Toyota drivers qualify in prime positions for Monday’s eliminations
INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 31, 2025) – Kalitta Motorsports’ Doug Kalitta and J.R. Todd swept the nitro categories’ Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenges on Saturday during qualifying for the U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Kalitta claimed his fifth Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win, which crowned him the Top Fuel challenge champion of 2025, gaining valuable bonus points for the Countdown to the Championship that begins in two weeks. For Todd, it was his second challenge win of the season that joined his challenge triumph at Bristol in June. The wins by Kalitta and Todd completed Toyota’s streak of victories in all 13 challenge events this season in either Top Fuel or Funny Car.
Kalitta was also the quickest Toyota Top Fuel Dragster after the five qualifying sessions, earning the No. 4 seed and moving into second in the Top Fuel points standings ahead of tomorrow’s regular season finale. Shawn Langdon, Kalitta’s teammate and the Top Fuel points leader, enters tomorrow as the sixth seed and 47 points in front of Kalitta as he searches to win the inaugural Top Fuel regular season championship. Langdon also posted a 340.90 mph speed in Q4, which set the track speed record at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
In Funny Car, Ron Capps led the Toyota GR Supra Funny Car contingent, earning the No. 3 seed for tomorrow’s eliminations as he seeks his third U.S. Nationals win. Todd will be the No. 7 seed tomorrow and Julie Nataas starts tomorrow 15th.
Eliminations of the U.S. Nationals from Indianapolis Raceway Park begin tomorrow at 10 a.m. EST with live TV coverage beginning at 2 p.m. EST on FOX.
Toyota Post-Qualifying Recap
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series
Indianapolis Raceway Park
U.S. Nationals
Race 14 of 20
TOYOTA TOP FUEL QUALIFYING POSITIONS
| Name | Car | Qualifying Position | First Round Opponent |
| Brittany Force* | Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Dragster | 1st | I. Zetterstrom |
| Doug Kalitta | Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | 4th | T. Schumacher |
| Antron Brown | Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | 5th | J. Ashley |
| Shawn Langdon | Applied Innovation/Kalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | 6th | C. Millican |
| Steve Torrence | CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | 7th | T. Stewart |
| Justin Ashley | SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | 12th | A. Brown |
TOYOTA FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING POSITIONS
| Name | Car | Qualifying Position | First Round Opponent |
| Jack Beckman* | Peak Chevrolet Funny Car | 1st* | J. Schriefer |
| Ron Capps | Carlyle Tools Toyota GR Supra Funny Car | 3rd | S. Hyde |
| J.R. Todd | DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car | 7th | B. Tasca III |
| Julie Nataas | Airmine DC Motorsports Toyota GR Supra Funny Car | 15th | A. Prock |
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
DOUG KALITTA, Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Kalitta Motorsports
TF Qualifying Result: 4th
How are you feeling entering tomorrow’s eliminations?
“Yeah, so we ended up fourth for tomorrow. Looks like it’s going to be a good spot to start in. Conditions will be cool at 10 a.m. (when eliminations begin), so hopefully, we should have a good car for tomorrow. The Mac Tools Toyota Dragster is running well, so we’ll see how it goes!”
You also claimed another #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win. How does it feel?
“Yeah, I’m super stoked with all of my guys. Alan (Johnson, crew chief) and Mac (Savage, crew chief) and all the Mac Tools Toyota guys. We couldn’t have done it without Mission Foods and everybody that supports this great effort out here. It’s just great to race on a Saturday, or Sunday, (in the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge). It’s greatly appreciated all that they do for us and just real fortunate to pull this off.”
J.R. TODD, DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, Kalitta Motorsports
FC Qualifying Result: 7th
How nice is it to end Saturday with a #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win?
