The second day of the 17th annual Holley National Hot Rod Reunion® presented by AAA Insurance did not disappoint as fans experienced non-stop action on and off the track. Qualifying orders were set for the 16 categories competing at this event and legends of drag racing were honored.

Grand Marshal Randy Walls along with fellow 2019 Reunion Honorees including Army Armstrong, Steve Earwood, Art Marshall, Richard Maskin and Paul Smith, took part in autograph sessions with fans, meet-and-greets and other activities throughout the day.

NHRA Funny Car driver and team owner Blake Alexander wasn’t originally planning on competing at this weekend’s NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway. A last-minute call from veteran team owner Jim Head quickly changed that, though, as Alexander is set to fill in for Jonnie Lindberg in the Head Contractors Ford Mustang Funny Car. 
 
“Jim called me while I was on vacation with my wife’s family at the beach and asked if I could drive in Bristol,” Alexander said. “I moved around some plans since I was supposed to be in Manhattan to meet with my friend from Parts Authority, Blake Buller. We are now linking up in August and I’ll be driving for Jim’s team in Bristol.”

The 17th annual Holley National Hot Rod Reunion® presented by AAA Insurance got off to an exciting start today at historic Beech Bend Raceway. The action-packed day featured a diverse array of classic cars, intense side-by-side drag racing, and appearances by legends of the sport. This three-day event pays tribute to the rich history of American car culture and celebrates the passion that launched the hot rod movement.

Steve Matusek never passes on the chance to discuss his favorite class – Pro Modified.

Friday afternoon during the NHRA Heartland Nationals, Matusek participated in the first-ever Pro Mod School with Brian Lohnes, a gathering designed to introduce the intricacies of drag racing’s most volatile race cars.

This is the first time there has been a town hall style of event focusing on the Pro Modifieds since they first entered NHRA competition in 2001.

Scott Palmer remembers the day when he was young and was asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

“An Evel Knievel,” Palmer responded, with the eyes of a dreamer.

“Well, you can’t be an Evel Knievel; maybe an astronaut, fireman or a policeman?”

The hot rod red painted flames on the hood of the Jim Dunn Racing Funny Car during upcoming NHRA national events in Bristol, Tennessee and Norwalk, Ohio represent the team’s sponsor, Blaze Exhaust Probes.  A key element used in drag racing to measure exhaust temperatures, Blaze Technical Services helps the Dunn’s and many other teams achieve 320 mph runs through the monitoring of engine performance.  

Drag racing is a sport a lot of sports fans don’t understand and certainly don’t appreciate.

Corey Michalek is trying to change that narrative through video.

The national education and advocacy campaign Your Car. Your Data. Your Choice, will be a major sponsor of the Clay Millican-driven Top Fuel Dragster for the upcoming NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, TN, June 14 – 16. The campaign is a co-sponsor with Parts Plus for the Straightline Strategy Group dragster.

Round one of racing for this past weekend's NHRA national event at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, KS, was not kind to members of the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Series. Four cars were significantly damaged in three separate accidents, with the worst being the supercharged '63 Corvette of South Carolina's Jeremy Ray after a scary and spectacular rollover beside Erica Enders in the first pair out.