Veteran NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Chip Ellis received a truly unexpected phone call Wednesday.

“I got a call from (Vance & Hines team co-owner) Terry (Vance),” Ellis said. “I didn’t know anything about anything. I was as surprised as anybody could be surprised when he asked me if I wanted to ride one of their Harley-Davidson Street Rods at Pomona as a tribute to Junior Pippin. This is amazing and I’m pretty much speechless to have this opportunity.”

The season-ending NHRA Auto Club Finals are Nov. 9-12 in Pomona, Calif.

John Zappia has always had a swagger, an American description to walk in confidence, while in his Australian homeland. Winning an unprecedented ten Top Doorslammer championships has a lot to do with this level of confidence. 

Zappia, who is aligned with fellow Australians Noonan Race Engineering, joined them in the United States for a United States tour which included participation in Professional Drag Racing Association [PDRA] events. 

Zappia returned to Perth this week and made the haul over to Sydney Dragway to participate in the AC Delco East Coast Thunder – The Nationals,  Round 2 of the Thunder 400 Pro Slammer 2018 Championship continues.

Shawn Langdon admits when he comes to the line, especially in a crucial run, his mind is an impenetrable fortress.

Monday afternoon just wasn't one of those moments.

Langdon, still in Las Vegas, was at The Strip, beginning the licensing process in advance of his move to the Funny Car ranks in 2018. When the body came down for the first time, with a 10,000-horsepower belching a symphony of caged horsepower out of angled headers, it was uncharted waters for a dragster-only professional racer. 

Walk the floor of the SEMA Show with Roger Richards as he brings you the highlights of the longest running automotive aftermarket trade show. You'll see the cars, parts and knowing Roger, the girls on display in Las Vegas.

On Tuesday, October 1, 2017, Glen Cromwell became only the fourth President in the history of the National Hot Rod Association becoming what many feel is the first blue-collar leader of the Glendora, Ca-based series since founder Wally Parks. His appointment begins on January 1, 2018. 

Cromwell rose through NHRA’s ranks from Division Director to become Senior Vice President, Media and Marketing.

Cromwell succeeds Peter Clifford as President. Clifford will assume the newly created post of Chief Executive Officer, following over 20 years with the organization, including serving as its president since 2015. Cromwell will head up NHRA’s leadership team and will report to Clifford and the board.

Cromwell joined NHRA in 1997 and has been a key player leading the sport’s marketing efforts for the past 20 years. In addition, he has been leading all of the sanctioning body’s television and new media activities and its owned racetracks.  

In this exclusive interview, Cromwell discusses with CompetitionPlus.com Publisher Bobby Bennett his road to the leadership position, as well as parts of his vision for the future. 

Following a successful multi-race major sponsorship deal with two-time Pro Stock champion Erica Enders in the second half of 2017, Mark Melling of Melling Performance has announced a new partnership with Elite Motorsports team owner Richard Freeman for 2018. Melling Performance will take up primary sponsorship of the racecar at 16 of 24 races next season, and serve as a major associate sponsor at the remaining eight national events.
 
"We're thrilled to be expanding our relationship with such quality people as Erica and Richard," Melling said. "Our involvement with this first-class team and our company being back in racing this past six months has really resonated with our customer base. It made it an easy decision to step up our program for next year."

Larry Dixon has done many spectacular things in a dragster. He's spun one out at speed on three wheels. He's flown higher than the scoreboards. He's also won three NHRA championships as well as 62 national events.

In 2018, he's likely to secure his crowning achievement somewhere in the United States, on a drag strip yet to be named. Dixon is going to run 300 miles per hour with an honest-to-goodness backseat driver. 

Dixon, on Tuesday at the 2017 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, revealed his new two-seat Top Fuel experience dragster. What would inspire such an extreme project?

"Because I’m crazy enough to think that it’s not that crazy," Dixon admitted.

A small scuffle between a past and present Funny Car driver on the starting line during the NHRA Toyota Nationals, Sunday in Las Vegas, ripped the scab off of a big sore which has been festering since earlier this season.

The issue, which was kept in hushed tones throughout the Funny Car pits, on Sunday became very much public.

The National Hot Rod Association announced that Glen Cromwell, who rose through NHRA’s ranks from Division Director to become Senior Vice President, Media and Marketing, is promoted to President, effective January 1, 2018.

Cromwell succeeds Peter Clifford as President. Clifford will assume the newly created post of Chief Executive Officer, following over 20 years with the organization, including serving as its president since 2015. Cromwell will head up NHRA’s leadership team and will report to Clifford and the board.

Ford will bring its legendary performance legacy to help fuel Bob Tasca III’s Mustang Funny Car for the 2018 NHRA drag racing season.

Ford Performance will help the team make the car as “slippery” as possible through the company’s investments in aerodynamics engineering, including racing and production vehicle wind tunnels.

Ford and its selected brands will sponsor Bob Tasca III and Tasca Racing for at least 16 races next season, building on the company’s legacy of drag racing that dates back to the start of the sport. Other sponsors will be solicited to fill out of the rest of the season.