Story By: SARA SLAUGHTER / JOHN FORCE RACING – NORWALK, OH – Entering as the defending Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals winners, Robert Hight and the AAA / Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS are hoping to repeat history at Summit Motorsports Park with their third victory of the 2023 season.
Currently in third place Hight won in Ohio last year from the No. 3 starting position, his first victory in 15 starts at the fan-favorite venue. Hight has three No. 1 starts at Norwalk in 2007, 2008 and 2011. Before breaking through for a win, he was runner-up in 2008 and 2017. He is the current track record holder for speed at 334.65 mph set in 2017.
“Racing in Nrowalk is always a highlight. There’s a lot of history there, the Bader family has created a tradition of putting on great events for fans,” Hight said. “It should be a good weekend. We’ll have AAA out and we’re right in Cornwell Tools’ backyard. It would be great to get AAA their first win of the season and share the winner’s circle with them.”
Hight became just the 13th driver in NHRA pro drag racing history to win 600 competitive rounds, a mark he reached with a first-round win at the NHRA Route 66 Nationals after qualifying No. 1. His qualifying efforts extended his record of having qualified No.1 at least once and won at least once in every season that he has contested the championship (18). The AAA Chevy currently sits third in the overall championship standings thanks to two victories at the Charlotte Four-Wide Nationals and NHRA Arizona Nationals. Hight most recently qualified No. 1 at the Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tennessee and had a semifinal exit.
The Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park begins with qualifying on Friday at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. Eliminations for the event are slated for Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Television coverage of race weekend action begins with a qualifying show Friday at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Eliminations will air on FOX Broadcasting Network Sunday at 4:00 p.m. ET.