There has been nothing easy about the last couple of weeks for Leah Pritchett.

A parts failure in Las Vegas ruined an otherwise promising afternoon two weeks ago. Then an illness kept her down and out leading into this weekend’s season finale.

Following the second race of the NHRA’s Countdown to the Championship, Matt Hagan found himself ninth out of 10 drivers in the battle for the Funny Car world championship.

Four races later, Hagan finds himself third and right in the thick of the title hunt.

Doug Herbert remembers it like it was yesterday.

After all, it’s hard to forget a Top Fuel engine detonation that set him back $100,000 — in 1999 dollars.

“One of the things that sticks out most in my mind is Connie Kalitta coming over and saying, ‘Dougie, that’s the worst I’ve ever seen,’ “ Herbert said. “And I thought to myself, ‘If Connie Kalitta told me that’s the worst he’s ever seen, that’s probably the worst there’s ever been.’ “

Perennial world championship contender Doug Gordon's Top Alcohol Funny Car will be backed by Beta Motorcycles for the next two seasons. Gordon, who has driven to 30-plus final round appearances in national competition, dozens of divisional and regional event titles, and numerous division championships in the team's trademark green, will have a whole new look for 2020 and 2021. 

During the first round of qualifying at the Auto Club NHRA Nationals in Pomona, Calif., Top Alcohol Dragster driver Fred Hanssen’s 1997 Hadman dragster crossed the center line then made contact with the wall before coming to a rest on its side.

 
With a resurgence of nitrous-assisted cars and a rules change impacting his naturally aspirated combination, Johnny Pluchino knew he would have his hands full defending his Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) Pro Outlaw 632 world championship this season. 
 
Pluchino and his New York-based team, led by his father, John, doubled down their efforts, though, and managed to clinch the 2019 Schwing America Pro Outlaw 632 presented by East Side Auto Transport and Precision Chassis world championship in dramatic fashion during the Brian Olson Memorial World Finals presented by ProLine Racing and $hameless Racing at Virginia Motorsports Park in October. 

Up and coming Top Fuel driver Justin Ashley will team with Biocide Systems' Auto Shocker™ brand in 2020 for a run at winning the NHRA's Auto Club Road to the Future program as well as making the company a household name amongst drag racing enthusiasts and beyond. 
 
Ashley, who drives the Strutmasters.com Davis Motorsports Top Fuel dragster, will represent Auto Shocker™ brand, a revolutionary new eco-friendly CLO2 deodorizing product designed to eliminate the toughest of odors in cars, RV'S, boats, and homes. 

Moon Equipment Company, the manufacturer of nostalgic hot rod items such as Moon tanks, discs, and valve covers will wrap its popular yellow MOONEYES graphics on the Jim Dunn Racing Nitro Funny Car for this year’s NHRA Finals in Pomona.  The sponsor and team have been partners for many years and have shared tremendous success on and off the drag strip.