It's hard to not be sentimental about a place where you have more professional wins than any other drag racer.
 
On Sunday afternoon, Ron Capps surpassed Tony Schumacher as the winningest driver at Bristol Dragway during the sanest day at the double-event NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, the seventh stop on the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Despite a two-hour rain delay, Capps found his groove all day, stopping Alexis DeJoria in the final round to pick up his seventh win at the picturesque racing facility carved out of the mountains of east Tennessee. 

Reports of Erica Enders’ demise were greatly exaggerated.

After the first six races of the season, Enders had a 2-6 elimination round record and was 14th in the points standings.

Those aren’t normal numbers for the five-time and reigning Pro Stock world champion.

Gaige Herrera was unstoppable to start the 2023 NHRA season.

He won the first three races of the season from the No. 1 qualifying spot on his Suzuki and seemed on the verge of making it four in a row at the Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tenn.

But that 1.000 batting average went out the window Sunday. Herrera, in his first season riding for powerhouse Vance & Hines, saw the streak come to an end when he had a redlight start against veteran Steve Johnson in the finals.

Johnson wasn’t complaining. Johnson, who also is aboard a Suzuki, cruised to the finish line in 7.174 seconds at 158.63 mph.

Justin Ashley completed a doubleheader sweep at Bristol Dragway, powering to the Top Fuel win at the 22nd annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals on Sunday with a track speed record run in the final round, a day after winning the NHRA New England Nationals at Bristol.

Ron Capps (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Steve Johnson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won at the eighth of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Point standings (top 10) following the 22nd annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway, the eighth of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series - 

Final round-by-round results from the 22nd annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway, the eighth of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:

An attendee struck by a runaway Nostalgia Funny Car at Milan Dragway's Detroit Dragway Reunion event has died from his injuries, as reported by MLive.com.

Don’t mess with Texas – or Erica Enders who’s a Texas girl through and through. And don’t mess with Elite Motorsports, for which Enders is the longtime headliner.

For the past three months, Internet keyboard jockeys and cruelly critical fans have had their say about her six-race slump. But this weekend, reigning and five-time Pro Stock champion Enders is getting the last word at the Thunder Valley Nationals at East Tennessee’s Bristol Dragway.

After finalizing her first No. 1 qualifying performance of the season and 30th of her career Saturday, Enders said, “We don't really have to say anything. Our scoreboard will do the talking, as it always has in the past. We’ve made big strides in the right direction for our whole organization.”

There’s no question Bob Tasca III always wanted to win his hometown race in Epping, N.H.

Tasca finally did just that, but it came it Bristol, Tenn., because the New England Nationals last weekend were rained out and moved to the new venue which was the Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, the next stop on NHRA’s national event circuit.

For the Epping final, Tasca beat legendary John Force.

The New England Nationals last weekend were rained out in Epping, N.H. so that race was moved to Bristol, Tenn., the next stop on NHRA’s national event circuit, this weekend.

The venue change didn’t bother Top Fuel star Justin Ashley at all.

Ashley, piloting his Maynard Ashley Racing Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel dragster, defeated Tony Schumacher on a holeshot in an all-JCM Racing final to win the New England Nationals Saturday.

Ashley clocked a 3.846-second elapsed time at 324.12 while Schumacher, an eight-time world champion, posted a quicker 3.835-second lap at 323.66 mph.