The American Hot Rod Association announced today that each event of the entire 2010 AHRA Reunion Tour will be broadcast on Fox Sports Network as entitled highlights features on “Inside Drag Racing” produced by Masters Entertainment Group of Bristol, Tenn.

“This is definitely the direction we want to head, Fox Sports is where we want to be, and to have a television deal this year to offer our fans and drivers is very exciting,” said Troy Moe, CEO of AHRA.

“I’m thrilled with how Butch McCall and Ted Jones from Masters have really reached out to be a part of the programs we’re developing.  They have a lot of experience in broadcasting drag racing, and it’ll be great to bring their knowledge to bear on what we’re doing,” Moe said.

Brandon Bernstein calls it "aggressive finesse."

The Copart Dragster Top Fuel driver is preparing for next weekend's Tire Kingdom Gatornationals, seeking his 19th victory and first since last October at Richmond, Va. And he used the term to describe crew chief Rob Flynn's plan to draw better elapsed times and speeds from the car.

It's too early for any driver to have developed much of a pattern, but naturally Bernstein would like to improve on his 10th- and seventh-place starting positions, knowing how every seemingly insignificant point counts at the end of the season. And those improved E.T.s will help earn those points.

"We have high hopes for this season," he said, adding that the task at hand is "coaxing more performance out of our Copart/Lucas Oil dragster in the middle of the track. Our 60-foot times are good, and knock on wood, we haven't had much problem with loss of traction. If we can keep power to the ground and get a little more aggressive with our clutch set-up, then we should pick up elapsed times and speeds.

Bristol Motor Speedway officials announced today President and General Manager Jeff Byrd has taken a leave of absence to undergo tests and treatment for a recently-discovered medical matter. It will prevent him from involvement in the upcoming Food City 500 weekend.

Byrd, who also oversees operations at Bristol Dragway, recently went through a series of tests and his doctors are encouraged that the condition is limited to one area and is treatable.

The Sullivan Family Racing NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team of ‘Kalifornia’ Katie Sullivan is proud to announce a marketing partnership with StopSafeUSA.com for the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Sullivan will be flying the colors of StopSafeUSA beginning at the NHRA Tire Kingdom Gatornationals to be contested in Gainesville, Fla. March 11th – 14th.

“StopSafeUSA (http://www.stopsafeusa.com) Rear-End Accident Avoidance System is proud to sponsor Katie Sullivan’s NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Team,” noted StopSafeUSA.com National Director of Sales, Ted Younts. “Katie is young and aggressive, her outgoing personality and upbeat attitude towards life exemplifies what StopSafeUSA is all about. At such a young age Katie has already proven to be a winner both on and off the track. Her love for her family, with her Dad Charlie by her side, and for the sport of drag racing has made this sponsorship choice an easy one.”

Ron Capps, who is usually behind the wheel of the 7,000-horsepower NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger Funny Car in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, will compete for the second time in this weekend's 52nd running of the March Meet at the Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif. This three-day event, held March 5-7, kicks off the 2010 Nostalgia racing season.

Capps will drive a Plymouth Arrow Nostalgia Funny Car owned by Steve Plueger and will make numerous appearances for NAPA AUTO PARTS supported by local businessman Tim Delcid, owner of several NAPA stores in the area.

"This event has more meaning than a lot of races that I race in right now," said Capps, a 30-time NHRA national-event winner, who will compete in a unique 32-car field this weekend. "It goes without saying that to be able to win the historic March Meet would rank right up there with any victories I've had in my career.

One of the early Pro Modified racers, Robby Vandergriff recently  walked through, Sunshine Home, a group boarding home, and much to his surprise he

saw a familiar model car, assembled and prominently displayed.

The model - the 1957 Chevy he drove during the pioneering days of the Pro Modified movement. On the door was his first and only major sponsor, Soffseal. Seeing the logo of the automobile restoration accessories company brought forth a groundswell of memories.

The model car reminded Vandergriff of both his happiest and saddest day.

The Bakersfield March Meet, a world famous 52-year-old drag race, and now the season opener of the NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage Series, continues its historic run, Mar. 5-7 at Auto Club Famoso Raceway near Bakersfield, Calif. Five hundred cars from around the globe, the country, the state and Kern County, are set to compete in 14 classes during the 3-day festival of speed.

“For fans and racers, the March Meet is all about drag racing and always has been,” said Blake Bowser, vice president and general manager of the Kern County Racing Association, operators of Auto Club Famoso Raceway and producers of the March Meet. “This year we again have a full field and all the top racers in nostalgia drag racing will be here. It’s going to be a great show – don’t miss it.”

The March Meet is such a draw, NHRA Funny Car legend and 14-time champion John Force is the Grand Marshal this time.

The American Drag Racing League (ADRL) is proud to announce a major, multi-year agreement with Summit Racing Equipment, naming the Ohio-based company as the Official High Performance Source of ADRL and title rights sponsor for its Sep. 24-25, Summit Racing Equipment Ohio Drags IV at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio.

“Summit Racing Equipment is a highly valued marketing partner of the ADRL and the racing industry as a whole and this multi-year agreement ensures they’ll remain an important part of our mutual success and growth for years to come,” ADRL Vice President of Sales and Marketing Brian Evans said. “It is an honor for us to continue racing under the Summit Racing banner at Summit Motorsports Park and I can’t thank them enough for their commitment to our future together.”

Orangeburg Drag Strip, known in racing circles as "Gator Alley", will have a two test this Friday [March 6] and Saturday. The track has a reputation for having plenty of grip and a wide racing surface and this weekend promises to be the same. Buddy Boozer along with the knowledgeable staff will have the track in great shape.

Long-time John Force Racing sponsor Automobile Club of Southern California has reached new heights in their support for the 16-time Funny Car championship team. At the season opening 50th annual Kragen O’Reilly NHRA Winternationals the Auto Club flew a commemorative banner celebrating Robert Hight’s first NHRA Full Throttle Funny Car championship. A surprised Hight enjoyed the moment with team owner John Force. Later Hight, the event’s No. 1 qualifier, shared this memory with the media in the Shav Glick Media Center on Saturday night.