Scott Palmer believes what he believes. One doesn’t need to ride a horse or straddle a bull to be a cowboy. 

“I’m a cowboy. I must be a cowboy,” the Professional Bull Riders [PBR]-sponsored Palmer declared. “Even the PBR asked me, ‘Can you ride a horse?” 

“I told them I’m not real corporate, and we are a little rough around the edges sometimes here. But they asked me, can you ride a horse? I said, ‘Absolutely not. I cannot ride a horse.”

For the first time in Pro Modified history, regardless of the series, the volatile doorslammer will have a structured championship playoff. The FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, presented by Type A Motorsports, will kick off the new Road to the Championship for the Pro Mod category at Brainerd Motorsports Park this weekend. 

There is little room for error as only four races comprise the championship chase. Just like their Camping World NHRA Drag Racing Series counterparts, the Pro Modified division had their points reset and staggered in five-point increments. 

Erica Enders has said she would rather be known for her success as a drag racer than as a female drag racer. However, the thought of being drag racing’s winningest female drag racer has piqued her interest. Enders is now within one victory of tying Angelle Sampey at 46 as NHRA professional drag racing’s winningest female competitor. Counting her 2004 Super Gas title at the NHRA Springnationals in Houston, Texas, they are already tied. 

Ten water-cooler topics from the NHRA Menard's Nationals in Topeka.

1 - Tasca Goes Back-to-back - Bob Tasca III’s family is Ford royalty. So when he convinced them to return to NHRA because he’d deliver wins, he scored a big one on a rain-delayed Sunday in Topeka, kan.

For Tasca and his team, there was nothing easy about this one.

Practically the entire 2023 NHRA season, Justin Ashley has been setting the pace for the Top Fuel class.

That trend continued at the Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor in Topeka, Kan.

Ashley captured the victory at the final NHRA event at the facility Sunday night as it is closing at season’s end. Sunday’s race was marred by massive rain delays, but did get completed.

Ashley clocked a 3.702-second elapsed time at 323.58 mph to defeat Brittany Force’s 3.707-second lap at 322.88 mph.

When Bob Tasca III has been good this season, he has been great.

That was definitely the case for the veteran driver/team owner at the Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor in Topeka, Kan., Sunday.

Tasca capped a long day full of rain delays to take the win at the final NHRA national event at Heartland Motorsports Park, which is closing at season’s end.

When the curtain dropped on Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kan., Erica Enders left as a star.

The reigning NHRA Pro Stock world champion beat rival Greg Anderson in the finals at the Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor on Sunday.

Enders clocked a 6.617-second time at 206.13 mph in her Elite Motorsports Chevy to defeat Anderson’s 6.636-second lap at 198.41 mph.

Point standings (top 10) following the 34th annual Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor at Heartland Motorsports Park, the 13th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series -

Final round-by-round results from the 34th annual Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor at Heartland Motorsports Park, the 13th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series: