After racing to the top of the Pro Stock Motorcycle order Friday, Hector Arana Jr. weighed in on class controversy that has erupted between Steve Johnson and Matt Smith as a result of the NHRA Tech Committee adding weight to the V-Twin-powered entrants.

Mike Salinas had Top Fuel championship expectations for the 2019 NHRA Mello Yello Series season.

After three events, things weren’t going according to plan.

Veteran nitro Funny Car driver Tim Wilkerson has proven time and time again that he’s someone the competition can't forget about.

He proved that again Friday at the 20th annual DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at Las Vegas.

NHRA Funny Car racer Shawn Langdon’s last victory came 36 races ago in a Top Fuel dragster, Sept. 25, 2016, at St. Louis.

Make that one week ago, in Durham, N.C.

The 2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season continued Friday when Tim Wilkerson raced to the provisional No. 1 spot at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway at the 20th annual DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.

Mike Salinas (Top Fuel), Bo Butner (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. are also provisional qualifying leaders in their respective categories at the fourth of 24 events on the 2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.

Relentless rain showers forced Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) race officials to cancel Friday qualifying at the PDRA East Coast Nationals presented by FuelTech at GALOT Motorsports Park in Benson, N.C. The series’ first of eight races will resume Saturday morning with two sportsman qualifying sessions and a second and final pro qualifying session before going into eliminations. 

When NHRA Chief Starter Mark Lyle unexpectedly passed away on March 27, 2016, it shocked the drag racing community. Deeply respected by those he interacted with both on and off the racetrack, Lyle was honored following his death with a tremendous outpouring of love from racers, friends, family and fans following his death. It was a true testament to the positive impact he had made since becoming just the third Chief Starter in the history of the sanctioning body. 

Controversy certainly is nothing new to the NHRA’s Pro Stock Motorcycle gang or to Steve Johnson and Matt Smith in particular. They have been in the class so long they have seen more weight dropping and being added in the bike pits than at a Jenny Craig center.

But they’re locked in an ugly verbal clash that escalated online Wednesday, churning more drama than anyone expected for the class’ first spring trip to Las Vegas for this weekend’s Denso Spark Plugs Four-Wide Nationals. It’s all about the latest Tech Committee’s rule changes following the bikes’ season-opening Gatornationals three weeks ago. It’s another predictable and likely ineffective tip of the see-saw, this time in the Suzukis’ favor, one that even benefitting Johnson mused that “honestly, I don’t think it’s going to make much of a difference.”

Chris Payne has decided to stay and fight.

Payne, the owner of Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kan., confirmed on Tuesday in an article published by cjonline.com, said he would fight with Shawnee County to keep the track in its present location.

Payne has engaged in a battle with the Shawnee County appraiser’s office over tax bills.