KALITTA, TODD SWEEP #2FAST2TASTY CHALLENGES IN U.S. NATIONALS QUALIFYING
Toyota drivers qualify in prime positions for Monday’s eliminations
INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 31, 2025) – Kalitta Motorsports’ Doug Kalitta and J.R. Todd swept the nitro categories’ Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenges on Saturday during qualifying for the U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Kalitta claimed his fifth Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win, which crowned him the Top Fuel challenge champion of 2025, gaining valuable bonus points for the Countdown to the Championship that begins in two weeks. For Todd, it was his second challenge win of the season that joined his challenge triumph at Bristol in June. The wins by Kalitta and Todd completed Toyota’s streak of victories in all 13 challenge events this season in either Top Fuel or Funny Car.
Kalitta was also the quickest Toyota Top Fuel Dragster after the five qualifying sessions, earning the No. 4 seed and moving into second in the Top Fuel points standings ahead of tomorrow’s regular season finale. Shawn Langdon, Kalitta’s teammate and the Top Fuel points leader, enters tomorrow as the sixth seed and 47 points in front of Kalitta as he searches to win the inaugural Top Fuel regular season championship. Langdon also posted a 340.90 mph speed in Q4, which set the track speed record at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
In Funny Car, Ron Capps led the Toyota GR Supra Funny Car contingent, earning the No. 3 seed for tomorrow’s eliminations as he seeks his third U.S. Nationals win. Todd will be the No. 7 seed tomorrow and Julie Nataas starts tomorrow 15th.
Eliminations of the U.S. Nationals from Indianapolis Raceway Park begin tomorrow at 10 a.m. EST with live TV coverage beginning at 2 p.m. EST on FOX.
Toyota Post-Qualifying Recap
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series
Indianapolis Raceway Park
U.S. Nationals
Race 14 of 20
TOYOTA TOP FUEL QUALIFYING POSITIONS
| Name | Car | Qualifying Position | First Round Opponent |
| Brittany Force* | Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Dragster | 1st | I. Zetterstrom |
| Doug Kalitta | Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | 4th | T. Schumacher |
| Antron Brown | Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | 5th | J. Ashley |
| Shawn Langdon | Applied Innovation/Kalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | 6th | C. Millican |
| Steve Torrence | CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | 7th | T. Stewart |
| Justin Ashley | SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | 12th | A. Brown |
TOYOTA FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING POSITIONS
| Name | Car | Qualifying Position | First Round Opponent |
| Jack Beckman* | Peak Chevrolet Funny Car | 1st* | J. Schriefer |
| Ron Capps | Carlyle Tools Toyota GR Supra Funny Car | 3rd | S. Hyde |
| J.R. Todd | DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car | 7th | B. Tasca III |
| Julie Nataas | Airmine DC Motorsports Toyota GR Supra Funny Car | 15th | A. Prock |
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
DOUG KALITTA, Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Kalitta Motorsports
TF Qualifying Result: 4th
How are you feeling entering tomorrow’s eliminations?
“Yeah, so we ended up fourth for tomorrow. Looks like it’s going to be a good spot to start in. Conditions will be cool at 10 a.m. (when eliminations begin), so hopefully, we should have a good car for tomorrow. The Mac Tools Toyota Dragster is running well, so we’ll see how it goes!”
You also claimed another #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win. How does it feel?
“Yeah, I’m super stoked with all of my guys. Alan (Johnson, crew chief) and Mac (Savage, crew chief) and all the Mac Tools Toyota guys. We couldn’t have done it without Mission Foods and everybody that supports this great effort out here. It’s just great to race on a Saturday, or Sunday, (in the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge). It’s greatly appreciated all that they do for us and just real fortunate to pull this off.”
J.R. TODD, DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, Kalitta Motorsports
FC Qualifying Result: 7th
How nice is it to end Saturday with a #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win?
“Wish it was Monday! Yeah, it’s good to get some bonus money, and bonus points are the biggest thing going into the Countdown. It’s great to have Mr. Gonzalez (Juan Gonzalez, CEO, Mission Foods) here from Mission Foods to give us a chance to put on a race for the fans on a Saturday. Want to thank them for coming out and supporting us. Yeah, that was wild. I was about to go when he (Austin Prock) did and next thing you know, the win light is on. We go up there and spin, but either way, the big picture is Dickie (Venables, crew chief) is saying ‘we’re working towards race day,’ and I’m kind of seeing what we can get away with. I like that mentality.”