Longtime doorslammer wheelman Buddy Perkinson ended Friday qualifying as the No. 1 qualifier in two different classes at the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) North vs. South Shootout presented by Line-X and Iron Man Quick Connect Push Bar at Maryland International Raceway. Perkinson earned his first No. 1 qualifier award in Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous as the fill-in driver for two-time world champion Tommy Franklin, and he’s the provisional low qualifier in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by US Rail. 

Getting out of a speeding ticket with a warning can require a good driving record and a good excuse. Following Friday's qualifying at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, Top Fuel driver Mike Salinas pulled out of Bristol Dragway, headed to his hotel in Johnson City, Tenn., and got a bit lead-footed. 

Salinas was admittedly moseying along when he looked in the rear-view mirror to see blue lights. 

"I was just talking and carrying on when I got pulled over," Salinas said. "The police officer came up to the car, and he's like, 'You're 18 miles over the speed limit."

Here's the first look at Chris Holbrook's forthcoming Factory X Mustang on the jig at Jerry Bickel Race Cars.

Krista Baldwin has announced that IT consulting company, IGTG, will be providing primary sponsorship for this weekend’s NHRA Norwalk Nationals. 

Baldwin and her team have been making big improvements to their Top Fuel program since Charlotte, and the addition of IGTG was perfect timing for the new team owner as she is striving to continue to go faster.

Before he became a championship challenger in the Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown Series, Mark Pawuk enjoyed a long and successful NHRA career in the Pro Stock category. He competed in the doorslammer class from 1985 through 2006, banking six national event wins in the process.
 
Pawuk received support from Summit Racing Equipment for 15 years as both a primary and associate partner in Pro Stock, and today it was announced that Summit Racing joined Pawuk’s Empaco Equipment Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak operation as an associate partner.

Motorsports visionary Bruton Smith has passed.

Smith was 95 and died of natural causes. 

Smith’s road to stardom through his Speedway Motorsports brand, the first motorsports company traded publicly on the New York Stock Exchange, was in 1959 when he and Curtis Turner broke ground on Charlotte Motor Speedway. 

Recognized as one of the most colorful race cars of the 2022 NHRA season, Blaze Technical Services will be flying its popular nostalgia flame pattern on the Jim Dunn Racing Funny Car at this year’s NHRA national event in Norwalk. The black background, highlighted by purple, blue, and green scalloped flames is a retro look befitting Jim Dunn’s legendary role in drag racing for the past 60 years.

Blaze of nearby Stow, Ohio has been producing temperature sensors since 1996. In 2002, they entered the NHRA market with their first team sponsorship. Since that time, Blaze has continued to improve its exhaust probes with faster response times, rugged durability and better pricing. Additionally, Blaze has offered new products such as a clutch probe, and more recently, its black series which eliminates electrical interference. Blaze is committed to its relationship with NHRA and its teams.

Michalek Brothers Racing has formed a partnership with Burnyzz Speed Shop for the remainder of the 2022 NHRA racing season, which will include three races in Ohio and one each in Indiana and Texas.
 
“This is an exciting partnership for Michalek Brothers Racing,” said Corey Michalek. “Kyle and I have watched Josh and Brittanie Hart handcraft one of the most impressive automotive businesses in the country with Burnyzz Speed Shop since we first met Josh back in 2017 and they have continued to push the envelope ever since. "

The large father “Big Daddy” Don Garlits will make his return to Mo-Kan Dragway for the first time since the mid 1980’s in a two day celebration of Mo-Kan’s 60th Anniversary set for Friday and Saturday, July 15th and 16th. 

This event will be headlined by Nitro Chaos, an all nitromethane fueled, heads up, run whatcha’ brung contest of horsepower. Mo-Kan Dragway owner Carl Blanton and Nitro Chaos promoter Chris Graves have a long history and share the deep passion for the sport and feel that Nitro Chaos is the perfect event for this special race weekend and having the world’s greatest drag racer, Don Garlits to serve as feature guest and Grand Marshal truly sends this event over the top. 

First year Pro Stock driver Camrie Caruso has not been crowned NHRA Rookie of the Year for 2022 but she is making a strong case through the first seven races of the season. Heading into the NHRA Norwalk Nationals Caruso will be flying the colors of Kings of Vapor, an Ohio-based vapor store and online business that has been a longtime supporter of Caruso Family Racing.

“We have had a great relationship with the guys from Kings of Vapor,” said Caruso. “We have known them for years. We sold Rick Bowling my old Top Dragster and then we drove for him. We won a couple races and they have always been great supporters of our program. They will have some guests at the races this weekend and we are looking forward to an exciting race.”