Kalitta Motorsports is pleased to announce an extension with Global Electronic Technology, the fastest name in credit card processing. Former Top Fuel Champion Shawn Langdon will continue to drive the Global Electronic Technology Top Fuel dragster for the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season. 
                   
“It is great to be associated with Global Electronic Technology. Steve and Samantha Bryson have shown so much dedication to me, Team Kalitta and the NHRA as a whole,” said Shawn Langdon, driver of the Global Electronic Technology Top Fuel Dragster. “They are always at the track cheering us on and as a driver you cannot really ask for more than that. It is incredible that we are just six months into their time with Team Kalitta and they are already ready to resign. I am excited to see what we can do with the whole season next year. To have everything locked up and to not be involved in silly season this offseason is awesome, and I look forward to 2018 as Global Electronic Technology’s driver.”

Matt Hagan set both ends of the Funny Car track record on Friday of the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals, the world’s biggest drag race, at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.

Leah Pritchett (Top Fuel), Tanner Gray (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also lead qualifying in their respective categories at the 18th of 24 events on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.

Mike Castellana ran quickest in the first round of qualifying at the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series portion of the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis. This weekend’s Pro Mod racing, presented by JEGS.com, is the ninth of 12 events on the 2017 schedule.

Castellana raced a track elapsed-time record 5.709-second pass at 252.52 mph in his Al Anabi Racing Chevrolet Camaro during Friday’s only qualifying session at the world’s biggest drag race.

Longtime Mopar fan favorite and 2012 NHRA Pro Stock World Champion Allen Johnson announced his retirement from Pro Stock competition at the end of this season during a press conference on Friday at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

Johnson currently owns 27 NHRA National event wins, good for ninth overall in Pro Stock class history. His 37 No. 1 qualifier spots also rank sixth all-time in Pro Stock and are tied for 22nd overall in NHRA history. Johnson, with his father Roy Johnson by his side and building his engines, has raced to 59 final rounds in 497 career races during his 22-year career - all spent competing in a Mopar HEMI®-powered Dodge Pro Stock machine.

Proof that Outlaw 10.5 racing is stronger than ever will be evident during this weekend’s 8th Annual YellowBullet.com Nationals, held Aug. 31 to Sept. 3 over Labor Day weekend at Cecil County Dragway in Rising Sun, Md. On display will be the exciting and close racing that racers in the Mickey Thompson Outlaw 10.5 Series can produce thanks to its rules package and tires they use, which have resulted in a tight championship points race.

Mello Yello, The Coca-Cola Company’s popular citrus-flavored soft drink brand, will extend its relationship with the world’s largest motorsports sanctioning body by continuing its longstanding association as sponsor of NHRA’s premier series.
 
Racquel Mason, vice president, Sprite & Flavors brands for Coca-Cola North America, and NHRA President Peter Clifford will join NHRA Top Fuel driver Antron Brown to celebrate the announcement on Friday evening at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis during the Chevrolet U.S. Nationals prior to the first round of qualifying for Nitro Funny Car and Top Fuel dragster. The group will unveil a new and exclusive car design for Antron’s Matco Tools Toyota dragster, prominently featuring the Mello Yello brand.

Following a very successful five-race stint as title sponsor of two-time Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders and her Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro, Melling Performance announced a contract extension through the end of the 2017 season with the most acclaimed female driver in Pro Stock history.
 
Melling Performance initiated its involvement in the world's quickest and fastest motorsport after CEO Mark Melling attended one of the Charlotte drag races in 2016.

Courtney Force and Terry McMillen secured the No. 8 positions in the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout following a special lottery drawing held today during a press conference in downtown Indianapolis to preview the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals and the lucrative specialty event held during the weekend.

Force, who is the defending Traxxas Nitro Shootout Funny Car winner, has yet to win a race this year but earned the most fan votes with 50 percent and will face top-seeded Ron Capps in the first-round on Sunday. She has raced in the event five times and took home the victory last year as the fifth seed.

CompetitionPlus.com will bring major coverage to drag racing's most prestigious race, the NHRA U.S. Nationals starting Wednesday.

The expanded coverage, sponsored by Jerry Bickel Race Cars and Aeromotive, Inc., will feature SEVEN event notebooks, a VIDEO features page, and a results page starting on Wednesday.

CompetitionPlus.com is bringing its A-team of reporters including Susan Wade (Top Fuel, Funny Car), Tracy Renck (Pro Stock and Pro Stock Bike), Larry Crum (Pro Modified, Top Alcohol), as well as Jon Asher, who will provide his insightful Asher's insider. Publisher/Editor Bobby Bennett will cover the Lucas Oil Sportsman categories starting Wednesday before transitioning over the Aeromotive Video Notebook, where he will be joined by talented shooter Jake Simmons.

NHRA is a governing body, aimed at staging drag races. This weekend in Indy, they will also serve up a reminder they are in the entertainment business as well. 

At the Chevrolet Performance NHRA U.S. Nationals, NHRA will unveil the “Pro Stock Battle Of The Burnouts: Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em” initiative.

Inspired by Shane Gray's nearly 600-foot burnouts during the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, NHRA will stage a burnout competition amongst all Pro Stock cars during the five qualifying sessions.