Antron Brown admits he's always loved Pro Modified. There was always something about the volatile doorslammers that piqued his interest. So when Radial Tire Racing superstar Manny Buginga offered to let Brown, a three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion, drive one of his cars, the champion quickly accepted.

Brown made his doorslammer driving debut in one of Buginga's race cars, the Pro 275; not a bona fide Pro Modified car, but pretty darn close.

"I always was a big fan of Pro Mods," Brown confirmed. "These Pro 275 cars, you might as well call them Pro Mods. That's what they are. They don't even have the long wheelbases of Pro Mod cars, their shorter wheelbased Pro Mod. They're going almost as fast.

 
After two rounds of Outlaw Pro Mod qualifying at the 51st annual Snowbird Outlaw Nationals presented by Motion Raceworks, Melanie Salemi is the provisional low qualifier with a 3.589-second pass at 206.95 MPH in the second session Friday night at Bradenton Motorsports Park. 
 
Along with two rounds of Pro Mod qualifying, the complete Snowbirds lineup, from Pro 275 to Jr. Dragster classes, also received one round of qualifying to kick off the historic event. 
 
Salemi rolled into the Snowbirds with one of the quickest cars in Pro Mod, Eddie Whelan’s roots-blown Slice-and-Ice ’19 Camaro. Throughout the 2022 season, she reached the final round at multiple independent Pro Mod races, won a PDRA Pro Boost race, and qualified No. 1 four times in Pro Boost competition. Even with a weight penalty for her combination, Salemi and her family-based team, led by husband Jon and brother-in-law Jim, managed to take the top spot. 

Geoff Turk's stepdaughter Erin probably summed it up the best when she told him one night at dinner, "You're either a pathological liar, or you've had a hell of a life."

Turk was taken aback by the teenager's assessment and responded, "Well, I'll be honest with you, I don't have a good enough imagination to make this stuff up, so it has to be real."

Turk's road to having the initial Factory X car on display during the 2022 PRI Show has more twists and turns than Jason Bourne's action-adventure movies with all the entertainment value of Forrest Gump.

If you happen to see two-time NHRA champion and iconic drag racing instructor Frank Hawley standing in the corner of someone's pits, studying with the appearance of being deep in thought, please understand he's carrying out an essential duty.

Hawley stares at the interviewer in the most serious tone and equally focused look. This kind of professional approach next-level of instruction has made him an overwhelming choice for novice drag racers looking to get their careers off to the right start and an increasing number of drivers who have lost their way.

"I can tell you a secret, right?" Hawley asked. "I'm trying to stay out of the way."

John Mitchell's new Outlaw Pro Modified 2022 Camaro, built by the team at RJ Race Cars and Quartermax, is a beauty. The Martin, Tennessee-based drag racer was taken aback by the finished product.

“I’ve been bracket racing for 30 years and started running heads up about seven years ago, and I’ve been doing some outlaw racing. I’ve been wanting a Rick Jones car for 15 years and was finally able to get one…Let me tell you ain’t nobody builds a car like Rick Jones.

When it comes to his Top Fuel drag racing, Josh Hart can truthfully say he gets by with a little help from his friends. Actually, it’s a friend and a business associate who accompanied Hart to the drag races in 2022 and liked the experience so much that he’s become a fixture in the R&L Carriers Top Fuel operation.

Hart invited long-time business associate and friend Chris Armstrong, who also calls Ocala, Fla., home, and after one visit to the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, became hooked on the experience. Armstrong wasted little time creating a plan of how he could assist the young team owner to expand his Top Fuel racing operation.

On Saturday night, December 3, the Inaugural Lions Automobilia Foundation Awards Dinner and Silent Auction will be held celebrating the "Golden Anniversary of the Last Drag Race.” 

The sold-out event will be dedicated to recognizing those who influenced Southern California Motorsports and inspired its car culture lifestyle. Drag racing legend Don Prudhomme will join Mickey Thompson, Ed Iskenderian, Vic Edelbrock Sr., and CJ Pappy Hart as a member of the first Hall of Fame class. Already a member of the Drag Racing Hall of Fame, International Motorsports Hall of Fame, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, the SEMA Hall of Fame and recognized as a Texas Motorplex Legend, Bristol Dragway's Legends of Thunder Valley and the No. 3 racer on the NHRA’s list of “The 50 Top Drivers of All Time,” Prudhomme feels this induction is a tremendous honor.

In an unprecedented move, NHRA announced new directors in three of its Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisions in one day. NHRA confirmed on November 29, 2022, replacements for its Division 1 (Northeast), Division 5 (West Central), and Division 7 (Pacific).

It’s been a while since NHRA officially had a Senior Director of Competition, but after an announcement yesterday, now they do. 

Mike Rice, who relinquished his role as NHRA’s Division 7 Director, has accepted the role of Senior Director of Competition. Rice’s role marks the first time someone has officially held the role since 2003.  Graham Light held a similar role but was always titled Sr. Vice President of Operations. 

Rice first came to work with NHRA in 2001, where he served as the Division Director of Division 7 for 16 years. In his new role as NHRA Sr. Director of Competition, Rice will lead tower operations at all NHRA national events, coordinate and maintain daily on-track schedules, and communicate with race teams. He will also be involved in guiding the seven NHRA Division Directors.