With the dawn of a new season upon us, we offer our picks to win the Full Throttle and Get Screened America Pro Mod titles this season. There’s nothing scientific behind our choices, but simply our thoughts on which racers have what it takes to get the job done in 2012.
Del Worsham and Matt Hagan raced to their first NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series world championship titles and also earned race victories Sunday at the Auto Club NHRA Finals. Greg Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also were winners of the season-ending race.
Last weekend, the IHRA season came to a head with the Summit World Finals presented by RacingJunk.com at Virginia Motorsports Park in Dinwiddie, Virginia. All said, nine drivers had taken different world championships by Sunday night, and all but two won their first title.
Jack Beckman raced to his third Firebird International Raceway win and took over the Funny Car points lead as racing came to a close Sunday at the NHRA Arizona Nationals. Larry Dixon, Vincent Nobile and Hector Arana Jr. were also winners in their respective categories.
It is the first race of the 22 race season for the NHRA in 2011. There has been a lot of driver shuffling, new cars built, and some veteran drivers returning to the spotlight. Stay tuned to DragZine Thursday through Sunday for same day updates at photos from the Pomona Winternationals.
Tony Schumacher raced to the Top Fuel victory Sunday at the O’Reilly Super Start Batteries NHRA Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex. Matt Hagan, Greg Anderson and LE Tonglet also were winners in their respective categories at the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship playoff event.
Larry Dixon continued his incredible season in Top Fuel and is a perfect 11 for 11 in final rounds as he won the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at zMax Dragway on Sunday. Also taking home wins at the event in their respective categories were Cruz Pedregon, Greg Anderson and LE Tonglet.
Underdog Bob Bode broke through for his first career win in Funny Car the NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, MN as the Full Throttle Drag Racing Series wrapped up the final race of the regular points season. Larry Dixon, Jeg Coughlin, and Andrew Hines also emerged victorious.
For our first NHRA Unleashed same-day coverage we take you to Indianapolis and O’Reilly Raceway Park as the series looks to build steam as it heads into the midwest region for the second event of the series inaugural season. Stay tuned to DRAGZINE for all the exciting action that includes the GSA Pro Mod Series.
NHRA’s Top Fuel and Funny Car classes are on fire as two veteran drivers seem to be running away from the pack in an unprecedented streak of wins and with points lead strangle-holds as teams prepare for the western swing.
Could it be possible that the days of Ford dominating Pro Stock in the NHRA is back? Well that is the task at hand for Justin Humphreys and his crew. They are preparing to unveil the new car at the next national event and we caught a glimpse of some testing action. Come in and check it out.
The NHRA has reacted quickly to enhance safety requirements, following a pair of fatal incidents in June and July. The changes take effect next week and make the use of carbon fiber brake pads and rotors mandatory in several classes.
Newest Pro Stock Innovation – Carbon Fiber Wheelie Bars Being Tested
by
Chris Taylor
on
July 15, 2010
In a class where thousands of dollars are routinely being spent for mere thousandths on the E/T clock, innovation and new developments take place almost every test session. To most of us, shelling out $5,000+ for a set of wheelie bars is unheard of, but since Don Ness has devised a set of carbon fiber wheelie bars for Pro Stock cars, a few in the Pro Stock pits are already giving it a whirl..
The world class doorslammers and Nitro funny cars have not much in common aside from the fact that we love to watch ‘em thunder down the 1320, but could the ADRL be reaching out to the NHRA fan crowd and even one of their past funny car champions? At this past weekend’s NHRA race, a little evidence of Tony Pedregon an ADRL branching together was found hiding in plain sight.
Cory McClenathan, Tim Wilkerson, and Greg Anderson all claimed victories on Sunday at the NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Seattle, WA.
Top Fuel Piston Quick Tech – JE Pistons-equipped racers enjoy success at Norwalk
by
Andrew Wolf
on
July 1, 2010
Some of the NHRA’s top professional and sportsman racers utilize JE Pistons in their power plants, and several of those competitors enjoyed considerable success at last weekends events: the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio and the NHRA Lucas Oil Series race in Woodburn, Oregon, with seven class victories and six runners-up finishes overall.
Greg Anderson grabbed the double-up bonus for winning the K&N Horsepower Challenge – while Larry Dixon, Tim Wilkerson, Matt Smith, and Pat Musi collected wins in their respective categories at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk.
Tony Schumacher, John Force, and Mike Edwards grabbed wins on Fathers Day as the 10th annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals concluded on Sunday at the Bristol Dragway. We recapped the whole race weekend in case you missed it!
Robert Patrick, driver of the Purvis Ford NHRA Pro Stock Mustang, made his 2010 NHRA Pro Stock debut at Atco Raceway in Englishtown, New Jersey this past weekend with some positive results. For the past seven months, Patrick has been putting the pieces together to return to the competitive NHRA Pro Stock class.
E3 Spark Plugs Provides NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing On ESPN2 Father’s Day Weekend
by
Ian McBride
on
June 17, 2010
E3 spark plugs has no doubt been heavily involved in many types of racing sponsorship recently. From the back yard ‘grassroots’ racing, all the way up to major events such as the Lucas Oil Off Road Series, E3 has been a heavy contributer in making it possible to view the motorsports world through the television.
