As the historic Western Swing concludes this weekend at Pacific Raceway Justin Ashley will be adding some local flavor to his Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel dragster powered by Vita C Energy. Ashton Paving, a Salem, Oregon based company, will ride along at over 330 mph as Ashley looks to close out a three race stretch with a victory. Ashton Paving is a family owned and operated company specializing in residential paving as well as trucking and hauling logistic. 

“We are always looking to partner with local companies that have a passion for drag racing,” said Ashley, a two-time winner in 2022. “I understand the importance of construction through my experience in real estate and fully appreciate the great job Bobby and Amanda Teeter do for their clients at Ashton Paving. Rich Bailey our marketing representative was kind enough to get everyone connected and I look forward to highlighting them and hosting their guests this weekend in Seattle.”

​Hundreds of racers and a legion of racing fans swarmed US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan, July 21-24 for the 2nd annual Arrington Performance NMRA/NMCA Power Festival Presented by TorqStorm Superchargers. 
 
The third of three combined NMRA/NMCA events this season saw classes swell and the competition increase throughout the contingent of racers vying for valuable championship points and prize money.

Brittany Force’s merciless speed-surging performance against the best of the NHRA Top Fuel class at the Denso Sonoma Nationals had to share the spotlight Sunday with jolting news from Don Schumacher Racing (DSR). 

The post-race announcement that Don Schumacher has turned his majority ownership of his multiple-championship-winning team over to business partners Joe and Cathi Maynard doesn’t mean the dissolution of his one-time seemingly unstoppable megateam that has recorded 366 victories and 19 series crowns. 

Bob Tasca III know his team is a championship contender in NHRA’s nitro Funny Car class.

On Sunday, his team proved that to be true at the Denso Sonoma (Calif.) Nationals.

Erica Enders is an NHRA Pro Stock star. She has four world championships as proof.

And Sunday she checked something else off her bucket list.

Joey Gladstone experienced a 180-degree emotional swing on the Sonoma [Calif.] Raceway quarter-mile Sunday at the NHRA Denso Sonoma Nationals. 

For him, race day began with the kind of surprise no Pro Stock Motorcycle racer wants.  

RELATED STORY- THE DSR RUMOR?

The rumor began making its way around the professional pits on Saturday at the NHRA Sonoma Nationals. By Sunday, it was official. 

Don Schumacher and the Maynard Family announced on Sunday afternoon, that on Monday, July 25, 2022, the Maynards would become majority owners of the Top Fuel team. With their new position in the 
Maynard Family Racing/Don Schumacher Racing team (JCM/DSR) beginning with the upcoming NHRA Northwest Nationals, the Maynards will assume the bulk of the responsibilities of overseeing the day-to-day operations surrounding the Schumacher-driven/Todd Okuhara-tuned machine.
 

“I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the Maynard family this year and look forward to them continuing to become more involved as they take on this expanded role,” said Tony Schumacher from Sonoma Raceway following Sunday’s NHRA Sonoma Nationals elimination rounds. “It’s incredible to see how passionate the Maynards are about our sport. Together, we will continue to represent our roster of JCM and DSR partners such as Scag Power Equipment and Okuma to the best of our abilities both on and off the track as we race for a bid to compete in the 2022 NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs.”r a bid to compete in the 2022 NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs.”

On a day that included a barrage on the Sonoma Raceway record books, Top Fuel star Brittany Force rolled to her fourth win of the 2022 season on Sunday and moved into the points lead in front of a packed house at the 34th annual Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals.

Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Joey Gladstone (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won at the 12th of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the second stop of the three-race NHRA Western Swing. All four winners on Sunday are first-time Sonoma winners as well.

To say the last couple of weeks for Matt Hartford and his Total Seal Chevy Camaro Pro Stock team would be an understatement. Hartford was able to capture a monumental win in Pro Stock last weekend in Denver, Colorado, at the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals, using a psychic (.004) reaction time against Aaron Stanfield in the final round to stop team Elite's five-race winning streak.

For Hartford, it would be his fifth career win in Pro Sock and his first since Houston last season. However, the fascinating story behind the win and the journey to get to this weekend's Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals from Sonoma Raceway makes the win stand out even more.  

Hartford had a considerably slow start to the season capturing just four round wins through the first eight races of the season entering the western swing. To add to the slow start, Hartford and his team had to borrow a truck driver from Top Fuel driver Josh Hart's sponsor, R&L Carriers, to get to the race in Denver. Then while in Denver, the team's truck decided to give them problems. But the team was fortunate enough to borrow one from former Pro Stock racer and winner V.Gaines.

Point standings (top 10) following the 34th annual Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway, the 12th of 22 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series -