JOSH HART LOOKING TO SONOMA SUCCESS FOR CHAMPIONSHIP MOMENTUM

OCALA, FL (July 23, 2025) --- Building on the positive performance of the R+L Carriers Top Fuel team last weekend in Seattle Josh Hart is looking for more success at Sonoma Raceway this weekend. The team’s annual race in northern California has reaped positive results in the past and Hart is looking to close out the regular season with momentum headed into the Countdown for the championship. Including the Sonoma Nationals which start Friday, July 25 and conclude on Sunday, July 27, there are three races left before the playoffs begin and Hart is solidly in the Top Ten with championship aspirations.

“We are looking at these last three races of the regular season as our opportunity to put our team in championship contention,” said Hart. “The regular season championship is out of reach but the world championship is within our grasp for the six-race Countdown. We just need to take all the positive things we have been doing all season and focus on Sonoma, Brainerd and Indy so we can roll into the Countdown on a good run.”

Josh Hart and the R+L Carriers Top Fuel team will be looking for continued improvement at Sonoma Raceway this weekend, photo credit Krista Zivcic Photography

Hart’s season has shown consistency in the first round of eliminations, but they haven’t been able to stack round wins on race day. The R+L Carriers Top Fuel team is amongst the best teams regarding first round win percentage but tough second round opponents and bad racer luck have derailed the multi-time national event winning team. Heading into Seattle Hart had advanced to the quarterfinals in six of the previous eight races.

“We have been making good runs in the first round based on what we learned in qualifying,” said Hart. “We just need to catch some breaks and make our own luck in the second round and beyond. Two years ago in Sonoma Hart had one of the most dominant cars on the property losing a close semifinal round to eventual race winner Justin Ashley. The team is looking for that kind of performance again this weekend with two more win lights.

“We have a really quick race car,” said Hart. “We stepped up every run in Seattle and the driver just picked a terrible time to blink in the first round last week. I know we could have won that round and done some serious damage in Seattle. I put that behind me, and the team is ready to go for Sonoma. We get a couple runs on Friday and two on Saturday. We just need to come off the trailer ready to roll.”

The Sonoma Raceway track is recognized for posting historic performance numbers. It was the scene of the first 300 mph run to the 1/8 mile in Top Fuel and based on the Seattle performance numbers with multiple runs exceeding 340 mph Hart is looking forward to getting the R+L Carriers machine on the track. Earlier this season at the Winternationals the R+L Carriers team posted near career best elapsed time of 3.675 seconds and Hart hopes the conditions provide for times like that this weekend.

“We got some great performance numbers in Pomona and hopefully we can see some conditions as favorable this weekend,” said Hart. “Those Friday qualifying runs will be important to set us up for success on Saturday and Sunday. The competition is fierce out here. You have to be at the top of your game every time you roll through the water box. I am looking forward to getting after it this weekend.”

Hart and the R+L Carriers team will have two qualifying runs on Friday, July 25 and then two more qualifying runs on July 26 at Sonoma Raceway. The 16 Top Fuel dragsters with the lowest elapsed times after four rounds of qualifying will compete on race day on Sunday, July 27 at 10:30 a.m. PT. Fans can watch the race on FS1. For tickets or more information on the NHRA Sonoma Nationals visit nhra.com.