in the lanes
CHARLOTTE, NC (April 26, 2022) --- Every racer eventually finds a race track that for whatever reason they have consistent success throughout their career. This weekend Josh Hart is hoping zMax Dragway outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, will become that track for the second year Top Fuel racer. The team will be racing under the TechNet banner for the first time this season. They will be riding with the two-time Top Fuel winner at the Richmond national event as well. Hart’s relationship with TechNet extends well behind the pit area of his race team.
“I am excited to be running the TechNet Top Fuel dragster this weekend in Charlotte and for the next couple of races,” said Hart, who owns and operates Burnyzz Speed Shop in Ocala, Florida. “They are an amazing partner for us at the track and at Burnyzz. We are proud to be a part of the TechNet family because they do things the way I do things which is offering only the best service and exceptional care.”
“We had a good day in Phoenix, but it wasn’t perfect and we are striving for perfection which means four win lights on Sunday,” said Hart. “We are still a young team that had a lot of success in our first 13 races. I never took that for granted which is why we invested over the off-season in a new race car and more parts. We could have just kept doing the same stuff and maybe gotten away with it, but I am committed to long-term success here and that means digging deep to get race wins and chase the championship.”
An early exit at the final national event at Houston Raceway Park only further motivated Hart to focus on the upcoming race in five days. The short turnaround did not give the young driver any chance to dwell on pass results.
“I truly believe anything is possible, I have it written on the rear wing of my race car,” said Hart. “I started my first business with only $300 and now we are racing Top Fuel at the highest level against the toughest drivers in the world. This weekend is going to be exciting and I can’t wait to get back to the starting line.”
Hart and his team will also be supporting another racer this weekend as his daughter Helen will be participating in the second Baby Walker Nationals event. Two-year-old Helen Hart, daughter of Top Fuel driver Josh Hart and his wife, Brittanie, and one-year-old James Alexander, son of Funny Car driver Blake Alexander and wife Leah, will square off on Saturday between rounds in what after just one event in Houston has become a fan favorite. The race which is backed by Red Line Oil will be a one-shot, winner-take-all, dash-for-cash with the winner earning $100 from Red Line Oil plus a gift card good for an additional $100 worth in oil and other Red Line lubricants for future Jr. Dragster competition.
Helen is a big fan of Cocomelon but eschews swimming and bath time, preferring instead to play in the dirt. When she’s at her home base in Ocala, Fla., within walker distance of the Don Garlits’ Museum of Drag Racing, she fills up on cheese and provides moral support to her favorite race car driver, her dad.
James, who as a Charlotte resident may have a home field advantage at next week’s event, watches Daniel Tiger on TV, likes to snack on berries, and exercises by throwing balls to his mom and cheering for his dad on FOX TV coverage of the NHRA Pro series.
Qualifying for Hart and TechNet Top Fuel team will begin with two passes on Friday and two more on Saturday. Final eliminations for the 16 quickest race cars will start at noon ET on Sunday. The race will be broadcast on FS1 beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
Hart to Race with TechNet at Circle K Four-Wide Nationals
Feb. 18-20 Lucas Oil Winternationals Pomona, Calif. Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Feb. 25-27 Arizona Nationals Chandler, Ariz. Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park
March 11-13. Amalie Oil Gatornationals. Gainesville, Fla. Gainesville Raceway
April 1-3 Four-Wide Nationals Las Vegas The Strip at LVMS
April 22-24 Mopar Express Lane SpringNationals Baytown,Texas Houston Raceway Park
April 29-May 1 NGK Four-Wide Nationals. Concord, N.C. zMax DragwayM
May 13-15 Virginia Nationals Dinwiddie, Va. Virginia Motorsports Park
June 3-5 New England Nationals Epping, N.H. New England Dragway
June 17-19 Thunder Valley Nationals. Bristol, Tenn. Bristol Dragway
June 24-26 Summit Racing Equip. Nationals Norwalk, Ohio Summit Racing Equipment Park
July 15-17 Dodge SRT Mile-High Nationals Morrison, Colo. Bandimere Speedway
July 22-24 Sonoma Nationals Sonoma, Calif. Sonoma Raceway
July 29-31 Flav-R-Pac Northwest Nationals Kent, Wash. Pacific Raceways
Aug. 12-14 Menard’s Nationals Topeka, Kan. Heartland Motorsports Park
Aug. 19-21 Lucas Oil Nationals Brainerd, Minn. Brainerd Int’l Raceway
Sept. 2-5 Dodge SRT U.S. Nationals Indianapolis, IN Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis
Sept. 16-18. Mopar Express Lane Nationals Mohnton, Pa. Maple Grove Raceway
Sept. 23-25 Carolina Nationals Concord, N.C. zMax Dragway
Sept. 30-Oct. 2 Midwest Nationals Madison, Il World Wide Technology Raceway
Oct. 14-16 Texas FallNationals Ennis, Texas Texas Motorplex
Oct. 28-30 Dodge SRT Nationals Las Vegas The Strip at LVMS
Nov. 11-13 Auto Club Finals Pomona, Ca Auto Club Raceway at Pomona