All that was missing was Chip Ellis being towed up the return road at Maple Grove Raceway, holding up a sign just like Kurt Johnson at the 1995 NHRA U.S. Nationals that read, "I still have a job."

And for Ellis, he did that job superbly. He helped put Matt Smith into the winner's circle at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals in Reading, Pa., on Monday.

The six-time champion Smith left no room for imagination when he announced Ellis' role upon winning the NHRA U.S. Nationals. He, without hesitation, proclaimed Ellis would ride for him in Reading aboard the same Buell that served as a thorn in Team Suzuki's side. His role was defined as a blocker.

The wait is over for veteran Top Fuel driver Doug Kalitta.

Kalitta finally captured his milestone 50th career Wally on Monday when he won the rain-delayed Pep Boys Nationals in Reading, Pa.

Kalitta snared the coveted victory with a 3.662-second time at 336.99 mph to defeat Steve Torrence’s 3.695-second lap at 332.34 mph at Maple Grove Raceway.

There’s no better time in the NHRA season to get things rolling in the right direction, and that’s exactly what nitro Funny Car driver Robert Hight did Monday.

Hight powered his Cornwell Tools Chevy/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS to win at the rain-delayed Pep Boys Nationals in Reading, Pa. Hight clocked a 3.854-second run at 330.39 mph to defeat Chad Green’s 3.928-second lap at 327.27 mph in the finals.

The more uncomfortable Matt Hartford is, the more dangerous he is. At the NHRA U.S. Nationals, he was bothered with a miscue in staging for one round and then a burnout snafu, yet he still won.

Hartford wishes that would have been the magnitude of adversity he faced when racing and winning the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway. Not only did Hartford beat Kyle Koretsky in the final round, but he also took the points lead.

Let the record reflect that Hartford's eighth career NHRA Pro Stock win tested his resolve more than any time in his career.

Point standings (top 10) following the 38th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, the 16th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series - 

Final round-by-round results from the 38th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, the 16th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:

Mother Nature was the big winner on the scheduled final day of the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa. Persistent rains began to fall before the completion of the semifinal and final rounds, forcing NHRA officials to push the remaining racing over to Monday at 10 AM.

Top Fuel will kick off the delayed action with the remaining Top Fuel semifinal race between Steve Torrence and Tony Schumacher. The Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series finals will also be held on Monday. The race will be televised at 9:30 PM ET on Monday on Fox Sports 1 (FS1).

If you can read between the lines, the explanation is clear regarding Doug Kalitta’s Reading incident during Saturday’s Top Fuel qualifying at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.

“The tire did not fault – there was nothing wrong with the tire,” Kalitta Motorsports general manager Chad Head. “The car did not have any malfunctions on the run, but something caused the tire to explode; we do not know what caused the tire explosion.”

When you know, you know. And now Scott Lang knows what it takes to win a PDRA Pro Boost race.

Lang, during the Redline Oil PDRA Carolina Nationals in Darlington, SC, scored his first win, beating Jason Harris in the final round. 

Joining the first-time winner atop the headlining divisions were Tommy Franklin (Pro Nitrous) and Alan Drinkwater.