Boasting a combined 16 world championships, the four drivers in last week's NHRA Top Fuel final in Las Vegas were, from top, Brittany Force, Steven Torrence, Antron Brown, and Tony Schumacher. Force won the race.

BAYTOWN — In the final quad of the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas earlier this month, 16 championships were represented among the four Top Fuel drivers as they staged at the starting line.

“That was cool pulling up there and looking at the lineup,” Brittany Force said. “You got Steve Torrence, Antron Brown and Tony Schumacher and myself. Just to be sitting up there with names like that …”

Force did more than just admire the current Mount Rushmore of the category. In less than four seconds, the 2017 Top Fuel champion took out three of the biggest names in the sport. Down goes Brown. Down goes Schumacher. Down goes Torrence.

“And to be able to turn the win light on, very huge for myself as a driver and my entire team,” Force said. “Wow. That was quite a lineup, and we pulled it off. We brought home the win.”

Force drove her Monster Energy/FLAV-R-PAC dragster to her 12th career victory, covering the 1,000-foot distance in 3.718 seconds at a blistering 338.00 miles per hour. Torrence, in his Capco Contractors car, registered 3.756 seconds at a speed of 326.71, finishing .012 of a second behind the winner.

What: Fifth of 22 national events of Camping World Drag Racing Series.

When/where: Friday-Sunday; Houston Raceway Park, Baytown.

Schedule: Friday's only pro qualifying session starts at 6 p.m. Saturday pro qualifying sessions are at 1 and 4:15 p.m. Sunday's eliminations start at

Of note: Final NHRA event at Houston Raceway Park.

2021 winners: Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock).

Here are the top 10 in points for Top Fuel after four events heading into this weekend's NHRA SpringNationals:

Driver of the Maynard Family/Scag Power Equipment/Okumas dragster, Schumacher clocked 4.713 at 169.47. Brown had a mishap in his Matco Tools/Lucas Oil dragster, registering 5.086 at 154.65.

Even though Brown wasn’t pleased with the results of the race, he was, just like Force, impressed with the quality of drivers who reached the final at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“For me, it was a battle royal, and it was cool to see who we raced in that final four,” said Brown, a three-time world champion. “I looked at one side of me — it was eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher. Looked at the other side — it was the (reigning) four-time world champion Steve Torrence. And all the way over on the other side, it was Brittany Force, who is a Top Fuel champion.

“When you look at all that, you’re like this whole deal is stacked up with champs. It was pretty amazing to go out there. This class is going to get rough and tough, and I’m looking forward to it.”

Add it all up, and it comes out that the Top Fuel class is thriving. And it’s not only the success of the veteran drivers that has renewed interest in NHRA. There is a number of young drivers like 2020 Rookie of the Year Justin Ashley, 27, who defeated 2019 Rookie of the Year Austin Prock, 26, in the final round of the 2022 season opener in Pomona, Calif. Both drivers are catching on with fans.

“It means more to have the young guys,” Torrence said. “That’s what’s about growing the sport. Most of the time the new fans are going to root for the young guys or the new guys. We need more young people in our sport, and that will continue to let it grow and live on.”

Constructed of chromoly steel tubing and carbon-fiber composite, Top Fuel dragsters are 25-feet long and weigh 2,330 pounds, powered by a supercharged and fuel-injected 500-cubic-inch adaptation of the Chrysler Hemi engine. They can burn up to 15 gallons of nitromethane fuel during a single run.

Through the first four races of the 2022 season coming into this weekend’s SpringNationals at Houston Raceway Park, which start Friday, there have been no repeat winners in Top Fuel. Ashley, Mike Salinas, Tripp Tatum and Force have the wins.

“Looking at all my years in the sport going back to 2013, the last 10 years, in my eyes this is by far going to be the toughest season yet,” Force said. “There’s been a lot of changes. A lot of drivers are returning.

“Tony Schumacher’s back. Austin Prock (after a two-year layoff) is back driving. There’s been a shift in crew chiefs and teams. Tony Stewart Racing. Alan Johnson going over to Kalitta (Motorsports). A lot of movement. That movement is going to make it really challenging for all of us drivers, because it’s going to be a tough season.”

Force might have won the race in Las Vegas, but Torrence took over the points lead, with his drive for five campaign. At 304, he leads Force by a mere four points with 18 races remaining in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series.

“In Houston, it’s going to be an epic show,” said Schumacher, who won the 2020 SpingNationals while running a limited schedule that year. “We have really good teams right now in the sport. Top Fuel is insanely tough. We have no idea who’s going to win that race.”

Added Brown: “It’s real stacked. But that’s what makes it exciting.”

Among the personnel moves this season in Top Fuel are Doug Kalitta adding the valuable tune-up of Johnson, and Brown forming his own team after leaving Don Schumacher Racing.

A significant addition to NHRA is Stewart, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and team owner. He’s fielding a first-year team with Leah Pruett driving a Top Fueler and Matt Hagan competing in Funny Car.

“Tony Stewart coming into the sport is a real positive,” said Don Schumacher of Don Schumacher Racing, winner of 366 Wally trophies. “It’s going to bring more eyes to the sport, and that’s always needed.

“For the sport to continue to strive and go forward, you have to get new people in there. It can’t just be Don Schumacher Racing, John Force Racing and Connie Kalitta. It’s really needed, and the sport needed that transition, and it’s put some real strong teams out there.”