Andrew Hines isn’t winning at quite the same clip as he used to. He also isn’t qualifying as well as the old days.

But that hasn’t stopped the five-time world champion from being at the forefront of the Pro Stock Motorcycle class. Case in point, Saturday at zMAX Dragway.

Mike Castellana locked down the second qualifying position before earning a first round win against Khalid Al Balooshi, extending his day longer than No. 1 qualifier Shane Molinari who dropped his initial match against Pete Farber during the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series portion of the NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway.

Points leader Castellana powered to a 6.000-second pass at 246.84 mph in his Al-Anabi Racing Chevrolet Camaro to earn the victory and extend his lead over second place Troy Coughlin, who dropped his first-round matchup. Castellana is set to go up against Jonathan Gray in the quarterfinals.

Courtney Force powered to the Funny Car No. 1 qualifier Saturday at the 10th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway.

Force claimed the top spot after a run of 3.891 seconds at 330.07 mph in her Advance Auto Parts Chevy Camaro during her second pass Friday. She clinched her category-best seventh No. 1 qualifier on the year as she continues to chase her first victory this season. Force will face off with Bob Gilbertson in round one of eliminations on Sunday.

Shane Molinari powered to the qualifying lead Friday during the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series portion of the NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway. This weekend’s Pro Mod racing, presented by the Real Pro Mod Association, is the tenth of 12 events this season.

Molinari ran a 5.778-second pass at 256.55 mph in the second qualifying session in his S & T Truck Repair Inc. ’68 Firebird.

Courtney Force is determined to keep her chin up and her eyes locked on the prize as the Countdown to the Championship gets underway this weekend.

No longer is she worrying about how fast Fridays and Saturdays - including six top qualifier awards and a qualifying position inside the top four at every race but one this season - have led to zero success on Sundays. Instead, Force is putting all of her effort into these final six races and keeping the Advance Auto Parts team right in the middle of the championship picture.

For two consecutive races, Doug Kalitta has had to watch the entire Kalitta Motorsports organization celebrate as team drivers Alexis DeJoria and J.R. Todd have earned victories on the Funny Car side.

This weekend in Charlotte, Kalitta is hoping it is his turn.

Today is CompetitionPlus.com's birthday.

Pat Musi issued a warning twenty years ago to those in charge of making the rules for Pro Street racing. 

When sanctioning bodies didn't heed to his prophecy, he could only watch the arena fall apart. The former NHRA Pro Stock racer turned Pro Street champion turned NHRA Pro Modified national event winner who stands as one of the leading engine builders in the fast doorslammer market, feels as if he's watching history play out again, albeit in a different area.  

While Musi claims no ties to Nostradamus, he's predicting the same dire consequences will play out again in NHRA Pro Modified. But, don't take his word for it, he counsels, just look at history. 

Musi predicts just as he did back in those National Street Car and National Muscle Car Association days, the turbocharged combination will eventually push the nitrous cars out of competitiveness and eventually the superchargers, as well, leaving an all turbocharged class. 

Doug Kalitta powered to the Top Fuel provisional qualifying lead Friday evening at the 10th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway.

Courtney Force (Funny Car), Tanner Gray (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also provisional qualifying leaders in their respective categories at the first of six playoff events during the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship.

Chuck Gallagher Jr.'s first qualifying run at the NHRA Carolina Nationals turned out to be one big pain.