When one gets beaten by the track it’s usually because something happens beyond the starting line and not behind it.

Langdon's crew struggles to get his Lucas Oil dragster into reverse.

Rookie Top Fuel driver Shawn Langdon acknowledges the mistake, a rare
mistake, which overshadowed an otherwise impressive semi-final finish
by the Lucas Oil-sponsored driver at the O’Reilly NHRA Summernationals
in Topeka, Kan.

Pro Mod racer Tim Tindle found his way through the uncharted fields of
Heartland Park Topeka all the way to the winner's circle in the Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge presented by ProCare Rx.
 
Marking the first time the Challenge has visited the O'Reilly NHRA
Summer Nationals, the drivers and teams were greeted with full stands
of fans and treated them to a show of fast runs and close races all
under the sunny skies of Kansas.
 
Tindle made good on his purpose when he said at the beginning of the
race "I'm here to win" by besting Chip King, Danny Rowe and even number
one qualifier Joe Baker en route to the final-round matchup against Jay
Payne. Payne had beaten Mike Knowles and then single-handedly took out
the nitrous-burning teammates Burton Auxier and Mike Castellana to earn
his berth in the money round.

Ron
Capps continued his dominance over the Funny Car field with his win at
the 21st annual O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka.

Larry Dixon and Allen Johnson also visited winner’s circle after
dominating their respective classes at the race that marks the halfway
point of the regular season for the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing
series.

Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the
21st annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX at
Heartland Park Topeka, the ninth of 24 events in the NHRA Full Throttle
Drag Racing Series -

Weis makes splash in IHRA return with Top Fuel win

Russo gets first Pro Mod win; Gugliotta returns to victory lane

A beautiful Texas weekend came to a close Sunday afternoon as Scott
Weis (Top Fuel), Chris Russo (Pro Modified) and Frank Gugliotta (Elite
Motorsports Pro Stock) all claimed victories during championship Sunday
at the Amalie Motor Oil Texas Nationals Sunday in Crandall.

For Russo and Weis, Sunday marked their first career Ironman victories,
while Gugliotta picked his 11th career Ironman in IHRA Pro Stock
competition.

In exhibition action, Gaylen Smith grabbed the win in the Outlaw Pro
Modified shootout while Chris Gulitti (Top Sportsman), Russell Marr
(Top Dragster), Kevin Helms (Super Stock), Bob Murray (Stock), Doug
Miller (Quick Rod), Leonard Greathouse (Super Rod) and Jeremy Hefler
(Hot Rod) all took home Ironman victories in sportsman competition.

Unofficial point standings (top 10) for IHRA professional categories following the Amalie Oil Texas Nationals brought to you by Wolverine & Academy Sports and Outdoors at Dallas Raceway, the third of 10 events in the 2009 Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series -

Top Fuel
1.  Del Cox Jr, 273; 2.  Bruce Litton, 256; 3.  Terry McMillen, 196; 4.  Bobby Lagana Jr., 191; 5.  Mitch King, 169; 6.  Tim Boychuk, 166; 7.  Terry Haddock, 127; 8.  Paul Lee, 123; 9.  Scott Weis, 115; 10.  Todd Simpson, 60.

Final round-by-round results from the 21st annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer
Nationals presented by Castrol GTX at Heartland Park Topeka, the ninth
of 24 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:

Sunday's final results from the 21st annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer
Nationals presented by Castrol GTX at Heartland Park Topeka. The race
is the ninth of 24 in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:

Final round-by-round results from the Amalie Oil Texas Nationals
brought to you by Wolverine & Academy Sports and Outdoors at Dallas
Raceway, the third of 10 events in the 2009 Nitro Jam Drag Racing
Series:

The ADRL hasn’t made a formal announcement, but Heartland Park Topeka
Chairman Steve Johnson, confirmed in an interview with
CompetitionPlus.com that a deal has been reached in principle for the
multi-purpose facility to host the Independence Drag, July 4 – 5, 2009.

“In fact, the executives of the ADRL are supposed to be here this
weekend,” Johnson said. “We are planning, as are they, to be running a
great event here on July 4th.”

The formal announcement of relocating the event is expected to come in
the next week and is expected to create a firestorm of litigation from
the displaced host of the event, Motor Mile Dragway in Radford, Va.,
who contends the ADRL is contractually bound to host their event. Track
owner David Hagan has stated publicly that if the race goes through
that he plans to sue the ADRL, its president Kenny Nowling and possibly
Heartland Park Topeka.

Hagan told CompetitionPlus.com that he had contacted HPT to inform them
if they went forward with an event that they could become involved in
the litigation.