Rumors have been swirling and internet chatter has racked up after forum page after forum page over the last 24 hours following the blockbuster announcement from former NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle champ Matt Smith that his support from Sheikh Khalid Al Thani and his formidable Al-Anabi Racing empire had been axed, effective immediately. However, it was his mention that he wasn’t the only team receiving similar news that sent the drag racing community into a sky-is-falling frenzy.

Several conflicting reports have been made and we here at DRAGZINE will reserve judgement until official announcements have been made before hunkering down in our bomb shelters, but per Smith’s announcement and other reliable accounts, some cuts could be forthcoming. Which race teams this will effect and to what extent remains to be known, but we hope to learn from more during or in the days following this weekend’s ADRL Kansas National Guard Independence Drags V in Topeka.

Al-Anabi Racing fields a host of teams in both NHRA and ADRL circles, including the Pro Modified entries of Mike Castellana, Khalid Balooshi, and Von Smith in the Get Screened America series, the Alan Johnson-led Top Fuel dragsters of Larry Dixon and Del Worsham, the Pro Extreme entries of Todd Tutterow, JR Todd, Alex Hossler, Von Smith, and Al Thani, along with Castellana, Balooshi, Mahana Al-Naemi, and Burton Auxier in Pro Nitrous, and Dan Millen in Extreme 10.5.