As the Holley NMRA Ford Nationals embarks on its 25th anniversary, the series shifts its iconic Spring Break Shootout season opener to Orlando Speed World in 2023, diversifying the event with even more Blue Oval action.
 
“It’s become clear that modern Ford fans demand motorsport variety, and we plan to celebrate NMRA’s 25th-anniversary tour by bringing the festival atmosphere of our World Finals to the season opener in Orlando, Florida,” explains Steve Wolcott, Founder & CEO of NMRA. “Our fans love drag racing, but we need to offer even more motorsport action around the event. Our move to OSW opens the door to the most exciting Spring Break Shootout yet."

Pro Nitrous frontrunner Chris Rini has a new hot rod. This beauty recently rolled out of Jerry Bickel Race Cars destined for battle in the super challenging PDRA wars. Here's the first look at this monster. 

Former IHRA National Tech Director Robert Leonard passed away on June 27, 2022, following an extended illness. He was 83.

Leonard was preceded in death by his wife Doris and is survived by his son Jerry. He had five grandchildren. 

"Drag racing was a way of life," Jerry Leonard said. "It was his passion. He was all about the racer and making sure everybody got a fair shake. Sometimes he had to make the tough decisions, but the racers understood it wasn't personal; it was him being as fair across the board." 

Leonard worked with the IH

Travel back in time to the 1967 season when the NHRA ran the final event of the season at Tulsa International Raceway in Oklahoma. In this video sponsored by the FRAM Corporation, you will see a broadcast hosted by Brock Yates and Don Garlits.

On a day when Mother Nature threatened to intervene, Bennie Osborn's unforeseen rise to the most important win in drag racing came right on the heels of his victory at the Atlanta $10,000 meet.

You'll see plenty of old-school Top Fuel and some Super Stock. You'll even see some cool interviews.

Matt Hagan has raced for two individuals during his 13-year career with the National Hot Rod Association. Don Schumacher and Tony Stewart.

That is not a bad group of guys to have had as your boss.

Both are motorsport legends, though in different arenas within the sport. Schumacher is an NHRA national event-winning driver and was previously owner of the largest and most dominating multi-car racing team within the NHRA. Stewart, on the other hand, is a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

NHRA four-time defending Top Fuel world champion Steve Torrence has been nominated for the Best Driver Award for the 2022 ESPYS.
 
Torrence claimed his the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series championship in Top Fuel last year, giving the Texan his fourth consecutive world title in his 11,000-horsepower Capco Contractors dragster.

Third-generation Fuel Altered racer Kyle Hough is taking the family legacy where it's never been before. He's taking the Nanook nitro-burning tradition right to the top of the nostalgia food chain and into Nostalgia Top Fuel. 

Hough, who grew up seeking to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather Dave and father Rick's, got his chance to drive the Nanook Fuel Altered when he turned 17. However, he got a hankering to chart a path of his own.

"My dad and I were loading up the Fuel Altered to go racing in Edmonton in a few weeks," Hough explained. "I told my dad I wanted to do something different. It just so happened there were a couple of Top Fuel cars that came up for sale on Facebook, and I said let's go Nostalgia Top Fuel racing."

Drag racing is expensive.

Tires. Fuel. Parts. Travel. It can all add up in a hurry and that point is magnified by thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars, for competitors in the professional ranks of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series.

Some drivers have wealthy team owners that help offset those costs. Others have large, corporate sponsors that help foot the bill. And then there is a small breed of drivers that compete race-to-race on support of smaller sponsors that help bring in just enough to keep the tires turning and the nitro burning. They use their grit and determination to sell themselves to potential sponsors, hoping to scrape together just enough for a new blower, a fresh clutch and other parts and pieces to help make their car more competitive.

A memorial service celebrating the life of Jim Rockstad, former Seattle International Raceway operator, will take place at 10 a.m. (Pacific Time) Saturday, July 9 at Canyon Hills Community Church, 22027 17th Avenue S.E., Bothell, Washington 98021.