One of the staples in Justin Ashley’s relatively short professional drag racing career has been the ability to bring in non-automotive sponsors. This weekend he will roll down the Gainesville Racing surface with National Debt Relief branding. 

Ashley will be focused on the communication and promotion of National Debt Relief’s messaging through various media outlets and during the Pep Boys All-Star Callout specialty race which will be contested during the Gatornationals.

In some respects, Gaige Herrera’s got to feel like a young actor who’s been shoved onto a stage into the heat of a glaring spotlight.

Given an opportunity to race in Pro Stock Motorcycle competition late last season, the 29-year-old Herrera didn’t make the field at the first two NHRA races in which he competed. He came back to qualify in his next four outings, and even though he didn’t win a round of competition, his performance on the Xtreme Dragbike Association circuit and a test session earned him a full-time ride with the Vance & Hines team. 

The first day of the 2023 season is in the books, with completed qualifying for the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisions at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. 

Jim Greenheck made the trip from Wisconsin worthwhile as he drove his B/Econo Altered to the top spot with a 7.526 elapsed time, -.744 under the index. Veteran class runner Pat Ross was second at -.721 under the E/Altered standard. Doug Engels D/Dragster was third. 

CompetitionPlus.com, through its CompetitionPlusTV YouTube Channel, will present coverage of the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing's International Drag Racing Hall of Fame on March 9, 2023, at 8 PM EST.

Viewers can watch for FREE as John Force, Shelly Anderson Payne, Ron Attebury, Sonny Messner, Carol "Bunny" Burkett, Graeme Cowin, Vinny and Richard Napp, Bob Frey, and Linda Jones are inducted as the Class of 2023. 

Tonight's broadcast marks the second season the event has been live-streamed in a joint effort with Masters Entertainment. 

Even before being promoted to President of the National Hot Rod Association, Glen Cromwell knew what his team would need to do to grow drag racing on an upward trajectory. It is called the ten-step theory and was put into action two weeks ago.

There is no official ten-step theory or plan per se, but it was on full display at the NHRA Division 4 season opener at No Problem Raceway just outside New Orleans in Belle Rose, La.

As he strolled through the staging lanes, Cromwell would take roughly ten steps and stop to engage various sportsman racers in competition. He might be the highest-ranking member of the NHRA staff, but he was a drag racing fan on this day.

Steve Johnson doesn’t hesitate to describe Pro Stock Motorcycle racing as more a rollercoaster ride than a shot down the quarter-mile.

And that’s the voice of experience with 35 years of NHRA competition in that class speaking.

The 62-year-old native of Granada Hills, California, enters this weekend’s NHRA season opener in Gainesville, Florida, on the heels of two very good campaigns. He won three events in 2021 – the most wins he’s had in any single campaign – and his third-place standing at season’s end tied his career-best points finish.

Never let it be said Josh Hart doesn’t know how to throw a party. 

Ahead of the 54th NHRA Gatornationals, Hart hosted a massive car show and FanFest at Burnyzz Speed Shop in Ocala, Florida, and invited a multitude of his closest friends - the drag racing community. 

This inaugural event featured nearly two dozen NHRA drivers, over 300 classic cars, a live band, food trucks, and ticket giveaways for the thousands of fans in attendance. Proceeds from the event, which included a 50/50 raffle and entry fees, will be donated to Racers For Christ. The entire staff of Burnyzz Speed Shop pulled together to execute the three-hour free event that kicked off four days of racing action beginning today at Gainesville Raceway.

Mark Pawuk first visited a dragstrip at age 16, and in short order took a borrowed ’68 Dodge Charger with a 440 engine under the hood and won.

Nearly half a century later, he’s still got the bug.

This week, he returns to the scene of one of his career highlights as a Factory Stock Showdown competitor. A year ago at Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway, Pawuk covered the quarter-mile in 7.608 seconds, 183.15 mph to set both ends of the national record. In eliminations, a .002-second red light knocked him out of Gatornationals action, but a week later, he took the same car to the winners’ circle at an NMCA race across the state in Bradenton.

Three-time ANDRA champ Phil Read claimed his first win of the season when he outpaced reigning champ Peter Xiberras in the A-Final of the Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel Championship at Perth Motorplex, March 4-5.

Local hero Damien Harris downed his Rapisarda Autosport International teammate Wayne Newby to clinch the B-Final. Emerging star Kyle Putland triumphed over team owner–driver Phil Lamattina in the C-Final  

In Doorslammer Daniel Gregorini jumped to an early lead over fellow Western Australian Kelvin Lyle and was never headed to take honors in the A-Final. 

Top Fuel Motorcycle went to local racer Greg Durack who defeated ten-time champ Chris Matheson.