Throughout the year, CompetitionPlus.com will celebrate its journey to 25 years of reporting drag racing news you can trust. The Road to 25 Series will present a story from each year that impacted the drag racing world. Today's installment focuses on Joe Amato stepping away from driving.

Drag racing pioneer Paula Murphy, the first woman licensed to drive a Funny Car died on December 21 at the age of 95. Murphy began her career in 1964 when she was offered an Olds 442 by the LA and Orange County Dealers Association. 

Murphy's career was one of many trailblazing accomplishments for female drag racers. Known primarily as Miss STP, Murphy regularly drove her Funny car over 200 miles per hour and was a sought-after match race booking. She also dipped into the seven-second zone as well. 

If David Sharp has his way, the drag strip he took over earlier this season will become the Chick-fil-A of drag strips. 

Now, if you are among others who might ask, "What does that mean?"

For Sharp, the director of Rocket City Dragway, formerly Huntsville Dragway, the philosophy has nothing to do with chicken and everything to do with how they operate as a race track and an entertainment center. He made the comment to a friend that he wanted the strip to be the Chick-fil-A of drag strips.

The drag racing world is mourning the loss of one of its greatest friends, innovators, and trendsetters.

Don Schumacher passed away in the evening hours of December 20, 2023, following complications related to a battle with lung cancer. He was 79. 

Though Schumacher had stepped back from his role as team owner in the last couple of seasons, his impact on drag racing remained largely in his contributions of decades prior involvement. 

Christmas time is about family, and for one storied drag racer, a metal toy log truck.

Sixteen-time NHRA champion John Force opens his heart about a five-year old's Christmas, and the challenges of growing up poor in the 1950s. This 20-minute video will tug at your heart, and if you are not careful, will have you shedding a tear or five.

A very emotional video where Force talks about his youthful lesson of learning the real meaning of Christmas. 

When Justin Ashley climbed behind the wheel of a Top Dragster in 2016 with his goals of Top Fuel racing, those around him knew he would be something special. Since graduating to Top Fuel in 2019, Ashley has reached at least the semi-finals 35 times in his first 75 races, winning 11. He has also finished no lower than fifth in NHRA’s championship point standings. 

The pathway from Rookie of the Year to seasoned veteran is clearly defined. 

And for Pro Stock driver Camrie Caruso, she did her best to walk that trail with as much swagger as a sophomore driver could do. Two significant wins in her second season proved she's well on making her name known for seasons to come. 

Not only did Caruso win her first national event victory in March at the NHRA Arizona Nationals, she followed the feat with an even more prestigious victory at the NHRA's All-Star Callout event at the NHRA Route 66 Nationals a couple of months later. She earned a spot in the Countdown to the Championship, finishing ninth in the regular season points standings.

NHRA VP of Operations Graham Light described the summer of 1978 as a lot of fun.

Former Funny Car driver Gordie Bonin felt it was a balanced mix between fun and the absurd.

The two drag racing figures teamed up as drivers in the 1979 B movie Fast Company.

Fast Company featured lots of Funny Car footage in its storyline about an aging Top Fuel driver and a sponsor-driven team owner who walked outside of traditional ethical lines. There were plenty of fires and a number of explosions, some skin from the female actors and a great measure of ludicrousness from producers not familiar to the sport.

Nathan Sitko will debut in the NHRA Heritage and Legends Nitro Funny Car series next season as the driver of the Canadian-based Pacemaker Racing AA/FC team. He replaces previous driver and co-owner Ryan Hodgson behind the wheel of the iconic Bubble Up entry. 

“We are pleased to announce Nathan Sitko as our new driver of the Bubble Up Nitro Funny Car,” Pacemaker Racing owner Ron Hodgson said. “Nathan has proven he can drive with the best out there; he has the right attitude and mindset to help propel us forward to more race wins. We believe we have chosen one of the top drivers of Legends Nitro Funny Cars; time will tell.