When it comes to record-breaking performances, there is little Brittany Force hasn’t accomplished in her illustrious career.

Topping the field at a nearly 17% clip in the Top Fuel category, Force added another notch to her already impressive belt Friday with the eighth fastest pass in NHRA history, resetting both ends of the track record at Virginia Motorsports Park and giving her the provisional pole at the Virginia NHRA Nationals.

​For a brief period of time Friday evening at Virginia Motorsports Park, longtime journeyman and perpetual underdog Dale Creasy Jr. looked like he might top the field in NHRA Funny Car for the first time ever. 

Then along came Matt Hagan. 

When the engine builder speaks, the driver had better listen. At least, this is how Mountain Motor Pro Stock racer Elijah Morton sees it.

Morton drove his Ford-powered, large displacement Mustang to the provisional pole position in Friday's weather-delayed qualifying at the NHRA Virginia Nationals.

A week ago, Matt Smith said the Buell was competing at a disadvantage against the Suzuki. For at least one day, a week later, his wife proved him wrong.

Angie Smith punched her way into the Virginia Motorsports Park record books on Friday afternoon when she set both ends of the track record, earning her the provisional number one position after the first qualifying session. 

Smith, aboard her Denso Buell, laid down a stellar 6.788 elapsed time and a speed of 200.38 miles per hour, marking the first 200 miles per hour Pro Stock Motorcycle pass at Virginia Motorsports Park.

Top Fuel points leader Brittany Force powered to both ends of the track record at Virginia Motorsports Park, racing to the provisional No. 1 qualifier on Friday at the Virginia NHRA Nationals.
 
Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Angie Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers, as five of the six track records were broken on Friday at the seventh of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Due to pending weather, NHRA officials announced a schedule change to help fans get the chance to watch Friday’s qualifying session for this weekend’s Virginia NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park, as NHRA returns to the track for the first time since 2019.

Pro Stock Motorcycle is now slated to begin NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series qualifying at 1 p.m. ET on Friday, while the first round of qualifying for Funny Car and Top Fuel is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. The adjustment was made to help the chance of racing action taking place on Friday at Virginia Motorsports Park, which will see its first NHRA action in three years.

As the NHRA Camping World Virginia NHRA Nationals rolls into Richmond, Va., this weekend, what better time to turn back the Hot Tub Time Machine and visit with Cory McClenathan.

The standout Top Fuel driver is the all-time winner in the Top Fuel class in Richmond with four wins in 1995, 1998-99 and 2006.

“Every time we went to Richmond, it was just one of those tracks I really liked and literally everything always went our way,” McClenathan said in an interview with CompetiionPlus.com. “We worked for it and at the same time everybody gets a lucky one here and there and I’m sure I did during those four times. At the same time, it was really cool to go to a track where I was thinking I’m almost going to win this for sure. You get to be that way with those tracks. The ones you struggle on, you’re like God, just let me go a couple rounds.”

Jerry Bickel Race Cars specializes in all kinds of fast doorslammer venues. This latest steel roof and quarters entry belonging to Tim Wallace is on its way to ProLine
for a procharged engine. Man, talk about a slick piece. 

Established in 1955, Great Lakes Dragaway in Union Grove Wisconsin has a storied history, and the 2022 race reason will mark another milestone for the iconic track with the completion of its all new racing surface.
Work began at the completion of the 2021 season with the wall-to-wall demolition of the existing 40-plus-year-old race surface.

Overseen by Total Venue Concepts, the new racing surface features concrete from before the burnout box, to 200 feet beyond the starting line. From there, the transition to new asphalt goes to 100 feet beyond the finish line, and seamlessly meets up with the shutdown asphalt that was laid 2 years ago. With imperceptible transitions, TVC and local contractors A.W. Oakes and Payne & Dolan have provided racers with a safe, smooth surface.
In addition, the entire timing system has been rewired, with new beams and improved mounting to assure accuracy at every incremental.

Mountain Motor Pro Stock makes their 2022 NHRA Drag Racing Series debut at the NHRA Virginia Nationals this weekend with Grade A Energy Shot as the presenting sponsor of the event. The 825 cubic inch show stoppers run a limited series with the NHRA in the midst of their PDRA Xtreme Pro Stock season, and Virginia Motorsports Park is the first of four stops with the NHRA.  
 
“The opportunity for Grade A Quality Energy Shots to partner with the Mountain Motor Pro Stock Association at the NHRA Virginia Nationals to promote their brand going into Menards stores provides tremendous exposure”, stated MMPSA’s Forward Sports Marketing Representative. “Fans are passionate about the Mountain Motor cars, and with this being their first NHRA race of the season we know there will be a lot of attention paid to the class and its sponsor.”