Sunday's final Sportsman results from the 38th annual NHRA Southern Nationals Powered by Mello Yello at Atlanta Dragway. The race is the seventh of 24 in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing
Series:

A mix of first-time winners and past world champions collected victories Saturday night at the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) North-South Shootout at Maryland International Raceway. The all-eighth-mile series crowned winners in six professional categories and seven sportsman classes at the second stop on their eight-race 2018 tour. 

Drag racing has long been a right time, right place kind of sport.

For the second time in a row, Funny Car driver Courtney Force has been in the right place and at the right time.

A historic night of racing concluded with the first ever all-female Top Fuel Final Round at the Gulf Western Oil Nitro Thunder at Sydney Dragway, in front of a massive crowd on Saturday night. 

Rookie sensation Kelly Bettes outclassed a solid top fuel field to best Top Fuel Veteran Rachelle Splatt in what was Bettes’ third consecutive win in the 400 Thunder Championship Series. 

“I grew up as a kid watching Rachelle race in top fuel, and to be in the final against her in the first all-female Top Fuel final – this is a dream!” Bettes said after the victory. “I feel like this is a dream, three consecutive wins in my first season – it’s incredible”. 

Greg Anderson understands the short ball can win games. And, for the 90-time NHRA Pro Stock winner, he combined both short and long to position himself for a win on Sunday at the NHRA Southern Nationals outside of Atlanta, Ga.
Anderson stepped up in a big way during Saturday's Q-3 session, running a 6.586-second elapsed time at 209.69 to not only lock up his 97th No. 1 qualifier but also add eight bonus points to his tally.

Courtney Force clinched the No. 1 qualifying spot for the Funny Car class Saturday at the NHRA Southern Nationals Powered by Mello Yello at Atlanta Dragway.

Clay Millican (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock), and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also No. 1 qualifiers in their respective categories at the seventh of 24 events on the 2018 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.

Top Sportsman racer Randy Alexander was transported to a hospital Saturday afternoon from Atlanta Dragway during the first round of NHRA Southern Nationals eliminations for the Top Sportsman class following a high-speed crash that caught up opponent Bob Mandell. 

The accident, reminiscent of the Dallas collision of Pro Stockers Kenny Koretsky and Bruce Allen, occurred about 100-150 feet past the finish line, in the shutdown area. 

At least Matt Smith knew who took his Pro Stock Motorcycle parts and equipment. His former business partner made off with the items in question during the night at Charlotte last Sunday.

Top Fuel rookie Audrey Worm doesn’t have that luxury.

Two-time Funny Car champion Matt Hagan shared his opinion about the NHRA’s new track-preparation formula that started three races ago, at Houston, and its effects this past week.
 
He said it, and he’s done talking about it.

There comes a time when a team decides that biting the bullet and branching out seems the best and only option if they hope to jump out front.

Friday night, during the Q-2 session for the NHRA Southern Nationals, was that moment for Robert Hight and crew chief Jimmy Prock.