Tasca Battles to Semifinal Finish at 2025 NHRA Nevada Nationals

The desert heat and high horsepower put on a show this weekend as Bob Tasca III and the Tasca Racing Ford Racing Nitro Mustang Dark Horse Funny Car stormed through the 2025 NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The team advanced to the semifinal round, earning multiple strong passes and proving once again that Tasca Racing is among the most consistent and competitive teams in the NHRA nitro Funny Car class.

Strong Start in Qualifying 

Friday qualifying opened with a strong statement. Tasca’s Q1 pass of 3.962 seconds at 330.15 mph sent the Ford Mustang Dark Horse straight down Broadway, placing the team fourth overall. The second session saw a more aggressive setup, but the car struck the tires early, resulting in a 6.667-second run that dropped Tasca to tenth. 

Saturday brought redemption. Crew chiefs Todd Okuhara and Aaron Brooks dialed in the Ford-powered combination, with Tasca running 3.932 seconds at 333.33 mph in Q3.

The team saved their best for last, a 3.906-second blast at 333.08 mph in Q4 that secured the No. 4 qualifying position heading into Sunday eliminations. 

“That was exactly what the guys wanted to run,” said Tasca after Q3. “We were trying to do that Friday, but we had a clutch malfunction. Fortunately, we were able to fix it, and this car really came alive. A 3.93 in these conditions is a great run, but we wanted to step it up to get lane choice and set ourselves up for race day.” 

Sunday Eliminations: Power and Precision 

Round one paired Tasca against Blake Alexander, whose best qualifying effort was a 3.990. Tasca launched strong with a 0.097 reaction time, but the car’s onboard safety system triggered at half-track, forcing an early shutoff. Even so, Tasca’s 4.059-second run at 260.97 mph was enough to advance. 

“It wasn’t the clean finish we wanted, but the car was strong early and got us the round win,” Tasca said. 

In round two, Tasca delivered his best pass of the weekend, a 3.921 at 330.15 mph, defeating Spencer Hyde and earning lane choice for the semifinals. 

“The crew chiefs made a great call on one of the hottest tracks this season,” Tasca noted. “It’s going to be a Ford vs. Chevy semifinal, so buckle up.” 

That semifinal showdown with Austin Prock was one of the best races of the day. Tasca cut a 0.059 light and made another clean, fast pass — 3.924 seconds at 331.77 mph — but Prock’s 3.870 edged him out by just 0.052 seconds, roughly 25 feet at the finish line. Prock advanced to the final, where he was defeated by Matt Hagan. 

Tasca Reflects on the Weekend 

Despite falling short of the final round, Tasca was upbeat about the team’s performance and continued progress. 

“Every round this weekend we learned something valuable,” Tasca said. “This Ford Mustang Dark Horse is a contender everywhere we go, and our team continues to show that we can run with anyone. We’ll take the data from Vegas and carry that momentum into Pomona.” 

Looking Ahead: NHRA Finals in Pomona 

The Tasca Racing team now turns its focus to the NHRA Finals in Pomona, California, where they’ll close out the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. With another semifinal appearance and strong data from Las Vegas, the Ford Racing Nitro Mustang Dark Horse enters the final race with momentum and confidence.