Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Steve Johnson or Irondale, Ala. was among thousands of Suzuki dealers, racers and fans who attended
Suzuki’s new model introduction in Las Vegas a few weeks ago. 
Johnson’s Snap-on Tools/WyoTech Technical Schools Suzuki, a two-time
tour winner in the month of September, is currently locked in a tough
battle for the NHRA POWERade championship.

There was a day and time when Scotty Cannon wouldn’t dare miss an
Englishtown event and the chance to spar against former nemesis Jim
Oddy for supremacy of the doorslammer drag racing world. Much has
changed for the two entities since the 1990s.

Scotty has since tried racing nitro cars and for all intents and purposes, passed the driving mantle to his son Scott Jr.

Oddy has sold the family race team and accepted a tuning gig with the Team Rage operation.

Three races left to go and the Mopar team is feeling the crunch …

Allen
Johnson knows his championship odds are stacked to the point that he’s
going to need a few final round appearances just to stay in the hunt.

The Mopar-sponsored Pro Stock racer from Greeneville, Tenn., believes
this weekend’s NHRA Virginia Nationals provides the best starting point
given there are just three races left in the season.

Duck Tape Racing's Michael Beard covers a lot of ground, having
competed in events from Florida to Texas, and Pennsylvania to
Michigan.  The opening weekend of October found him closer to home, but
still logging the miles.  On Saturday, Beard raced his way down to the
final eight cars in an IHRA Summit Super Series bracket race at
Piedmont Dragway in Greensboro, N.C.

Tom Hammonds takes to  the track at the third annual Virginia NHRA
Nationals with a new chassis for his No. 20 Race for Achievement Chevy
Cobalt.  With the new chassis, Hammonds expects to have better results
than in past races.

"We have a brand new Jerry Bickel chassis which puts us in a situation
where we will be formidable competitors," said Hammonds.    

Longtime NHRA sportsman racer Mark Faul turned in one of the best
performances of his career when he claimed a win and a runner-up at the
third annual JEGS Pacific SPORTSnationals at Auto Club Dragway at
Fontana. Faul, of Tacoma, Wash., drove his Pontiac Grand Am to win in
Super Stock when he defeated Bob Bales in the final round. A few
minutes later, Faul returned to try and complete the historic double,
but fell one round short when he was beaten by Dave Moreno of LaVerne,
Calif., in the Stock final. Moreno, in a ’69 Ford Mustang, last won an
NHRA national event title in 1985.
 
Joining Faul and Moreno as JEGS Pacific SPORTSnationals champions were
Doug Lambeck (Comp Eliminator), Mike Ferderer (Super Comp), Ed DeStaute
(Super Gas), Matt Blodgett (Super Street), Larry Scarth (Top
Sportsman), and J.R. Leerkamp (Top Sportsman).

Championships on the Line at California Hot Rod Reunion, Oct.
10-12 Finale of NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage Series highlights racing action

Champions in several NHRA nostalgia drag racing categories, including Top Fuel and Funny Car, will be crowned at the 17th
annual California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by the Automobile Club of
Southern California, Oct 10-12 at historic Auto Club Famoso (just
outside Bakersfield). All told, nearly 300 racers will burn down the
quarter-mile during the 3-day
speedfest which is the final race of the NHRA’s inaugural Hot Rod Heritage Series.

Overall IHRA Pro Mod points leader Kenny Lang has gone to the edge of the pool and will soon dip into the waters of NHRA Jegs
Pro Mod Challenge racing.  The popular Canadian racer has confirmed he
will participate at the last two NHRA Jegs Pro Mod Challenge events
this season.
 
For Lang, driver of the supercharged NitroMoose.ca '53 Corvette, next
weekend's event at NHRA's Virginia Nationals is of particular
importance, as it will be utilized as a serious test session in advance
of the IHRA's season ending World Finals, which takes place the
following weekend at Rockingham NC (Oct. 17-19th).   Lang is in the
midst of a terrific IHRA championship points title battle and is trying
to hold off the formidable nitrous-injected cars driven by Mike
Castellana and Jim Halsey.  If successful, the Manitoba-based racer
could become the very first Canadian to win a Pro Modified World
Championship title.

Native Australian Dave Grubnic, driver of the 8,000-horsepower, 300
plus-mph DHL Top Fuel dragster, along with the DHL dragster team and
their Nitro-fueled NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) entry will be
making a special appearance tomorrow, Oct. 8, at the Naval Exchange at
Naval Station Norfolk (Virginia).

Grubnic and the DHL team will be on hand from 11:00 a.m. (ET) until
2:00 p.m. to meet and sign autographs for naval personnel including
special guests Master Chief Keith Kemper and Captain Steven J.DiNobile,
Commanding Officer. Grubnic and the team will be firing up the DHL
dragster at noon.

CompetitionPlus.com has learned through a news group that early Top Fuel driver “Big” Bob Haines has passed away.

Haines formerly drove for the California-based team of Masters & Richter.