What: Menards NHRA Nationals
When: Aug. 13 – Aug. 15
Where: Heartland Motorsports Park, Topeka, Kansas
TV:
FS1 – Sunday Qualifying, 8/15 – 12:00–2:00 p.m.
FOX – Eliminations, 8/15 – 3:00–6:00 p.m. (all times EDT)
Brown Set To Clinch Playoff Berth…Antron Brown can clinch his berth in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs by advancing to the second round on Sunday as he pursues his fourth Top Fuel world championship. Currently second in the point standings, Brown has now advanced to the semifinals or beyond in nine of the last 12 events, including a pair of wins. He previously won in Topeka in 2017 when he defeated Steve Torrence in the finals and was the runner-up in 2016.
Todd In Hunt For Top Seed In Funny Car…J.R. Todd enters this weekend’s Menards NHRA Nationals less than three rounds out of the series point lead with three races remaining in the regular season. The DHL Camry driver is coming off his second runner-up finish of the season at Pomona, to go along with his season-opening win at the Gatornationals.
DeJoria Looks To Get Back On Track…After seeing her three-race streak of advancing to the Funny Car semifinals or beyond snapped in Pomona, Alexis DeJoria will look to start a new streak this weekend. DeJoria appeared to be on the way to extending her run when she dropped a cylinder in round two at Pomona after stretching out a commanding .050 lead by the 330’ mark over Jim Campbell. She will be looking to reach the semis or beyond for the eighth time in her last 15 races. The Bandero ROKiT Toyota Camry pilot has qualified in the top two in five of 10 races this season and in the top-six in 13 of her last 14 events.
Kalitta Shooting For Third Topeka Win and #50 Overall…Doug Kalitta heads to Topeka having registered two previous wins and three runner-up finishes at Heartland Park. Should the Mac Tools Toyota driver register win number three at the track, he would become just the fifth driver in history to earn 50 career Top Fuel wins. Along with the 50-win milestone, it would put Kalitta just two victories away from tying Antron Brown and Joe Amato for third all-time.
Quotes:
J.R. Todd, DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car: “You look at the point standings and it could not be any tighter when you think about it. We have had ten races and the top six drivers are only 57 points apart. One good weekend can jump you right to the top. I like our chances in Topeka, as well as Brainerd and for sure Indy. These last three regular season races can set us up for a strong run in the Countdown.”
Toyota-Sponsored Cars at Menards NHRA Nationals
| Top Fuel | Car |
| Antron Brown | Matco Tools Toyota Dragster |
| Doug Kalitta | Mac Tools Toyota Dragster |
| Shawn Langdon | DHLToyota Dragster |
| Funny Car | Car |
| Alexis DeJoria | Bandero ROKiT Toyota Camry Funny Car |
| J.R. Todd | DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car |
2021 Toyota NHRA Drivers Performance Index/Schedule
| 2021 Toyota | Brown | Kalitta | Langdon | DeJoria | Todd |
| Gainesville | 10/Semis | 4/Rd. 2 | 6/Finals | 2/Rd. 2 | 6/Winner |
| Las Vegas 4-Wide | 8/Semis | 3/Finals | 6/Rd. 2 | 3/Rd. 2 | 9/Rd. 2 |
| Atlanta | 8/Winner | 9/Rd. 1 | 11/Semis | 14/Rd. 1 | 1/Semis |
| Charlotte 1 | 6/Semis | 12/Rd. 2 | 11/Rd. 1 | 2/Semis | 4/Finals |
| Houston | 3/Rd. 2 | 9/Finals | 7/Semis | 2/Rd. 2 | 8/Rd. 2 |
| Epping | 6/Rd. 2 | 5/Rd. 2 | 8/Rd. 1 | 5/Rd. 1 | 9/Rd. 2 |
| Norwalk | 6/Semis | 11/Rd. 1 | 16/Rd. 1 | 6/Semis | 9/Rd. 2 |
| Denver | 9/Rd. 1 | 4/Rd. 1 | 8/Rd. 1 | 2/Finals | 7/Rd. 2 |
| Sonoma | 3/Semis | 8/Rd. 2 | 9/Rd. 2 | 2/Semis | 12/Rd. 2 |
| Pomona | 11/Semis | 6/Rd. 1 | 5/Rd. 2 | 6/Rd. 2 | 7/Finals |
| Next Race | |||||
| Topeka |
Toyota NHRA Driver Statistics
| Toyota Drivers Top Fuel | Points – Leader Torrence (1014) | 2021 Wins | 2021 W-L | Career Races | Career Wins | Career Win-Loss |
| 2. Brown | 701 (-313) | 1 | 18-9 | 451 | 68 | 759-380 |
| 5. Langdon | 514 (-500) | 0 | 10-10 | 277 | 17 | 307-257 |
| 9. Kalitta | 439 (-575) | 0 | 9-10 | 534 | 49 | 720-478 |
| Funny Car | Capps (734) | |||||
| 6. Todd | 677 (-57) | 1 | 16-9 | 244 | 19 | 266-222 |
| 7. DeJoria | 632 (-102) | 0 | 13-10 | 162 | 5 | 122-153 |
Toyota Racing PR
