In less than 7.4 seconds Saturday, Steve Torrence removed any skepticism about his ability to dominate in the NHRA Top Fuel class once again, purged his season-long frustrations, and injected a huge dose of drama into not just this weekend’s Dodge Power Brokers U.S. Nationals but also into the upcoming Countdown to the Championship. 

The $80,000 he pocketed for winning the rain-postponed inaugural Pep Boys All-Star Call-Out, which took place during qualifying for the regular-season finale, was further validation. 

Pro Mod points leader Kris Thorne stood on his stellar pass on Saturday night from the 68th annual Dodge Power Brokers U.S. Nationals to secure the number one qualifying position heading into final eliminations.

Thorne kicked off qualifying with a solid 5.831 at over 249 miles per hour in the first session on Friday afternoon but was able to step up big time and take advantage of the killer conditions on Saturday night. Thorne, behind the wheel of his Thorne Site/Boggs Gases Procharged Camarao, laid down a back-breaking 5.718 at over 250 miles per hour on Saturday night to shoot him up to the top of the field. 

Shootouts have been a part of life in the National Hot Rod Association for many years.

The most recent version of shootout drag racing — the Traxxas Nitro Shootout — was a popular side event for the sport for a few years that matched up some of the top teams in the sport racing for big money. But in that race the fields were set ahead of time.

In the new iteration of shootout racing, the Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car Allstar Callout, a new format set up some unique matchups and interesting possibilities. In this race, the drivers choose their opponents, beginning with the top qualifier on down.

When you know, you know.

After only one race, Phillips Connect, a semi-trailer tracking and sensor technologies leader, knew Justin Ashey was their man.

Phillips Connect announced a multi-year extension to its primary sponsorship agreement with Justin Ashley Racing and Davis Motorsports.

An article on a website circulated earlier this week suggested NHRA was finished racing at the Pomona Fairplex in Pomona, Ca. 

NHRA addressed the article during the first day of professional qualifying at the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals as “totally false.” Moreover, a representative of NHRA confirmed they were never contacted for comment in the article. 

“Pomona [Fairplex] is not going away,” Jeffrey Young, NHRA’s VP of Communications, said. “We have a multi-year contract with the Fairplex.”

Paul Lee Racing has added industry executive Steven Cole to their roster for the remainder of the 2022 season and beyond as SVP of Marketing & Corporate Partnerships and General Manager. Paul Lee Racing currently fields a nitro Funny Car driven by race team owner and Wharton Automotive Group CEO, Paul Lee. The team will also include Top Fuel driver and team owner, Krista Baldwin, who not only drives the McLeod sponsored dragster, but also is the Creative Director for the Wharton Automotive Group, which includes McLeod Racing, FTI Performance and Silver Sport Transmissions (SST). 

Joe Comella won last season’s Dodge Hemi Shootout, and although he should have been overjoyed, the perfectionist in him just didn’t let him go into overload elation. 

This year, ditto. 

From Thursday’s Q-2 session, Comella established himself as the driver to beat with an 8.421 elapsed at 158.80 miles per hour. And in Friday’s final round during the Dodge HEMI Shootout, he saved his best for last with an 8.407, 159.19 to beat a red-lighting Eldon Baum Jr.

Hector Arana Sr.’s return to competition in NHRA’s Pro Stock Motorcycle ranks was supposed to happen at the 68th annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals Sept. 2-5 at Lucas Oil Raceway Park in Indianapolis.

However it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen according to his son Hector Arana Jr., who is entered to compete in Indy in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class.

Steve Comella will lead the Dodge Hemi Shootout field headed into Friday's elite showdown of 1968 Mopar muscle known as the Dodge Hemi Shootout, a race-within-a-race at the 2022 Dodge Power Brokers U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

Comella surpassed Wednesday's leader Jim Pancake for the top spot during Thursday's two qualifying sessions, amping up his performance in consecutive sessions and ending with an 8.421, 158.80 best. Pancake ended the day second quickest with an 8.491, followed by the only other car in the 8.4-second range, James Daniels, with an 8.492.