The year of 2016 marks the fiftieth anniversary at Europe’s premier and oldest drag racing venue and it witnessed a fine start to the European Drag Racing Series opening event with cool, dull mornings that developed into fine warm, sunny afternoons for the international array of race vehicles and race fans gathered for the Main Event at Santa Pod Raceway.

There were records set, cheerleaders dancing, air displays and nostalgia race vehicles all in attendance and with stunning race action all weekend it was deemed a fitting start to the fiftieth year of celebrations.

The biggest event to take place at the Memphis International Raceway in seven years just got bigger as officials announced the addition of current NHRA Funny Car World Champion Del Worsham and "First Lady of Drag Racing" and four-time World Champion Shirley Muldowney to the lineup for the 2016 World Series of Drag Racing presented by Sunoco and the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau, set for Aug. 25 and 26.

This announcement adds historical significance to the already talent-packed lineup for the event, including six-time IHRA Top Fuel world champion and local Drummonds, Tennessee, native Clay Millican; current and two-time NHRA Pro-Stock World Champion and two-time K&N Horsepower Challenge winner Erica Enders-Stevens; "The King of Dragsters" Don "Big Daddy" Garlits; father-son duo Tim and Daniel Wilkerson; and three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon.

Champions were crowned for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Burndown at Sundown event at Route 66 Raceway where the NHRA North Central Division racers took home the Wally in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp Eliminator, Super Stock and the rest of the classes that encompass the nationwide series.

Racers in the Lucas Oil Series earn points toward national and divisional championships with a year end points fund of more than $500,000.  Also in action was the NHRA Harley-Davidson Drag Racing Series with six classes led by Pro Fuel Harley.

During the last three NHRA national events nitro Funny Car driver Ron Capps struggled, not making it past the second round in his Don Schumacher Racing NAPA Dodge.

Well, Capps’ fortunes changed in a big way at the New England Nationals in Epping, N.H.

Antron Brown was giving a speech at the Matco Tools hospitality tent Saturday, and one NHRA New England Nationals fan shouted out to him, “If it rains, I ain’t going to be able to come back tomorrow.”

The Top Fuel driver responded with some advice: “Look – we only come up here once a year. Work will be there Tuesday. Come on back. Work ain’t goin’ nowhere. Enjoy yourself. Remember – you don’t live to work; you work to live.”

The home state of North Carolina dominated the winner’s circle for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at GALOT Motorsports Park this past weekend including Steve Furr who advanced to the final round in both Super Gas and Top Dragster looking for the event double up.  This is the first time in several years, and the only time this year, that the Lucas Oil racers will compete on an eighth-mile track instead of a quarter-mile.
 
In Furr’s first final, the Harrisburg, N.C., racer met up with Corey Manuel in Super Gas and recorded a .005 second reaction time which proved to be the difference.  Manuel, Winston-Salem, S.C., went 6.307 on the 6.30 index but could not catch Furr who recorded his 16th divisional win with a 6.326 second, 127.21 mph lap.

The domination of the KB Racing Pro Stock team continued Monday.

Greg Anderson gave KB Racing its ninth NHRA national event win this season in nine tries.

Antron Brown raced to his second Top Fuel victory of the season Monday at the rain-delayed NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway.

Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) also were winners of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event near Boston.

Monday's final Sportsman results from the Fourth annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway. The race is the ninth of 24 in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

Point standings (top 10) following the Fourth annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway, the ninth of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series -