Despite working hard to make his Top Fuel debut at his home track, Lee Callaway has made the tough decision to delay his debut until after next weekend’s Mopar Express Lane SpringNationals presented by Pennzoil at Houston Raceway Park.

“Doing it right” has been a guiding principle of the race-winning Top Alcohol cars he has fielded over the years for the Baytown, Texas resident.  Part of that process lead Callaway to take the car to his long-time chassis builder Chuck Haase’ for a new front half of the chassis and new body for the car.  Callaway recently took delivery of the car but just doesn’t have the time to not only get things together, but show up and race in a first class manner.

Three blow-ups, three shredded bodies in three races and as far as Funny Car veteran Tommy Johnson Jr. is concerned it's not a bad start to a season, just an unfortunate one. Johnson sits fifth in the championship points, just nine points behind John Force, who last year had a similar run of misfortune.

Car Chix, the premier motorsports organization for women, continues to lead the rapidly growing women of motorsports movement with no slow down in sight.  In celebrating its 10th year, Car Chix is announcing four ladies only drag races that will take place at three iconic Midwest drag strips Great Lakes Dragaway, Byron Dragway and Cordova International Raceway.

The first ever Ladies Only No Prep Class will be part of the Anarchy No Prep event scheduled to take place June 8th at Great Lakes Dragaway in Union Grove, Wisconsin.  To be run in a “blind bracket” format, this will be the first race of its kind where women compete against each other on a non-prepped race surface.

The Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) Road to the Finals begins this weekend at the first of eight races on the 2019 PDRA Tour, the PDRA East Coast Nationals presented by FuelTech, April 4-6 at GALOT Motorsports Park in Benson, N.C. Entering its sixth season, the PDRA will debut its new “Friday Night Fire” and “Main Event” formats. 
 
The all-eighth-mile drag racing series restructured its daily event schedule over the offseason in an effort to give fans more of what they want. PDRA Friday Night Fire will kick off at 6 p.m. with back-to-back qualifying sessions for the PDRA’s professional classes. The Main Event begins Saturday at 4 p.m. with pro eliminations and the completion of sportsman eliminations. 

On and off the track, a close friendship has been playing a key role in the success of Australia’s PremiAir Hire and PremiAir Racing for almost two decades.

PremiAir Hire owner and racer Peter Xiberras and his workshop manager Adam Attard have been friends for 18 years after a mutual love of drag racing brought them together. 

Mike Gittings neither entered nor exited his role as NHRA’s official starter in the most desirable way.

Allan Middendorf drove his American Outlaw Nitro Funny Car to his first win at Funny Car Chaos at North Star Dragway in Denton, Texas. This was only the second race Middendorf competed in since he started racing the car in the summer of 2018.

“It’s a blast being a team owner/driver and getting my first win. It’s unbelievable. This has been a three year process building this Funny Car and my Fuel Altered and a win is so rewarding,” Middendorf said. “It’s been a Cinderella weekend. The guys and girls on this team pitched in and busted their butts. You know this is for them, just as much for me. Had a hell of a track here this weekend at North Star Dragway and everybody here put a good car under me.”

After Kilgore College announced its plan to roll out eight-week classes in the fall, the college is adding even more of an incentive for students to attain a higher education and garner success with a chance to win a brand new car.

KC graduate and NHRA top fuel dragster Steve Torrence will be on the Kilgore campus Tuesday to help announce “Cruise for Success,” a program that will allow qualifying KC students to earn points throughout the school year with a chance to win a brand new Chevy Cruze, sponsored by Patterson Chevrolet Kilgore.

Editor’s Note: This is the first article in Competition Plus’ “GOOD NEWS!” feature. Readers can help us keep our eyes open for positive stories in the drag-racing world. We’ll stay on the lookout, too. After all, everybody likes to read something pleasant and uplifting in the news at least once in awhile!

Johnna Dunn has seen plenty of drag-racing trophies in her family’s homes. She happens to have a few of her own that have nothing to do with the sport.

She has nearly a dozen of them in her own “wall of fame,” citizenship awards she has received from elementary school through junior-high school. She added another one March 22.

This most definitely will not be nitro Funny Car driver Gary Densham’s first rodeo when he competes at the Denso Spark Plugs Four-Wide Nationals at Las Vegas April 5-7.

Densham made his NHRA debut at the World Finals in Ontario, Calif., in 1979.

The retired California school teacher is still addicted to the racing drug and continues to campaign on a limited schedule.