Pro Mod veteran Troy Coughlin is hoping to be back on track in time for the NHRA
SuperNationals, to be held June 19-22, at Englishtown, N.J. Coughlin has been
sidelined since wrecking his JEGS.com Pontiac GTO in Atlanta but has since
purchased a replacement car and is aiming for a return at the site of his first
JEGS ProMod Challenge win in 2005.

"We're still shooting for
Englishtown," Coughlin said. "We'll just have to see how it all comes together.
The days sure click by fast when you need time. They only drag when you can't
wait to get to the next event."

Coughlin was able to buy a brand-new '68
Camaro built by Tommy Mauney of TM Race Cars. The recently-completed car was
intended for racer Danny Blakenship but he was willing to part with the piece to
help out Coughlin and his predicament.

The cost of doing business in a complex United States economy is starting to

Donnie
Faulkner of the Rolling O Store admits drag racing is starting to feel
the crunch of the high gas prices and sluggish economy. (Roger Richards Photos)

show
signs of reaching the drag racing economy. Though the NHRA’s attendance
seems unaffected, those who participate in the traveling “circus” are
starting to feel the sting.

Donnie Faulkner, operator of the Rolling O store at NHRA events, admitted business has been tough the past few events.

“I believe we are starting to see the effects of this now, we didn’t
see a problem in the early part of the season, but I think it’s going
to cost us about 20 – 25% on the bottom line,” said Faulkner. “Until
the gas prices get back down under $4.00, we are all in trouble.”

Several of NHRA’s elite drivers, including defending NHRA POWERade
Series world champions Jeg Coughlin and Matt Smith, and John Force
Racing’s John Force and Mike Neff, will attend next week’s Coca-Cola
600 NASCAR event to promote the inaugural NHRA Carolinas Nationals at
zMAX Dragway @ Concord.

The NHRA Carolinas Nationals at zMAX Dragway @ Concord, Sept. 11-14,
will be the 19th of 24 events in the 2008 NHRA POWERade Series, and the
first event in the six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

This weekend's Third Annual PMRA Challenge event at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga, Ontario was rained out.
 
The rescheduled date for the event will be announced next week.
 
Carl Spiering from Jordan Station, Ontario was the number one qualifier
driving the Eaton Cutler-Hammer sponsored 1963 Chevrolet Corvette
Stingray.

There are a lot of factors that
go into winning an IHRA Nitro Funny Car world championship. You have to have a
strong, consistent car, you need a reliable motor that does not consistently
harm itself. You need a driver who doesn't make many mistakes, a crew to back
him up and, most importantly, for the breaks to fall your way. Dale Creasy Jr.,
the Beecher, Ill. resident who won the last two IHRA Nitro Funny Car
championships, felt he was able to win both world championships because, as he
put is, "everything came together and fell into place."

This season things have not worked
out quite as well. Creasy, who won an astounding six Ironmen last season, has
failed to find the Winner's Circle in 2008. He fell to current points leader
Steven Macklyn in the final round at the season-opener in San Antonio. He
followed that up by falling in the first round to eventual event champion Matt
Hagan at the IHRA Spring Nationals in Rockingham.

Former USAC champion Doug Kalitta taught his drag racing comrades a
lesson in why they should stick to the straight-line. He won last Saturday’s
12-lap NHRA Circle Track Challenge at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Kalitta, who started ninth in the 15-car field of NHRA all-stars, took
the lead from Greeneville's Allen Johnson on lap 10 after stalking him
for several laps around the .533-mile oval.

“I tell you, it was tough out there,” he said. “I had to work hard out
there but I had a lot of fun. I really appreciate the fact that I had
the opportunity to do this.

“I had to get up in the wall a little to get past Allen and I tell you,
it was so much fun. I was just glad to be able to get around these guys
at the end.”

Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Peggy Llewellyn confirmed she will return to the tour in 2008 and for her,

Peggy Llewellyn says she will be back this season on a limited basis in Pro Stock Motorcycle. (Roger Richards)

the sooner will be better.

“I'm doing some networking,” Llewellyn said. “I am borrowing a bike
from Matt Guidera and we're trying to put something together. I figure,
if I get out here and show my face people will know I want to race.”

Llewellyn has one national event to her credit with a triumph at last
season’s NHRA Fallnationals in Dallas, Texas aboard Karl Klement’s
Buell. The team owner elected not to renew her contract for 2008 and
instead signed Angelle Sampey.