The Kalitta Motorsports Top Fuel team of Doug Kalitta and Shawn Langdon has packed quite the 1-2 punch this season in the NHRA.

Kalitta and Langdon have each won two races, and they are first and third in third in the points standings after eight events.

They show no sign of slowing down at race No. 9 on the national circuit, the PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals in Richmond, Va., this weekend.

Bob Tasca III has had a decent 2024 season in NHRA’s nitro Funny Car class.

He arrived at the PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals in Richmond, Va., this weekend fifth in the season points standings on the strength of his win at the Four Wide Nationals in Las Vegas April 14.

Tasca got his weekend off on the right foot in Richmond as he ended up in the No. 1 spot with his 4.024-second run at 320.74 in Q3. This was Tasca’s first No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 17th of his career.

Through his decorated NHRA career Greg Anderson has a couple of incredible statistics: 105 national-event wins, most all-time in Pro Stock, and 125 No. 1 qualifying positions.

Make the latter 126 – third most in NHRA history.

Anderson claimed the No. 1 qualifying spot at the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tenn., on Saturday, clocking a 6.615-second elapsed time at 205.38 mph.

NHRA’s Pro Stock Motorcycle class has been completely dominated by Gaige Herrera in the past year and a half.

Well, for at least one day – Saturday – Matt Smith stepped back into the PSM spotlight.

Smith, a six-time world champion (2007, 2013, 2018 and 2020-22), won the #2Fast2Tasty Pro Stock Challenge and took the No. 1 qualifying spot at the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tenn.

Smith took the title at the #2Fast2Tasty event by defeating his wife, Angie Smith, clocking a 6.802-second run at 199.05 mph to upend end her 6.951-second pass.

Rapisarda Autosport teammates Wayne Newby and Damien Harris will face off to decide the winner of the 2023-2024 NDRC Top Fuel championship following the last-minute withdrawal of their nearest rival Phil Lamattina from the final round at Willowbank Raceway, June 6-9
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“The decision to not race follows the sudden passing of ‘Uncle Tony,’ a beloved uncle and integral supporter of the team,” said team owner-driver Lamattina. “‘Uncle Tony’ was not only a cherished family member but also a cornerstone of our support system. His passing has left a significant void, and our immediate focus is on family and honoring his memory; the Lamattina family appreciates the understanding and support from fans, sponsors, and the racing community during this challenging time.”

Two-time Fuel champ Peter Xiberras recorded his first win since January 2023, scoring superb back-to-back wins at the Gulf Western Nitro Champs at Sydney Dragway, May 17-19. 

Xiberras also become the fifth individual winner of the season.

“This is unbelievable,” said Xiberras. “It has just been one of those weekends where things have fallen into place. I can’t thank my crew enough – we were here past midnight working on the car. There was a problem we thought with the diff; we probably didn’t need to change it, but we did to make sure, so we pulled the diff out and put the spare in. These boys and girls are just amazing individuals, and I can’t thank them enough.”

Australian drag racing history will be made when Top Fuel and Funny Car appear at the same meeting for the first time at the Gulf Western Oil Nitro Champs at Sydney Dragway, May 16-19.

The Nitro Champs has been the premier event on the Sydney Dragway calendar since the venue opened in 2004 and has always been headlined by Top Fuel. An extra day has been added to the 2024 event to accommodate both Nitro categories and extra Sportsman races.

Top Fuel and Funny Car will run under very different race formats.

Phil Lamattina, chasing his first Top Fuel championship since 2014, scored his first victory since May 2022 in the Riverbend Nationals, Round Four of the Top Fuel Australia Championship. After defeating Harris in the A-Final, the ‘Carrot King’ has catapulted into contention to win the 2023-2024 Championship.

“From here, we want to continue the momentum,” Lamattina said. “We won’t change what we’ve been doing but will try to improve. We can only race the car, the track, and the conditions. That’s what we did this weekend, and it certainly worked in our favor.”

Series leader Wayne Newby will take a 94-point lead over LTFR owner-driver Phil Lamattina going into round four of the 2023-24 TFA Championship at the Riverland Nationals on April 6-7. 
Defending champion Harris is third, eight points behind Lamattina.

Newby and RAI teammate Harris are coming off a tough outing at the Perth Westernats last month, where both crashed heavily. 

Newby’s car has since been repaired, while Harris will race the team’s ‘C’ car, driven by NHRA champion Larry Dixon, to victory at the 2013 Nitro Champs meeting at Sydney Dragway.