NHRA Pro Stock racer Jason Line and NHRA top end announcer Alan Reinhart have quite the friendship these days.

NHRA top end announcer Alan Reinhart and Pro Stock racer Jason Line have quite the friendship these days. (Photos by Jon Asher)

Or, do they?

If you happened across Reinhart during the recently-completed NHRA U.S.
Nationals in Indianapolis, you might have noticed a decal on his
golf-cart that read, “Jason Line is my best friend.”

Troy Buff and his sister Kimmerly Buff-Pesz grew up in the sport of drag racing.

The Texas-based siblings dreamed there would come a day they’d follow
in the footsteps of their legendary drag racing father, Williard Buff.

Let the record reflect their day has officially arrived.

Troy is in his first-full season as driver of the Bill Miller Engineering Top Fuel dragster.

Kimmerly, whose husband is noted Pro Modified tuner and former driver
Brandon Pesz, recently made her debut as the driver of Tom Conway’s
A/Fuel Dragster.

Melanie Troxel isn’t ready to return to Top Fuel racing any time soon.

The first year Funny Car driver has explored both ends of the emotional spectrum in 2008.

She’s won races and she’s failed to qualify. 

“There are definitely aspects of the dragsters that I miss, but we're
having a lot of fun over here,” said Troxel. “Certainly making the
switch over here is a new challenge so I am not bored by any means.
People keep wanting to ask me which I like better, I don't think, it's
like trying to pick between your kids, I don't think you can pick. They
definitely each have their own personality; they are both an adrenaline
rush and both a lot of fun.”

Four of five professional classes still up for grabs as racers prepare for Amalie Oil North American Nationals

Spencer Massey is knocking on the door of a world championship in his rookie season.

With two races remaining on the 2008 IHRA schedule at least 20
professional drivers have legitimate chances to walk away with world
championships. In what is shaping up to be the most competitive,
exciting season in history four of five class leaders are clinging to
razor-thin advantages in their respective points chases. The Amalie Oil
North American Nationals presented by the New England Dodge Dealers,
the ninth of 10 national events on the 2008 season schedule, will
provide what could be a turning point as these 20 drivers pursue their
dreams.

Prior to the 2008 season Spencer Massey (Fort Worth, Tex.) was a
virtual unknown on the IHRA circuit. The 25-year-old Texan came up
through the junior dragster ranks and spent the fledgling years of his
racing career driving an injected nitrous dragster in NHRA sportsman
competition. He now is one of the most recognizable drivers in drag
racing.

Two-time defending NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster Champion Bill Reichert and
his Rislone Engine Treatment backed team took a big step towards
winning a third championship by winning this past weekend’s prestigious
Mac Tool U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis.  The
win was Reichert’s second at the event, making him only the second
driver in the history of the class to collect two U.S. Nationals wins.
 
Reichert, from Owosso, Mich., had his son Andy in attendance, who
normally assists his father over the phone, to help tune his A/Fuel
Dragster the No. 2 spot in the field with a 5.287 second elapsed time
at 273.29 mph.  In round one, he stayed in the .20’s with a 5.248 at
272.94 mph to defeat Robin Samsel, and then took out rookie driver
Kimmelyn Buff-Pesz in round two with a 5.228 at 276.24, which would
stand as low e.t. and top speed of the event.
 
Reichert’s next two rounds would have huge implications towards this
year’s national championship.  In the semifinals, Reichert squared off
with last year’s Indy winner Marty Thacker, who entered the event
second in points.  Reichert stayed consistent and advanced to the final
round with a 5.266 at 273.33 mph.

Melanie Troxel and the R2B2 Racing Dodge Charger R/T she drives in NHRA
Funny Car competition will highlight this Saturday’s grand opening of R2B2
Motors, located at 3265 Commerce Avenue, Duluth, Ga.

Festivities are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Troxel will sign
autographs, answer questions and be available for photo opportunities
with the car from noon to 2 p.m.

Kyle Busch and Tony Schumacher, the top drivers this season from NASCAR and the NHRA, dueled Tuesday at zMAX
Dragway
@ Concord to promote the upcoming playoff events at Lowe's Motor
Speedway. In the coming weeks, the legendary motorsports complex will
become the world's first to host both the NHRA Countdown to One with
the Sept. 11-14 NHRA Nationals and the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup
with the Bank of America 500 on Oct. 11.
   

Both drivers have respectively clinched the number one
position heading into the playoffs and both are enjoying dream seasons.
Busch has won a whopping 18 times in NASCAR's three national divisions,
including a series best eight wins in Sprint Cup. Schumacher has also
been spectacular, winning six consecutive NHRA POWERade Drag Racing
Series Top Fuel events and winning 11 of the 18 races in the regular
season. With his win at the NHRA U.S. Nationals on Monday in
Indianapolis, Schumacher tied the great Joe Amato for most Top Fuel
wins in a career with 52.

TJ Zizzo considers himself awful lucky to have a friend like Bruce Litton.

TJ Zizzo battled tooth and nail with Bruce Litton in 2007 for the
IHRA championship. He had to call on him for help just to race Indy.

As Zizzo conveys, a special person will step away from their 31st
wedding anniversary to come help a stranded friend on the Wednesday
leading into the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

That’s what happened when Tony Zizzo, TJ’s father and team truck
driver, ran into issues with the Indiana State Police over speeding
through Center Point, Ind., and other infractions such as a log book
violation.