With Hurricane Helen charting a path from the Gulf of Mexico and eventually through Fairmont City, Illinois, the site of this weekend's NHRA Midwest Nationals, race officials have opted to adjust Friday's schedule in hopes of completing two Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying sessions.

Austin Prock believes it was the most profound lesson John Force ever gave him. 

The so-called rookie, subbing for Robert Hight, who has won everything but the Missouri lottery, believes the most significant takeaway from the lessons he learned from John Force is to be a sponge for knowledge, even if he's been practicing his craft for five decades. 

As he sees it, if Force can still learn something new, he has a ton of stuff to master.

The Texas Motorplex has named Olan and Judy Gotcher, long-time race volunteers, and Rosalee Noble, a Drag Racing Association of Women (DRAW) board member, as Texas Motorplex Legends. The announcement comes ahead of the 2024 NHRA Texas Fall Nationals at the Stampede of Speed.

The trio has played significant roles at Texas Motorplex and in drag racing for decades. Their contributions will be recognized during separate ceremonies at the Fall Nationals, October 9-13.

Competition Plus’ Water-Cooler Topics From The NHRA Carolina Nationals in Concord, NC.

The evolution of Antron Brown has been quite impressive.

The NHRA Top Fuel World champion in 2012, 2015 and 2016 has become a standout team owner. Two races into the Countdown to the Championship, he’s put himself in great position to win his fourth title by moving into the points lead with a pair of victories.

Brown’s latest win came Sunday when he defeated second-time finalist Doug Foley in the 16th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals near Charlotte, N.C. Brown clocked a 3.848-second elapsed time at 319.90 mph to edge Foley’s respectable 3.862, 316.08.

Austin Prock, behind the wheel of a Camaro for John Force Racing, won his seventh Funny Car race of the season Sunday at the 16th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals in Charlotte.

Prock clocked a 3.924-second elapsed time at 326.48 mph to defeat Matt Hagan’s 3.958, 324.98 in the finals at zMAX Dragway.

Prock has won three races in a row: the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, followed by the Countdown to the Championship in Reading, Pa., a week ago, and now Charlotte.

Dallas Glenn and his KB Titan team knew they had a chance to go rounds on race day. They had one plan: to take down Aaron Stanfield and the Elite Motorsports team, which had been on a roll over the past few races. He did so from the No. 4 qualifying position. 

Glenn secured race wins over Mason McGaha and Matt Hartford, including No. 1 qualifier Erica Enders in the semis to reach the finals. Meanwhile, the most recent race winner, Stanfield, nabbed victories over Chris McGaha, Jeg Coughlin Jr, and Greg Anderson before making the final round a KB Titan vs Elite matchup. 

Matt Smith knew he had to take down one of the top teams in Pro Stock Motorcycle, and his rivals Vance and Hines were the primary targets entering the 16th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals. And, if his plan worked, he'd do so at his home racetrack, zMAX Dragway.

Following four rounds of qualifying, Smith put his DENSO Buell motorcycle at the top of the field for the fifth time this season and the first since the Sonoma Nationals in July. With a low bike count and earning the No. 1 qualifier, Smith had a bye run in the first round, faced his wife Angie in the quarterfinals, and won against Jianna Evaristo in the semis before facing Richard Gadson in the finals. 

Travis Harvey won his debut in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series on Sunday, defeating Dmitry Samorukov in the final round at the NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway. Harvey, filling in for Khalid Al Balooshi, secured his first career victory with a 5.786-second run at 247.61 mph in his Bahrain 1 Racing Camaro.

Antron Brown claimed his second straight playoff victory at the NHRA Carolina Nationals on Sunday, moving into the Top Fuel points lead for the first time since 2017. Brown defeated Doug Foley in the final round at zMAX Dragway with a run of 3.848 seconds at 319.90 mph, earning his fifth win of the season and 79th career victory.

Austin Prock (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock), and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also secured victories at the 16th of 20 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series races this season.

Driving his Matco Tools/Toyota dragster, Brown surpassed Larry Dixon for the second-most Top Fuel wins in NHRA history with his 63rd career win. The three-time world champion, who qualified 10th, defeated Steve Torrence, Billy Torrence, and reigning champion Doug Kalitta before besting Foley in the final.