After escaping his crash in Houston with no major injuries, NHRA Pro Mod driver Bob Rahaim was ready to get behind the wheel.

He just needed to find a car to do so.

Rahaim’s nitrous-powered ’15 Corvette was not yet ready following his first-round crash two weekends ago and his new ’17 Camaro built by Tim McAmis Race Cars won’t be finished until after the Norwalk race at the end of June, a span that includes five NHRA events.

Not wanting to miss that stretch, Rahaim bought a ’14 Camaro built by McAmis and previously owned by Jim Laurita.

Chad Head returns to the seat of the Tequila Patrón Toyota Camry this weekend at the NHRA Southern Nationals in Commerce, Georgia.
 
Head, who assumed the driving duties for Team Patrón pilot Alexis DeJoria last weekend in Charlotte, will compete as the interim driver of the Kalitta Motorsports entry until DeJoria’s return. DeJoria looks forward to reuniting with her team and returning to the driver’s seat as soon as possible.

NHRA officials have adjusted the schedule for the opening day of the Lucas Oil NHRA Southern Nationals on May 5 at Atlanta Dragway.

The updated schedule moves qualifying two hours earlier in the day due to predicted low temperatures.

The Mannings. The Andrettis. The Hulls.

These are some of the most famous families in the world of professional athletics. From the Super Bowl rings of Archie, Peyton and Eli, to the Indy 500s, Daytona 500s and Formula 1 championships of Mario, Michael and Marco, even the thousands of goals scored in the NHL between Bobby, Dennis and Brett, their surnames ring with greatness.

But of all of the names in the land of competition, perhaps none is as diverse as the last name of Coughlin.

Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Top Fuel points leader Leah Pritchett, is scheduled to appear as a live guest on the HLN network’s program “Morning Express with Robin Meade” on May 4.

The interview will take place in their Atlanta based studios in advance of the Lucas Oil NHRA Southern Nationals. The interview is set to take place at approximately 9:40 a.m. EDT.  
 
 

Both of the NHRA Motorsports Museum’s Hot Rod Reunion events for 2017 will be featured on NHRA All Access, Museum and NHRA officials announced today. The intense racing action at the Holley National Hot Rod Reunion® presented by AAA Insurance in Bowling Green, Ky. and the 26th annual California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile Club of Southern California will be featured during the race weekends.
 
A weekend pass can be purchased at $14.95 and current subscribers to NHRA All Access will receive the content at no additional charge. The weekend pass will go on sale June 12 and will include action from the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals and as a bonus, access to historic racing footage from past NHRA National events.

Ashley Sanford officially has her Top Fuel license.

Sanford just needed to make one more full pass to receive her license which she did May 1 at zMax Dragway in Concord, N.C., in grand fashion no less.

Sanford clocked a 3.821-second elapsed time at 317.72 mph.

Larry Dixon can now check something else off his drag racing bucket list.

Dixon, a three-time Top Fuel world champion (2002-2003, 2010) and winner of 62 national events, now is a licensed Top Alcohol Funny Car driver.

Dixon made the necessary runs in the Tony Bartone-owned Top Alcohol Funny Car May 1 at zMax Dragway in Concord, N.C., to receive his license.

NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Jerry Savoie understands the differences between his daily occupation as a Louisiana-based alligator farmer and piloting a 199-mile per hour Suzuki motorcycle. One has four legs, and the other has two wheels. 

A bad move on either will leave a mark. 

"Reflexes are the key," Savoie declares, in his subtle Cajun drawl.  "Catching alligators is a project to where you have to have reaction, you have to focus and riding a bike is the same thing. You have to focus and get it down the track, hit your shift points and on a Suzuki 100RPM difference makes all the difference in the world. 

Right when his NASCAR career was cranking up, IndyCar and sports-car racer John Andretti made his drag-racing debut. He drove Jack Clark’s Taco Bell Express Dragster and reached the semifinals in his first NHRA national event at the 1993 Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. 
 
He ran his career-best speed (299 mph) that day, as he eliminated the reigning Top Fuel champion Joe Amato in the first round and Tommy Johnson Jr. (who drove the Mopar Express Lube entry) in the quarterfinals. Andretti lost in the semifinals to Mike Dunn. Eddie Hill won the race.