circle k nhra four wide nationals zmax sunday james kiefer 13 scaled
Photo by James Kiefer
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Photo Gallery: Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals

David StraughanEdited by: Stephen Kenney
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A three-hour rain delay couldn’t stop Austin Prock from taking home his first Wally of the 2023 NHRA season on April 30 at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Concord, North Carolina. Nor could it stop photographer James Kiefer from capturing the sights of the event for Automoblog.

‘Fast, Loud, and Proud’

Kiefer and others from the Automoblog team traveled to zMax Dragway outside of Charlotte to watch the action live in person. Despite the threat of rain that loomed over the weekend, an enthusiastic crowd still gathered at zMax to cheer on favorite racers in the Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and other categories.

When asked about his experience, Kiefer said that the high-octane event was full of excitement and emotion.

“It was fast, loud, and proud,” Kiefer said. “The work racing teams put into those hot rods is a feat of ingenuity and determination all for a driver to risk their reputation and health on a quarter-mile dragway.”

You can see Kiefer’s photos from the weekend in the gallery below. Click the photo to see the full-size image.

the inflatable entrway arch for zmax dragway with a sign that says "welcome to nitro alley!"
nhra pro stock cars racing with a red car blurred in the foreground
four fans lean against a fence to watch an nhra drag race with a lucas oil sign in front of them
four nhra drag racing cars in motion at zmax speedway in a four-wide race
nhra circle k four wide nationals z max james kiefer 2
nhra drag racers in motion. a black car is in the foreground
nhra drag racer in a torquoise suit and helmet that says RYAN in black letters
an nhra drag race driver talks to crew members
nhra circle k four wide nationals z max james kiefer 19
two nhra fans watching a race. one is shouting.
a racing fan wears an nhra hat with flames on the side
nhra circle k four wide nationals z max james kiefer 17
racing motorcycles lined up at zmax dragway
a top fuel dragster jumping off the start line with flames in the back of the vehicle
an nhra motorcycle racer in motion
workers at zmax dragway clean and prepare the track for the next race
cars in motion in a "four-wide" race at zmax dragway at charlotte motor speedway
a black car racing at the circle k nhra four-wide nationals at zmax speedway
a golf car with lots of stickers on the hood at an nhra race
two nhra drag racing fans talk to each other, one with a white shirt and another with a black shirt, green headband and makeshift horns
an nhra drag racing crew member shouting during a race
an nhra racer sitting in the cockpit of their black vehicle

What’s Next for NHRA Racing

Follwing the Four-Wide Nationals, Justin Ashley currently leads the win total for 2023 Top Fuel category with two wins – one at the NHRA Arizona Nationals and one at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals. Mike Salinas, Antron Brown, and now Austin Prock each have one win on the season.

Drivers and their teams get an almost three-week break following the Four-Wide Nationals. NHRA action resumes on May 19 at the Gerber Collision and Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance, set to take place outside of Chicago at the Route 66 Raceway in Elwood, Illinois.

Like other events on the NHRA schedule, fans can grab tickets to catch the races live at the raceway or watch from home. Fox Sports will again broadcast the races live and offer several rebroadcasts through its FS1 and FS2 channels.

The country’s top drag racing league returns to Charlotte on September 22 for the 2023 NHRA Carolina Nationals. Once again, zMax Dragway will host the action as the 2023 season winds to a close.