The Indy Cinderella story of father and son, Bucky and Travis Hess, came literally to a crashing halt during the semi-finals of the Mopar Hemi Shootout during the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

This unfortunate turn of events began when the engine on Bucky's 1968 "Kandy Kuda" Barracuda let go. The oil caused him to lose control and hit the concrete wall head on.

Once in a lifetime you get to be part of an event that took years to develop. Such was the event in downtown Mooresville, NC on October 5.

Having been part of the drag racing media for the past 40 years, I have had the great honor of photographing and writing about some of the
greatest competitors our sport has ever seen. When the board of directors of the NC Drag Racing Hall of Fame decided to honor the achievements of Mr. Rick Hendrick, some only know about the many outstanding honors bestowed upon Hendrick Motorsports and Mr. Hendrick in NASCAR, few know that he actually rose to fame in quarter-mile competition, much of which was of the liquid variety.

Melissa Surber has achieved what she set out to do when entering one of drag racing's more competitive classes -- she has made her mark.

Surber, who made her NHRA debut last July at the Mopar Mile High Nationals, has qualified at eight of 13 races this season, and scored her first career round victory by taking out Eddie Krawiec in the first round of the NHRA Southern Nationals.

“I’m pretty close to my expectations,” Surber admitted. “I was hoping to do a little bit better, but, you know, we have the rest of the year to do it, so we can get there.”

The AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals and the Dodge NHRA Nationals are switching their event dates for the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship, NHRA officials announced Tuesday.

The Dodge NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Penn. will move up one week to Sept. 21-24 and the AAA Insurance NHRA Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Ill. will move back one week to Sept. 29-Oct. 1. The change will improve the overall schedule for both venues.

Ever have a moment that changes your life forever?

Sophomore Top Fuel drag racer Kebin Kinsley did.

“I remember when my dad sat me in the Flying Dutchman Funny Car when I was about eight years old,” Kinsley recalled. “And they set the body down, and I’m like, ‘Yeah, this is it right here. This is what I want to do."

Aaron Strong has one Pro Stock victory on his resume, but for the Washingtonian being successful on the drag strip isn't uncharted territory. Strong has won multiple events while racing Competition Eliminator in NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competition. 

Racing in his home state event at Pacific Raceways in early August, Strong raced his way to the final round only to have rain postpone his first professional victory for a month later in Indianapolis.

The delay was a blessing in surprise.

​Two worthy military veteran groups will receive significant grants through the Infinite Hero Foundation this weekend at the AAA Texas NHRA Fallnationals outside of Dallas, Texas.

The key figures instrumental in this presentation couldn't be any prouder. 

Houston native and retired Navy Lt. Morgan Luttrell will receive a pair of $100,000 grants made possible by the Infinite Hero Foundation and presented by Terry Chandler, the New Mexico-based philanthropist, who funds 100-percent of the Infinite Hero Foundation Funny Car driven by past NHRA champion Jack Beckman. 

Larry Sullivan, one of the founding partners of the Fast News Network, parent company of DragRaceCentral.com, passed away today at the age of 79.

After retiring from the Air Force Larry began working with several defense contractors in a variety of positions. At the same time, in the early 90s, he and the late Ed Dykes reported on drag racing on CompuServe. After Ed passed away, Rick Green partnered with Larry to form FastNews Network.

Roy Johnson just wanted to drag race; accolades were the least thing on his mind.

Five decades after he first drag raced the elder Johnson, who serves as crew chief on son Allen Johnson's Pro Stocker, is going into the East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame.The induction is scheduled for February 2017.

"Well, when I started this years ago, I never thought anybody would think of me as Hall of Fame material," Johnson said. 

The records speak otherwise.