BRISTOL, TN (June 19, 2022) --- After two solid days of qualifying on a tricky track Josh Hart and the R+L Carriers Top Fuel team rolled into race day as the No. 3 qualifier. The second-year driver and team owner came out of the hauler and ran to the No. 2 spot on the ladder and grabbed two qualifying bonus points on Friday night. Hart and his Ron Douglas tuned 11,000 horsepower R+L Carriers backed up his 3.791 second run with two solid runs on a hot and slippery track of 3.895 and 3.816 seconds on Saturday. Coming into race day Hart was looking to move up in the Top Fuel point standings.

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The Top Fuel rookie standout from 2021 was racing the 2020 Rookie of the Year, Justin Ashley, in the first round featuring two of the top rising stars of the sport. Both dragsters launched hard and were side-by-side as they flew across half-track. As the finish line closed in, Ashley edged his dragster out in front by a nose and was able to hold off a charging Hart and R+L Carriers dragster. Hart’s 3.827 second pass was just a shade off his best run from Saturday under similar conditions and would have been quick enough to advance in a number of other first round match-ups.

 

“We just lost a close drag race,” said Hart. “I will always take the positive from this sport and the good news is we have a consistent race car that I know will win us a lot of rounds. This R+L Carriers team will be ready for Norwalk. I am putting this race behind me and we will be back at it in five days which is great.”

 

This was Hart’s second time to race at Bristol Dragway but the first time to compete on Father’s Day weekend at the Thunder Valley Nationals. The fan interaction all weekend was a highlight for the driver from Ocala, Florida.

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“We spent a lot of time with the fans this weekend including a huge autograph session last night after qualifying,” said Hart. “I want to thank all the dads and families that came out on Father’s Day weekend to watch the races. I know I talked with a lot of dads about racing and R+L Carriers this weekend.”

 

Hart and the rest of the R+L Carriers and TechNet team will be back on track on Friday at the Norwalk Nationals June 24-26 outside of Cleveland, Ohio.

 

Qualifying Results

Q1: 3.791 sec, 316.60 mph; Qual. 2

Q2: 3.895 sec, 293.28 mph; Qual. 2

Q3: 3.816 sec, 316.67 mph; Qual. 3

Bonus Points: +2 (2nd quickest of Q1)

 

Race Results

 

First Round

Justin Ashley, Plainview, NY, Phillips Connect dragster, 3.824, 322.50 mph def Josh Hart, Ocala, Fla., R+L Carriers dragster, 3.827, 318.69 mph

 

Camping World Drag Racing Series Top Ten - Top Fuel

1.         Brittany Force             724

2.         Mike Salinas               699

3.         Justin Ashley               672

4.         Steve Torrence           653

5.         Austin Prock                459

6.         Shawn Langdon          435

7.         Clay Millican               430

8.         Josh Hart                    414

9.         Doug Kalitta                405

10.       Antron Brown             370

 

About R+L Carriers

Based in the United States, R+L Carriers is a Global Freight Transportation and Logistics company that has remained family-owned and operated since 1965. R+L Carriers offers one of the most comprehensive networks of nationwide service centers for LTL, Truckload, Expedited and Cross-Border Shipping. In addition to its core value-added shipping solutions, R+L Carriers has a portfolio of services that extends to International Supply Chain Management, Warehousing and Customs Brokerage.

Learn about R+L Carriers: rlc.com | Media: media@rlc.com