BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 16, 2023) – Robert Hight and the Cornwell Tools / AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS team are picking up momentum as they head into this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, the second to last event in the regular season before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship begins.
Fresh off earning his 80th career No. 1 qualifying position at Heartland Motorsports Park last weekend, Hight comes into Brainerd International Raceway sitting third in points. Hight is returning to the site of his NHRA Funny Car national elapsed time record run of 3.793 seconds set in 2018. The three-time world champion won once at the facility in 2015 and secured No. 1 qualifying positions in 2017 and 2018. He also holds the track speed record set at 338.00 mph, also set in 2018. Last season, Hight qualified second and made a semifinal appearance.
“We started to turn a corner in Topeka, I do believe that. The combination started to respond. Jimmy Prock and the Cornwell Tools guys, we’re pretty excited moving forward. We didn’t get the results we wanted last weekend so I’m glad we get to turn around right away and get back in the seat,” Hight said. “It’s not too late to get back into this points deal and even go into the Countdown to the Championship with the No. 1 spot. We qualified well and went a couple of rounds in Topeka, if we do well in Brainerd and then with points and a half at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, we are right back in the thick of things and that’s our mindset right now.”
So far this season, Hight has three wins in his Cornwell Tools Chevy coming at the NHRA Arizona Nationals just outside of Phoenix, the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte and the return of the Route 66 Nationals in Chicago. His No. 1 position from last weekend in Brainerd was his fourth of the season. With just two races left before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, Hight is only 113 points back from second.
Competition at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway begins with four rounds of qualifying Friday at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1:30 and 4:15 p.m. Eliminations are slated to begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event begins with qualifying shows Friday at 8 p.m. ET and Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Eliminations will air Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on FOX Broadcasting Network.
