It was a record-setting night as International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) Drag Racing returned to Maryland International Raceway for the 22nd annual IHRA President's Cup Nationals Fueled by Sunoco, the third race of the 2016 IHRA Drag Racing Series season. After two qualifying sessions, Jason Rupert, Billy Harper, Tracy Kile and Cary Goforth lead their respective IHRA categories.

Two-time and defending AMSOIL Nitro Funny Car champion Jason Rupert picked up right where he left off after winning the season's second race in Texas.  His 5.635-second pass at 255.39 mph set the Maryland International Raceway track record, and he is the No. 1 qualifier entering President's Cup Nationals eliminations on Saturday. Mike McIntire, Jr., who qualified second, set the track speed record reaching 258.71 mph at the finish line.

The legends of racing were honored for their contributions to many facets of motorsports during the second day of the NHRA Holley Hot Rod Reunion presented by AAA Insurance at Beech Bend Raceway.  Also taking place during the day was the continuation of racing as well as the massive car show taking place at the multipurpose facility.
 
During the course of a busy day the influential members of the motorsports community had the opportunity to meet with the fans, sign autographs and be interviewed on the public address system for those in the stands to hear.

Ron Capps raced to the Funny Car qualifying lead on Friday at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway.

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel) and Jason Line (Pro Stock) also were qualifying leaders in their respective categories at the 11th event of 24 on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.

Picture perfect weather and a bustling Beech Bend Raceway Park set the stage for a successful start of the Holley National Hot Rod Reunion presented by AAA Insurance. Fans of classic cars that have been restored to immaculate conditions and thrilling nostalgic quarter-mile drag racing filled the grounds of the scenic facility in Bowling Green, Ky.
 
“The first day of the event is one that brings a high level of excitement to the historic facility,” said Steve Gibbs, event director. “Seeing all the cars lined up to get into the facility before the sun comes up is a great way to start the event.

As David Rampy, a decorated soldier of the NHRA's Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series with four championships and 91 national event wins, takes to Bristol Dragway a moment of total disappointment will linger in the back of his mind as he seeks win number 92 at this weekend's NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.

Bristol Dragway is a beautiful facility carved out of a valley in the hills of Eastern Tennessee. It was leveled in 1998 and rebuilt under the direction of new owner Bruton Smith. 

As Rampy stages his Super Stock Camaro and braces for the launch at Bristol Dragway, there will be few reminders of the terrible day in September 1985 when he watched his mentor and best friend, Don Young, lose his life in an accident while racing.

Driving an NHRA nitro Funny Car is a nerve-wracking experience.

Dealing with that stress, however, is second nature to veteran driver Ron Capps.

Smax Smith holds court beside the fading red trailer that’s dwarfed in the NHRA Top Fuel pits like a charming country barn wedged between two New York skyscrapers.

His snarl of long blond hair and his hummingbird-grade energy belie his 61 years, 42 of which he has spent in drag racing. That’s when he hasn’t been hosting a wildly popular BBC program that bills itself as “the biggest motoring telly show in history” – or inspecting cars for Canada’s Ontario province and sometimes cleaning windows . . . yes . . . for an honest day’s living.

When Charlie Westcott Jr. made the decision to move to NHRA’s Pro Stock class, he knew there were going to be some bumps in the road.

Westcott Jr. definitely went through some growing pains when he made his debut at the Summernationals last weekend in Englishtown, N.J.

“I was going to make my debut wherever I was ready for and I had tested previously and I had what were fairly good results and had been on the dyno with the thing since the first of January,” Westcott Jr. said. “We went and tested at 131 (Motorsports Park in Martin, Mich.) two or three times. The first day we went over there to (131) I went a 76 in average weather. So, I went over to Englishtown fully expecting to go that fast if the weather was better over there and the car shook the tires four out of five runs. Then on the fourth run, I did get down, but it wasn’t that great.”

Protect The Harvest, a group founded in 2011 to assist in the fight for the rights of America’s farmers, ranchers, animal owners and sportsmen/sportswomen, has signed an agreement to become the title rights sponsor of the upcoming NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event at Pacific Raceways near Seattle.
 
The 29th annual Protect The Harvest NHRA Northwest Nationals presented by Lucas Oil will be held Aug. 5-7, 2016, an event that is a tradition-rich stop in the legendary three-race NHRA Western Swing. The race will feature competition in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock and will feature live finals coverage televised on the FOX national broadcast network. Qualifying coverage will be telecast on FOX Sports 1.

When it comes to racing in Australia, three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon is quite accomplished. 

For Dixon, the success has come naturally.

For instance, on his very first run at Willowbank Raceway, a top notch drag racing complex located 45 minutes southwest of Brisbane, the naturally talented driver had quite the introduction to thunder while Down Under. An axle broke on the 300-inch wheelbase Rapisarda Autosport dragster he was piloting, causing the car to lose a wheel and do a complete 360-degree turn without as much as a brush with either retaining wall.