BRISTOL, Tenn. (June 07, 2023) – Robert Hight is back in his Cornwell Tools / AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car as he competes for two Wallys this weekend at Bristol Dragway. After inclement weather in Epping, N.H., NHRA Camping World Series competitors will race the eliminations of the postponed New England Nationals as well as the regularly scheduled NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals this weekend.
Hight will be racing for hist first New England Nationals victory and second Thunder Valley Nationals win. He picked up his first Wally at Bristol Dragway in 2011, making him just the second John Force Racing driver other than team namesake John Force to win at the Thunder Valley Nationals. Hight qualified No. 1 at Bristol Dragway for the first-time last season but had a quarterfinal exit.
“It’s going to be an interesting weekend, busy, hopefully. A lot going on with running Epping eliminations during qualifying. Definitely disappointed we couldn’t get the race done last weekend, but it was a difficult weekend. The two runs we did get didn’t go as planned with the weather,” Hight said. “We’ll get that first qualifying round in this weekend and then we’ll see what happens. I think this Cornwell Tools team will perform well under the added pressure.”
After rain postponed eliminations for the New England Nationals in Epping, N.H., Bristol Dragway will now play host to a doubleheader. Beginning with the second round of qualifying, teams will be competing not only to start race day from further up the ladder but for the New England Nationals Wally. Second session of qualifying will serve as round one, third session as round two, an additional run not counting towards qualifying will be the semifinals and the final qualifying session will also host the New England Nationals finals.
After qualifying in the fifth spot, Hight will take on Alexis DeJoria in the first round of eliminations for the NHRA New England Nationals, the only current event Hight has not yet hoisted the winners’ trophy.
The NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway starts with qualifying Friday at 5:00 p.m. followed by the second session and first round of New England Nationals eliminations at 8:00 p.m. Saturday will include the quarterfinals of the New England Nationals during the second qualifying session at 2:00 p.m. and then the New England Nationals semifinals for Epping at 4:15 p.m. The final qualifying session as well as the New England Nationals final round will be at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Eliminations for the Thunder Valley Nationals are set to begin at noon on Sunday.
Television coverage this weekend will be aired on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) and include a Friday 7 p.m. ET Thunder Valley Nationals qualifying show and New England Nationals first round show at 8:00 p.m. ET. Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET will be the remaining New England Nationals coverage. Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET will be a second Thunder Valley Nationals qualifying show and at 7:00 p.m. ET will air the Thunder Valley Nationals eliminations.