The NHRA on Monday conducted a second test session at Route 66 Raceway in conjunction with the John Force Racing and Don Schumacher Racing employing three new concepts: a 75gpm fuel pump, a 413 cubic inch engine, and a restrictor plate.
For our first 2010 Full Throttle Series NHRA same-day coverage we take you to Atlanta as the NHRA closes in on the half way mark of the season. In addition, we will be bringing you event coverage from the Get Screened Pro Mod Series as well. Check it out every day – updated every hour.
Ever wanted to go Stock Eliminator racing? Well, we have come across a car that you can do it with and own a piece of history at the same time. Edmond Richardson’s 1969 Indy Pace Car Camaro has won multiple championships, as well as being extremely rare seeing that it is a covertible pace car.
The IHRA Nitro Jam tour rumbled into the famed Rockingham Dragway in North Carolina this weekend, one of the most popular and anticipated sites on the annual calendar. In addition to the headlining Professional classes – top Fuel, Pro Fuel, and Prostalgia Funny Car, this weekends event was the rescheduled date for the IHRA Tournament of Champions, which would crown the 2009 sportsman category World Champions.
Tony Schumacher, Robert Hight, Warren Johnson, and Michael Phillips collected wins at the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals after a wild and wacky day of final eliminations at Gateway Int’l Raceway. It was Johnson’s first Pro Stock win in more than four years.The seventh stop of the 23-race NHRA..
The qualifying lead changed in Top Fuel Saturday at the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals in Madison as points leader Cory McClenathan vaulted to the top spot with a 3.815 from his FRAM dragster. The lead also changed hands in Pro Stock Motorcycle as Hector Arana went around Friday’s leader Craig Treble to lead the Pro Stock Motorcycle class. The top spot in Funny Car did not change as John Force’s 4.10-second run from Friday held as low elapsed time while Mike Edwards claimed another pole in Pro Stock, although he needed a strong effort on Saturday afternoon in order to do it.
Schumacher, Force, Edwards and Treble lead abbreviated Madison qualifying
by
Chris Taylor
on
April 30, 2010
Rain threatened to interrupt the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals for most of the day but held off long enough to allow the professional fields at Gateway Int’l Raceway to begin to take shape. One full round of qualifying was completed for competitors in all four NHRA Full Throttle Pro classes and rain hit midway through the second Pro Stock session before activities were halted for the evening based on the less-than-favorable forecast for the rest of the evening.
Dixon goes for third straight 2010 win at track where he has struggled
by
Cody Norris
on
April 30, 2010
For the last 13 seasons, Gateway Int’l Raceway has been Larry Dixon’s own personal Bermuda Triangle on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series circuit. His racing history at the multipurpose motorsports complex just across the Mississippi River from the famed St. Louis Arch is at best an unexplained mystery.
Gruninger to drive Cunningham Motorsports Mustang for next two races
by
Cody Norris
on
April 29, 2010
NHRA Pro Stock sophomore racer Danny Gruninger is about to fulfill a dream thanks to Pro Stock team owner Jim Cunningham. Gruninger, 24, has been selected to drive the Cunningham Motorsports Pro Stock Ford Mustang for the next two NHRA Full Throttle national events, beginning this weekend at the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Int’l Raceway in Madison.
Danny Rowe made a fast turnaround to his race program following an uncharacteristic DNQ at the season-opening NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series event at Florida’s Gainesville Raceway in mid-March.
Field is set, stage is ready – bring on the Tournament of Champions
by
Cody Norris
on
April 27, 2010
After a grueling wait and months spent staring at the April 30 date the drivers making up the 2009 Tournament of Champions have less than a week left before returning to Rockingham Dragway where the first champions under the new format will be crowned giving the IHRA its first ever sportsman champions decided via on-track competition.
Perhaps no track in the history of the International Hot Rod Association holds more history than Rockingham Dragway. Rockingham Dragway was the site of the very first national event held by the sanctioning body in 1971 and, minus a brief absence in the mid-90s, “The Rock” has been a part of every IHRA season since.
‘Mighty Mike’ Faser and ‘Chicago Fire’ team getting ready for Rockingham
by
Cody Norris
on
April 21, 2010
“The ‘Chicago Fire’ Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car has been a work in progress this season” says Mike Faser, owner of the potent fueler based out of Plainfield, Illinois. In recent years the team has campaigned the car as an AA/Fuel Altered, running the car well into the 5-second zone at nearly 250 mph. That all changed for this season.
NHRA announced today that the 2011 NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway will once again feature four-wide racing in all four Full Throttle categories. The spring event in Charlotte will be the only race on the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series schedule that will showcase four-wide racing.
In a little over two weeks many of the best drivers from across the nation will converge on Rockingham Dragway for the running of the 2009 Sportsman Tournament of Champions. And of the dozens of drivers currently holding a spot on the championship ladder are five women itching for their chance to make history in trying to become the first female sportsman champion since Brenda Grubbs claimed the Stock title in 2002.
