The last “Duel in the Desert” is set for Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, as the final NHRA Arizona Nationals will take place on March 24-26 at the facility just outside of Phoenix. The 38th and final NHRA Arizona Nationals marks the second race of the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Mike Salinas (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) all won last year in Phoenix. This year’s race will again be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 (FS1), as all the top stars in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock will look to pick up the final win in Phoenix and grab an early-season victory.

Salinas made a strong statement early last year, grabbing the first of his career-best four victories in 2022. He held the points lead for a stretch in the regular season, but eventually succumbed to Brittany Force’s stellar and record-breaking 2022 campaign.

Brittany won her second world title on the strength of five wins and will look for early momentum against a loaded lineup that also includes Steve Torrence, Justin Ashley, Josh Hart, veteran Doug Kalitta, Leah Pruett, Antron Brown, Austin Prock, Tony Schumacher and Clay Millican.

Hight enjoyed a two-race winning streak to open last year, and he’s after another Phoenix triumph in Funny Car. But it won’t be easy against the likes of Ron Capps, who has won back-to-back world titles, three-time Phoenix winner Matt Hagan, 16-time world champ John Force, J.R. Todd, Bob Tasca III, Tim Wilkerson, Alexis DeJoria, class newcomer Alex Laughlin and Cruz Pedregon.

In Pro Stock, Stanfield will try to replicate his victory from last season and close out Phoenix in style. Standing in his way will be teammate Erica Enders, who won 10 races last year and rolled to her fifth Pro Stock world title.

Others to watch include five-time world champ Greg Anderson, NHRA Rookie of the Year Camrie Caruso, Kyle Koretsky, Troy Coughlin Jr., Dallas Glenn, Bo Butner and Phoenix-area native Matt Hartford.

NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature one round at 5 p.m. PT on Friday, March 24, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, March 25 at 12 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday, March 25. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 9:30 p.m. ET. on Friday and 12 p.m. on Sunday, leading into eliminations at 7 p.m. ET.

w/ NHRA Communications