It's race day at Sanair Raceway, north of the border in Montreal, Quebec. Qualifying is complete, now it's time to begin the process of eliminating down for a winner of the inaugural VRHRA Grandnationals, Race 7 of 9 in the Virtual Reality Hot Rod Association. 

It's all fun in fantasy land to get away from the troubles of what is happening in the real world. 

For those new to this fantasy world, this is how it works. The race with the most votes advances to the next round. We had two days of voting to seed the eight-car fields. 

First-round ends tonight at 6 PM EST. 

As Leah Pruett's Top Fuel dragster broke apart and went careening through the sky above World Wide Technology Raceway, a monster sent a message that it might have been dormant for a half-decade, but it was still out there ready to attack at the most inopportune moments. To clarify, this "monster" has been the inexplicable buckling of the Top Fuel chassis at the front of the footbox, inevitably in most cases breaking the chassis in half and sending both sections skyward and subsequently crashing to the ground. On multiple occasions, sources have indicated in some instances, the chassis have buckled but returned to the pits intact.

NHRA’s exclusive streaming service, NHRA.tv, will now offer complimentary viewing of select NHRA Sportsman events, powered by NHRA National Dragster magazine.
 
NHRA fans and racers alike can create an NHRA.tv account and will be granted complimentary access to view select Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events, beginning in February.

Veteran racers – father and son – Joe and Joey Haas are embarking on a new adventure in 2021.

Joe and Joey of Nimrod Motorsports acquired a turnkey big show Funny Car this past summer. The car will be run with a nostalgia '57 Chevy body as well as with a modern 2004 Camaro body in the upcoming season.

For Cynthia Phillips, drag racing had been a part of her life since 1985, when she and drag racer Quain Stott began dating. Phillips entered the Southeast Gasser Association's C/Gas division four years ago, and in a short time, proved to be a talented driver by finishing in the top ten, as high as fourth for the last two seasons.

Phillips announced recently she will vacate the driver's seat as she battles cancer.

"It's pretty rough because she was really enjoying it," Said Quain Stott, her boyfriend of 36 years. "She was just getting her racing started."

Phillips chooses not to speak publicly and prefers Stott to be her spokesperson.

You can't believe everything you see on the Internet.

At least that's how NHRA's Director of Communications Jeffrey Young sees it when talking of White Horse Pass Motorsports Park going away as a drag racing venue.

"It's not going anywhere," Young responded to CompetitionPlus.com when it came to rumors of the facility being commercially repurposed. "We plan on being back there in 2021."

Multiple reports circulating the web suggest the track will be demolished to make way for hotels, a concert venue, and office buildings, among other things.

John Strickland has had a championship-caliber car ever since he burst onto the PDRA Pro Boost scene in 2015 as a part of the GALOT Motorsports team.
 
He finished second in points behind teammate Kevin Rivenbark in 2016 when the duo ran a pair of roots-blown entries tuned by Todd Tutterow. But his busy schedule as a championship tractor puller forced him to miss at least one race each season, preventing him from contending for the championship.

Kalitta Motorsports and Mac Tools announced today that one of the longest-running and most successful sponsorship relationships will continue into its 20th NHRA season through a multiyear extension agreement. Doug Kalitta, one of the winningest Top Fuel racers in NHRA history, will continue to race the familiar red and white 300-mph Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster throughout the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. Kalitta, along with the rest of the Kalitta Motorsports team, will continue their commitment to building the Mac Tools brand, raising product awareness with fans and technicians while engaging with Mac Tools’ distributors across the country.
 
“I can’t thank Mac Tools enough for all the support they have provided me and Kalitta Motorsports,” said Doug Kalitta. “They stuck with us through some tough times and we always tried to deliver our best for them. When I see my Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster in the pits or the staging lanes, I know I am representing the best in the business. Every round win and race win gives me a lot of pride because I know there are over a thousand distributors pulling for me every weekend. We want to show how Mac Tools gives us an advantage at the track and in the pits.”

With many NHRA teams unsure of their 2021 plans because of the COVID-19 pandemic, veteran Pro Stock owner/driver Dave River is on the opposite end of the spectrum.

River confirmed to CompetitionPlus.com his team will once again compete in a limited schedule in 2021 in NHRA’s Camping World Drag Racing Series. Robert River, Dave’s son, will be driving the family-owned, orange-painted Chevy Cobalt.

“We plan on doing Norwalk (Ohio) (June 24-27), Topeka (Kan.) (Aug. 13-15), Indy (Sept. 1-5), and St. Louis (Sept. 24-26),” Dave said. “We are certainly going to try and support the class and represent ourselves and have some fun again this year and make some good laps. My wife and I decided I drove that car for nine or 10 years and we wanted to give Robert the opportunity (to drive). He’s a good kid and he’s earned the right to get to drive and he’s very, very gifted.”