The big question in the NHRA right now is what the sanctioning body might do to reduce the power of the nitro cars with the focus on returning quarter-mile runs.

Long-time crew chief and former standout driver Ed “Ace” McCulloch believes there is no reason to return to quarter-mile racing, leaving behind the 1,000-foot racing the NHRA has had in place since July of 2008.

Veteran Funny Car racer Jim Head thinks speaking to race fans directly is the key to winning support for 1,000-foot racing.

The NHRA seeks to conclude data gathering no later than July of this. Depending on what the NHRA does, there is the possibility the sanctioning body would return the nitro cars to traditional quarter-mile racing.

Dan Wilkerson has had 242 days to prepare for his next ride on the horse.

Wilkerson, the son of iconic Funny Car driver Tim Wilkerson, will climb behind the wheel of a Funny Car for the first time since a devastating crash last fall in Memphis, Tenn., when the wheels came off of his car in a second round race against Ron Capps.

Thanks to major associate sponsorship from Dump-Lok, a dump truck safety brace device manufactured by Worksafe USA, based in Springfield, Ill., Wilkerson will get another shot at driving a Funny Car during the NHRA Route 66 Nationals. Levi, Ray and Shoup will provide major sponsorship as well.

Top Fuel Champion Tony Schumacher can leave a lasting impression; just ask Corbin Mehrbrodt.

This weekend Mehrbrodt will race in the NHRA Route 66 Nationals in a Super Comp eliminator. The inspiration for the outing came from Schumacher, many years ago.

Mehrbrodt, then an impressionable 10-year-old Bolling Brook (Ill.) boy, was inspired both to drag race and join the Army by a meeting with Schumacher back in 2002. Mehrbrodt will report for basic training in two weeks.

Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Steve Johnson has signed an associate marketing/sponsorship agreement with C&L Companies. of Urbandale, Iowa, and its consortium of motorcycle aftermarket parts companies.

Said C&L CEO Curt Leaverton, “Steve brings the kind of experience and enthusiasm to C&L Cos. that will ultimately provide our products and services with the national exposure we’ve been seeking. For all of Steve’s successes on the track, which includes things like winning the NHRA U.S. Nationals and all of those top 10 points finishes, it’s the professionalism that he brings to his marketing work that really got our attention."

Ron Capps will race the NAPA Batteries Dodge Charger Funny Car in this weekend's 13th annual Route 66 NHRA Nationals in Joliet, Ill., as part of a month-long NAPA AUTO PARTS promotion. He'll be aiming for his first victory of the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

People thought Billy Meyer might just be crazy when construction started for the first all-concrete facility dedicated to drag racing. Construction had not even begun when he signed an agreement with NHRA officials to host a national event in the fall and his plans for the facility seemed to be something out of a fairy tale.
 
After all, it was 1986. No other “stadium” for drag racing had been created. That’s what makes the Texas Motorplex, and its 25th anniversary, so special. Without the Motorplex, who knows how long it would have taken to create other tracks that have been built specifically for the quickest and fastest form of motorsport?

Five-time world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr., who has raced to two wins in three final-round showings in the past two months, is looking to get quicker as he and his Victor Cagnazzi Racing teammates are planning a pit stop in Norwalk, Ohio, prior to this weekend's 13th annual United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals in Chicago.

Coughlin and crew are hoping to get their JEGS.com Chevrolet Cobalt in top form before the summer grind of races, which features eight national events in the next 10 weeks.

Norwalk’s drag strip is a familiar and friendly stop for Coughlin. He won last year's K&N Horsepower Challenge at the racetrack, which is positioned closer to his home in Delaware, Ohio, than any other national event venue. Coughlin already earned a chance to defend that race title when the tour returns to Norwalk later this month.

In the 2009 edition of the JEGS Allstars competition, the $20,000 top prize awarded to the overall winning team wasn’t claimed until the final run of the event when reigning NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster champ Bill Reichert turned on the win light to seal a narrow victory for the host team from the North Central Division. Reichert’s final round victory over Chris Demke gave the title to the home team by just one round; denying the North Central Division team what would have been their fourth-consecutive title. That type of 11th hour drama has become commonplace in the JEGS Allstars event, an annual competition featuring the sport’s best Lucas Oil Series racers, held each year during the United Association Route 66 Nationals in Joliet.
           
Racers can qualify for the JEGS Allstars by earning points during a yearlong battle within their home divisions. Each team is composed of one racer in the following NHRA eliminators; Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Competition Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, and new for 2010, Top Dragster and Top Sportsman. In addition, the reigning JEGS Allstars champions are invited to return each year as (non-points earning) blockers. The racers compete for a share of nearly $120,000 including a $20,000 bonus which is split among the winning team.

Nitro Jam announced a new and unique partnership with the Utah Sports Commission for the upcoming Salt Lake Nitro Jam June 18-19 at Rocky Mountain Raceways in West Valley.

After an extremely successful partnership with Feld Motorsports’ Supercross Series last month in Salt Lake City the Utah Sports Commission is pleased to be a part of the first ever Nitro Jam in the state of Utah June 18-19 at the world-renowned Rocky Mountain Raceways.

“It’s great to partner with Feld Motor Sports and Rocky Mountain Raceways on another major motorsport event that will bring an estimated $3 million in economic impact to the State of Utah and be broadcast nationally on SPEED Channel. Along with Supercross, FIM World Superbike, Utah Grand Prix, Motocross and other action sports events, Nitro Jam is another event that continues to showcase Utah as a destination for motor and action sports events and allows Utah to leverage its significant world-class venues, related infrastructure and enthusiastic fan base,” said Jeff Robbins, President & CEO of the Utah Sports Commission.

Four winners walked away with big paychecks after last weekend’s Thunder Valley Bracket Challenge at Bristol Dragway.

Chad Hedgecock of Loudon defeated Milton’s Chad McKee on Thursday to take home the top prize. Hedgecock’s winning run included a .013 reaction time, with a 4.724 elapsed time (4.71 dial-in) at 141.68 mph. McKee ran a little faster than his dial-in (4.754 E.T. on a 4.76 dial) to receive the disqualification.

Jason Lynch of Pleasant View earned Friday’s victory at the Bracket Challenge. Lynch defeated Sevierville’s Carrol Click with a .006 R.T. and a 5.314 second run (5.29 dial-in) at 127.01 mph. Click’s losing effort had a .015 R.T. and a 4.726 E.T. (4.71 dial-in).