●  The Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals near Charlotte, North Carolina, is the 18th race on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series’ 22-race schedule and it serves as the second round in the six-race Countdown to the Championship. Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) drivers Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan are eyeing a title run in their respective Top Fuel and Funny Car divisions. This year’s Countdown marks Pruett’s sixth appearance in the NHRA postseason and Hagan’s 11th.

●  Pruett is tied with Doug Kalitta for eighth in the Top Fuel standings heading into the second round of Countdown, 107 points behind leader Justin Ashley. 

●  Pruett comes into Charlotte representing Code 3 Associates on her blue Top Fuel dragster. 

●  Code 3 Associates, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization specializing in animal rescue and recovery in disaster areas, and it has gained notoriety among the NASCAR community for its association with Stewart and his NASCAR team, Stewart-Haas Racing. The successful partnership has led the Colorado-based organization to deepen its motorsports involvement by partnering with TSR in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Formed in 1985, Code 3 Associates has evolved from one unpaid volunteer to at least 75 professional responders around the country, which includes animal welfare, law enforcement, fire, EMS and veterinary specialists from the United States and Canada. While its focus is animals and their owners, Code 3 Associates trains its responders to the standards of human rescue, and Code 3 Associates also provides training to conduct thorough investigations into animal welfare, all of which is accredited by Colorado State University (CSU) and the CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Code 3 Associates is currently in the midst of hurricane season, and they’ve compiled a list of ways to prepare for a disaster.

●  Pruett competed at Charlotte April 29-May 1 in the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. Pruett secured the No. 2 qualifying position after four qualifying sessions, but was eliminated in Round 1 on Sunday. However, all five passes she made throughout the weekend were full, clean runs.

●  The Carolina Nationals will serve as Pruett’s 189th career Top Fuel start. It’ll be her 18th overall start at Charlotte and her ninth in the Carolina Nationals. For Hagan, the Carolina Nationals will be his 311th career Funny Car start. It’ll be his 26th overall start at Charlotte and his 14th in the Carolina Nationals.

●  Pruett is seeking her first victory in the Carolina Nationals, as well as her first No. 1 qualifier at the event. Pruett earned two of her four career wins in Pro Modified at this event in 2011 and 2012. Her best Top Fuel effort was a semifinal loss to J.R. Todd in 2015. 

●  The Carolina Nationals will be a family affair for TSR as team owner Tony Stewart will host approximately 80 people from Stewart-Haas Racing. SHR is just nine miles north of the track in Kannapolis, North Carolina.