After an abbreviated 2022 NHRA race season, Bruno Massel III is ready to make a run at his fourth career Comp world championship.

“We won the championship for ’21, and last year, we pulled back quite a bit, running just a handful of races. I needed to kind of reconnect with the family,” Massel said to CompetitionPlus.com. “This year, we’re going to go back after it and run a full season again. I ran just six races last year, and this year, we’ll hit some divisional races early and see where it puts us. If we have a shot, we’ll go after it; if not, we’ll focus on just the National events. Either way, I’m excited to race a full season once again.”

Massel will once again be behind the wheel of his twin-turbocharged Toyota 2JZ inline 6 powered altered.

Tim Wilkerson calls it Racing Scared, and the Funny Car owner-tuner-driver has done it for much of his 27 years in NHRA competition.

The Countdown kickoff at Reading, Pa., was a perfect example. His engine detonated during his semifinal victory over John Force, and he used his back-up car to run the final round. Wilkerson fouled out, handing the victory to Robert Hight. More disturbing, though, was that after climbing from ninth place to sixth, he never made it past the second round the rest of the year and finished ninth in the standings – right where he had started the playoffs. “So after that,” he said, “I'm running the next three races on my heels.”

But Wilkerson said Tuesday, “I won’t have to race scared anymore.”  

​There will be Pro Modifieds and plenty of them. There will also be the large displacement Pro Stockers, and there will be a gaggle of them. 

Now, word comes that another group of factory-built hot rods will invade Bradenton Motorsports Park during the first week of March at the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Modified. 

The NHRA's favored Factory Stock Showdown will take part in the action as part of the Factory Stock Classic. 

Buddy Hull announced Methanol Moonshine as his primary sponsor in December at the PRI Show and now the Dallas-based Top Fuel driver announced veteran Top Fuel tuner Mike Guger will take the reins as his full-time crew chief. Hull plans to race at least eight races in the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Hull’s first race this season will be the Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Motorsports Park at the end of March.
 
“Adding someone like Mike Guger to the team is a dream come true,” said Hull. “He has so much experience and has worked with so many great drivers, I honestly pinched myself after he said yes to working with our team. We are building a solid foundation to move forward and Mike along with David Shaff, our car chief. They will be a great one-two punch. David joined our team over a year ago and has shown great leadership from the beginning as well as a great work ethic. I can’t wait to get to Phoenix and see what we can do.”

JCM Racing has teamed up with 22-time NHRA Funny Car winner Tim Wilkerson, it was announced today. Effective immediately, Wilkerson and JCM Racing team owner Joe Maynard will serve as co-owners of Wilkerson’s Funny Car operation, which will compete as Maynard Wilkerson Racing (MWR), and will see the addition of JCM Racing partner SCAG Power Equipment as its primary sponsor.
 
“SCAG approached us toward the end of the 2022 NHRA season and explained that they were interested in expanding their partnership with our team and would like to have representation in the Funny Car category,” said Maynard, who, as the majority owner of the Tony Schumacher-piloted Top Fuel dragster, will now field two Camping World Series entries under the JCM Racing banner in 2023. “Naturally, we thought Tim would be an excellent fit. As a self-built business owner and someone who wears many different hats throughout his day-to-day operation, Tim is a relatable guy who appeals to the masses. He’s a hard worker, a true get-your-hands-dirty type. And let’s face it, what’s not to like about Tim Wilkerson? He’s one of the most well-liked and respected drivers in our sport.”

Madison Payne had a solid 2022 season finishing eighth in the Top Alcohol Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series world standings, including winning in Las Vegas in October over Tony Stewart in his debut race.

“When I won, I was like, we have to go, and my mom was like, ‘You can’t miss the winner’s circle,’ Payne said on the Between the Slicks podcast. “So, I missed my flight, but it was worth it. The midterm, I’m not going to lie to you guys, getting no sleep affected my grade a little bit. Didn’t go as good as it should have, but I didn’t fail it, and I got about a B on it, so I figured we could make it work. So, everything worked out. It was worth it.

Holley has announced their full 2023 motorsports schedule, which will once again feature a full slate of exciting events, including an addition to its popular LS Fest series with a new location at the iconic Texas Motor Speedway.

Anchoring the first of Holley’s seven events scheduled for their 2023 season will be the LS Fest West, happening at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, April 28-30. Like all LS Fest events, this event will feature different activities for fans, like drag racing, autocross racing, drift challenges, burnout challenges, car shows, and much more, with all vehicles powered by GM’s high-performance LS and LT motors.

While NHRA Pro Stock has a large share of Chevrolet Camaros, it's the new Mustang to be driven by Cristian Cuadra that has rolled out of RJ Race Cars and Quarter-Max that will have everyone talking. The 2023 Mustang was built for Othell Welch, and Cuadra will look to put it in the Countdown to the Championship again.

Cuadra, the youngest of the three brothers in NHRA competition, drove his way to an eighth-place finish in the Pro Stock division in 2022. The Mustang will carry sponsorship from the family's Corral Boots brand.

Cory Reed has learned the ropes in the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle ranks as an owner and driver.

In 2022, all of Reed’s hard work paid off as his teammate Joey Gladstone finished second in the world standings to Matt Smith with three wins and three runner-up finishes aboard a Suzuki.

Reed confirmed he is planning on riding a Suzuki with Gladstone at least initially.