It’s only the beginning of March, and already the new racing season has presented us with a year’s worth of exciting moments that have only served to lay the groundwork for all that lies ahead. And for others, to help cure the bonafide cases of cabin fever.

Perhaps it’s been the weather. Call it global warming, climate change, a polar vortex, an Alberta Clipper, or just an “off” year, but the United States has endured one of the most brutal winters any of us can recall. One storm after another — all provided with daunting names by the ratings-getters at the Weather Channel — socked the nation with snow, ice, and frigid temperatures, only adding fuel to the fire of we in the racing world to emerge from our slumbers and turn some tires. 

For those deprived of the smell of racing fuel, tire smoke, and Vitamin D, there’s no more liberating a feeling in the world then rolling the race car out of the shop for the first time in months and heading to the track. It’s utterly euphoric — especially after this winter, one in which just walking from the house to the garage has been a practice in determination.

Already, we’ve witnessed the outright shattering of the all-time radial tire record by Kevin Mullins down in Georgia at Lights Out V, a blowout event that may go down as the best race of the year before others even have a chance to offer a rebuttal. On the NHRA side of things, John Force has solidified himself as the man the beat again in Funny Car, putting on a record-setting performance for the ages at the Winternationals in Pomona…a feat that was followed up just two weeks later by classmate Alexis DeJoria, who made headlines with her popular first professional victory in Phoenix. 

The 2014 season has been shaping up to be an exciting one all winter long, with new developments all across the vast spectrum of the sport. 

The new Professional Drag Racers Association, led by a group of died-in-the-wool racers and team owners, has risen up out of the proverbial ashes of the failed X-DRL and the deteriorating ADRL, to carry eighth-mile outlaw doorslammer racing into what many are hoping is a far brighter, more successful future. At the same time, the NHRA’s Pro Mod Drag Racing Series is looking as strong as ever, with a who’s-who list of teams announcing their intentions to be a part of the big show this year.

As well, the IHRA is all set to return to a traditional format of drag racing when its season kicks off in Arizona later this month, adding a new dimension of championship drag racing with retro Funny Cars, Fuel Altereds, nitro-burning Harley-Davidson’s, and Mountain Motor Pro Stockers all chasing points. Of course you’ve also got the NMRA’s addition of the exciting new Coyote Modified class to its lineup this year, the launch of a second Street Car Super Nationals in St. Louis, and a whole lot more to spice up the months ahead.

There are plenty of new faces, many of them in new places, along with a whole crop of brand new race cars that are continuing to come out of the woodwork like flies in the springtime.

It’s an exciting time of year, and before we know, the year will be in full swing as our neighbors to the north finally break fee from winter’s grip. Our team here at Dragzine once again has a full slate of racing events scheduled at tracks all across the nation, from the Yellow Bullet Nationals in Maryland to the NMCA WEST series on the opposite end of the country in Southern Calfornia and everywhere in between. 

We’re plenty pumped about the new season, what’s already stolen the headlines and the stories to be told in the months ahead. Forget Christmas, this is the most wonderful time of year.

Now, let’s do this thing!