The Las Vegas oddsmakers certainly got it right as favored Larry Dixon, John Force, and Mike Edwards did the expected, grabbing wins at the 11th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The trio of victors – who also all opened their seasons with wins at the 50th annual Kragen O’Reilly NHRA Winternationals – all left Las Vegas with the points lead..
Worshan tops flops; Brown, Edwards maintain their Vegas qualifying leads
by
Chris Taylor
on
April 17, 2010
Del Worsham raced to his first No. 1 qualifying spot of the season in Funny Car while Friday leaders Antron Brown in Top Fuel and Mike Edwards in Pro Stock remained atop their fields as the ladders were set for Sunday’s final eliminations at the 11th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Another day of air temperatures in the high 80s and season-high track temperatures kept the crew chiefs hopping and…
Brown, Force Hood, Edwards hold best hands after opening day in Las Vegas
by
Chris Taylor
on
April 17, 2010
Antron Brown, Ashley Force Hood, and Mike Edwards are the low qualifiers after the first day of qualifying at the 11th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.With air temperatures pushing 90 degrees and track temperatures during the first nitro session at about 126, a lot of teams struggled. The temperatures for the second session..
It’s been a tough year for Larry Morgan as well as all the other Mustang competitors after Ford’s absence from the Pro Stock series for years, coming right back into the game isn’t easy. With that in mind, we spotted a quick snapshot of Larry Morgan making a visit to DART’s shop and having some discussion with their very own Pro Stock engine builder, could some sort of alliance between their shops be in the works..?
At the end of this month the most talked about Nitro Jam in the history of the series will travel to Rockingham Dragway for the annual Spring Nitro Jam May 1-2 at the track known the world over as “The Rock.” Featuring new classes, new drivers and a brand new format and one of those classes, the incredibly popular Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car class, will be at the top of the list of must-see races when the lights go down and the fire flares up next month at Rockingham Dragway.
Following the first NHRA 4-Wide Nationals, the displeasure on the part of the professional racers became a hot topic after their vote an subsequent refusal to compete in such an event in the future. But a recent fan poll conducted by ESPN has shown that things may not me so rosy on either side of the fence.
As a rookie that year Massey produced an unheard of four victories and five final round appearances on his way to winning the ’08 IHRA Top Fuel championship all after earning his license just one week prior to the start of the season. Now, two years after that incredible run Massey, who has since added an NHRA Rookie of the Year award to his resume last season, returns to the track where his career took off at Rockingham Dragway for the annual Spring Nitro Jam May 1-2 at The Rock.
Top Sportsman, Top Dragster JEGS Allstars blocker positions announced
by
Cody Norris
on
April 13, 2010
By virtue of a special drawing, the Top Sportsman and Top Dragster blocker positions for the 2010 JEGS Allstars event will go to the NHRA Pacific Division and the NHRA Southeast Division, respectively. The two classes were added to the prestigious program at last year’s 25th Anniversary JEGS Allstars event; 2010 is the first year of competition for them. Officials held the drawing last weekend at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil.
Matt Hagan’s first Funny Car win and Larry Dixon’s 50th in Top Fuel highlighted a spectacular and wild race day at the 23rd annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil. Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Andrew Hines earned respective wins in Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Dixon blasts to TF pole; Friday leaders Force, Edwards, Arana remain on point
by
Chris Taylor
on
April 11, 2010
After rain put the event’s start on hold for a bit, the fans were treated to see one of the quickest side-by-side Top Fuel passes ever when Antron Brown ran a 3.777 next to Dixon. Also, in Pro Stock, Edwards recorded the second-fastest run ever, 212.43, on his final pass, and the field upped the pace, ultimately ending with a 6.584 bump spot that made it the quickest in NHRA history..
After all the rain seemingly following in the team’s shadows from event to event, we’ve finally got some pristine clear weather here in Houston for the NHRA’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Spring Nationals. John Force is keeping his consistent success going placing 2nd after 2 rounds of qualifying, in the Pro Stock class, Mike Edwards is back on..
After the 4 Wide nationals, Ford has shown their 2010 Mustang program is really starting to pick up momentum and become more successful at every outing. Going with the new wave of Ford power in the NHRA ranks, Justin Humphreys’ will soon find himself behind the wheel of a ’10 Stang, amidst Roush/Yates’ new drag racing endeavors.
Canadian Kenny Lang, a veteran Pro Mod racer who has won his share of races and series titles in other drag racing organizations, made history in March as the first Pro Mod racer to raise a Wally – NHRA’s highly coveted national event winner’s trophy – in an NHRA winner’s circle…
Spencer Massey, last year’s top NHRA rookie as winner of the Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award, will make his 2010 Full Throttle debut this weekend at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Houston Raceway Park in the seat of Mitch King’s Top Fueler.
This is the 8th year Holley will be sponsoring the National Hot Rod Reunion. Modeled after the infamous “March Meet” – the Hot Rod Reunion has proven to be a really great success for not only NHRA, but drag racing as a whole.
