After an uncharacteristic first-round exit at the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) season opener in early April, three-time and defending Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous world champion Jim Halsey returned to the winner’s circle Saturday night at the PDRA Vortech Superchargers Doorslammer Derby presented by Stroud Safety at Beech Bend Raceway Park. Halsey defeated Mike Achenbach in the final round, denying Achenbach a second consecutive event win. 
 
Todd “King Tut” Tutterow scored a second consecutive win in WS Construction Pro Boost presented by P2 Contracting and Ty-Drive, Johnny Pluchino notched a win in Liberty’s Gears Extreme Pro Stock presented by AED Competition, and second-generation PDRA star Amber Franklin earned her first $hameless Racing Pro 632 victory. 

With the potential for weather to move into the area forecast for late Sunday afternoon, zMAX Dragway and NHRA officials have revised Sunday’s competition schedule for the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway, moving up the start of competition.

It’s been almost 26 years since Karen Stoffer made her NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle debut in Denver.

This season is very likely her last. 

Stoffer, an 11-time national-event winner, is ready to hang up her helmet, but only in terms of full-time Pro Stock Motorcycle competition. She’s in her third season with the White Alligator Racing team because she skipped the abbreviated 2020 campaign due to COVID-19’s impact on her career in Nevada. At the season-opening race for the class at the Gatornationals in March, she not only won, she recorded the quickest run in the division’s history at 6.665 seconds in a second-round victory over Eddie Krawiec.

Two hours before unveiling his new baby Friday, Ron Capps had the butterflies of a prospective father pacing in a waiting room.

Nine months, you see, is how long it took for Capps’ desire to become a Toyota-backed racer to putting the manufacturer’s GR Supra body on the track. It became a reality with first-round qualifying at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway.

“I’m nervous,” said Capps, the 2016 and ’21 NHRA Funny Car champ who this season launched his own team. “I’ve driven a long time, but I still just want to make sure I do everything right. I’m excited about getting down the track and (crew chief Dean ‘Guido’ Antonelli) finding the right balance for this body.

Top Fuel Harley racing is back in the NHRA spotlight this weekend at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.

Its continuation on the 2022 calendar is unknown at this point, but there’s optimism among the competitors that it could be back at full strength in 2023.

The eight bikes on hand at zMAX Dragway this weekend aren’t racing for much more than glory, but the racers will take that – for now.

Heading into Sunday’s Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals near Charlotte, Brittany Force is enjoying a start the likes of which she’s never experienced.

She won the two most-recent races: Houston one week ago and Las Vegas on April 3. She’s posted the top speed at all five national events, topped by a 338-mph blast at Vegas. 

She’s combining that kind of top-end muscle with improved reaction times, and that’s what allowed her to capture Houston over Justin Ashley.

Justin Ashley picked up his first career No. 1 qualifier in Top Fuel on Saturday, clinching his first top spot at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway.
 
John Force (Funny Car) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the sixth of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Justin Ashley admits September 2019 seems like ages ago.

Ashley, then in his Top Fuel debut, drove his way to a semi-final finish at the NHRA Carolina Nationals, the two-wide drag race at zMax Dragway in the final, to launch an award-winning career. 

​​John Force had a plan. And knowing the 16-time champion, the plan was likely uber aggressive and designed for maximum impact. ​

​Instead, Force came to the starting line during Friday's Q2 Funny Car session at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals outside of Charlotte with a car that he believed was the opposite of his personality, tuned down. John Force had a plan. And knowing the 16-time champion, the plan was likely uber aggressive and designed for maximum impact. 

Steve Johnson got away with one Friday at zMax Dragway. His first qualifying session hinted there was an issue with his Suzuki, and in the evening run, confirmed there was a problem. 

Johnson thought he saw oil leaking from his championship-contending Suzuki in the Circle K NHRA 4Wide Nationals opening session. The next time there was no doubt.