professional world champions.
Complete 2025 NHRA Drag Racing Schedule
The final archived 2025 NHRA schedule lists the dates, tracks, classes, results, and event guides for each national-event weekend. The table below uses those official dates rather than the preliminary or incorrect dates that appeared in some early summaries.
| Dates | Event | Track / Market | Season Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 6–9 | AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals | Gainesville Raceway, Florida | Regular season |
| March 21–23 | NHRA Arizona Nationals | Firebird Motorsports Park, Arizona | Regular season |
| March 27–30 | Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals | In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, California | Regular season |
| April 11–13 | NHRA 4-Wide Nationals | The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Nevada | Regular season |
| April 25–27 | American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals | zMAX Dragway, North Carolina | Regular season |
| May 15–18 | Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK | Route 66 Raceway, Illinois | Regular season |
| May 30–June 1 | NHRA New England Nationals | New England Dragway, New Hampshire | Regular season |
| June 6–8 | Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals | Bristol Dragway, Tennessee | Regular season |
| June 20–22 | American Rebel Light Virginia NHRA Nationals | Virginia Motorsports Park | Regular season |
| June 26–29 | Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals | Summit Motorsports Park, Ohio | Regular season |
| July 18–20 | Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals | Pacific Raceways, Washington | Regular season |
| July 25–27 | Denso Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge | Sonoma Raceway, California | Regular season |
| August 14–17 | Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals | Brainerd International Raceway, Minnesota | Regular season |
| August 27–September 1 | Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals | Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Indiana | Regular-season finale |
| September 11–14 | 40th NHRA Reading Nationals presented by Nitro Fish | Maple Grove Raceway, Pennsylvania | Countdown race 1 |
| September 18–21 | NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals | zMAX Dragway, North Carolina | Countdown race 2 |
| September 26–28 | NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals | World Wide Technology Raceway, Illinois | Countdown race 3 |
| October 8–12 | Texas NHRA FallNationals | Texas Motorplex, Texas | Countdown race 4 |
| October 30–November 2 | Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals powered by Direct Connection | The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Nevada | Countdown race 5 |
| November 13–16 | In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals | In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, California | Countdown race 6; professional racing canceled |
Pro Tip: Event dates may span several days, but professional qualifying and eliminations do not run continuously. Open the official event guide or archived result page to see which classes competed on each day.
Major NHRA Races and the 2025 Season Format
The Mission Foods Series centered on Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle, although the class lineup varied by event. The NHRA 101 guide explains the basic qualifying and elimination format for readers who are new to drag racing.
Gatornationals Season Opener
The Gatornationals opened the national-event season at Gainesville Raceway on March 6–9. It also hosted the Top Fuel All-Star Callout, giving the first weekend both championship racing and a separate specialty event.
Four-Wide Racing
Four-wide races were held in Las Vegas and Charlotte during the regular season. Charlotte then hosted the first four-wide race in the Countdown to the Championship in September, placing four cars on the starting line instead of the usual two.
NHRA U.S. Nationals
The U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park ran August 27–September 1. It was the 14th and final regular-season race, used five professional qualifying sessions, and set the field for the six-event playoffs.
Countdown to the Championship
The Countdown began with the Reading Nationals and continued through Charlotte, St. Louis, Dallas, Las Vegas, and Pomona. Championship contenders entered the final six races under the playoff points structure.
The 2025 calendar was structured as a 14-race regular season followed by a six-race Countdown to the Championship.
How 2025 NHRA Races Were Broadcast and Where to Watch Replays
The official 2025 NHRA and FOX Sports television announcement listed eight broadcasts on the FOX network, with the other listed national-event finals on FS1. Broadcast times were shown in Eastern Time and remained subject to change.
- FOX and FS1: These were the primary channels listed for 2025 Mission Foods Series finals.
- NHRA.tv: The subscription service now advertises the complete 2022–2025 season archive, along with live 2026 Mission Foods Series coverage.
- NHRA video pages: Official race highlights, interviews, qualifying clips, and winner recaps remain available on NHRA’s website and official video channels.
Note: A cable, satellite, or live-TV streaming package may be required to authenticate FOX Sports viewing. Availability depends on the viewer’s country and provider. NHRA.tv is a separate paid service.
How the 2025 NHRA Season Ended
The In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals were scheduled for November 13–16 in Pomona. Persistent rain and unsafe track conditions forced NHRA to cancel the remaining professional racing on November 16. The championship standings at that point determined the remaining titles.
