KENT, Wash. (July 16, 2025) – Top Fuel standout Justin Ashley and the SCAG Power Equipment Toyota dragster team are gearing up for a high-stakes weekend at the Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways. Coming off a strong performance that ended with victory in Norwalk, Ohio, Ashley is poised to capitalize on the unique challenges and opportunities presented by the Seattle event.
“Seattle is going to be a barnburner,” Ashley said. “The first round of qualifying is always important for getting a baseline, but this time it’s even more critical because it’ll be the best conditions we see all weekend. We have to be ready because it could easily lock in the qualifying positions for a lot of the field and we would love to bring home that Deecell Power Systems ‘After Dark Low Qualifier’ bonus.”
The nitro Funny Car and Top Fuel teams will have one chance at qualifying on Friday night under the lights before three qualifying sessions on Saturday. To celebrate what is sure to be a stunning show of power, speed and header flames, Deecell Power Systems, the Official Solar Power Unit of NHRA, is sponsoring a low qualifier bonus that will be given out Friday night to the provisional No. 1 qualifiers in the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series.
Ashley and the SCAG Toyota team will also be focused on Saturday’s Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, which offers a chance to compete in eliminations-style racing before Sunday’s main event.
“Shifting gears, Saturday is all about preparing ourselves for raceday and putting our best foot forward during the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge,” Ashley noted. “I love the opportunity to compete in eliminations-style competition before Sunday. Our whole SCAG Racing team is thankful we are in a position to do so after Norwalk.”
Currently third in points, Ashley has visited the final round of an NHRA national event six times this season, including back-to-back final quad appearances at the Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas and Charlotte, the Route 66 Nationals in Chicago, the Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tennessee and secured back-to-back victories, albeit unconventionally at the Virginia Nationals outside of Richmond and at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio.
“We are proud of what we’ve accomplished leading into the event. But if we want to find success, it’s all about the present moment. We are singularly focused on being successful both on and off the racetrack in Seattle,” he said. “Jeg Coughlin Jr. put his SCAG Power Equipment Pro Stock car into the winner’s circle in Seattle last season. Our goal is to do the same this time around.”
Competition at the Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Nationals at Pacific Raceways begins with four qualifying session Friday at 9:15 p.m. and Saturday at 12:30, 2:45 and 5:00 p.m. Eliminations are slated to begin Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Television coverage of the event will begin with qualifying shows Saturday at 10 p.m. ET and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) and conclude with an eliminations show Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET on FOX Broadcasting Network (FOX).
