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Schumacher makes it five in a row

Can anyone beat Tony Schumacher in Top Fuel?

Well, sure they can, but the more he wins, the more the psychological weight builds up in opponent’s heads. This time it was Larry Dixon who fell to the US Army rail in the finals of the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, PA. This race was key because it’s the next-to-last race before Countdown to the Championship fields are set, and it also determined fields for Funny Car and Pro Stock Motorcycle bonus events at the “Big Go,” the upcoming Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. Read more

Moving toward the Countdown in Minnesota

Another race, another dominating performance in Top Fuel at the Brainerd, Minnesota Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals.

Tony Schumacher, who swept the 2008 Western Swing and is the five-time NHRA Top Fuel champion, marched to his 50th career victory in Brainerd (two away from tying Joe Amato’s Top Fuel record) as he defeated his Don Schumacher Racing teammate Cory McClenathan.

“I’m quite aware of how good this team is; it’s the best team I’ve ever seen,” said Schumacher. “We’re racing against great teams. It’s a lot of pressure, but I love those situations. It’s amazing to be a part of these moments. I feel like I’m driving my best. I feel like I’m doing a good job keeping the car in the center [of the lane] I feel like I’m part of the team right now.”

Responded Cory Mac: “The day went as planned: let’s have the right people go out so we can start moving up in the points. Everyone was talking about clinching a spot in the Countdown before Indy, but that still doesn’t deny the fact that I still want to win drag races and make a statement and catch up to my teammate [who is No. 1 in the standings.] Read more

Jeff Arend - Back in the Saddle Again

In the wake of the tragedy that took place during the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals earlier this season, where two time NHRA Top Fuel Dragster Champion and current Funny Car competitior Scott Kalitta perished in a fatal crash, some good news has come about for one of the most under-rated drivers in our sport today.

Jeff Arend, a former resident of Toronto, ON who now resides in California, has paid his dues Read more

NHRA Needs To Be Proactive, Not Reactive

The Western Swing is in the books for another year and all anyone can still talk about is the shortening of the race distance from a quarter-mile to 1,000 feet for the Nitro cars. This major change to the way the NHRA conducts business was a direct reaction to the tragic death of Scott Kalitta on June 21, 2008. Although changes definitely needed to take place, the changes were too late to save Scott Kalitta. Sadly this has been a common theme of the NHRA reacting to tragedy rather than proactively preventing them. Read more

Western Swing continues in Seattle

Three races over three weekends in three western US cities - it’s the challenging Western Swing in drag racing.

This weekend - Seattle.

In Top Fuel, low qualifier Tony Schumacher and the Army rail continue to march along as Schumacher defeated Brandon Bernstein for the win at Pacific Raceway. Read more

Shorter Mile-High Nats still long on drama

The 29th Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway in Denver featured a fast all-concrete drag strip with innovative cooling strips, but less of it was used during the race than last year.

In an effort to get their arms around super-powerful nitro cars in the wake of Scott Kalitta’s tragic Funny Car death, the NHRA decreed that nitro races would run (at least temporarily) to 1000 feet instead of the traditional 1320 feet/quarter mile distance.

The slightly shortened nitro runs didn’t seem to lack for excitement. Read more

Breaking News: NHRA Shortens Racing Distance To 1,000 Feet

As the investigation continues into the tragic accident that took the life of driver Scott Kalitta, NHRA announced today that beginning at the Mopar Mile High Nationals in Denver, Colorado, both the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes will race to 1,000 feet instead of the traditional 1,320 feet or one-quarter mile.  This is an interim step that is being taken while NHRA continues to analyze and determine whether changes should be made to build upon the sport’s long standing safety record, given the inherent risks and ever-present dangers associated with the sport. Read more

An uplifting competition after tragedy

The first half of the season is wrapping up, the Western Swing is about to start and the drag racing community was shocked last week by the tragic death of Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta (preliminary findings about the Englishtown crash were released by NHRA.)

Some uplifting news was needed, and it come from Dougzilla.

In the 2nd annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, Top Fuel driver Doug Herbert achieved his goal of winning one “for the boys;” his sons Jon and James, who were killed in a January auto accident. Read more

Remembering Scott Kalitta

By now you have probably heard of the unfortunate and tragic passing of NHRA champion driver Scott Kalitta. Kalitta not only was blessed with one of the most famous last names in all of drag racing, he was also a superb driver and proved it on the track again and again. A two time champion in the Top Fuel category, Scott Kalitta walked away from full-time racing to do what many of wish we all could do. Kalitta stepped away from racing to spend more time with those that he loved more than racing; his wife and children. As I have tried before with Darrell Russell, Eric Medlen and most recently Al Hofmann, I will do my best to remember a racer whom I knew briefly. Now that he is gone I am regretful I did not know him better.
Read more

Breaking news: Scott Kalitta killed at Englishtown

Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta (son of Connie “The Bounty Hunter” Kalitta and cousin of Top Fuel driver Doug Kalitta) was killed today in a driving accident during qualifying at Supernationals in Englishtown, New Jersey. Read more