The top squads of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series took to the Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park near Phoenix, Arizona for a three-day test session over the weekend, in the build-up to the series’ season opener at Pomona, California. Featuring more than 30 teams in all between the top three NHRA professional categories, it was the largest turnout for the P.R.O. (Professional Racers Organization) pre-season test in a decade.

Photos courtesy NHRA/National Dragster

The prime conditions and the quality racing surface — one that has provided world record elapsed times and speeds in the past — served up a list of impressive laps by the Top Fuel and Funny Car contingent, headlined by big-time runs by Mike Salinas and John Force.

On Thursday, the opening day of the largely closed-to-the-public test, reigning and four-time champ Steve Torrence wasted little time reminding the rest of the category who the sheriff is, clocking a strong 3.682 at a slowing 303 mph. He later carded a 3.71 at just a tick over 270 mph, showing his Capco dragster had low-3.60 and potentially record-setting potential on a full lick.

But it was Salinas and his Rob Flynn-tuned Scrapper dragster with the best run of the week at 3.677, leading what is expected to be one of the strongest fields of Top Fuel cars in years. Austin Prock (3.685) and Justin Ashley (3.691) also dipped into the 3.60s. Sixteen Top Fuel cars in all took a time during the event, and with 17 entries for the Winternationals, it only confirms that 2022 is going to be a banner year for the kings of the sport.

In Funny Car, John Force led the charge with one of the strongest runs of the last handful of seasons, a 3.836 at 335 mph, pacing the 10 cars that participated in the event. Matt Hagan in his new-look Tony Stewart Racing entry (3.85), J.R. Todd, wheels new fresh new Toyota Supra-bodied entry (3.86), Robert Hight (3.86, and Ron Capps, in his debut as an owner/driver (3.87), all punched into the 3.80s over the course of the weekend.

Lee Craft of Monday Morning Racer was in attendance throughout the P.R.O. session and captured all of the highlights on film, which he has shared with Dragzine in some 70 minutes of earth-rattling footage below!

The 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season kicks off this Friday at 4 p.m. PT with the first round of Pro Stock qualifying at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals Presented By ProtectTheHarvest.com.