Danny Dunn wasn’t lukewarm about life. He was passionate about everything he chose to involve himself in as a builder, a dragstrip promoter, a Top Fuel competitor and a pilot.

Dunn, 67, died Wednesday night from injuries incurred following the crash of his light-sport plane. Dunn crashed into a heavily wooded area earlier in the day only a few hundred yards from his home and airstrip near Boone, N.C.

Here's the latest hot rod to roll out of Jerry Bickel's race car emporium. This beauty is destined for PDRA Pro Nitrous superstar Jimmy Sackuvich, where he will slide a Pat Musi nitrous, efi-equipped engine between the frame rails. Noted nitrous tuner Brandon Switzer will be turning the wrenches on the engine of this flame-thrower. 

Matt Hagan leads the pack in Funny Car at Brainerd International Raceway, powering to the top qualifying spot on Friday during the 38th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals.

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel) and Jason Line (Pro Stock) are also provisional No. 1 qualifiers in their respective categories at the 17th of 24 races during the 2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season. The event is also the one of the last chances for drivers to secure a place in NHRA's playoffs, the Countdown to the Championship, so the fight for qualifying points is fierce.

Pro Stock icon Warren Johnson pushed for electronic fuel injection for Pro Stock as early as 1989. It took nearly 27 years later for Johnson’s wish to come true.

Johnson speaks of EFI in gearhead speak.

“I was pushing for it since 1989 because having worked on some fuel-injected stuff for some endurance racing applications; I saw the benefits of it right away,” Johnson said. “When we look at it from a drag race standpoint of where you’re running minimal weight parts, and you’re trying to make as much power as possible over a short duration, those parts become rather fragile, and when you run into trace detonation, which you always have with a carbureted engine.

Heading into the NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals, August 16-18,  Doug Kalitta will be campaigning a new look Top Fuel dragster adorned in the logo of new Team Kalitta business partner LaBounty. The Minnesota-based company is a part of the Stanley Black & Decker family of tools. 

Team Kalitta’s long-standing relationship with Stanley and Mac Tools brought this partnership with LaBounty to fruition for the Brainerd event. LaBounty has a 100,000 square foot manufacturing space in Two Harbors, Minnesota where they are using the latest technologies in machine tools, welding equipment, testing equipment, computer software and the best employees the industry.

Leading Australian Top Fuel team Rapisarda Autosport International will race at the 65th annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway, Indianapolis, Aug 29-Sept 2.

After a three-race hiatus NHRA Pro Stock racer Shane Tucker is ready to get back on track this weekend at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway. The young Australian businessman who operates Auzmet Architectural from Dallas, Texas, is bringing a new corporate partner with his Chevrolet Camaro Pro Stock to the famed race track just south of the Canadian border. Joining Auzmet and StructGlass on Tucker’s 200 mph Camaro will be NCMachine.com, a Winnipeg Manitoba based full service machine shop.

 Thermo-Tec has appointed Brian “BP” Prior to its team in the role of director of sales and marketing.

“I’m thrilled to join the Thermo-Tec team and eager to help grow what’s already a thriving brand,” said Prior.

Oklahoma City's Aaron Wells outlasted a stout Pro Mod field Aug. 3, at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, taking home his second Summit Racing Equipment Mid-West Pro Mod Series (MWPMS) win of the year and tightening his grip on the season points lead.

Also picking up MWPMS event trophies at the historic drag strip near St. Louis were Dan Phelps in Race Star Wheels Top Dragster, Bob Gulitti in Top Sportsman, Alan Felts in X275 Drag Radial, and Jon Stouffer in the unique MWPMS Slammers class for Pro Mod non-qualifiers and first-round runners up.