An especially busy off-season continues this week for four-time reigning world drag racing champion Steve Torrence, who briefly will downsize his horsepower requirements in support of his many rodeoing friends at the 63rd annual National Finals Rodeo beginning today at Thomas & Mack Center.

While he is accustomed to the 11,000 horses that propel his Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragster to speeds exceeding 330 miles per hour, the 38-year-old is just as comfortable with one horsepower, which is what he uses to work cattle.

Superstar rider/tuner Richard Gadson is well-known for his success in the sportbike drag and grudge racing world. Now Gadson is going Bagger drag racing in a big way with Live Oak, California-based V-Twin speed merchants 187 Custom Cycles.

“I would like to say that myself and the rest of the 187 team are looking forward to working and growing with Richard,” said 187 owner Patrick Lynch. “We have some big plans for 2022 in the Bagger world, but also have had conversations leading to bigger things outside of the Bagger world.” Hmmmm.......could Pro Stock Motorcycle be in this team’s future?

Gadson rode Mike Beland’s turbo Bagger “Meth Beth” at the Atlanta AHDRA race last year, but his recent work helping Chris Bostick’s NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle has him on an all-motor binge.

The Virtual Reality Hot Rod Association, a fan-vote drag racing series created by CompetitionPlus.com during the pandemic shutdown, will return on Monday November 30, 2021, for its third season.

The inaugural series featured five events and crowned champions in five professional categories. Defending series champions include TJ Zizzo (Top Fuel), Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car), Bruno Massel (Pro Stock), Steve Johnson (Pro Stock Motorcycle), and Rickie Smith (Pro Modified).

The series was created by CompetitionPlus.com founder Bobby Bennett; ironically, on March 13, 2020, the first day he began to show symptoms of the Covid-19 virus.

In recognition of native son Steve Torrence’s record-setting performance this year on the NHRA Camping World drag racing tour, the City of Kilgore temporarily will rename Kilgore Street in honor of the four-time Top Fuel Champion.  

In addition, Torrence will for the second time in four years serve as Grand Marshal of the city’s annual Christmas Parade, Tuesday, Nov. 30.

In a special ceremony at on Saturday, Nov. 27, during the city’s “Mingle and Jingle” event at the corner of Kilgore and Main, Mayor Ronnie Spradlin presented the 38-year-old Kilgore resident one of the four red-and-white “Steve Torrence Way” street signs commissioned for the occasion.  

Unheralded Stuart Moresby scored his first-ever Doorslammer title after defeating fellow Western Australian Pino Priolo in the 47th Annual Goldenstates meeting at the Perth Motorplex.

Joining Moresby in the winner’s circle was veteran Greg Durack, who broke a 40-year drought to claim his first Gold Christmas tree in Top Fuel Bike.

The 2021 AHDRA all-American Motorcycle Nitro World Finals at Gainesville Raceway began in a Florida equivalent of a blizzard—high winds, pouring rain, and temperatures in the 40s. Friday’s testing and Saturday’s qualifying were completely wiped out.

But Florida got back to being Florida on Sunday, with sunny skies and warm temps. And although the weather left the track looking more like a peeling Florida sunburn than anything resembling a dragstrip, the Gainesville Raceway staff and AHDRA drag racers still found a record-setting groove for one full day of nitro-pounding, gasoline-humming action.

Steve Bryson loves drag racing. For the last half-decade, the driving force behind credit card processing giant Global Electronic Technology has put his money where his sentiment is for the last half-decade sponsoring leading Top Fuel teams Kalitta Motorsports, Paul Lee Racing, and most notably Antron Brown as part of Don Schumacher Racing.

Bryson and wife Samantha will be stepping away from drag racing in 2022, but not because it hasn't been good for him.

Bryson readily points out drag racing provides a good return on investment. However, for him, the need to support family will pull him away for the foreseeable future.