Anybody who thought Top Fuel driver Justin Ashley wasn’t an NHRA world championship contender is being proven wrong.

Ashley arrived at the Betway Carolina Nationals first in the points standings and he helped his championship drive by capturing the No. 1 qualifying spot in Q3 Saturday with a 3.668-second run at 335.65 mph.

Erica Enders’ 2022 NHRA highlight reel keeps rolling along.

Enders, a four-time NHRA world champion, and winner of seven races this season, added another accomplishment at the Betway Carolina Nationals Saturday in Charlotte.

Alex Laughlin knew exactly what he was doing. He was manipulating; as he saw it, when you manipulate for the good of drag racing, it is perfectly acceptable. 

Laughlin knew exactly the right buttons to push to get extreme sport, adrenalin-connoisseur Travis Pastrana to add a Top Fuel dragster to his crowded resume of machinery experiences. 

"I've been a fan of this guy's my whole life, to be honest," Laughlin said. "Who hasn't? He's like the poster child of motorsports as a whole. I have a mutual friend that worked on the film crew for Nitro Circus, and he's the one that put me through to Travis. And I told him, 'You can't have a show called Nitro anything without ever experiencing what nitro is." 

Sunday's final results from the 14th annual Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway. The race is the 18th of 22 in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series: 

Point standings (top 10) following the 14th annual Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway, the 18th of 22 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series -

Final round-by-round results from the 14th annual Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway, the 18th of 22 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:

Drag Racing Association of Women, is $5,000 richer, thanks to David Napp’s donation to the charitable organization Saturday at the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at Concord, N.C.
DiBartolomeo – photojournalist/editor, racer with handful of victories dating back to the early 1990s, manufacturer, parts distributor, innovator, and liaison between drivers and the sanctioning body – passed away May 23 at age 68 following a battle with cancer.

Napp, co-owner of Old Bridge Township Raceway Park at Englishtown, N.J., presented the gift on behlf of the Napp family to DiBartolomeo’s family. Accepting were Di Bartolomeo’s widow Dottie; son Franklin, his wife Jennifer, and their son, Evan; and daughter Christina.

Sometimes what they don't know can be the biggest fear a drag racer can face. Three years ago, point leader Justin Ashley knew just enough about a Top Fuel dragster to make him dangerous, but not in the sense of his capabilities. He was a dangerous talent to the competition. 

As he sat in the burnout box moments before making his first run behind the wheel of a 12,000-horsepower dragster, Ashley had a moment of fear he had never shared with anyone until today. 

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How does the saying go? Education is important, but having fun is importanter?

Grammar shortcomings aside, Larry Morgan has a master's degree in Pro Stock drag racing, and now he's working on his doctorate in having fun. 

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't having fun," said Morgan, driving the Phillips Connect/VitaC Shot Pro Stock Camaro. "That I can guarantee you."

If Tony Schumacher was looking for security in drag racing, he got it on Saturday. 

The Maynard Family Race Team announced at the NHRA Carolina Nationals, the team they have renewed their partnership agreement with SCAG Power Equipment with a three-year deal. 

The program originally began this season with a seven-race deal as the major sponsor and six races as the co-primary.