NHRA officials announced today that the popular Mickey Thompson Tires Top Fuel Harley Drag Racing Series category will expand and compete at 10 events on the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. The first race of the season will take place at the season-opening Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Pomona, Calif. Feb. 8-11.

The series will visit the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals and end their season at the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals for the first time. The category will again race at the NHRA Arizona Nationals, Denso Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals, NHRA SpringNationals, Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals presented by Minties, NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, NHRA New England Nationals, and NHRA Northwest Nationals.

Royal Purple Raceway, site of the annual NHRA SpringNationals, will suspend all drag racing activities through the end of the year to help in Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.

Utilizing its gigantic footprint in the Houston suburb of Baytown, Royal Purple Raceway will become a temporary storage facility for cars, trucks, boats and construction equipment destroyed by the largest recorded storm in U.S. history.

Jon Asher, the seasoned Senior Editor for CompetitionPlus.com, will bring you his five decades worth of insight to the Chevrolet Performance NHRA U.S. Nationals from Inidanapolis. Follow along daily with the seasoned journalist as he brings you this weekend's race from a different angle - HIS!

Veteran Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Matt Smith confirmed to CompetitionPlus.com Wednesday that Polaris will no longer be sponsoring him effective at the end of the 2017 season.

“I was notified by them the weekend of Brainerd (Minn., Aug. 17-20) to start looking for a new (primary) sponsor,” Smith said. “I don’t know if they are going to come back as a small associate sponsor for me and in NHRA, but I know they will not be a major sponsor for me and in the NHRA after this season.”

Top Fuel dragster driver Brittany Force completed a successful test in a new John Force Racing Funny Car on Tuesday at Lucas Oil Raceway, making three runs down the famed track.

The Monster Energy dragster driver has had a successful career to date in Top Fuel, winning four times and contending for the championship the last few seasons.

If you ask Stevie "Fast" Jackson, this beauty rolling out of the Jerry Bickel Race Cars hot rod shop will eventually be the new holder of the Radial vs. The World world record, and it could achieve the feat in its debut at soon as the No Mercy drag radial event in Valdosta, Ga., October 5 - 8, 2017. And no, Stevie Fast isn't driving it. 

WIX Filters, a global manufacturer of filtration products, will grow their relationship with Kalitta Motorsports as they take the primary position on the Top Fuel dragster driven by former Top Fuel Champion Shawn Langdon for the NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway in Charlotte.

“It is very exciting to be involved in this program with WIX Filters,” said Langdon. “There is a lot of hype with this race being the Countdown opener and to represent WIX at their home track makes it even more special. I have been involved with Team Kalitta for a short time, but the whole WIX family has welcomed me with open arms. I am excited to have all of their employees, customers and guests at the track in Charlotte and I look forward to sharing their commitment to Kalitta Motorsports all weekend.”