- Top Fuel: Doug Kalitta
- Funny Car: Austin Prock
- Pro Stock: Dallas Glenn
- Pro Stock Motorcycle: Richard Gadson
Kalitta earned his second Top Fuel championship. Prock secured a second straight Funny Car title, while Glenn and Gadson won their first championships in their respective classes.
What Changed After 2025: The 2026 NHRA Schedule
The separate 2026 Mission Foods Series schedule marked NHRA’s 75th anniversary and again included 20 races. After the calendar was finalized, four facilities were set to host their first Mission Foods Series national events, which equals 20% of the 20-race schedule:
- South Georgia Motorsports Park in Adel, Georgia
- Maryland International Raceway in Mechanicsville, Maryland
- U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan
- Rockingham Dragway in Rockingham, North Carolina
The purse announcement also needs careful wording. NHRA reported a nearly 15% increase in Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series payouts at national events and a 33% increase in the regional championship purses for both Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car. That is not the same as a 33% increase in every Top Alcohol Funny Car racer’s event payout.
Correction: Kuhnle Motorsports Park was not one of the four new facilities on the finalized 2026 Mission Foods Series national-event schedule.
Fan Experience, Tickets, and Event-Day Planning
NHRA national events provide unusually close access to race teams. According to NHRA’s Day at the Drags guide, every national-event ticket also serves as a pit pass. Fans can watch crews service cars between rounds and may have opportunities for photos or autographs.
- Check the event guide: It may include the daily run order, track map, entry list, autograph sessions, midway activities, and facility rules.
- Review weather updates: Rain, track conditions, oil-downs, or other delays can change qualifying and elimination times.
- Read the ticket policy: The NHRA Ticket Exchange Policy explains possible credits when weather or other circumstances affect an event.
- Plan for noise: Nitro racing is extremely loud. Bring well-fitting hearing protection, especially for children, and follow track instructions.
Warning: Loud recreational events can damage hearing. The CDC recommends hearing protection when loud noise cannot be avoided.
Pro Tip: Visit the pits soon after a Top Fuel or Funny Car run. Crews often begin rapid service work as soon as the car returns, giving fans a close look at the turnaround process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What channel is NHRA drag racing on this weekend?
The channel changes by event. Current Mission Foods Series finals generally appear on FOX or FS1, but times and networks can change. Check the official NHRA TV schedule and local listings before race day.
What is the salary of an NHRA driver?
There is no public, standardized NHRA driver salary scale. Team contracts are generally private, and a driver’s income may combine team pay, sponsorship, prize money, appearance fees, endorsements, and business income. Unsupported fixed figures should not be treated as typical salaries.
What were the key NHRA events in 2025?
Major 2025 events included the Gatornationals season opener, the Las Vegas and Charlotte four-wide races, the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, and the six Countdown playoff events beginning at Maple Grove Raceway.
Where can I stream 2025 NHRA races?
NHRA.tv advertises access to the complete 2025 season archive. Selected clips and highlights are also available through NHRA’s official website and video channels. FOX Sports access depends on the viewer’s television provider and region.
How many races were on the 2025 NHRA schedule?
The calendar listed 20 national-event weekends: 14 regular-season races and six Countdown playoff events. The professional portion of the final Pomona event was canceled because of weather and unsafe track conditions.
Who won the 2025 NHRA professional championships?
Doug Kalitta won Top Fuel, Austin Prock won Funny Car, Dallas Glenn won Pro Stock, and Richard Gadson won Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Was the 2025 NHRA Finals completed?
No. NHRA canceled the remaining professional racing at Pomona on November 16, 2025, because persistent rain left the track unsafe. The points standings determined the remaining world championships.
Conclusion
The completed 2025 NHRA season featured 20 scheduled national-event weekends, two regular-season four-wide races, the U.S. Nationals, and a six-race Countdown. For an accurate archive, use the final NHRA schedule rather than the incorrect preliminary dates that circulated online. Fans looking for current racing should move to the official 2026 schedule and TV pages, while NHRA.tv provides access to the 2025 season archive.
Sources
- NHRA 2025 Schedule & Tickets — official event dates, venues, classes, and archived results.
- NHRA and FOX Sports 2025 Television Schedule — official networks and scheduled finals broadcasts.
- NHRA Finals Cancellation and 2025 Champions — weather cancellation and professional championship outcomes.
- NHRA 2026 New National-Event Facilities — the four first-time Mission Foods Series venues.
- NHRA 2026 Lucas Oil Series Purse Increases — national-event payout and regional championship purse changes.
- NHRA.tv — current live-streaming service and the 2022–2025 season archive.
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