In his first race of the 2009 season, Doug Herbert qualified in the top
half of the field at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol,
Tenn.  The veteran driver, who qualified eighth, will face No. 9
qualifier Doug Kalitta in the first round of eliminations.

“I’m really happy with how we’re doing this weekend,” said Herbert, a
10-time NHRA event winner.  “I think we did a great job.  We haven’t
raced since November and we put a crew together at the last minute, but
we still came out and ran well.”

Von Smith and the Al-Anabi Racing Pro Mod Extreme team from Oak Ridge, Tenn., wrote a thrilling, record-setting finish to their sometimes grueling season with a victory before another enthusiastic crowd at the Qatar Drag Racing championship in Doha, Qatar.

Team owner Sheik Khalid Al Thani of Qatar watched happily as Smith and
the Atomic Performance crew, led by tuning wizard Howard Moon, overcame
a slow qualifying start and then turned aside all challengers.

Ashley Force Hood raced her Castrol GTX Ford Mustang to the top of the field on Friday at the 9th annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals
at Bristol Dragway, to capture the No. 1 qualifying position with a run
of 4.105 seconds. That time held up as temperatures rose on Saturday
and her stellar efforts handed Billy Dotson of Clintwood, Virginia, a
new Whirlpool washer and dryer as part of the BrandSource “Win with
Force” promotion. During the 2009 Full Throttle Drag Racing Series at
select event when any one of the four John Force Racing Funny Cars
qualifies No 1 at the event one lucky winner wins a Whirlpool washer
and dryer set.

“I’ve been coming to Bristol Dragway since before they had NHRA races.
I have never missed the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals and I love John
Force Racing. I have been a fan of his forever. I never thought I would
win a Whirlpool Washer & Dryer for being a John Force fan though.
My wife is excited because we could really use a new set,” said Dotson.

First-round pairings for professional eliminations Sunday for the
Ninth annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway, the
eighth of 24 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.
Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs
listed below pairings.

Valvoline and Don Schumacher
Racing announced on Saturday during the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals a
contract extension through 2010. Under the agreement, Valvoline will
appear at 13 races this season as primary sponsor on the Funny Car
driven by Jack Beckman.

“We are thrilled to extend this relationship,” conveyed
Rob Clendening, Manager- Global Brands for Ashland. “We are like all
sponsors in that we are watching every dollar we spend. We are very
demanding in what we get back for the money we spend. We are picky
about the sponsorships we choose.

“It is critical for Valvoline to partner with teams that can provide
big wins even before the cars hit the track. DSR is that type of
partner. The team’s on-track success is not just the icing on the cake,
but it really pushes our research and development team to constantly
deliver the next technical innovation.”

Vietnam War Hero and Medal of Honor recipient Seargeant Major. Jon R. Cavaiani attended the NHRA Thunder Valley Drag races today along with several veterans from the Vietnam War as guests of Roger Burgess and the Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge.  Cavaiani is one of only 98 living Medal of Honor recipients.
 
Cavaiani and a group of veterans sipped coffee and reminisced about their experience serving our country in Vietnam.  Brought together through the combined efforts of R2B2 Racing, Cavaiani, and NHRA through a program called The Vietnam Veterans Corner.

When you wreck a car, a race, you get a talking to by race officials.

One race after crashing three Pro Modified race cars in one weekend and
one in testing, NHRA officials gathered the drivers together for a
meeting.

No one was scolded. No one was reprimanded.

The NHRA had a genuine concern for the safety of the 240-mph doorslammer drivers.

Cory
McClenathan raced to his first No. 1 qualifying position of the season
Saturday at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway.

Ashley Force Hood and Mike Edwards also will lead their categories into
Sunday’s eliminations, which begin at noon. ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will
provide three hours and 30 minutes of coverage of the race starting at
7 p.m. (ET).

McClenathan held on to the top spot in Top Fuel with his 3.874 second
run at 312.21 mph from Friday in his FRAM dragster. It is the 33rd No.
1 effort of his career and first at this track. He will face Michael
Gunderson in the first round of eliminations.

High Track Temperatures Heat Up Pro Mod Competition in Thunder Valley
 

Raymond
Commisso's Camaro was crashed in testing after St. Louis but rebuilt in
time to compete in Bristol. He won the first round when Danny Rowe
red-lit.

Weather forecasters couldn't have been more wrong today,
as the 80 percent chance of rain in Bristol turned into a beautiful -
albeit sunny and hot - day as the Get Screened America Pro Mod
Challenge presented by ProCare Rx took to the drag strip for the last
session of qualifying and round one of eliminations at the NRHA Thunder
Valley Nationals.
 
The blacktop boiled as track temperatures exceeded 121 degrees, giving
way to the "challenge" of the Pro Mod Challenge. In the end, Mike
Castellana took the pole at 6.050/234.90 in his nitrous-powered '68
Firebird.
 

Two years ago Ashley Force Hood was on the outside looking in on race day. Today at Bristol Dragway she will enter the 9th annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals eliminations from the No. 1 qualifying spot and loaded with confidence.