A three-hour rain delay couldn’t prevent Austin Prock from taking home his first Wally of the 2023 NHRA season on April 30 at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Concord, North Carolina. He also couldn’t stop photographer James Kiefer from capturing the views of the event for Automoblog.
‘Fast, Loud and Proud’
Kiefer and others from the Automoblog team traveled to zMax Dragway outside of Charlotte to see the action live in person. Despite the threat of rain looming over the weekend, an enthusiastic crowd still gathered at zMax to cheer on favorite racers in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and other categories.
When asked about his experience, Kiefer said the high-octane event was filled with enthusiasm and excitement.
“It was fast, loud and proud,” Kiefer said. “The work that race teams put into those hot rods is a feat of ingenuity and determination, all for a driver to risk his reputation and his health on a quarter-mile track.”
You can check out Kiefer’s photos from the weekend in the gallery below.
What’s next for NHRA Racing?
After the Four-Wide Nationals, Justin Ashley currently leads the win total in the 2023 Top Fuel category with two wins: one at the NHRA Arizona Nationals and one at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals. Mike Salinas, Antron Brown and now Austin Prock each have one win on the season.
The drivers and their teams get a nearly three-week break after the Four-Wide Nationals. NHRA action resumes May 19 at the Gerber Collision and Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance, taking place just outside of Chicago at Route 66 Raceway in Elwood, Illinois.
Like other events on the NHRA schedule, fans can get tickets to watch the races live at the track or watch from home. Fox Sports will once again broadcast the races live and will offer several rebroadcasts through its FS1 and FS2 channels.
The nation’s premier drag racing league returns to Charlotte on September 22 for the 2023 NHRA Carolina Nationals. Once again, zMax Dragway will play host to the action as the 2023 season comes to a close.
