Past Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) world champions Tommy and Amber Franklin made series history Saturday night when they became the first father-daughter duo to win the same event. Racing at the DeCerbo Construction American Doorslammer Challenge presented by Callies at Summit Motorsports Park, Tommy won in Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous and Amber won in $hameless Racing Pro 632.

Two-time Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous world champion Tommy Franklin earned the No. 1 qualifying spot for the second race in a row at the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) DeCerbo Construction American Doorslammer Challenge presented by Callies. Franklin’s 3.686-second pass at 204.98 mph was the quickest after two Friday sessions in Pro Nitrous, the only class that completed a second session before rain showers paused the Summit Motorsports Park event. All other classes will compete their second qualifying session Saturday morning.

NHRA has partnered with The Fan-Brand for an exciting collection of officially licensed lighted wall signs, billiard lights, and wall décor products bearing the NHRA’s marks and colors. The licensing partnership was secured by JRL Group, NHRA’s licensing agency.

“We are honored to be selected by the NHRA to serve as their licensing partner.” says Harrison Grimm, Founder and CEO of The Fan-Brand. “You would be hard-pressed to find a more devoted and passionate fanbase and we look forward to helping those fans share their love for sport of drag racing through our new product line.”

Racers and dignitaries joined hundreds of motorsports professionals for the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony of the new Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Membership Headquarters in Speedway, Ind., on May 26.

Located at 1255 Main St. along the pathway directly to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the new 42,500-square-foot facility is among the recent attractions added to the revitalized town. 

Rickie Smith is one of the most prolific drag racers in the history of the straight-line sport. We happened across this footage from the 1983 IHRA Spring Nationals in Bristol, when, wearing only a helmet, fire jacket, blue jeans, and sneakers strapped a camera man alongside of him for a run down the Thunder Valley quarter-mile.

Our favorite line, "How about it, slick?"

Bob Tasca III knows he has a team capable of winning the NHRA Camping World nitro Funny Car world championship.

His team has had some early-season struggles but he believes it is turning the corner after back-to-back semifinal round performances at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals May 1 in Charlotte, N.C., and the Virginia NHRA Nationals in Richmond on May 15. Tasca is sixth in the points standings – just 41 points behind fifth place Cruz Pedregon.

“From where we started to where we ended in Richmond, we were pretty happy,” Tasca said. “We had back-to-back semifinal efforts at the Four-Wide and Richmond and the car is definitely running better early which is something we have have really been focusing on. Our car has run great speed all year, but it hasn’t run as hard early as we needed it to.

A month ago, the All American/Fuel Dragster group threatened a boycott of the NHRA’s Holley Heritage Series event in Bowling Green, Ky., if certain conditions were not met, namely a 16-car field.

Monday afternoon, it was confirmed in a statement issued by the Mid-West Drag Racing Series that the front-engine dragsters will be racing on the same weekend, June 17 - 18, 2022, at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Ill. The group is billing the event as the largest Nostalgia Top Fuel Dragsters gathering in over 20 years.

The Ray Skillman Auto Group, based around the surrounding areas of Indianapolis, has made its name known in the NHRA Drag Racing world through racing and sponsorship endeavors.

Being in the car sale business and competing in the drag racing arena has had its plusses according to Bill Skillman, owner of the Ray Skillman Auto Group.

“You know what? We've sold a lot of cars through drag racing and it's hard to know about any advertising pallet what part of it works,” Bill said. “They say 90% of it doesn't work and the other 10% does, but you're afraid not to advertise everywhere. You don't know what works. Yeah, we've actually sold a lot of dually (trucks) and different vehicles to racers and just a lot of personal vehicles as well.”

Lamattina Top Fuel Racing owner-driver Phil Lamattina has become the first two-time winner of the season after defeating Peter Xiberras in round five of the Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel Championship at Heathcote Park Raceway [HPR], May 21-22.

Twenty-four hours earlier, teammate Shane Olive scored his first-ever TF win in only his fourth outing after outpedalling Peter Xiberras in the final of Round four.