The inaugural event for the Verge Motorsports 4.70 Door Car and 4.50 Dragster Quick Outlaws was greeted with a 98% chance of rain for race day, so the Saturday event was rescheduled for Sunday and it proved to be a great decision.  Sunny skies greeted the 51 door cars and 21 dragsters that showed for first round at the historic Mooresville (NC) Dragway.

At the end of the day, it was Lee Ashe taking his 1963 Corvette to victory lane and a $10,000 payday over a red-lighting Jonathon Gibbs. Ashe, who had been fighting chassis set-up problems all day saved his best reaction time .017 for the final but didn’t need it after Gibbs was -.008 red on the tree. Both drivers ran it all out with Ashe recording a 4.73 and Gibbs’ Camaro finishing in 4.74 seconds. Tyler Allen and Justin Smith were the semi-finalist.

Due to the impending threat of inclement weather at the Texas Motorplex this weekend, American Drag Racing League officials made the difficult decision to cancel all racing activities at the track. The CBD American Shaman 2021 ADRL tour is now rescheduled at the Dallas-area venue for July 2-3. All free tickets distributed for this weekend's ADRL Dragpalooza will be honored for the makeup date.

Ambition is not a problem for Jake Opatrny.

Opatrny had zero family ties to the sport of drag racing yet he went from a fan of the sport to a licensed Top Fuel driver.

Opatrny received his Top Fuel license at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, April 19. He made one half-track pass and two full passes to get his license.

Opatrny said he clocked 3.95 and 3.94-second full laps both over 300 mph. 

NHRA has announced the creation of an all-new electric vehicle (EV) racing class that will join the NHRA Summit Series in 2022.
 
For decades, NHRA's Member Tracks have seen EVs, hybrids, and alternative-energy vehicles use their racetracks as a proving ground. Creating an EV class within the NHRA Summit Series accelerates the NHRA's commitment to its racers and partners looking to develop new technology. With the rise in performance of electric street vehicles also comes the need for the NHRA to provide a safe place to race and a platform for competitors to evolve and demonstrate their capabilities.

In a nationwide effort to help expand COVID-19 vaccine uptake, Walmart today announced a partnership with their Walmart mobile wellness program and Stringer Performance and Top Fuel Driver Clay Millican with the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) for a vaccination and education event during the 2021 NHRA Southern Nationals at the historic Atlanta Dragway. 

Walmart’s licensed pharmacists will be onsite to vaccinate eligible attendees of the event Friday, April 30 through Saturday, May 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 2 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Attendees 18 and older can walk up to get the first dose of the Moderna vaccine while allocation lasts. Information on where to get a second dose of the vaccine will be available onsite. Insurance is not required and there is no cost to receive the vaccine, however patients should bring their insurance card if they have one. 

Don Schumacher Racing is pleased to welcome the addition of the Maynard family to its roster of partners. Drag racing enthusiasts Joe and Cathi Maynard are longtime NHRA fans and when they decided to take their passion for straight line racing to the next level and become personally involved with an NHRA team, linking up with drag racing’s winningest organization as a major associate partner was a natural fit.
 
Military veterans Joe and Cathi Maynard have an active interest in supporting various charitable organizations, particularly those with a military connection. The Maynards were aware of DSR’s history with the U.S. Army, as well as military-supporting organizations, including most notably, the Infinite Hero Foundation. As residents of Clarksville, Tenn., the Maynards have developed a friendship with fellow Clarksville residents and DSR friends, Gary and Mari Linfoot, who have become synonymous with the Infinite Hero Foundation among the drag racing community. The Linfoots introduced the Maynards to DSR, and a relationship quickly developed. 

 
With a challenging 2020 in the rearview mirror,  one could only hope with 2021 opened with more promise. Unfortunately, Mother Nature wasn’t feeling so positive, forcing the Big Dog Series promoters to postpone their season opener by two weeks. 

This deviation from the plan did little to deter the efforts of defending Big Dog Series champion Jason Harris, as he opened the new season with a victory and did so in impressive fashion by winning from the No. 1 seed. 
Harris was followed in the qualifying order by Chris Rini (3.900), Brian Shrader (3.931), Cam Clark (3.946), Robbie Keziah (3.962), Mike Graham (3.970), Matt Giangrande (4.134) and Bubba Turner (4.316).

When good things like Atlanta Dragway hosting an NHRA national event come to an end, other great things begin as is the case with Wisconsin-grown potatoes going into retailer Menards to support the NHRA Pro Mod class.  The NHRA E3 Spark Plugs Pro Mod Series presented by J&A Service will be Powered by Wisconsin Potatoes during the final Lucas Oil NHRA Southern Nationals at the track in Commerce, Georgia, April 30-May 2.

When engine innovator Sonny Leonard died on Jan. 10, his customers -- many of whom were also close friends -- were at a loss.

“I don’t know what they’re going to do without him, really,” said one long-time client of the scores of competitors in drag racing, pulling and boat racing who depended on Sonny’s World Class Racing.

“I don’t even want to think about it,” said another.

Concerns about Sonny’s future as a top-tier source of extreme horsepower have proved unfounded. The business was closed for just one day: Jan. 14, the day of Leonard’s funeral in Lynchburg, Va. The only thing that has slowed operations are factors that are out of the company’s control.