Tasca Racing Claims No. 1 Qualifier, Charges to Semifinals at NHRA Arizona Nationals

Bob Tasca III and the Motorcraft Nitro Mustang Dark Horse Funny Car team came out swinging at Firebird Motorsports Park, dominating qualifying and delivering a strong semifinal finish at the NHRA Arizona Nationals. With back-to-back standout runs, Tasca locked in the top qualifying position and powered through the first two rounds of eliminations before a tricky semifinal ended their charge.

Qualifying: Commanding the Field

From the first hit in Q1 on Friday, Tasca made it clear the Motorcraft Mustang was dialed in. He opened with a 3.927-second run at 326.48 MPH, securing the provisional No. 1 spot. “That run was a good way to start here at Phoenix,” Tasca said. “Unusually warm conditions out here, and this Motorcraft Mustang Funny Car made a great pass.”

Then came Q2—a blistering 3.863-second pass at 333.82 MPH, the fastest Funny Car run of the weekend. That sealed the No. 1 qualifier position heading into Saturday. “That run is exactly what we like to see,” said Tasca. “We want to put an exclamation point on who’s running fastest out there.”

Saturday’s later sessions posed challenges with tire smoke and rising track temperatures, but Tasca’s earlier times held strong.

Eliminations: Smooth Execution, Strong Progress

Race day brought more heat—but also more opportunity. Tasca opened eliminations with a smooth 3.949 at 326.16 MPH to take down Jon Capps in Round 1. “That was a good first-round win,” he said. “With rising heat, it’s about smart adjustments.”

In Round 2, Tasca knocked out J.R. Todd with a 3.979 at 325.22 MPH—a clean, confident pass he called “probably the smoothest run we’ve made all weekend.”

The semifinal matchup against veteran Paul Lee brought a tough break. Tasca lost traction mid-run, slowing to a 5.219 at 156.41 MPH, ending his bid for the Wally.

Top-Tier Speed and a Team on the Rise

Despite falling short of the finals, the weekend was a success: No. 1 qualifier, fastest pass of the event, and two strong race day wins. Tasca left Arizona with optimism.

“We’ve got a great hot rod,” Tasca said. “Can’t wait for the next one.”